Framus pedal steel

Billy Murdoch · Post by **Billy Murdoch** » 4 Jun 2005 12:42 am

Hi All,
There is a framus pedal steel on E Bay.co.uk
Nice looking machine.
I have never heard of a Framus steel.I know of their six string guitars,built in Germany.
Does anyone have any info on their steels.
I am not interested in buying,just curious.
Best regards
Billy

J D Sauser · Post by **J D Sauser** » 4 Jun 2005 1:49 am

The first pedal steel I ever saw up close was a Framus D10. I was a teenager and that was in Bern Switzerland where you wouldn't find too much to compare to... so, it looked impressive to me. However, as I seem to undertand now, I must have been lucky not to have had that kind of money back then.
From what you can hear today, they must have have awfull mechanics, difficult to play and to keep in tune.
Interestingly too, I saw an advertisement of a company called ABM out of Germany too in the early 90's who was producing a copy of the Framus... but never saw one ever anywhere... so, it might not have been a success story either.

... J-D.

Peter · Post by **Peter** » 4 Jun 2005 2:08 am

I had a record of a German pedal steel player using a Framus guitar. His sound was awful.

Rainer Hackstaette · Post by **Rainer Hackstaette** » 4 Jun 2005 2:38 am

It is my understanding - and I could very well be wrong - that the Framus 2000 (D-10, 8+2) and the Framus 1000 (S-10, 3+2) were marketed under the Framus name, but built by ABM (Mueller & Sohn). http://www.abm-mueller.com/index2.html

The Framus/ABM has a changer resembling the Sho-Bud Fingertip. I do not know enough about either changer to say whether they function similar, but - to me - they look similar. The string spacing is quite a bit closer than on an Emmons PP. The pedals loosely resemble the old Fender pedals, they are straight and flat (not contured at all) and the feel is rather stiff and un-ergonomically. I only played a Framus 2000 once, and decided not to buy it.

German steeler Frank Baum used to play and promote the Framus. He published a small instruction booklet that was part of the package deal.

ABM will still build a pedal steel, should someone want one. They also build lap steels of rather simple quality.

Their guitar parts, on the other hand, are of the highest quality. Nothing cheap about them.

I, personally, would stay away from the Framus or ABM pedal steel guitars.

Rainer

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Remington D-10 8+7, Sierra Crown D-10 gearless 8+8, Sierra Session S-14 gearless 8+5, '77 Emmons D-10 8+4, '70 Emmons D-10 8+4, '69 Emmons S-10 6+5, Fender Artist D-10 8+4, '73 Sho~Bud LDG 3+4, Peavey Session 400 LTD, Peavey Vegas 400, Line 6 Variax 700

Klaus Caprani · Post by **Klaus Caprani** » 4 Jun 2005 3:04 am

I only saw an ABM steel once.

It was some kind of student model, and not only the endplates appeared to be made out of the same kind of plastic that they use for speaker-cabinet corners.

Even the changer (to my remembrance) appeared to be made out of hard plastic, and I decided definetely to wait bying anything, until I could get my hands on a professional instrument.

The thing was in some kind of awful green mica-finish on top of that.

The Zum stage-1, not to talk about the Carter-starter appear to be revelations of quality in comparison.

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Klaus Caprani

MCI RangeXpander S-10 3x4
www.klauscaprani.com

Dan Beller-McKenna · Post by **Dan Beller-McKenna** » 4 Jun 2005 3:07 am

While on E-bay,

has anyone else noticed Big Jim Webb's Emmons and Sho-Bud, and a similar pedigree Williams guitar for sale? All impressive looking instruments with equally impressive(dare I say prohibitive?) prices to match.

Also a Sho-Bud D-9(!) that belonged to Gene Gore (about whom I know nothing).

Dan

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Dan Beller-McKenna
Durham, NH
Dekley s-10, Telecaster, Guild D-35

Ron ! · Post by **Ron !** » 4 Jun 2005 4:55 am

Framus is a German steel guitar.They not only build Pedal steel guitars but lapsteels as well.I think they sound great.The only thing that is wrong with these steel guitars is that the strings are to close to each other.
I bid on this one on E-bay to 'cause I like the way how they look.And for me owning such a steel is nostalgic.

Ron

Marty Pollard · Post by **Marty Pollard** » 4 Jun 2005 5:02 am

"...the strings are to close to each other."

Ah yes...
Just like the Contessa b@nj0 I started on.

bob grossman · Post by **bob grossman** » 4 Jun 2005 6:59 am

I gave all my guitar brochures to Tom Bradshaw, but there was one for the Framus pedal steel. I think I got it at a NAMM show in LA many years ago. Tom would probably provide a copy if anyone is interested.

Gary Shepherd · Post by **Gary Shepherd** » 4 Jun 2005 9:09 am

If you do a search for Framus on ebay, you'll probably come accross several guitars and banjos and maybe a mandolin or 2. A friend of mine had a 5-string Framus banjo at one time and it sounded ok. Not like my Stelling but ok. I think most of their instruments were pretty cheap in quality. I imagine the pedal steel will be similarly made.

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Gary Shepherd

Sierra Session D-10

Carter D-10

www.16tracks.com

Hans Holzherr · Post by **Hans Holzherr** » 4 Jun 2005 10:00 am

My first steel was a Framus. I also had the introduction/instruction book - hand-corrected by Frank Baum himself (there were a lot of mistakes in it). The book quoted a Mr. Eldridge, the US designer of the Framus, that he had succeeded in building the world's best pedal steel guitar. Ha! It was more like the world's worst....

Hans

Heiko Aehle · Post by **Heiko Aehle** » 5 Jun 2005 6:41 am

I had in the past a few students, they all got ABM guitars cheap from others or at Ebay, but no one of that guitars where really good, all had sound and tuning problems. The Carter Starter steel guitars are much better for early beginners and they stay in tune!

Malcolm McMaster · Post by **Malcolm McMaster** » 5 Jun 2005 12:00 pm

Billy , never mind the one on ebay, I have a Framus triple neck Eight string non pedal steel you can have.It has a changer mechanism that lets you have multiple tunings on each neck, it is a similar colour to the stringmaster , on four chrome legs, believe it to be round about 64-66 vintage. Regards Malcolm

Billy Murdoch · Post by **Billy Murdoch** » 5 Jun 2005 12:41 pm

Malcolm,
Thanks for the offer,I was never interested in the framus only curiuos.
If,on the other hand you have a Zum for saleI will be at your door before you hang up the phone.
Hope you are liking your new Mullen.
See you soon.
Billy

basilh · Post by **basilh** » 6 Jun 2005 6:31 am

I Know malcolm´s guitar.. It´s in VERY good condition..
Basil (Playing In Tenneriffe at the moment) HA Ha..
BTW I will be back for the Brecon Convention, AND, I hear Maurice and Anita are going there !!

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Steel players do it without fretting

http://www.waikiki-islanders.com

Keith Cordell · Post by **Keith Cordell** » 6 Jun 2005 7:14 am

The Gene Gore guitar is at Guitar Center Atlanta and is a pretty impressive old instrument. Gene has been inducted into the Georgia music Hall of Fame, for what I don't know. The guitar is pretty well played, but I figure a good mechanic could make a good player out of it- very nice!

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Rickenbacher T-Logo Bakelite lap steel, Peavey Delta Blues, Proco Rat, Lap Dawg bar

CrowBear Schmitt · Post by **CrowBear Schmitt** » 6 Jun 2005 8:30 am

a wannabe steeler came over from Toulouse w: an ABM S10
no way Ray
i did'nt find it to be a quality instrument
i'll take the Mav'

Malcolm McMaster · Post by **Malcolm McMaster** » 6 Jun 2005 2:11 pm

Hey Baz, Remember and bring me back a stick of rock, Have a great time over there .Regards Malcolm

Pat Kelly · Post by **Pat Kelly** » 7 Jun 2005 12:04 am

I didn't know they made a Steel but I always heard very good reports about their banjos. I believe that the renowned tenor banjo player, Barney McKenna, of the Irish group The Dubliners played a Framus Tenor Banjo.

basilh · Post by **basilh** » 7 Jun 2005 12:44 pm

Yep !!! he was famous for his Framus !!

Nick Reed · Post by **Nick Reed** » 7 Jun 2005 6:46 pm

I've seen Framus 6 string guitars before but this is the first for a Framus Pedal Steel!

[This message was edited by Nick Reed on 07 June 2005 at 07:49 PM.]

basilh · Post by **basilh** » 8 Jun 2005 1:45 am

This is Malcolm´s steel (their Top of the range non-pedal)

More below

[This message was edited by basilh on 08 June 2005 at 02:47 AM.][This message was edited by basilh on 08 June 2005 at 02:55 AM.]

basilh · Post by **basilh** » 8 Jun 2005 1:53 am

The picture Nick Reed posted above is of the pedal steel from the UK auction...Single Raise Single lower !!!
A little pricey I think..
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7326887279

Baz (Still in Tenerife) Ha Ha

basilh · Post by **basilh** » 8 Jun 2005 2:07 am

To Hi-Jack the thread for a moment Billy...

Our trip to Tenerife has raised over 15,000 (Stirling) for our chosen charity, (Breast Cancer Research), AND our Birmingham Symphony Hall Concert is almost sold out !! Yippee ...
Last year we raised over 125,000 for "Young Carers" and this year is looking even better.

The trip was helped by the 100+ members of our fan club who also came to Tenerife, just for the shows and golf classic that Bob runs.(In cojunction with the "Hole in the Wall!")
No wonder my boss Bob Brolley was given the MBE a couple of years ago..
I still find it quite humorous that a Catholic lad from Derry met the Queen of England and was honoured so !!

basilh · Post by **basilh** » 1 Jun 2006 11:06 am

Off to Tenerife again this Friday..
And this year I'll be opening the Symphony Hall concert with an instrumental played on my new Fender PS-210.Yippee again..

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Steel players do it without fretting