Your comments on this Framus

Billy Murdoch · Post by **Billy Murdoch** » 16 Jun 2009 1:57 pm

Link to auction on eBay.

Sorry for the long link,I don't know how to do the "click here thing"
I know nothing about lap steels and would be interested in this one.
What do You think?
Billy

Edited by Brad Bechtel to shorten the URL.

John Billings · Post by **John Billings** » 16 Jun 2009 2:13 pm

Billy! That thing is cool! I can't do the "click here" deal either, but I use this site to get a much smaller url or whatever it's called;
http://tinyurl.com/
I keep it on my toolbar and use it constantly!

Danny James · Post by **Danny James** » 16 Jun 2009 3:08 pm

I'm always interested in lapsteel guitars that have built in tuning changers.

I would be interested to know how well these Framus guitars stay in tune from one tuning to another and back.

I see no rollers on the nut and would be concerned about the strings slightly hanging up on the nut because of friction and therefore not returning to the original pitch.

CrowBear Schmitt · Post by **CrowBear Schmitt** » 17 Jun 2009 1:11 am

a steeler here in Belgium Le Trung Tam has a double neck job like that one :

http://www.dailymotion.com/patlaff/vide ... -tl3_music

http://www.myspace.com/tamlealoha

basilh · Post by **basilh** » 17 Jun 2009 2:31 am

The auction refers to a LATER model with 2 pickups, I'm not sure but I think that's not correct.. The models with changers were single pick-up..

This was mine for a while..

The single neck model is probably worth between £250-£350 DEFINITELY not more.. The changers are NOT as accurate as the Hipshot ones, and relatively difficult to set up..

I should know, I WAS that soldier!

Billy Murdoch · Post by **Billy Murdoch** » 17 Jun 2009 4:13 am

Thanks Baz,
I was hoping You would comment.
Even if it was to comlain about the long link

best regards
Billy

Richard Terry · Post by **Richard Terry** » 18 Jun 2009 6:27 am

Hi Basil

Are those body blanks stacked to lift the outer necks? Was it as heavy as it looks and how did it feel to play it?

Richard Terry

basilh · Post by **basilh** » 18 Jun 2009 7:55 am

Are those body blanks stacked to lift the outer necks?

Yes,

Was it as heavy as it looks

and yes...think of it as SIX TIMES heavier than the single neck model

IT played well, BUT if you notice, the pickups are all at differing distances from the bridges, resulting in ENTIRELY different tonal qualities from each neck..

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 18 Jun 2009 8:23 am

Very interesting! thanks for posting the pictures.

James Kerr · Post by **James Kerr** » 18 Jun 2009 10:54 am

Billy,
A little information which might be helpful in your bidding. As you can see the Reserve has not been met on this Guitar. It was listed on the 7th June and did not sell with a £729.00 Buy-it-now price tag.

James.

Jonathan Shacklock · Post by **Jonathan Shacklock** » 19 Jun 2009 1:43 am

Hi Billy, I recently bought the slightly later Hawaii 800 model (blue flock!). I think I paid just under £300 on eBay, hard case, no legs. No way this guitar is worth £700 especially with the dings, but it is a lot of fun and IMO one of the cooler looking 8-strings I've seen. The (same design) pickup sounds great to my ears.

Check out the Framus history page:

http://www.framus-vintage.de/modules/site/site.php

The changer is fairly flimsy and not very accurate as Basil mentioned, but definitely functional and Basil will gladly fry your brain with all the possible tuning combinations with 8 strings. Thanks Basil - I'm still working on this! Mr Tam has built some attachments to his changer to assist with mid-song bends - the stock setup isn't really suited for this but with a bit of practice you might be able to pull it off. It is not a sophisticated mechanism by any means, kind of cheap and clunky to be honest.

Cool instrument, not as rare or valuable as it's made out to be though.

basilh · Post by **basilh** » 19 Jun 2009 2:55 am

With regard to Jonathan's "Fry" comment...
This chart is of my own version of a usable copedant where the changer has only ONE raise and lower per string..This would apply to the Framus' system.

An addition of the "A'"s to Bb would be somewhat beneficial. That would require the "A" string to be Bb in its OPEN state..
Set up this way would give you the maximum possible chordal possibilities.. Methinks..

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 19 Jun 2009 6:22 am

Basil, you're blessed with an incredible memory if you can be conscious of all those permutations while you're playing. Maybe that's why you're a professional...

Jerry Hayes · Post by **Jerry Hayes** » 19 Jun 2009 7:03 am

HipShot makes a unit for the electric guitar for either a Tele or Strat which would work for a lap steel. The Tele version (like the picture I posted) has a plate for the bridge pickup so the Strat version would probably work well for a lapsteel. They also make a version for a Dobro and maybe they even do make one for a lapsteel. The HipShot unit allows for three separate, tuneable notes on each string!......JH in Va.

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 20 Jun 2009 1:01 pm

They make a Hipshot specially designed for Lap Steel, in both 6 and 8 string versions. I've got one of the 8 string versions, which I'm planning on putting onto a console-type resonator guitar.

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 22 Jun 2009 7:52 am

Well, I bought it, so let's see if I got my moneysworth.

Jonathan Shacklock · Post by **Jonathan Shacklock** » 22 Jun 2009 2:02 pm

Alan, are you talking about the Framus or the Hipshot??

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 22 Jun 2009 4:22 pm

The Framus. I was the highest bidder but it didn't reach the reserve. After the auction the seller made me an offer which I accepted.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 22 Jun 2009 7:13 pm

Congrats, Alan. Be sure to let us know how it sounds. Inquiring minds want to know!

Jonathan Shacklock · Post by **Jonathan Shacklock** » 23 Jun 2009 3:13 am

Well done Alan, it sounds like you got it for a reasonable price, I don't think you'll regret it. I'm looking forward to sitting down with Andy Volk's new book and trying some alternative tuning setups on my Framus. I have mine as A6/A7 at the moment but obviously you can get a lot more adventurous.

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 23 Jun 2009 6:48 am

Doug Beaumier wrote:Congrats, Alan. Be sure to let us know how it sounds. Inquiring minds want to know!

When I get it I'll record something and post it on the Forum. Of course, it would sound even better with someone with a lot of talent playing it.

Billy Murdoch wrote:Link to auction on eBay.

Thanks for bringing this to my attention, Billy. Otherwise I might never have noticed it. I first became intrigued with the Framus lap steels when I saw a photo of Basil's a few years back. At the time I questioned whether, with changers on each neck, anyone really needed three necks, especially with the weight of six bodies (!). To me, having only one neck brings it within the realms of practicability and convenience.

James Kerr · Post by **James Kerr** » 23 Jun 2009 1:37 pm

Billy Murdoch wrote:Link to auction on eBay.

Sorry for the long link,I don't know how to do the "click here thing"
I know nothing about lap steels and would be interested in this one.
What do You think?
Billy

Edited by Brad Bechtel to shorten the URL.

Billy,
If you just want to dip your toe in the water,I will lend you one of my Guitars, you can try it out to your hearts content and then decide if you want to go for one of your own.

James Kerr.

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 25 Jul 2009 7:07 pm

I received the instrument about a week ago. It took a long time to come from Germany. Over the weekend I cleaned it up and put a new set of C6 strings on.
Curiously, the strings that were on it were, from bottom to top...
.35 .16 .15 .12 .21 .14 .11 .08

I can't imagine what tuning the previous owner was using.

Here's a general view of the instrument.

...and here's a view of the mechanism with the cover off. You have to remove the bridge cover to change the strings.
The levers are in the up (neutral) position. Flipping them back increases the tension, and pushing them forward decreases the tension.

You asked for a sample of the sound. Well, this is all I've recorded with it so far. It was a joke to celebrate the second anniversary of the "Nothing" discussion, so don't take the music too seriously.

http://www.7161.com/css_track.cfm?track ... k_id=18175

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 26 Jul 2009 5:47 am

Here's a guitar I just finished with an 8 string Hipshot tuner.

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 26 Jul 2009 10:30 am

I'm planning on building a similar instrument, Erv. I've had an 8-string Trilogy hanging around for a couple of years in my spares box, trying to decide what sort of instrument to put it on. The Trilogy is a better-designed tuner than the one on the Framus.

What tuning do you use ?

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