Framus Television '64

I recieved this guitar from my parents when I was in high school. My mother and father (God rest his soul) paid $250.00 for it. I have since been scouring the internet world to find out what it is worth today. I have now owned it for 16 years and have absolutely no plans on getting rid of it. Ever! It is in great condition, other than some minor scrapes and bruises. I have since had the neck straightened and re-wired, and it sounds absolutley fantastic with the array of switches and knobs incorporated into the son-of-a-bitch. It's a badass thing man.

Suits me just fine. I always wanted a Jaguar or Mustang, but this fit the bill perfectly. Looks damn near like those and sounds a hell of a lot better.

Other than age itself, I do not know. As of right now the action is perfect, neck is straight. Shit, I really have no problems other than I do not particularily like the type of wood they used for the neck It is a type of high-end plywood. Well done though never-the-less.

Without a doubt!! I have played many a show with this German work of art.

No warranty, but yes. I had the neck straightened and re-wired. Only reason why is because the chooch who owned it before obviously didn't know how to maintain and take care of an instrument.

I have been playing for over 17 years. I have a 2001 Fender Tele, of course my 1964 Framus Television, an olde 70's Yamaha Acoustic that I incorporated a soapbar from a Les Paul, a brand new Fender cut-a-way semi electric, full-acoustic, and,... well the list really goes on. If my Framus ever got stolen or lost, well, number one I wouldn't lose it. That's jsut stupid! But I would find and kill the person who stole it. It is irreplaceable. It dosn't compare with any other guitar I have ever seen or played. This fucker is good as is.

Hi, have a Framus television 54,i purchased it in brighton in 1969, been playing it now for 36 years, had a few probs over the years with the 6 micro switches mounted on the top cutaway, the hardwere is gold plated, i think the top is made of spruce the sides and back are made of birds eye maple the neck is made of cedar and the three pickups are framus, the bridge has a flip damper on it, a finger lift kind of volume tremelo,ebony finger board with mother of pearl spear shaped markers,lable inside says built in the heart of bavaria, a beautiful guitar, very good light action,

I play all kinds of styles,Finger pickin,Rock,Pop,and a little jazz,
i find it fne with all of these styles,I cant remember the first amp i used,But the last two amps were a Session amp and a pevey amp found it sounded better through the Session with a Boss ME-6 sound effects unit,A rich bright sound not much bass,possably as i use light guage strings,but still get a good variety of sounds.
The dislikes are, i still cant remember what the indeviduel micro switches are for when i do a gig.

Everything about the guitar was properly set up at the factory as far as im concerned the action is very light and fast,the gold plating is deteriorating but that can be expected after 51 years

Ive been playing live with it for 36 years.The hardware is still good.The body work is still perfect,gold plating waring off on pickups.Ive never taken a backup guitar with me on gigs ever.

When i perchased the guitar there was no case, so i made one to fit.
Not under waranty as it was secondhand when i perchased it.

ive been playing for 36 years have just retired from it.
i have two other guitars,A Fender San Miguel accuostic,and a Fender strat, not a very good one.Had many others in the past.I have a pevey amp and a Boss ME-6 sound effects unit.

The guitar I own is a 1964 Framus Television made in Germany. It has 3
pick-ups,mute for the srings,is made of birds-eye maple with a sunburst effect style paint job,Fender stlys headstock with framus on the headstock in gold metal print,tremolo, five selector switches,two with two-way and three with three-way,two tone knobs,two volume knobs,a type of trmolo pot,brownish zebra style pickgaurd and brass pick gaurds.pick-ups are made by framus,it is a mustang or jaguar type style body,has ply-style neck with non-locking tuners,thin neck,and is a dream of dreams to play and be heard.

it suits my music style just perfectly,it reminds me of a type of depression style grunge sound,or when manipulated,can be the same as a 70's rock and roll band sound

the guitar was set up at the factory great. when Framus invented this particular 64 framus television,they knew what the hell they were doing. the pick-ups have been adjusted by my-self to a mid-high position. the guitar when i bought it for 250.00 dollars when i was 18 years old(i'm 27 now) it had a few road chips and a slightly twisted neck. i had the neck fixed and the electronics re-wired for optimum playability. and everything was pretty much in absolutly great condition

This guitar has withstood live playing. The hardware,hell,it was made in 1964 and still rocks harder than any other guitar i have owned. yes the strap buttons are solid. I have depended on it many a night. No I would not use it without a back up, but then again,I always have a back up due the fact that i may drop it on accident,it could get stolen,any number of things could happen to it, but with worry of it failing it's test of playability and workmanship, no way partner

I bought this 1964 Framus Television 9 years ago when I was 18. I have had it repaired, but needless to say there was no warranty on a 1964 made guitar. If I were to deal the company, which I plan on as soon as I can one one near me here in Phoenix Arizona, I'm sure that they would be.

I have been playing now for 11 years. I own an olde Telecaster,and olde Yamaha acoustic, and olde Fender acoustic,a twin twelve crate amp
a little back-stage audtion amp, and my 1964 Framus Television. I'll never sell it, I love it more than any other guitar I have ever owned or will ever own, it's just nostalgic, know what I mean?

This Framus Television '64 description fits to a Tee my Framus,
EXCEPT..mine has only TWO pickups and the neck logo "Framus" is
in black lettering. Serial Number(?) on back of neck:2673-66A

Roy Rogers
8177 S. Harvard Ave. #510
Tulsa, OK 74137

Me again with a few corrections/additions to my review above. I often use Harmony Central to help identify gear and I want to be as accurate as possible.

Corrections:

- There are 2 volume and 2 tone knobs plus the tremolo pot (one more than stated above)

- The neck has white binding only at the end of the neck (past 21st fret)

- the plastic pickguard also has a cream clour mixed with the browns and blacks.

Additions:

- A fenderish mute with black sponge mounted on a 3-position pivot attached to the bridge.

- The bridge is covered by a removable cover (presumably to protect your hand from the sharp metal edges of the saddles.

- A curved, arrowhead-shaped, truss rod cover in black plastic

I hope these additional details help someone to discover the joy of the famous Framus.

I swear it is the long-lost first guitar my brother and I jointly owned in 1977 and foolishly sold as it was "old". The guitar is a cross between a Jazzmaster (body style) and Strat (3 pickup), with a Fender influenced headstock and more switches than I've ever seen - but it gets better - read on...

- Bolt-on neck is vertically-laminated (18 plys!!) maple(?) with rosewood fingerboard, 21-frets, white neck binding, circular mother-of pearl inlaid fret marker dots

- Quilted maple finish body in 3-colour sunburst

- Open back tuning pegs, White plastic nut, zero fret, Black Framus decal logo, chrome string guide, trapezoid chrome neck plate with "Made in Germany" stamped in

- 1 Chrome plate (top horn) with FIVE black mini-sliders (neck + middle, treble boost, bridge pickup, middle pickup, phase switch) - took me forever to figure that out.

- "So ugly its beautiful!!" plastic multi-colour pickguard in early sixties browns and blacks - Oh those Bavarians!!

- Another very large chrome plate with two switches (one for a "spring-loaded, volume pot with a HANDLE for "Manual" Tremolo, one for a Pre-amp!!). In addition to the wacky "tremolo pot", there are two volumes and one tone control, and an input jack with a white plastic washer.

- Chrome, post mounted tunomatic style bridge, jazzmaster-influenced spring driven Chrome Tremolo with a very large arm.

- Rear access plate for the battery for the preamp!! (in 1964??). It appears to be a mod (after finishing) but is so well done and old it may have been a factory mod. The original battery was still there and a German friend said it was an old Deutch brand from the sixties - so cool!! The switch and mounting provisions appeared to be stock.

- Three single coil pickups with chrome covers stamped with framus script logo. The bridge pickup magnet/body is twice the size of the neck and middle pickups. These pickups are highly microphonic and need to be professionaly wax-potted to play at any volume (or if the preamp is turned on). The pickup combinations are "preselected" indicating the combinations were chosen for function (Rhythm, lead) rather than versatility (ie. you can't play with only the middle pickup - it is always linked to the neck pickup)

- A grey sixties-style semi-hardshell case with leather straps was included

- This has so many "features" it appears they didn't know when to quit. I have to give it a 10 just for the effort they put into the design.

A very unique sounding guitar. I use it for surf-style, clean fenderish tones with a "little something different". It sounds great through my vintage Fender and Traynor amps and the switching is both entertaining and useful. Takes some getting used to having so many switches.

Turn on the preamp (which is on the lead pickup only) and stand back!! If the microphonics don't get you, the midrange (a la crybaby wah-wah) will take your fillings out. I love the patronizing looks I get when I plug it in clean until I suddenly kick in the pre-amp and the volume doubles giving a real screaming tone.

Alas - microphonics (until you have them wax-potted) hurt its score here

Overall workmanship was very good and the fact that it works perfectly 40 years later says it all.

I had to do a lot of set-up but thats half the fun.

Again, 40 years later - it keeps on ticking. Lots of metal and chrome and with the exception of the tremolo bar and a switch, everything is still going strong.

Tuning heads are functional but not great.

Long gone although Framus' son has revived the name as well as founding Warwick

When I saw it, I had a flashback to 1977 and me and brother learning our first tunes with a bad, bad, transistor amp.

I bought for nostalgia but was pleased to discover what a good indtrument it is and pleasantly surprised by all the features - most of which are now history.

Want to stand out in a crowd of Fenders? - The Framus Television is the ticket.

At $40, I have to give it the fantastic value rating of 10