NGD! Late 50's Framus 5/51 archtop

[Hampus]

Picked this up from our "craigslist". It has a low serial number and the production started in 1958 so my guess is that it's from the late 50's. It plays great. Action is nice and with the new heavy strings I put on (13-56) it works very well for sliding. I tend to think that my fingers are quite strong but with these strings I can't bend more than 3/4 of a step and even that is to push it. The body is really small, which is why I wanted the thicker strings to "boost" the sound a bit. It has a very nice delta bluesy sound. What surprises me is how it responds to picking dynamics, what pick you use, where you pick and how comes across extremely clear.

Pictures:

Hanging next to the Hagstrom Viking to show the size, but it doesn't really come across on the photos how small it is.

Just look at the profile, it's almost like a violin!

 

[sunvalleylaw]

Very pretty! Along with the Hagstrom, I imagine that is a very warm, woody sounding guitar room. Congrats!

 

[Tig]

Very nice! I like it. :AOK

 

[kidsmoke]

WOW! a 60 year old guitar with the neck ready to go? That's amazing. Beautiful, congratulations on a great find.

 

[Ch0jin]

I just picked up an archtop around the same age (I have a thread about it somewhere here) that I'm fixing up. Hence my question/comment.

Aren't 13's considered "medium" when it comes to Archtops?
Are those strings phosphor bronze, or regular nickel strings?

I've ordered a couple of sets of 13-56 phosphor bronze strings to get my Alver up and running, so hopefully that was the right choice! (I've read phosphor bronze strings aren't great for use with a pickup, but mine doesn't have a pickup (yet) so I'll see how it all goes.)

Awesome score! I thought mine was in good condition for it's age, but your's is MINT! I think this is the start of thefret's vintage archtop revolution!

 

[Hampus]

Thank you

No, not really mint condtion, it looks good on the photos though. There are a few dings and scratches but it's in very good condition considering the age. The strings are Ernie Ball power slnkeys, phosphor bronze so they wouldn't work with a magnetic pup. I think I would go with an acoustic pickup instead of a magnetic one. I think an acoustic pickup would do a better job of picking up the actual sound of the guitar.

I don't know if 13-56 is heavy or medium on an archtop. Scale length must have an impact too, right? I know that my strings are veeeeery hard to bend more than 1/2 a step.

 

[Ch0jin]

Thanks Hampus. I think you are right about scale length. I haven't actually measured mine so I guess I'll just see how it feels with the strings on. I was leaning towards a magnetic pickup (thinking of blues slide on it), but you make a good point about capturing the acoustic qualities. Maybe I'll end up with both

This is the thread on mine if you want a look

 

[Brian Krashpad]

Wow, that's cool, congrats. For years I had a Framus mandolin from the '60's that's my dad's.

 

[mapka]

Very cool! I love Framus guitars. You mentioned the violin shape. Most of the Framus craftsmen were violin makers before WW2. I have my first Framus. which is also my first guitar, a late 60's Gaucho and I also have an early 70s electric semi hollow body.

 

[otaypanky]

The body is really small, which is why I wanted the thicker strings to "boost" the sound a bit.]

Nice find ~

I think you might find that going to a lighter gauge will actually give you some nice projection. Sometimes strings can kind of overpower a guitar.

Also, it looks like there are nylon bits on the bridge. Eliminating them or using a bridge that gets the strings more in contact with the top would likely be a big help.

 

[Hampus]

The body is really small, which is why I wanted the thicker strings to "boost" the sound a bit.]

Nice find ~

I think you might find that going to a lighter gauge will actually give you some nice projection. Sometimes strings can kind of overpower a guitar.

Also, it looks like there are nylon bits on the bridge. Eliminating them or using a bridge that gets the strings more in contact with the top would likely be a big help.

Thanks!

Yeah. i've actually changed the strings again. 12-52 this time. I also changed brand from the Ernie Ball Slinkeys to GHS Vintage bronze strings. These new strings sound a hundred times better. I adjusted the truss rod a couple of notches, adjusted the bridge and intonated it. It's now close to perfect It would be great to find an original pick guard too.

You are right about the vinyl parts on the bridge, but I'd like to keep it original as far as possible.

If I ever get over my shyness I'll record a sound sample

/Hampus

 

[otaypanky]

If I'm not mistaken a bridge like that will just lift off the body if the strings are removed or loosened so there wouldn't be any modification required to try an all wood or wood and metal bridge. 'Might be fun to hear the difference