I can see that this old guitar is a Framus - it has the Strato shape and the F logo on the stoptail, but I cannot identify it - its pickguard has a strangely contoured shape - not that this is unusual in vintage Framus models - but mostly I've never seen such pickups - branded 'Ideal'. The knobs are also quite unusual - this might indicate that it is a vintage modification...
Anybody knows more?
Bertram D
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The scratchplate looks to be homemade - definitely cut freehand. The pickups look a little like Burns - the design looks similar to the Burns Humbuster as used on their Flyte guitars.
ReplyDeleteHi Gavin and Bertram. The pickups are from Hofner and were used by several other companies to electrify their acoustic guitars. If you check out the Vintage Hofner page you can see some great examples... http://www.vintagehofner.co.uk/factfiles/floater/assembly.html
ReplyDeleteThese ones have the Ideal name pressed into the top plate and were probably for brands who wanted the pickups but didn't want Hofner's name on their guitars. As Vintage Hofner says, they weren't very consistent with the design and I've seen several different types myself. Sometimes the brand name was crudely engraved on the plate and sometimes there was no name at all. I have some examples on Hofner versions with pressed logos and with engraved names (you couldn't really call it a logo), Ideal with logo pressed (now on my Hofner Congress) and an Ideal version with a built in volume control wheel. I have a version that Vintage Hofner lists a 1957 HOFNER TYPE 536. It's a huge piece of chrome plated brass and weighs a ton. It can't have done much for the tone of the guitar and probably even caused damage by crashing into the top of the guitar. The output of the ones I have varies from 2.7 to 3.2 KΩ so compared to modern pickups they're pretty gentle. They are some of the smallest pickups I've seen so no great surprise.
it's a pity that we can't post pictures in the comments anymore!
ReplyDeleteHave you guys checked out this awesome website for customizing guitars? so cool http://monikerguitars.com/
ReplyDeleteThis looks much more like a Klira (possibly a Triumphator model) than a Framus, a bit like this one - http://guitarz.blogspot.co.uk/2011/10/vintage-klira-in-red-mosaic-finish.html
ReplyDeleteIf nothing else, I think the neck at least is probably a Klira, and it looks like this may be an assembly of parts from various German makes with one or two home made parts added to finish it off.