The Steel Guitar Forum

A critical thinker, would think that there are too many elements to base any kind of opinion on just one guitar and the value of it. Whether we want to realize it or not, there are so many different factors that play a huge part in the sound and tone of any guitar, not just a Franklin. Along with all the steel guitar products, the player itself is a huge factor. I’ve heard Paul play different guitars before only to hear the same results as if he had been playing his Franklin. The way we hear tone differently, is a huge factor. Furthermore, while we get on this forum and discuss our opinions about guitars, tone, overtones, amps, equipment and every aspect of what we think is better than this or better than that, and what this is worth and what that is worth, it all boils down to this, in my thirty plus years of playing for a living, my final conclusion is that, no matter what I play, I still sound like me, and the people I perform to, most don’t know the difference and don’t really give a tenth of a crap what guitar I’m playing, and spending 10 grand or more for a Franklin, isn’t going to change those facts.

Right. I don’t quite understand why people are complaining about $10k vs. $5k. That’s nothing compared to $50k vs. $0.5k that you see in collector guitars. If you consider dollars per pound, the guitar thing is even more ridiculous.

In critical recording situations a Franklin is indeed a special guitar. This is from my personal experience. The overtone ratios favor the even partials which give it a focus and richness that is unique to Franklin guitars. I am playing Emmons steels these days because they have a similar level of quality. They are different but lay in the track just right. When you are making double scale on a master session very small incremental things can be significant or not depending. In any case that level of work really changes your perspective.

I have owned my Franklin for over 20 years and the service that Mr Franklin and his wife gave me has been superb. The guitar has been amazingly trouble free until the last couple of years.

When I bought the Franklin one of my reasons for buying it was because of PF Jr. I also wanted a very high end guitar that would last for an extremely long time. And the guitar has performed so well. The guitar is an important piece of how I sound, but I would that say a lot of the tone is in my technique...for better or worse.

Little anecdote: had been playing in a band for several years and when I bought the guitar I had waited about 3 months. I immediately took the guitar out that next gig, plugged it in and started playing. The drummer came over and told me how good the guitar sounded. To me, this is the proof in the pudding, so to speak. He had heard me play for quite some time, but the difference in tone was quite noticeable. FWIW.

Since this topic was revived I figured that I would throw my two cents in as well..

I agree that there are a lot of great guitars being built now days. I am blessed to have the opportunity to own a lot of these guitars and they are all great! I have a Mullen G2 that is a great guitar. Really balanced, plays very true and perfectly in tune. Amazing machines. I also own two Zums, a Zum Hybrid and an '83 Zum that is a tone monster. I love both of these guitars as well. I have my grandads old 68 emmons with is amazing sounding, but not the best playing guitar. Same with my old Sho-Bud Pro III. Great guitar for that sound, but not what I want to play every day. Recently I was able to purchase an Infinity that my good friend Frank Carter built and it is an amazing guitar! It is the best mechanical guitar that I have every played, and it sustains for days. Just a great overall guitar! All of these guitars are great guitars and are just enough different that it has been really interesting to set them all up and compare them side by side, both live and in the studio.

This all being said, I also own two Franklin guitars, and the hype about these guitars is real. The note separation and definition on these guitars is simply amazing. The way that they sit in the mix is unlike anything that I have ever experienced. Harmonics jump off of this guitar. There is just something inherently " better" to my ears about these guitars. As my dad, Wally Moyers, said, its like playing a really high end Grand Piano. They just sing....

I will agree, that no one in the crowd will notice a difference, but recording engineers sure do. I will also say that I would be completely happy with ANY of my other guitars had I not had the opportunity to repeatedly A/B them with my Franklin guitars. They are all really really great guitars, but the Franklins are something else....

The last thing that I will say is that I play because I love to play. I want a guitar that inspires me to play, and the Franklins just pull something out of me that other guitars haven't. That inspiration the crowd will notice.

Just my thoughts.

Well, it sounds to me like Paul Sr and Paul Jr, are missing the mark by not having these guitars resurrected somehow. Seems like a shame to waste such knowledge and not keeping these guitars in production somehow. I mean, if the inventors of Ford and Chevy had said, well, after we’re gone, that’s it, what would we all be driving today? Someone spoke of Scheerhorn earlier, he remedied that problem by having the National Company build his guitars, with the exception of National using their own spider bridge. I guess that’s why I never made double scale doing sessions, was because I didn’t play a Franklin. Oh well, with today’s music, I don’t really care to do sessions anyway. I’ll have to admit, I haven’t played very many Franklins’. In fact, I’ve only played one Franklin that Seymour had in his store. It was an older one and it was back when Seymour’s store was in Goodlettesville. That was the only Franklin I actually got to hear, it was a very good sounding guitar. I’ve always felt that Franklins played great, but I guess other than the one guitar, I haven’t played any that were hooked up for sound for me to get a more understanding of the hype. So I guess I’ll refrain from having any opinion at all about them.

I agree with you Dean. I wish there was some way for the Franklin guitars to continue. I spoke with Paul Sr. about 5 years ago and he told me that something was in the works but apparently that never came to pass. There sure is a lot of wisdom and incredible engineering in their guitars that I hate to see go away...

I’m sure they are great but with the way music is going I wouldn’t bank on one becoming collectible in the future ... but that’s me, you got the money, spend it anyway that makes ya feel good..