FRAMUS Nashville

[Muziekschuur]

Still users of those basses?

 

[vlado]

I use it every day, it's my basic instrument, although it has been reshaped by a previous owner. The body sides have been sawn off, before he realized there is a chamber inside, then he built smaller sides and put them on. After that he didn't connect the neck pick up, he used it like that for a while and that was the shape I got it in. I had it for over twenty years now, I reconnected the neck pick up, but without any switch, so I'm blending the two pick ups. It still is the same bass, the neck is untouched and it plays perfectly. I have recently recorded a whole album using only that bass and it sounds great. I've seen a few pictures and videos of Framus Nashville in it's original shape and, although it looks and sounds very similar to mine, I would say the distance between two pick ups is a bit bigger on my bass. Therefore I figured mine would probably be a Nashville Standard De Luxe, but I cannot find a picture of that model to compare it. Either that or mine was some prototype that didn't get to be massively produced. it also originally had closed mechanics, but I changed that when one got broken and put the open ones on, seemingly the standards for a Nashville model. Actually it happened here on the same thread, as cdef was so kind to reply and send me those mechanics that I needed! Check it out, this was made just a month ago...

 

[hushnel]

Occasionally, I've had the bass since 1965. It was my only bass until I got the Precision Special in 1981. I'll pull it out from time to time.

 

[vlado]

Occasionally, I've had the bass since 1975. It was my only bass until I got the Precision Special in 1981. I'll pull it out from time to time.

Nice bass, man!

 

[hushnel]

Thanks, typo on the acquisition date, we were living in Wiesbaden Germany at the time. Dad was stationed at the Wiesbaden AFB. I had been playing the upright at Fletcher Jr. High in Jacksonville. In the year between the upright and the Framus I was jonesing really bad to play. I attempted to make my own bass, I built it from scratch from scavenged construction material. Me being 11 years old at the time I had no clue of structure and the pressures involved. When I strung it up and attempted to tune it, well it kind of imploded. I was heading to the construction area when Dad pulled up. He saw the destroyed parts in the trash can and asked what happened. I told him, and I was heading out for more materials to try again. He stopped me saying he figured I'd be getting one for Christmas. I guess he figured I would be sticking with it. The only option at H.H. Arnold Jr, High was marching band and I had no intention of playing a Tuba.

Dad took me down to the post exchange, they had two basses, I could choose either one. The Hofner 500/1 Violin Bass or the Framus Atlantik 5/143. I was more influenced by the Motown, and rock, like Spencer Davis, Hendrix, The Who at the time than I was Paul McCartney and the Beatles. There was a local G.I. Band that would play at teen dances and I was heavily influenced by them, their bassist played a Framus. When I actually played these two at the PX I didn't like the Hofner at all, the head dive of the thing was horrible, it felt like a toy. In 1965 the Hofner was around $84.00 the Framus was listed at $249.00. I got the bass Christmas morning 1965, it was hidden underneath a new winter coat. One of the best days of my young life. By New Years Eve I was starting a band with the Base Commanders son and a few months later we were playing at the Skyhook Serviceman's Club on WAFB.

 

[vlado]

Great story! And a lovely memory on the photo!