What is it?

Discussion of vintage Jazzmasters, Jaguars, Bass VIs, Electric XIIs and any other offset-waist instruments.
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mullena
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What is it?

Post by mullena » Tue Feb 02, 2021 2:00 am

I'm pretty clueless on this so apologies in advance!

I acquired this guitar as a teenager (early 90s). It was left in an apartment my cousin moved into and she kindly donated it to me. It was in bad shape even then so I'm assuming it was at least 10-15 years old at that point.

I did have it working for awhile (with a makeshift bridge), but unfortunately it stopped and I ended up putting all electric innards in a bag vowing to myself that I would one day restore.

Cue 30 years later and the bag of innards lost I'm trying to decide if it is worth fixing up.

It's shaped like a Jazzmaster but I'm almost sure it's not a Fender but can't figure out what it is. The head has outline of what looks like the Fender logo with sticker gone. It says Made in West Germany on the steel plate on the back but that confuses me. Also string saddles look like a different setup to any Fender JM I've seen pictures of.

If anyone could shed some like light, it would be greatly appreciated!

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MrFingers
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Re: What is it?

Post by MrFingers » Tue Feb 02, 2021 2:20 am

The laminated neck is a dead giveaway that it's a Framus.

The model is a Framus 5/155 "Strato 6" from the first half of the 1970s.

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If it's worth fixing up... given the original parts are missing, any residual collector value is also gone. It can be fixed up if you want to play it, but it's going to cost you more than the guitar is going to be worth when you sell it. Framus is one of the more famed & famous German brands of the 1960's & 1970's, and their 1960 original models (Television & Star Bass for instance) are desireable and coveted, especially in America. Their 1970's stuff, based on the American guitars from Fender & Gibson isn't so much.

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mullena
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Re: What is it?

Post by mullena » Tue Feb 02, 2021 8:47 am

Wow, thank you very much! That's exactly how I remember it (bar mine had a cracked pickguard, missing tremolo and bridge!)

I would love to fix it up, but it would be purely for sentimental reasons and not a resale.

Unfortunately I wouldn't know where to start on sourcing parts etc

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Re: What is it?

Post by MrFingers » Tue Feb 02, 2021 9:19 am

German eBay, eBay Kleinanzeigen (German classifieds) and German forums will be your best chance.

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mullena
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Re: What is it?

Post by mullena » Tue Feb 02, 2021 12:48 pm

I'll give it a go. Thanks again for your help.

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Re: What is it?

Post by ohm-men » Tue Feb 23, 2021 9:59 pm

If you have the neck and the body and they are in good/usable shape, I'd say give it a go.
As Mr. Fingers already put, the resale value won't be high. But as it is for the experience and sentimental value, then don't hesitate!

I did a simelar thing with a formite's Klira guitar he inherited from his grandfather (guitar was deemed beond repair). We put a lot of work in this guitar and it worked like a charm. (pics used to float arround here on these parts, but they are all gone now...)

As far as your Strato 6 goes, there are a lot of options.
- new pickguard
- roller bridge
- Bigsby horseshoe type trem (the original on some models were influenced by the Bigsby) (I would not go with a Mustang or Jm/Jag trem due to the somewhat thin body)
- pickups to you own liking. For instance a pair of whatever GFS single or humbuckers will work.
- simple 3 way switch, set of pots and knobs, some wiring and a jack and I think you're good to go.
- you also might want to replace the nut while you're at it. The 70's Framus guitars had a somewhat bland plastic nut.

All of this does not have to cost you an arm or a legg. I usually go with used parts (just to keep it inexpensive and sometimes it fun to work with what you can get or get offered)

For some reason these type of "fixer upper's" have something going on for them...

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mullena
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Re: What is it?

Post by mullena » Wed Feb 24, 2021 3:17 am

Brilliant, thanks for that! Very useful info to take on board.

So would you abandon all hope of finding Framus parts matching the guitar and manufacture era etc? I'd be thinking specifically pickups and maybe pickguard at least to try and match.

If I do go for alternative pickups/pickguard will i run in to trouble fitting those onto body and pickups into pickguard etc? (sorry, I'm a bit clueless on all this!)

You're right though on the "fixer upper"- really enjoying the process so far and looking forward to the end result!

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