Framus is a German guitar and amplifier brand which was founded in 1946 by Fred Wilfer. Unfortunately, due to the rapidly changing market at the time, the company was forced into bankruptcy in 1975. However the Framus name was revived in 1995 after being bought by German bass guitar brand Warwick. The company now successfully produces a wide range of high-end guitars and tube amplifiers.
Framus are one of the few bigger name companies out there who are truly ‘lefty friendly’ as they produce nearly all of their guitars in a left handed format at no extra charge. The only guitars which are not available left handed are the Vintage Series and the Earl Slick signature series. Great work from Framus indeed!
There are far too many guitars to fit in a single article so I have broken the choices down into their ‘families’. Descriptions will be brief as the guitars in each family each differ from one another in various ways, so be sure to check out the Framus website for detailed specs. Besides, you just come here for the pretty pictures right? ;)
Framus Panthera Series Left Handed Guitars
The gorgeous singlecut Panthera range from Framus is available in a wide variety of different finishes, wood configurations, bridges, pickup choices, and even has a 7-string model on offer. Check out the Framus website to obtain detailed specs for each different model.
Framus Diablo Series Lefty Guitars
The stunning Diablo range from Framus is available in a wide variety of different finishes, wood configurations, bridges, pickup choices, and even has a 7-string model on offer. Check out the Framus website for the skinny on each different model.
Framus Mayfield Series Left Handed Guitars
This beautiful thinline series from Framus features a plethora of different finishes, woods, pickup configurations and much more. Take a look at the Framus website for the full down-low on what is available.
Framus AZ-10 Series Lefty Guitars
With the AZ-10, Framus remembers tradition and recreates a classic of the former company history in a modernized form. This exquisitely made, full resonance archtop jazzguitar is based on the now legendary instrument series which was built in the 60s for jazz-legend Attila Zoller. Available in single and dual configurations
Framus AK1974 Left Handed Guitar
The Framus flagship guitar, the AK 1974, combines a semi-hollow body with a neck-through design. The resulting cutaway and neck shaping allows for extremely comfortable access to the upper 24th fret. It also features a warm and organic sounding carved Flamed Maple top with F-holes and a bottom of the same material, as well as a Sycamore neck that provides incredible sustain. The awesome sounding pickups are ’59 Seymour Duncans with Alnico V magnet with 7 Ohms resistance controlled with a unique 6-way selector switch that delivers many different combinations for Jazz and Blues-Rock sounds. This guitar is the sum of premium hand-selected material, high quality components and a unique construction design that elevates it above the rest.
Framus LP10 Lefty Guitar
The Framus LP-10 Leo Ponikvar Signature is a full-resonance jazz guitar, where Framus has concentrated on old traditions as with the AZ-10 and now presents a classic of the early company history in a modernised form.
The tonal base of the Framus LP-10 Leo Ponikvar Signature is formed by the use of selected tone-woods. For the arched top, the Framus Custom Shop used solid Spruce, the body sides and bottom are made of beautifully grained and also solid AA Flamed Maple. The Flamed Maple set-neck with its Tigerstripe Ebony fingerboard perfectly harmonises with the body in terms of sound and style. 21 accurately trimmed frets using the Plek-technology, as well as traditional Custom inlays made of nacre have been inserted into the fingerboard. The LP-10 is a single pickup instrument; its active floating single-coil pickup by MEC gives it a very unique and concise voice. The volume and tone control have been inserted discreetly into the body side.
Framus MM10 Left Handed Guitar
Based on the AZ-10 Attila Zoller Archtop Jazz guitar, the Framus Custom Shop has developed the MM-10 Mitja Mastnak Signature. The Framus MM-10 is not only for enthusiasts of the “Oberkrainian” sound, and those who respect Mitjas way of playing, but all will enjoy this universal instrument. The Framus MM-10 Mitja Mastnak Signature is a full-resonance jazz-guitar, for which Framus looked back to old traditions for. Framus now presents a classic of the early company history in a modernised and modified form as a Signature-instrument.
Framus Website
The Framus website is great – a simple, clean layout with plenty of high resolution images. On each model page we are told whether or not the guitar is available left handed, which is obviously great to see :)
For more information:
Framus Website
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