Framus Lap steel
Moderator: Brad Bechtel
- Jan Viljoen
- Posts: 480
- Joined: 30 Mar 2011 7:00 am
- Location: Pretoria, South Africa
Framus Lap steel
When I started looking for lap steels, I went to a couple of music shops and eventually I found one that had 'n dismantled lap steel behind some old boxes. It was'nt even for sale.
The owner lent the no-name steel to me. The mahogany lap steel is made very sturdy and strong with metal tuners and volume/tone knobs.
I put a C6 on it and this lioness really roars well with an acoustic sound.
On the bottom was a sticker of a music shop in Leiden Holland.
I looked it up on the internet and discovered that it moved to another city in Holland.
I sent pictures and the owner wrote me in Dutch that it was a German Framus more than 45 years old.
Because my first language is Afrikaans I understood him perfectly.
Apparently the Germans exported these guitars to England and somebody brought it to South Africa.
My question, what model is it, and how old is it really?
Last edited by Jan Viljoen on 30 Mar 2011 11:40 am, edited 1 time in total.
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- Jan Viljoen
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- Location: Pretoria, South Africa
@ Steve Green.
Yes, it looks strange and you can hear yourself play higher, but don't see
I think this is the only drawback, otherwise she does well. I also think perhaps it was made for strumming the lower frets, because the neck pickup has a nice mellow sound.
Groetnis!
Yes, it looks strange and you can hear yourself play higher, but don't see
I think this is the only drawback, otherwise she does well. I also think perhaps it was made for strumming the lower frets, because the neck pickup has a nice mellow sound.
Groetnis!
Sierra S10, Stage One, Gibson BR4, Framus, Guya 6&8, Hofner lap, Custom mandolins, Keilwerth sax.
Roland Cube 80XL, Peavey112-Valve King and Special, Marshall 100VS.
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- Brad Bechtel
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It does look like a vintage Framus lap steel, but it doesn't match any of the models displayed on the Framus Vintage website.
If I had to guess, I would say it was probably built in the early 1960s.
You might try contacting Framus to see if they can identify the specific model.
Good luck!
If I had to guess, I would say it was probably built in the early 1960s.
You might try contacting Framus to see if they can identify the specific model.
Good luck!
Brad’s Page of Steel
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars
- Jan Viljoen
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- Location: Pretoria, South Africa
@Brad Bechtel
Thanx, I did not see the model there either. I hoped that somebody in the US would recognize it, because the US is still the Mecca of lap steels.
I'll contact them.
The steel is definitely German, because the tuners are not standard and the chrome knobs are very distinct, also no plastic om the plank.
Also, thanx for the nice web you keep, if it was'nt for that I would never have discovered all the tunings.
I grew up in the country side where very few people knew any open tunings except open G that was used on a banjo.
By the way, so far I have never seen a Fender single, let alone a triple or a quad. I don't think they were ever imported to South Africa. It must be wonderful to own one.
Groetnis!
Thanx, I did not see the model there either. I hoped that somebody in the US would recognize it, because the US is still the Mecca of lap steels.
I'll contact them.
The steel is definitely German, because the tuners are not standard and the chrome knobs are very distinct, also no plastic om the plank.
Also, thanx for the nice web you keep, if it was'nt for that I would never have discovered all the tunings.
I grew up in the country side where very few people knew any open tunings except open G that was used on a banjo.
By the way, so far I have never seen a Fender single, let alone a triple or a quad. I don't think they were ever imported to South Africa. It must be wonderful to own one.
Groetnis!
Last edited by Jan Viljoen on 31 Mar 2011 8:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Sierra S10, Stage One, Gibson BR4, Framus, Guya 6&8, Hofner lap, Custom mandolins, Keilwerth sax.
Roland Cube 80XL, Peavey112-Valve King and Special, Marshall 100VS.
Roland Cube 80XL, Peavey112-Valve King and Special, Marshall 100VS.
- Doug Beaumier
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That's an interesting lap steel, Jan. I had a 1957 8-string Framus last year and it had a unique tone... an acoustic quality. Unfortunately the output of the pickup was very weak. The guitar had a screw-on type connector that was an odd size, probably metric, so I changed it over to a standard 1/4" output jack. Here's a video I made using that Framus: click
- Jan Viljoen
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@Doug
Thanx, your plank sounds very well.
My croc with wires has a different bite, but then, I play it mostly through a transistor Yamaha 65D amp.
The input is standard, although I mentioned the tuners are not a standard size.
Somebody told me the Germans do that on purpose to prevent copying/interchangeability.
Groetnis!
Thanx, your plank sounds very well.
My croc with wires has a different bite, but then, I play it mostly through a transistor Yamaha 65D amp.
The input is standard, although I mentioned the tuners are not a standard size.
Somebody told me the Germans do that on purpose to prevent copying/interchangeability.
Groetnis!
Sierra S10, Stage One, Gibson BR4, Framus, Guya 6&8, Hofner lap, Custom mandolins, Keilwerth sax.
Roland Cube 80XL, Peavey112-Valve King and Special, Marshall 100VS.
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- Peter den Hartogh
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Hallo Jan,
In the late sixties in Holland I managed to buy a set of new pickups exactly like the ones on your guitar.
I also had a 100W Schaller amp and it had the same knobs you have on your guitar.
The knobs were supposed to have a black rubber ring around them for a better grip but they would fall off because the rubber dried out.
I would estimate that yours is a sixties guitar.
I never saw a Fender lap steel in SA but I picked up Guyatone Fender copy for $60 here in Belville.
BTW do you know Tobie Cronje? He is from Krugersdorp I think.
You might find him here on the forum or on the Gospel Steel Guitar Forum.
In the late sixties in Holland I managed to buy a set of new pickups exactly like the ones on your guitar.
I also had a 100W Schaller amp and it had the same knobs you have on your guitar.
The knobs were supposed to have a black rubber ring around them for a better grip but they would fall off because the rubber dried out.
I would estimate that yours is a sixties guitar.
I never saw a Fender lap steel in SA but I picked up Guyatone Fender copy for $60 here in Belville.
BTW do you know Tobie Cronje? He is from Krugersdorp I think.
You might find him here on the forum or on the Gospel Steel Guitar Forum.
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Fluger Cat-Can; Asher Electro Hawaiian; Gibson BR4; Fender FS52; Guyatone 8str;
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Dynalap 8string; Harbor Lights 8string; Aiersi Tri-Cone; Fender Stringmaster
- Jan Viljoen
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@ Peter,
Thanx for the info Peter, that confirms it then.
I have lots fun with my croc.
I know Tobie very well and I visit him quite often. Smart man.
His surname is Schalkwyk, Cronje is the South African actor.
Mooi Loop!
Thanx for the info Peter, that confirms it then.
I have lots fun with my croc.
I know Tobie very well and I visit him quite often. Smart man.
His surname is Schalkwyk, Cronje is the South African actor.
Mooi Loop!
Sierra S10, Stage One, Gibson BR4, Framus, Guya 6&8, Hofner lap, Custom mandolins, Keilwerth sax.
Roland Cube 80XL, Peavey112-Valve King and Special, Marshall 100VS.
Roland Cube 80XL, Peavey112-Valve King and Special, Marshall 100VS.
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This instrument seems to be made in Germany (pickups, tuners) but probabely not by Framus. I showed this picture to Cristian Hoyer of the Framus museum who is quite sure that it is not a Framus but made by one of the independent luthiers located in Bubenereuth, the former center of German guitar industry (Höfner, Framus, Klira,Teller, Pyramid etc.)