Kramer Guitars Baretta Vintage

SEPTEMBER 2020 TOTAL GUITAR
93
I
t’s interesting how Kramer – a company
that took a sizeable chunk out of Les
Paul sales over the 80s – now  nd
themselves being brought back to life
by Gibson. This latest collection is
certainly worthy of the brand’s heritage, with
wild  nishes and no options for  xed bridges.
It is, after all, what Kramer were famous for
– and they still are, looking how much the
American-made originals go for
second-hand.
Perhaps it’s the sheer a ordability of the
Pacer Vintage that makes it such an enticing
instrument. You’d be hard-pressed to  nd
a better Floyd-equipped Superstrat under
£700, especially considering the custom
aesthetics of the tiger striped Orange Burst
and the inclusion of real Seymours instead of
anything outsourced or ‘Duncan Designed’.
But the old Sambora signature really does
trump this round-up on sheer class alone,
boasting versatility and e ortless playability.
The Baretta Vintage would be a great choice
for rhythm players, particularly those who
deal in rock, punk and thrash. There’s an
elegance to its simplicity and aesthetic – the
Ruby Red  nish is very easy on the eye. The
SM-1 is, in many ways, the opposite – less
attention-seeking and more suited to soloists
and instrumental ultra-shredders, with tones
galore thanks to the unbranded Cool Rails
and JB. All in all, this relaunch of the Kramer
brand is a great move from Gibson.
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FINAL VERDICT
Which model stands out to you?
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JERSEY
STAR
SM-1 BARETTA
VINTAGE
PACER
VINTAGE
FEATURES
SOUND QUALITY
VALUE FOR MONEY
BUILD QUALITY
PLAYABILITY
OVERALL RATING
SUMMARY
FEATURES
SOUND QUALITY
VALUE FOR MONEY
BUILD QUALITY
PLAYABILITY
OVERALL RATING
SUMMARY
FEATURES
SOUND QUALITY
VALUE FOR MONEY
BUILD QUALITY
PLAYABILITY
OVERALL RATING
SUMMARY
FEATURES
SOUND QUALITY
VALUE FOR MONEY
BUILD QUALITY
PLAYABILITY
OVERALL RATING
SUMMARY
BEST FOR
RIFFING
BEST
VALUE
BEST FOR
METAL
BEST ALL-
ROUNDER
TGR336.gear_test.indd 93 13/08/2020 11:27