Just a few days ago I had this classic yet renewed guitar in my hands. My previous experiences with Framus have always been positive: good guitars, great sound and careful finishes. That's why I opened the packaging with "appetite." I found a clearly Telecaster® concept, with the German manufacturer's own advances and personal touches. And what happened when I opened it?
Unboxing
On opening the careful packaging, I find a good gig bag (something I've come to expect from the products I receive from this importer, Backline). Curious, I take out the instrument and come across a distinctive take on the Telecaster® concept. There is no doubt that its main inspiration comes from that source. Nevertheless, we find clear differences, for example in the headstock design, the tuner layout, the distinctive sunburst finish and even small variations in the body cut, to name some of the most obvious differences.
Construction materials
The choice of materials for this instrument has been generous. Its body is made of American ash, to which a maple neck is attached (bolt-on). As expected, the neck is topped with a rosewood fretboard. Sounds good, right?
Electronics
As for the circuitry, the guitar has two pickups: specifically, a Seymour Duncan SM1 (covered) and an STK-T3B. The SM1 looks like a vintage pickup, a replica of the Firebird® pickup, originally designed for jazz, blues, rockabilly, classic rock and even heavy rock. We could say that its sound is a cross between a single-coil and a double-coil pickup (single coil and humbucker): a bell-like sound. As for the second guest, we find an STK-T3B, also with a vintage tone, perfect for country, certain styles of pop, blues and classic rock. Obviously, its applications are by no means limited to those described here, since many rock, experimental rock, garage, indie bands, etc. have managed to give this kind of pickup and instrument their own personality, with concepts different from those originally intended. What we call imagination and creativity, you know.
The sound
To run the tests, I connected the Renegade Custom II to a tube head hooked up, in turn, to a four-speaker cabinet. I went through its clean sounds across the entire range of its pickup selector. Indeed, we find a bright, defined, trebly (but malleable) color...
Because of my personal preferences, I was very curious to hear the instrument with a little bit of saturation. Since I found the amp's own saturation so-so, I decided to put a pedal in between (one I love): specifically, the Fulltone Fat Boost. I think it suits this Framus's vibe perfectly. It was in this tonal range that I found the guitar's real "meat" (always in my opinion). The effect provided a smooth, classic, high-quality saturation that was, at the same time, flexible in terms of EQ. I thus achieved a perfect blend with the vintage vibe of these pickups. I loved the results. Truly authentic and of great quality.
I insist that the versatility of this six-string goes beyond the preconceived style. Imagination has no limits. What matters is the quality we find in its sound. It has that defined (but not shrill) brightness so coveted in Telecasters® (to name one), together with the tonal body that only a good guitar can give us.
If we take into account current trends, and what's "in style," as my great-uncle II would say, this fashionable vintage vibe, we can say that the guitar fits right in with the most cutting-edge fashion.
Feel
The chosen woods, the finishes, the pickups and the sound all struck me as remarkable. The feel is perhaps what captivated me least. Although, as we all know, guitarists are fussy and each of us has our own preference for how things should be "cooked." It's obvious that the guitar isn't designed for Malmsteen-style shredding. It has a much more "vintage" concept, suited to rhythm playing or even riffs, but with more of a bluesy air. In other words, not extremely fast, but nuanced and full of feeling. We could also adjust the bridge a little (a one-piece fixed bridge, by the way), change the string gauge, etc., to make the feel a bit "smoother." But honestly, I think the Renegade Custom II comes from the factory perfectly suited to the style and vibe that its concept, by definition, exudes. If you want to shred and get heavy, modern humbucker sounds, you'd better look for another Framus (they make those too).
Conclusion
If we take into account the American ash, the maple fretboard, the Seymour Duncans and its sound quality, and if we compare it with similar designs at U.S. prices, we could say the price is competitive. Like any user, I would have liked it to be a "tiny bit" cheaper, but I think its construction and results more than measure up.
Little more to add to what has been said in this article. A well-made vintage guitar that may have started out, back in the day, from the Telecaster® concept. Today, there may even be people who like it more and, at similar quality levels, find it more attractive in terms of value for money.
