Framus 12 on e-bay

Tim_Fletcher · Post by **Tim_Fletcher** » Sat Oct 14, 2000 7:04 pm

Interesting. Comments ?

http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=466515683

Gary_Cost · Post by **Gary_Cost** » Wed Oct 18, 2000 9:48 am

It's not 'close enough' for me to pay $255 for!
The model that John used in the movie 'Help!" was a 'hootenanny'. The seller mentions 'Hawk', and 'Campus King'? The pick guard is also 'shaped' differently on John's.
The jury is still out...

Tim_Fletcher · Post by **Tim_Fletcher** » Wed Oct 18, 2000 11:10 am

John's Hootenanny (or whatever that model was called in Europe, probably something different) sounded exceptionally good for a Framus, and despite the seller's description I think anyone paying big money for that guitar is likely to be disappointed by the sound. The flat, wide fingerboard makes them difficult to play, and a hinge tailpiece doesn't suit a 12-string acoustic IMO, not enough string pressure over the bridge.

markthemd · Post by **markthemd** » Wed Oct 18, 2000 3:18 pm

IMOHO
These are worthy of being a bird house ,but not what you would call instrument grade.

A bottom of the line Yamaha is a better guitar.

John got one of these as that was all that was available .Those poor English guys in the 1960's could not get great guitars except classicals,and they did get those .But it's tough to rock on a classical.They just aren't the same .

I'm not knocking classical guitars ,I do have a decent one ....but 'And I Love Her' just isn't
'You've got to Hide Your Love Away'.

Flame away.

Tim_Fletcher · Post by **Tim_Fletcher** » Wed Oct 18, 2000 4:05 pm

With a few exceptions amongst Framus's top-range models (which John's 12-string wasn't) I'd agree - Framus guitars were generally cheap and cheerful models aimed fairly and squarely at the budget market, and although I'm fond of them for nostalgic reasons they are chiefly memorable for banana necks, high actions and low tone.

What puzzles me is how Lennon got such a good sound out of his Framus on tracks like "Hide Your Love Away" and others. I have a very similar Framus 12-string, and no way could that sort of sound be conjured out of it.

Tim_Fletcher · Post by **Tim_Fletcher** » Fri Oct 20, 2000 10:35 am

High bid $420, didn't meet reserve. Personally I'm surprised it got that high.

admin · Post by **admin** » Fri Oct 20, 2000 3:04 pm

I would certainly have my reservations at that price.

Tim_Fletcher · Post by **Tim_Fletcher** » Wed Nov 01, 2000 9:46 am

Nice pic of John + Framus on e-bay if anyone's interested.

http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=482518114

admin · Post by **admin** » Wed Nov 01, 2000 9:54 am

Yes Tim a very nice photo with many memories to go with it.

Tim_Fletcher · Post by **Tim_Fletcher** » Wed Nov 01, 2000 10:01 am

Thanks for posting the pic, Peter. And here's another 12-string Framus, this time with a fixed bridge, which I imagine would sound better than the hinge-tailpiece version.

http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=484372089

admin · Post by **admin** » Wed Nov 01, 2000 10:19 am

Tim: Another interesting one from 1967 with similar instruments here.

Tim_Fletcher · Post by **Tim_Fletcher** » Mon Nov 06, 2000 5:31 pm

Today I was at Music Ground and they had a Framus 12 identical to mine, similar to Lennons but sunburst with a slotted headstock. Couldn't resist picking it up to see if it sounded better than mine, but no, about the same. Maybe it was Lennon's playing or George Martin's recording, but that Framus must have been truly exceptional.

fatrat · Post by **fatrat** » Mon Jan 15, 2001 2:21 am

I think these were distributed by Selmer in the UK. I bet they picked out the best one for him too.Bill Wyman played those star basses. Those are about like a Hofner in quality.
Cheap but useable. I'm guessing they got the Epiphone Casinos and Paul's Texan acoustic around this time as well. Selmer distributed those in the UK along with Hofner.

FATRAT