However, I'm here to ask about a different guitar, actually. This week I'll be getting a gold Framus Strato. I believe it's a 1962 Strato 5-154. One like this:
Absolutely stunning design. Love at first glance. This year I'll get back into building guitars and I'm probably going to get inspiration from this one. You can't dislike Framus' take on the Les Paul style of shape. The way everything is displayed on the body and the more modern 6-in line kind of headstock make for such a frozen in time 60s german look. It's like a super advanced piece of machinery but it's very traditional at the same time. Perfect balance! It's become one of my favourite guitar designs of all time.
Back to the topic! First off, I'd love to find some original parts for it. Mine is missing the tremolo cover, the tremolo bar, and one original tuner:
I looked for a single or even a set of those teardrop shaped tuners but I couldn't find any. However, they're open back tuners and they look pretty rusty. If I can't get them in proper working order, I'll probably get a good set of Schaller vintage looking brand new tuners. I just don't want to throw away the possibility of finding a single original tuner just yet. I looked in the Framus-Warwick shop but they don't offer that model. Does anyone know where I could source one? Same goes for the tremolo cover and the tremolo arm. I can probably repurpose a Teisco/Fender bass ashtray and make a custom arm with a steel rod but I'd love to restore it as originally as possible.
It also had an original 5-pin connection output which was replaced for a regular jack female. I'm not looking to retrofit a pin connection, honestly, but I'm curious about it. Does anyone know what the purpose of the pin connection was? To control other Framus equipment from the guitar, maybe? Or it was just one of the different connections there were around before the 1/4" jack became the international standard?
This leads me to my second question: What about the controls? I'm confused about the rotary switches. My best guess is the one with roman numerals control which pickups are on, and the one with T + B lettering are "tone presets"? Or do those control what pickups are on? But then, what about the numbers? Exciting!! I imagine the last knob is a volume or tone control, right?
I couldn't find any information about the pickups either. My guess is they're either a Gibson Firebird copy, or a narrower single P90-style beefy single coil. Anyhow, once I get the guitar, I'll disassemble everything, take notes and share them with you all so that there's a little more info about these out there.
Paint's cracked all the way, were they painted with nitrocellulose like old Gibsons and Fenders? Cracked gold is one cool finish, let me tell you, but there's straight up chipping on the back of the neck, which will need refinishing. I imagine it's extremely uncomfortable to move around the neck as it is now. Other than that, seems to be in decent shape.
As soon as I have it I'll share with you any information, measurements (physical or electric) or specs that I'm asked. I'd love it if there was a Framus encyclopedia out there, just like there is with other makers from the same era. Can't wait to get my hands on it! Indeed a nice Christmas present and a very Christmasy looking guitar. There's a beautiful goldtop Gibson Les Paul resting on my workbench as I write this. Gold guitar winter it is.
Merry Christmas everybody! Thank you for reading me.
P.S.: I've been thinking about getting the Framus Vintage book, does anyone have it? If it contains lots of info on their old models, I'd love to get a copy, as I plan to restore as many of these guitars or basses as I can get my hands on.
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