Kramer Baretta Special

[Charvel1975]

I've been reading up on this guitar and it seems to get really good reviews and the price is right. Any thoughts?

 

[Whizzercone]

I want one of those crazy stereo Kramers.

 

[StrummerJoe]

I haven't had my hands on any of the new Baretta Specials, but considering the budget friendly price I wouldn't expect them to be perfect out of the gate. I would expect things like fret sprout, generic pickup (which it is), less than premium tuners (which they are but may be just fine), and less than ideal set-up.

That said, none of those are problematic fixes but do cost time and/or money to deal with leaving you with a good workhorse.

What are you specifically wanting out of a new guitar? There are other similar options for a few more bucks that might suit you better, which considering the money & time to correct any issues common to more affordable instruments that it might actually save you to spend a few more $$$.

Sorry if I seem like I'm being a downer on that model, but I just want to be honest.

 

[StrummerJoe]

I want one of those crazy stereo Kramers.

You mean those Ripley models? Hens teeth bro, and the prices are jacked if you can find one.

Pretty cool though.

 

[Whizzercone]

You mean those Ripley models? Hens teeth bro, and the prices are jacked if you can find one.

Pretty cool though.

Yep. I just saw a bass that was $2300. Crazy.

 

[StrummerJoe]

Yep. I just saw a bass that was $2300. Crazy.

Wow, I haven't seen a bass Ripley in a long time. That actually seems not too bad considering how much more rarer the basses are even.

 

[crossroadsnyc]

I have two of them (one is vintage white, the other is black), but I've had them for years, and am not certain if they are the same as being sold today (for example, are they still mahogany?). If memory serves me right, I think I paid less than $200 for each of them (I couldn't say no at the price). To address the points from @StrummerJoe, I'm not having any issues with fret sprout (the black one "had" some after a couple years, but resolved itself), the pickup is actually way better than you might expect, and while the tuners aren't the best, I can't say I have any real issues with them. Funny timing on that point, as I just picked up the black one last weekend so my daughter could play around with it, and despite the fact that it's been sitting there collecting dust for a few months, it was barely out of tune (just a bit flat). The only thing I didn't like out of the gate was that the non-locking trem was very stiff (like unusually stiff), but once I removed one of the springs, it actually works quite well (for a non-locking trem). I also like having them, as I can hand them to my 5 year old daughter, and if something happens, I'm not going to want to pull my hair out. If you go into it with realistic expectations, chances are that you'll have a guitar you can have a heck of a lot of fun with, and a price point that's nearly impossible to beat. I'd say go for it. I've legit thought about buying another one or two in more "fun" colors.

 

[StrummerJoe]

I have two of them (one is vintage white, the other is black), but I've had them for years, and am not certain if they are the same as being sold today (for example, are they still mahogany?). If memory serves me right, I think I paid less than $200 for each of them (I couldn't say no at the price). To address the points from @StrummerJoe, I'm not having any issues with fret sprout (the black one "had" some after a couple years, but resolved itself), the pickup is actually way better than you might expect, and while the tuners aren't the best, I can't say I have any real issues with them. Funny timing on that point, as I just picked up the black one last weekend so my daughter could play around with it, and despite the fact that it's been sitting there collecting dust for a few months, it was barely out of tune (just a bit flat). The only thing I didn't like out of the gate was that the non-locking trem was very stiff (like unusually stiff), but once I removed one of the springs, it actually works quite well (for a non-locking trem). I also like having them, as I can hand them to my 5 year old daughter, and if something happens, I'm not going to want to pull my hair out. If you go into it with realistic expectations, chances are that you'll have a guitar you can have a heck of a lot of fun with, and a price point that's nearly impossible to beat. I'd say go for it. I've legit thought about buying another one or two in more "fun" colors.

That's great news! The ones I just checked out on Reverb that are brand new say mahogany body.

Dangit, now I'm considering one for fishing instead of my Suhr, Fender Wildwood Strat, and other customs...

Thanks Cross!

 

[crossroadsnyc]

That's great news! The ones I just checked out on Reverb that are brand new say mahogany body.

Dangit, now I'm considering one for fishing instead of my Suhr, Fender Wildwood Strat, and other customs...

Thanks Cross!

For your viewing pleasure ...

 

[Charvel1975]

I haven't had my hands on any of the new Baretta Specials, but considering the budget friendly price I wouldn't expect them to be perfect out of the gate. I would expect things like fret sprout, generic pickup (which it is), less than premium tuners (which they are but may be just fine), and less than ideal set-up.

That said, none of those are problematic fixes but do cost time and/or money to deal with leaving you with a good workhorse.

What are you specifically wanting out of a new guitar? There are other similar options for a few more bucks that might suit you better, which considering the money & time to correct any issues common to more affordable instruments that it might actually save you to spend a few more $$$.

Sorry if I seem like I'm being a downer on that model, but I just want to be honest.

I was more or less thinking of getting it for a backup guitar or to use at rehearsals. I know about what I've been reading about the trem, tuners and nut on the Kramer Baretta Special but I really don't use trems a lot even though a lot of my other guitars have double locking trems.

 

[StrummerJoe]

I was more or less thinking of getting it for a backup guitar or to use at rehearsals. I know about what I've been reading about the trem, tuners and nut on the Kramer Baretta Special but I really don't use trems a lot even though a lot of my other guitars have double locking trems.

@crossroadsnyc gives them high praise, and that's good enough for me. If all you want is a bang around backup why not?

I'd spend a few bucks more for a Baretta with a FR 1000 and SD JB stock, but I'm a wiggle stick wanker. But that's me. Deals for used under $600 can be had for them too.

Good luck whatever you decide, I look forward to the NGD.

 

[JSJ900]

I got a purple one. Neck feels nice, pickup’s fine, took the whammy bar off & threw it in a drawer.

Stummer Joe was right above though - it does have some fret sprout that developed on the 4th fret on the high e side. I’d had it over a year though and we had a cold winter & I should have had the humidifier running for a few days when the heat was cranked in my guitar room.

 

[Charvel1975]

Hello, so I'm getting a Kramer Baretta Special

Kramer Baretta Special Electric Guitar - Candy Blue

Solidbody Electric Guitar, with Mahogany Body, Maple Neck/Fretboard, 1 Humbucking Pickup, and Tremolo - Candy Blue

www.sweetwater.com

Will the PRS SE Soft Case that came with my PRS SE Custom 24 fit the Kramer?

 

[hsb]

I would think the PRS case would fit the Baretta

 

[Dave_11]

I just started looking at these last week and am really GASsing for one now. I love the look of that 80s banana headstock and the tilted pickup! From watching a couple of youtube how-to's, it doesn't look like it would be too hard to upgrade the trem system and have a super shredder.

 

[mrjones2004x]

I had a cream one with rosewood board couple years back. Upgraded the trem to an original Floyd without fine tuners. Pickup in it was really good.
Should have put a lock nut on it as only issue was the nut. The angle of the headstock causes the strings to bind at the nut if you use the trem as they turn quite sharp. I tried a couple different nuts and cut it a couple of ways and found it still bound up.

If you don’t wanna use a trem it was brilliant guitar. Out of the box playability

 

[Charvel1975]

I had a cream one with rosewood board couple years back. Upgraded the trem to an original Floyd without fine tuners. Pickup in it was really good.
Should have put a lock nut on it as only issue was the nut. The angle of the headstock causes the strings to bind at the nut if you use the trem as they turn quite sharp. I tried a couple different nuts and cut it a couple of ways and found it still bound up.

If you don’t wanna use a trem it was brilliant guitar. Out of the box playability

Yea I wasn't planning on using the trem.

 

[kysrsoze]

I’ve owned two of the Indonesian-made ones. I ended up selling one, but only because I’m at the “one arrives, one must go” stage of my marriage. They’re great guitars for the money- very nice necks, good sounding pickups. The only negative is tuning stability, due to a cheap plastic nut and tuners, but a $15 GraphTech TusqXL nut solves that. The PT-6060-00 (made for Epiphone) fits almost perfectly, with very little thickness filing (height/width are perfect as-is).

Supposedly the newer Chinese-made Baretta Specials don’t have as good of wood or pickup, but I haven’t personally compared. You can easily spot the Indonesian ones because the cream coil of the pickup is closer to the bridge. Last I looked, the Indonesian ones were still available on sale at Sweetwater.

 

[Edgar Frog]

I've heard nothing but good/great things about them. I'd like to get the purple one and put a double black Duncan Distortion in it.

 

[johnny q]

I have the Blue one. It's true that this one punches way above it's weight. I replaced the tuners with locking Gotohs right off the bat. I had a few instances of fret sprout, so I watched a YouTube video, bought the files and fixed that issue myself. I adjusted the truss rod as the neck was way too straight and the strings not oscillating properly. It plays and sounds WAY better than any $200 guitar has the right to. I intended on swapping the stock pickup, but it sounds quite good actually - definitely some type of Duncan JB knock off.

I have a Fender Vintage bridge that I will install soon as well. Oh....I also snipped the bright cap. As many have pointed out, things work much better without it.