Kramer Dave Mustaine Vanguard review – if shredding is your business... then business is good

The Megadeth main man's signature Kramer V might just be the most metal MegaDave model yet

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Kramer Dave Mustaine Vanguard
(Image: © Future / Olly Curtis)

Guitar World Verdict

The most metal-focused of Mustaine's new models, the Vanguard isn't the most versatile of the bunch, but its razor-sharp tone and shredder-friendly playability make it a worthy V alternative.

Pros

  • +

    None-more-metal looks.

  • +

    Neck-through build.

  • +

    Quality Seymour Duncan humbuckers.

Cons

  • -

    A little on the heavy side.

  • -

    We'd still be tempted by Dave's Epiphone Flying V Custom.

You can trust Guitar World Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing guitar products so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.

While the Prophecy is undoubtedly the most sonically updated of Dave Mustaine’s new signature guitars, it still has more of a vintage aesthetic in line with the rounded edges of the original Flying Vs of the late ’50s. The Kramer Vanguard, on the other hand, is less retro and more futuristic thanks to its sharper contours and knifelike edges. 

In that regard, it bears kinship with the Megadeth founder’s previous signatures through ESP and Dean – pointy metal machines that wouldn’t look out of place in an executioner’s hands. 

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Amit Sharma
Amit Sharma

Amit has been writing for titles like Total Guitar, MusicRadar and Guitar World for over a decade and counts Richie Kotzen, Guthrie Govan and Jeff Beck among his primary influences as a guitar player. He's worked for magazines like Kerrang!, Metal Hammer, Classic Rock, Prog, Record Collector, Planet Rock, Rhythm and Bass Player, as well as newspapers like Metro and The Independent, interviewing everyone from Ozzy Osbourne and Lemmy to Slash and Jimmy Page, and once even traded solos with a member of Slayer on a track released internationally. As a session guitarist, he's played alongside members of Judas Priest and Uriah Heep in London ensemble Metalworks, as well as handled lead guitars for legends like Glen Matlock (Sex Pistols, The Faces) and Stu Hamm (Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, G3).