NGD: Framus Atlantic Television
- sirspens
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NGD: Framus Atlantic Television
I think this is my first time in the Vintage board. Weird. Hello Vintage board denizens.
I don't usually buy guitars on Ebay (or anything for that matter), but I have been looking for a red Framus Television for so long, and this came up. And it only has 2 pickups! (Which is the right number of pickups.) Short story short: Nobody bid on it but me, and it arrived today.
I'll post more soon. So far I have just taken the strings off to get it cleaned up. There are some finish blemishes. It looks like it got REALLY hot at one point, and any place near metal (pickups, tremolo) has some melting and discoloration of the lacquer.
When I bought it, I was only about 80% sure it was what it claimed to be, a Framus Television. Here are the things that make me think it is: The headstock says "Framus" on it, but looks like maybe someone painted over it at some point. The pickups have"Framus" stamped into them. The pickguard has "Framus" kind of embossed (?) into it where you typically see it written on most pickguards, which makes me thing the paint has rubbed off. It has the weird different angles to the pickups like in most pictures. And you can clearly see the "Made in Bavaria" tag on the inside. Those look like the right knobs that I have always seen in pictures.
Here are the weird things: MOST of them have a more Fender-ish headstock. The 1968 has this style headstock, but it doesn't have the bottom F-hole like mine does. Also, a lot of the earlier ones seem to have the knobs below the bottom F-hole, not above. Also, most of them have a different tremolo unit and a different bridge. The "binding" is painted on. The "bolt on" neck looks more like a glue-in neck that has had its heel cut off to fit over the body (can't tell from pictures if that is typical). The input jack is on the side, not on the top like most pictures.
This Television, claiming to be a 1968, has the same pickups, pickguard, tremolo, bridge and headstock as mine. The knobs are in the "same place" except it doesn't have the lower F-hole...
If this isn't a Framus Television, someone went to WAY too much trouble to fake it. If it is, what year is it? It is not like any I have seen before in its details.
I don't usually buy guitars on Ebay (or anything for that matter), but I have been looking for a red Framus Television for so long, and this came up. And it only has 2 pickups! (Which is the right number of pickups.) Short story short: Nobody bid on it but me, and it arrived today.
I'll post more soon. So far I have just taken the strings off to get it cleaned up. There are some finish blemishes. It looks like it got REALLY hot at one point, and any place near metal (pickups, tremolo) has some melting and discoloration of the lacquer.
When I bought it, I was only about 80% sure it was what it claimed to be, a Framus Television. Here are the things that make me think it is: The headstock says "Framus" on it, but looks like maybe someone painted over it at some point. The pickups have"Framus" stamped into them. The pickguard has "Framus" kind of embossed (?) into it where you typically see it written on most pickguards, which makes me thing the paint has rubbed off. It has the weird different angles to the pickups like in most pictures. And you can clearly see the "Made in Bavaria" tag on the inside. Those look like the right knobs that I have always seen in pictures.
Here are the weird things: MOST of them have a more Fender-ish headstock. The 1968 has this style headstock, but it doesn't have the bottom F-hole like mine does. Also, a lot of the earlier ones seem to have the knobs below the bottom F-hole, not above. Also, most of them have a different tremolo unit and a different bridge. The "binding" is painted on. The "bolt on" neck looks more like a glue-in neck that has had its heel cut off to fit over the body (can't tell from pictures if that is typical). The input jack is on the side, not on the top like most pictures.
This Television, claiming to be a 1968, has the same pickups, pickguard, tremolo, bridge and headstock as mine. The knobs are in the "same place" except it doesn't have the lower F-hole...
If this isn't a Framus Television, someone went to WAY too much trouble to fake it. If it is, what year is it? It is not like any I have seen before in its details.
Last edited by sirspens on Thu Jul 19, 2018 7:00 am, edited 1 time in total.
- sirspens
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Re: NGD: Framus Television
It's been a long day of driving in 106 degree heat. Can I really be blamed for only now thinking to look at the tag? Obviously, I can.
So where does that get us? I don't know. I can't tell what it says. A Google search for "Framus AM-S2M1T" returned zero results. "Framus AM-SM1T" got a bunch of not guitar stuff.
Most model numbers I see online and in catalog scans are like "5/118"
So where does that get us? I don't know. I can't tell what it says. A Google search for "Framus AM-S2M1T" returned zero results. "Framus AM-SM1T" got a bunch of not guitar stuff.
Most model numbers I see online and in catalog scans are like "5/118"
- Kinx
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Re: NGD: Framus Television
congrats on awesome guitar !
The Framus specs from this era are all over the place. For Example - friend of mine has television identical to the one pictured in the catalog you've posted, however it is labelled as "atlantik TV" on the inside. I think it was really down to the individual order and many specs were frequent subject of change. http://www.framus-vintage.de/ is a pretty reliable source of information regarding these axes.
The Framus specs from this era are all over the place. For Example - friend of mine has television identical to the one pictured in the catalog you've posted, however it is labelled as "atlantik TV" on the inside. I think it was really down to the individual order and many specs were frequent subject of change. http://www.framus-vintage.de/ is a pretty reliable source of information regarding these axes.
Check out my band, The Atavists ! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eG-HZtrljMg
- sirspens
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Re: NGD: Framus Television
Thanks!
And you are on the right track.
http://www.framus-vintage.de/modules/mo ... =456&cl=EN
Framus made the Television from about 1963 through 1969 (from what I can tell). During that same time period they made a guitar called the Atlantic that was a 335-esque hollow body. There are a LOT of them out there. And here is where things get fantastic. During the same time that Framus had the Television and the Atlantic in production, for all of those years, they also made the guitar I have there, which is called an Atlantic, but listed as having a "TV-style body". Here is someone here on OSG with a similar one, but only one F-hole and completely different pickups, but the same nut, tremolo and string tree:
http://www.offsetguitars.com/forums/vie ... c#p1392143
All of those squigles in the model number on my guitar seem to mean 5/111-T. I also found on the very lower corner of mine it says 69B, which means it was made in February of 1969.
So weird, Framus. So weird.
- Pacafeliz
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Re: NGD: Framus Atlantic Television
cool, welcome to the (highly addictive) world of Framus!
my latest one is -apparently- also some sorta Television, but whilst that model seems to have been the top top toppidy top of the line, mine is just about as low budget as possible. i suspect Framus was about to shut down the factory or that model (it's a 1973 model according to the stamp), and they saved all the costs, used up all the leftover parts. i've never seen one like it - closest thing are the weird '69 models with the psychedelic paint job.
here she is:
the f-hole and binding are PAINTED on! no fancy string tree/holder, just a 3-way switch - that's all i need! (HATE the little switches that break oh so fast!)
BUT, these pickups are my absolute favs, they RULE!!!
damn, sorry for the hijack, i'll better be making my own Framus thread.
but enjoy!
Pat.
my latest one is -apparently- also some sorta Television, but whilst that model seems to have been the top top toppidy top of the line, mine is just about as low budget as possible. i suspect Framus was about to shut down the factory or that model (it's a 1973 model according to the stamp), and they saved all the costs, used up all the leftover parts. i've never seen one like it - closest thing are the weird '69 models with the psychedelic paint job.
here she is:
the f-hole and binding are PAINTED on! no fancy string tree/holder, just a 3-way switch - that's all i need! (HATE the little switches that break oh so fast!)
BUT, these pickups are my absolute favs, they RULE!!!
damn, sorry for the hijack, i'll better be making my own Framus thread.
but enjoy!
Pat.
i love delay SO much ...that i procrastinate all the time.
- sirspens
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Re: NGD: Framus Atlantic Television
That's fantastic! Other than the painted on F-hole (mine has painted "binding" as well), that is a good looking guitar. I like the 3-way selector. I typically like individual pickup control, but that little cavity at the upper horn is probably the most annoying thing about the Television and whatever other names they decided to call it over the years. I also like the knob layout on yours. And the black pickguard looks better than the tort, in my opinion.Pacafeliz wrote: ↑Thu Jul 19, 2018 8:03 amcool, welcome to the (highly addictive) world of Framus!
my latest one is -apparently- also some sorta Television, but whilst that model seems to have been the top top toppidy top of the line, mine is just about as low budget as possible. i suspect Framus was about to shut down the factory or that model (it's a 1973 model according to the stamp), and they saved all the costs, used up all the leftover parts. i've never seen one like it - closest thing are the weird '69 models with the psychedelic paint job.
here she is:
the f-hole and binding are PAINTED on! no fancy string tree/holder, just a 3-way switch - that's all i need! (HATE the little switches that break oh so fast!)
BUT, these pickups are my absolute favs, they RULE!!!
damn, sorry for the hijack, i'll better be making my own Framus thread.
but enjoy!
Pat.
Does yours have a serial number or model or anything on the back of the headstock?
Also, you have the same tremolo. Is there a rubber gasket / seat below the thimble on the bottom of the tremolo on yours?
According to Framus, these were only produced through 1969. I wonder if yours goes by an all together different name.
Last edited by sirspens on Thu Jul 19, 2018 8:28 am, edited 1 time in total.
- Pacafeliz
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Re: NGD: Framus Atlantic Television
yes it has the serial and dating info on the headstock, but no model number anywhere....sirspens wrote: ↑Thu Jul 19, 2018 8:24 am
Does yours have a serial number or model or anything on the back of the headstock?
Also, you have the same tremolo. Is there a rubber gasket / seat below the thimble on the bottom of the tremolo on yours?
Also, according to Framus, these were only produced through 1969. I wonder if this goes by an all together different name.
yes there is a rubber thingy (on the guitar) under the vibrato
my model would make sense as a leftover parts guitar, it's clearly a '73, when the TV wasn't officially being made any more...
i love delay SO much ...that i procrastinate all the time.
- sirspens
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Re: NGD: Framus Atlantic Television
So fascinating.Pacafeliz wrote: ↑Thu Jul 19, 2018 8:28 amyes it has the serial and dating info on the headstock, but no model number anywhere....sirspens wrote: ↑Thu Jul 19, 2018 8:24 am
Does yours have a serial number or model or anything on the back of the headstock?
Also, you have the same tremolo. Is there a rubber gasket / seat below the thimble on the bottom of the tremolo on yours?
Also, according to Framus, these were only produced through 1969. I wonder if this goes by an all together different name.
yes there is a rubber thingy (on the guitar) under the vibrato
my model would make sense as a leftover parts guitar, it's clearly a '73, when the TV wasn't officially being made any more...
Oh! What do your tuner machines look like? Are they individual and enclosed? Or are they the kind that are on a single strip with exposed gears?
- Pacafeliz
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Re: NGD: Framus Atlantic Television
yes, as cheap as it gets, no fancy pants here!
i love delay SO much ...that i procrastinate all the time.
- sirspens
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Re: NGD: Framus Atlantic Television
That's how mine is. I was kind of hoping it wasn't original so I could replace them with something that works better and not feel bad.
- sirspens
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Re: NGD: Framus Atlantic Television
I got the guitar cleaned up and strung up this evening.
Upon plugging it in, there is a lack of grounding somewhere, as I get a bit of a hum that goes away when I touch the pickups. Also, I can get both pickups on, the bridge pickup only, but not the neck pickup only.
The pickups are higher output that I expected. They sound like a slightly weak P90, honestly. The interesting part is that the sound is almost all mids, with only a bit of highs and a bit of lows in fairly equal measure. Much like P90s, they also deliver a pretty even "wall of sound."
So, I turned off the amp and, guess what! Acoustically it sounds the same. Not a lot of individual string voicing and almost nothing but mids. Weird, right?
I was hoping to get a bright and shiny, hollow tone with the guitar, but that isn't what it is. What it delivers, however, is a guitar that fuzzes amazingly. Not what I expected, but very interesting.
Upon plugging it in, there is a lack of grounding somewhere, as I get a bit of a hum that goes away when I touch the pickups. Also, I can get both pickups on, the bridge pickup only, but not the neck pickup only.
The pickups are higher output that I expected. They sound like a slightly weak P90, honestly. The interesting part is that the sound is almost all mids, with only a bit of highs and a bit of lows in fairly equal measure. Much like P90s, they also deliver a pretty even "wall of sound."
So, I turned off the amp and, guess what! Acoustically it sounds the same. Not a lot of individual string voicing and almost nothing but mids. Weird, right?
I was hoping to get a bright and shiny, hollow tone with the guitar, but that isn't what it is. What it delivers, however, is a guitar that fuzzes amazingly. Not what I expected, but very interesting.
- marqueemoon
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Re: NGD: Framus Atlantic Television
From your description the sound is not for me, but that's a damn fine looking guitar.
- Trout
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Re: NGD: Framus Atlantic Television
My first guitar was a 67 Golden Television! The neck was very narrow as I remember it. I still have the original tuners lying around if someone is interested?
Trout
Trout
#sitdownrock at https://staffanandersson.bandcamp.com/album/det-hemliga-namnet
- Kinx
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Re: NGD: Framus Atlantic Television
shouldn't there be a Framus thread already?
I'm still hoping that someday I'll find a butchered/modified/pickupless Television so I wouldn't feel bad for putting Jazzmaster pickups in it.
I'm still hoping that someday I'll find a butchered/modified/pickupless Television so I wouldn't feel bad for putting Jazzmaster pickups in it.
Check out my band, The Atavists ! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eG-HZtrljMg
- sirspens
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Re: NGD: Framus Atlantic Television
Right? This thing is such an oddball I feel bad doing almost anything to it.
Yeah. I'm going to give it a while and see if we get along. But I am usually more of a "peaky with scooped mids" tone guy.marqueemoon wrote: ↑Thu Jul 19, 2018 9:18 pmFrom your description the sound is not for me, but that's a damn fine looking guitar.
It's a lot like a classic Telecaster. Around the typical 1-5/8" nut with a chunky neck, probably around 0.93" at the first fret.
I haven't measured it, but I am guess it has a 12" radius fretboard. It isn't classical guitar flat, but it is pretty flat.
All that said, it is a smooth playing guitar. And the first zero-fret guitar I haven't wanted to throw out the window.