Product: Framus 74D 12-String Acoustic-Electric
Price Paid: US $150.00
Submitted
01/22/2002
at
10:13am
by
Ray Warren
Email: kd4kzo<at>bellsouth dot net
Features
:
9
Manuf. in early 70's , Bavaria factory. 21 frets, spruce top, bound body, unknown back & sides, laminated , multi-ply neck, open ,non-locking nickel tuners, rosewood bridge MOP dot markers, passive single coil sound hole mounted pup with Vol & Tone controls mounted on top @ factory. Back is arched.Dreadnaught size wider at tail bout than neck bout. Gloss lacquer finish. Rosewood fretboard with thin frets. A truly beautiful instrument that has improved in tone with age and sound fantastic when plugged in. No acc. as I bought it used.
Sound
:
10
Acoustically it is the most well balanced 12 string I have ever played. Great bottom end and clear ringing highs. Bright and jangly like a 12 should be. Plugged in it sounds just as good as acoustically and with some amp tweaking can even do the "rick" thing. It feedsback less than any A/E I have ever played.
Action, Fit, & Finish
:
9
Over the years the has developed a tiny bow at the neck mortice but it seems to affect the playability very little. the frets were perfect, though a bit thin. The action is very playable and the pup is as noisless as a single coil can be. The controls were a bit noisy but a quick shot of cleaner stopped that.
Reliability/Durability
:
8
I play it live a lot. No backup, I don't have one. don't need one. The finish is still perfect with the exception of a crack in the seam of the split spruce top. It doesn't affect the tone or playability and serves to add some character to a approx. 30 year old guitar. Tuners still work perfectly and it stays in tune through some pretty heavy playing. Strap buttons as good as new.
Customer Support
:
No Opinion
Yeah, right! They went out of business a long time ago. It's a shame too, because this is the 4th Framus I have owned and all have been excellent, pro quality guitars. Any problem encountered will be repaired by me or some knowledgeable local shop.
Overall Rating
:
10
I have been playing for 38 years & own a Gibson Les Paul, Fender Strat, Squier Tele,Epi Joe Pass, Epi AJ18SCE VS, Marlboro Gear D-28 copy, Yamaha classical & Aria Pro II "Cat" bass played through a Twin Reverb, Champion 30, and SWR LA12 bass amp. This axe could only be replaced through the California collectors sites, so it would be hard but I would do it. I owned this guitar almost 30 years ago and sold it and bought it back when I found it in this pawn shop & it will stay with me forever now.
