NGD: Kramer Baretta

[Zilthy]

Okay, I admit, I picked this one up mostly for nostalgia and wall candy.

Back in the mid 80s, this was the guitar I *really* wanted but could not afford at the time.
I blame all the pictures of Mick Mars plastered all over the place with a Kramer Baretta in Guitar
for the Practicing Musician, and the other 'Hollywood' magazines like Circus and Hit Parader.  Some
to EVH too, that 5150 Kramer from the Panama video.   I *still* kick myself for getting the original
stripe series instead of paying the $300 more for the 5150 version (which I want more than the reliced
version).   Oh well, maybe someday, but now I'll be $1k more for a headstock change and different
stripe pattern.

Anyway, many decades later, I finally bit the bullet and got the Baretta when I saw a 'demo' model
on Sweetwater and worked out a deal on it. :).  Imported guitars are actually pretty good these days,
but this one surprised me in ways I wasn't expecting.  The biggest way was just how much body and
projection it had unplugged.   I was surprised and pleased with that.  I don't fully know the physics
of a vibrating string creating a signal from an electromagnetic field of a pickup, but my best sounding
guitars plugged in are also the best sounding guitars unplugged.   The pickup and distance do make up
the biggest factor, but there is that 'something else' that makes up that last 5% and I can tell unplugged
this guitar has it.

Now, as far as plugged in, I have not made up my mind yet on that, but if it sounds good acoustic (which
it does) anything electronic can be fixed.  The first is the Duncan JB pickup.  I am not a big fan of the JB, but I know I can swap out the magnet for an Alnico 2 or even swap the pickup fully of the A2 does not bring it where I would like.  Surprisingly, this does not have that ice pick quality that normally annoys me with a JB, possibly due to being angled, but also it could be that I have it rather far from the strings, which also makes it weaker in a way that I do not like either.

The way this one is from the factory, it is angled kind of far back, so I cannot bring it any closer to the strings and it sits rather too far away.   That is a solvable problem though, just bend the pickup a bit forward where it screws in or put some foam under the back to tilt it forward to string angle (first course of action).   The second is that it is cutting out now and then.   This was a demo model, so it could have been abused, and is most likely the jack or solder joint, neither of which is a big issue or cost to fix, but I need to contact Sweetwater about it.   I *really* like this specific guitar overall and want to see what is okay with me doing to it while they'll still take it back if something worse is wrong.

In other words, I don't want to exchange it and get one that does not *feel* as good but with perfect electronics, in the meanwhile, I don't feel I should have to sink $100 in pickup and electronics to make it 'playable' through an amp.  I'm not worried about them covering me though, I've never had an issue there with Sweetwater.  In this case, it's more about coming to the 'right solution'.   

At any rate, this guitar is pretty awesome for me and I have no regrets.   And I will admit, this guitar is mostly about 'capturing a feeling' for me rather than a need, and the giggles and grins I am getting from it are well worth it.  With this kind of dollar per hour enjoyment, it is going to be cheaper than almost any movie I ever went to (perhaps discounting the many, many times going to see The Lost Boys in the dollar theater after smoking 'non tobacco' cigarettes).  :D

[rnolan]

Go Zilthy, great looking guitar  .  I've never been a fan of the JB either.  I put one in my epy SG and well, it was ok but I preferred the epy's PUs.  they had an interesting character which, for me the JB doesn't have, but they were a bit microphonic (part of their charm) so I went for a Gibson 57 reissue ($300 though  ) great sounding PU.  From what you say about its sound unplugged, then it should be a keeper, just sort the electronics.  Try some contact cleaner in the pot, may be all it is that's cutting out?  It's possible the pot is cutting out when full up, a friends schecter was doing that, needed a new pot. There's not much to the electrics on your new baby, just a PU wired in series connected to the pot and then the output jack (and earth wire to the bridge, if that comes loose it causes bad hum but doesn't cut out).

[Dante]

Nice Axe!

I like those single tilted PU guitars....not sure why, but I always have. EVH I guess. I'm not opposed to spending an extra hundred on a guitar as soon as I buy it, but I typically only do that with mid-grade guitars.

The JB: people love 'em or hate 'em. I believe guitar construction has a LOT to do with it. I hated the JB in my Vee, but would never take it out of my hollow body or my Ibanez Artist (like a dbl cutaway LP). YMMV

[Zilthy]

Well, Sweetwater is going to cover anything I need on it for any fixing, which I had no doubt they would.   Obviously exchanging it wouldn't be an issue, but if I want to repair it they will cover any costs incurred, so that's really nice.

Hopefully I will have some time to do a full setup this weekend and sort the electronics.   The little I've used it plugged in, I actually like the sound of the JB in it better than I have in other guitars so far, I wonder how much of that is the angle.   But I also have spare A2 magnets to swap to try and I also have a spare Custom Custom sitting around as well.   But usually a magnet swap has worked for me, and it's quicker and a *whole* lot cheaper than a pickup swap so that is usually my first 'change' after playing with height and adjustment.

I now have 3 guitars with that single humbucker and single volume control, and as much as I *love* my Charvel, I prefer the sound of all 3 of them over my Charvel, even 2 with same pickup in the bridge.

Though, my Les Paul is still my best sounding guitar.

[rnolan]

Hey Zilthy, that's good news  .  The cutting out problem won't be the PU, more likely the pot or jack.  Anyway hope you get it sorted soon  :wave:

[Shibiwan]

Nice guitar! I love the florescent pink!

[Peter H. Boer]

Nice guitar