Back to navigation


The Legendary '83 Baretta Returns





This article was


Written By





Our Product Research Team





Get to know them!





Ask any Kramer enthusiast what the Holy Grail of vintage instruments is, and they'll agree ? unanimously ? that it's the '83 Baretta. Originally intended as a signature model for Edward Van Halen, the '83 was greatly influenced by the legendary musician's iconic Frankenstrat. Furthermore, the '83 proved to be one of the earliest factory-built examples of what would eventually become known as a Superstrat. Re-created from detailed 3D imaging from original samples, the Kramer 1983 Baretta Reissue is a spot-on reproduction of an '83. Like the original, the reissue boasts all-maple construction, a ruler-flat rosewood fingerboard, and a slanted reverse-zebra, PAF-style humbucker. And, of course, since no guitar would be shred-worthy without a double-locking trem, the 1983 Baretta Reissue sports a Floyd Rose Original. Period-correct 90-degree Gotoh tuners and a large, non-angled headstock round out this once-in-a-lifetime solidbody electric guitar. Players searching for the definitive Kramer can stop looking; the 1983 Baretta Reissue has returned.





Stripped-down, high-performance shred machine





Boasting a vintage-correct '83 design, the 1983 Baretta Reissue is a stripped-down, high-performance shred machine. Its maple body exhibits a mega-bright sound with super-long sustain and truckloads of mix-penetrating bite. Its unfinished maple neck features a sleek, historic 1983 Baretta profile and a lightning-fast, 22-fret, 16-inch-radius rosewood fingerboard. And, just like an authentic vintage '83 Baretta, the reissue sports an oversized, non-angled headstock.





Serial 2304190108


Serial 2304190108


Seymour Duncan '59 humbucker





The original '83 Baretta came loaded with a single Schaller Golden 50 pickup, which was a PAF-style humbucker. For the 1983 Baretta Reissue, Kramer chose its closest modern equivalent: the Seymour Duncan '59. Like the Golden 50, the '59 is a classic Seth Lover PAF-style humbucker, voiced similar to the pickup you'd find on a late-1950s Les Paul. This vintage-tinged scorcher boasts plenty of output without sacrificing tone, and it adds harmonics, sustain, and the perfect amount of distortion to your playing. Moreover, the pickup brandishes a slanted, reverse-zebra design, just like the one on an authentic '83. Control-wise, the Kramer 1983 Baretta Reissue retains a single volume knob with a CTS potentiometer.





Floyd Rose tremolo for twisting, bending, and dive-bombing





Do you dive-bomb? Shriek? Squeal? Flutter? Of course you do! Otherwise, you wouldn't be on Sweetwater.com looking at shred machines like the 1983 Baretta Reissue. Similar to other high-performance solidbody electric guitars, the 1983 Baretta Reissue comes equipped with a rock-solid Floyd Rose Original double-locking trem. It can be used for subtle vibrato or full-blown dive bombs ? the choice is yours. Either way, you'll experience the same response and tuning stability that you'd expect from a Floyd Rose. Whether you use it or abuse it, you'll have trouble knocking the 1983 Baretta Reissue out of tune.





Serial 2304190108


Kramer 1983 Baretta Reissue Electric Guitar Features:


A spot-on reproduction of an '83 Kramer Baretta ? the Holy Grail of vintage Kramer guitars


Re-created from detailed 3D imaging from original samples


Maple body exhibits a bright sound with long sustain and plenty of mix-penetrating bite


Unfinished maple neck features a sleek, historic 1983 Baretta profile


Lightning-fast, 22-fret, 16-inch-radius rosewood fingerboard


Slanted, reverse-zebra Seymour Duncan '59 delivers authentic PAF-style humbucker tones


Single volume knob with a CTS potentiometer


Floyd Rose Original double-locking trem for dive-bombing, shrieking, squealing, and fluttering


Period-correct 90° Gotoh tuners


Vintage-accurate oversized, non-angled headstock