Kramer Baretta Vintage Pewter Grey

[UnderTheFlame83]

I’ve been impressed so far with the way guitars these days are packed for shipping. Four “mail-order” guitars in, the packaging has been pretty clever about protecting the guitars from the most likely kinds of damage.

As for packaging I think Sweetwater does an excellent job packing guitars. I didn't get this one from them, though. And a lot of sellers on Reverb are really good packing from my experience buying on Reverb.

 

[Mr. 80's]

As for packaging I think Sweetwater does an excellent job packing guitars. I didn't get this one from them, though. And a lot of sellers on Reverb are really good packing from my experience buying on Reverb.

The worst packed guitar I ever got in my life was from Sweetwater. It may have been an isolated incident but I'd never buy another one from them.

 

[UnderTheFlame83]

The worst packed guitar I ever got in my life was from Sweetwater. It may have been an isolated incident but I'd never buy another one from them.

Really? That sucks. I must had been lucky the times I've ordered from them.

 

[UnderTheFlame83]

So much for waiting 24 hrs to open it up. Been almost 6 hrs. I don't have much patience when I get a new guitar. Well, the guitar came unscathed and in perfect condition with no noticeable flaws anywhere. Wasn't much packing materials imside the shipping box but the guitar was packed nice and tight inside the Kramer box. Almost in tune and intonation is set. The action is perfect. Frets could use polishing. I checked my scale and it weighs 8.25 lbs. Feels very solid and has great resonance playing unlpugged. Only plugged it up once to check all electronics and made sure push pull is working and did a couple dive bombs. Perfect.

The fretboard has some cool grain patterns going on. The neck feels different than the Baretta Specials, just bit slimmer. Feels great and feels like a good quality instrument. Fret work is outstanding, just a little scratching while bending on a few frets that will go away the more you play. Medium jumbo frets.

So far I would say this guitar is well worth it. As for the Baretta art work models I really can't see them much better than this Vintage is. Just needs the D-Tuna. For $300 more you can have designs instead of a solid color. The pictures below look blue, but it is pretty much same shade of grey as the picture above.

 

[UnderTheFlame83]

I think I'm going to take a sick day at work and just play this for hours

 

[Mincer]

I think your pics look better than the stock photo.

 

[maug2122]

Very nice, but would it kill them to make it in white?

I have a 1984 Kramer that was pink, but I painted it with Stoneflex paint added the blood.... using an ex girl friends nail polish, back in the day.

 

[Sirion]

That isn't a 1984. It rather looks like late 1986 or early 1987.

 

[ErikH]

That isn't a 1984. It rather looks like late 1986 or early 1987.

Agreed. That's the sharper radius ESP style body.

 

[UnderTheFlame83]

After more time with this Baretta I would have to say it's one of my favorites already. Up there with my Jackson Soloist for playability and sound. Floyd 1000 is staying in tune perfect. Loving it. This one is a keeper.

 

[UnderTheFlame83]

How do you like the JB in it? Does it kind of bridge the gap between early VH and screamin’ 80’s hair metal?

Yes it does the VH and hair metal thing to a T. This
guitar was made to rock 80s tunes. The JB does modern just as good I think. Looking forward in trying the 78. Curious how much different to the JB it is.

 

[Top-L]

After more time with this Baretta I would have to say it's one of my favorites already. Up there with my Jackson Soloist for playability and sound. Floyd 1000 is staying in tune perfect. Loving it. This one is a keeper.

Its been a long time since I've owned a non-routed Floyd. How much back pull does it have with the bridge level? Can you do mild tremolo effect with a bit of back pull without it bottoming? Or is it just dive?

 

[UnderTheFlame83]

Its been a long time since I've owned a non-routed Floyd. How much back pull does it have with the bridge level? Can you do mild tremolo effect with a bit of back pull without it bottoming? Or is it just dive?

You can pull back but not very much. You can flutter. But since it is routed the way it is pretty much all dives.

 

[Mr. 80's]

How much of that packing job was Sweetwater, and how much was the manufacturer?

I have had Sweetwater ship me three guitars. They had to repack all three of them — two to inspect and take pics, and the third to Plek. They used, as far as I could tell, only the factory packing materials, and they put them all back together flawlessly. All three guitars arrived in perfect condition.

I had MF send me a cheap-cheap Epiphone that same year. They didn’t need to open the box, and I don’t think they did. It was also packed very well and arrived with no issues.

It certainly wasn't anything the manufacturer did or did not do. It was 100% on Sweetwater when they did their so called "55 point inspection" and their photo shoot. When I sent them the unboxing video they said that everything done was exactly everything they try to avoid and they would use it as a video to help train people on everything not to do. Don't know if I can believe that one or not. I'd rather buy a guitar brand new sight unseen and never inspected. That was my 1st purchase with them and it just couldn't have been any worse. 2nd time was no better so I wrote them off completely. It's like they were just fukn with me at that point.