I have been on a bit of a collecting binge lately to make up for lost time. I've been interested in oddballs, orphans, hollowbodies, and shortscales, as I enjoy the offbeat and unique.
This is my latest find: a mint (ish) red 1963 or 64 (serial number indicates 64, marks inside suggest 63, so maybe production and model dating are a little different) Framus solidbody. It's a neat little bass, with some very different takes on design and construction. Many of its features are really progressive, and I think they deserve more respect than you might initially think. It also came with my favorite case ever, an ancient coiled cable, and the original guarantee card.
It plays great with slightly high action (very vintage) and does a good variety of tones. Right now it has old flats on it, but still growls decently. With rounds I think it would snarl pretty well. I have a Framus 140 Atlantik with rounds and the same pickups, and it's actually one of my wickeder sounding instruments. Anyway, this one will pump the vintage tones and sound great doing it.
Neck is very narrow with little or no taper, and a very deep U profile. Truss rod is fully functional and I am going to let it acclimate a bit, then adjust relief. These laminate necks are very sturdy and very stiff.
Neck, as mentioned, is laminate (probably birch), headstock appears to be mahogany, fretboard is rosewood, and the body is likely birch as well. It's very light, and the grain that peeks through is extremely fine and linear. I can just barely discern join lines to identify that it's a three-piece construction.
All in all, a nice find, and I'm glad to have it in my collection. Hope you enjoy.
(Oh, I almost forgot: includes sweet red tort pickguard. What more could one ask for?)
Here's a full shot.
Closer look at the body. Pretty minty for a 53 or 54 year old guitar.
Here are the controls. They reverse the usual placement of tone and volume controls. Slider is an on/off switch.
Really nice take on the bass mute. It flips between up and down positions easily. Very solid, nice little thunk when it snaps into position. I need to put a slightly thicker piece of foam in.
Not-quite-through-the-body stringing. String ends are in a little well and held in place by a steel plate. Bit like an old Dano, but a lot more solid and stable.
Headstock. Nicely finished, note ivoroid string posts as well as tuner buttons.
Back view of the headstock and tuners. Headstock appears to be mahogany. Neck is birch (I think) laminate.
Full shot of the back.
Closer look at the body. Not a scratch or mar anywhere.
Neck plate shows a bit of oxidation. Thinking it's from resting in the case for decades.
Full shot of the case. Did not know what to expect. It's real leather. Like an old Leica case.
A detail of a buckle on one of the two straps that make the case really stay shut.
Red flocked liner in the case.
Original guarantee card (pre ZIP code) and ancient coil cord.
Inside the neck pocket. Is that a production number or a date?
Neck heel. Here you can see birch laminate construction, and mortoise-type joint. This is the clever way to get a smooth neck joint on a bolt-on.
One more shot as I was working on it.
Thanks for viewing. I hope you enjoyed these pics and learning a bit about an old and little-known bass.
This is my latest find: a mint (ish) red 1963 or 64 (serial number indicates 64, marks inside suggest 63, so maybe production and model dating are a little different) Framus solidbody. It's a neat little bass, with some very different takes on design and construction. Many of its features are really progressive, and I think they deserve more respect than you might initially think. It also came with my favorite case ever, an ancient coiled cable, and the original guarantee card.
It plays great with slightly high action (very vintage) and does a good variety of tones. Right now it has old flats on it, but still growls decently. With rounds I think it would snarl pretty well. I have a Framus 140 Atlantik with rounds and the same pickups, and it's actually one of my wickeder sounding instruments. Anyway, this one will pump the vintage tones and sound great doing it.
Neck is very narrow with little or no taper, and a very deep U profile. Truss rod is fully functional and I am going to let it acclimate a bit, then adjust relief. These laminate necks are very sturdy and very stiff.
Neck, as mentioned, is laminate (probably birch), headstock appears to be mahogany, fretboard is rosewood, and the body is likely birch as well. It's very light, and the grain that peeks through is extremely fine and linear. I can just barely discern join lines to identify that it's a three-piece construction.
All in all, a nice find, and I'm glad to have it in my collection. Hope you enjoy.
(Oh, I almost forgot: includes sweet red tort pickguard. What more could one ask for?)
Here's a full shot.
Closer look at the body. Pretty minty for a 53 or 54 year old guitar.
Here are the controls. They reverse the usual placement of tone and volume controls. Slider is an on/off switch.
Really nice take on the bass mute. It flips between up and down positions easily. Very solid, nice little thunk when it snaps into position. I need to put a slightly thicker piece of foam in.
Not-quite-through-the-body stringing. String ends are in a little well and held in place by a steel plate. Bit like an old Dano, but a lot more solid and stable.
Headstock. Nicely finished, note ivoroid string posts as well as tuner buttons.
Back view of the headstock and tuners. Headstock appears to be mahogany. Neck is birch (I think) laminate.
Full shot of the back.
Closer look at the body. Not a scratch or mar anywhere.
Neck plate shows a bit of oxidation. Thinking it's from resting in the case for decades.
Full shot of the case. Did not know what to expect. It's real leather. Like an old Leica case.
A detail of a buckle on one of the two straps that make the case really stay shut.
Red flocked liner in the case.
Original guarantee card (pre ZIP code) and ancient coil cord.
Inside the neck pocket. Is that a production number or a date?
Neck heel. Here you can see birch laminate construction, and mortoise-type joint. This is the clever way to get a smooth neck joint on a bolt-on.
One more shot as I was working on it.
Thanks for viewing. I hope you enjoyed these pics and learning a bit about an old and little-known bass.
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