I acquired a Framus S-380 Jazz bass from 1974 last year. It was really not in a good state when I got it. I was told by the guy who I bought it from that he bought it from some guy in a punk band.
Pick up covers and scratch plate are missing, the body and fretboard was covered in many years of grime (body was dark mud brown when I got it!), body and fretboard has plenty of knocks. Frets were in such a bad condition that one of them was even down to the wood in one area! There's plenty of lacquer cracking and the pickup covers look like they've been melted in some places!
I've completely cleaned it up, re-fretted it (even changed the zero fret) and got it playing pretty much perfectly.
This is a heavy bass. Fretboard is rosewood and I think the body is probably pine (but that's just from the grain pattern so I could be wrong). Not sure what the neck is made from, but it's a very thick neck. Truss rod cover is missing from the pics, but I do have it.
Sonically it sounds very good. Nice big fat round tones with the neck pickup, to Jazz growl with blending of both and very jazzy twangy tones with the bridge pickup.
Oh and Jaco recorded with one of these, albeit a fretless one, when he was in Germany in the 70's.
I've seen them advertised from around £730 - £1000 for examples in very good condition. I'm looking to sell it, so any advice on what it might be worth in this condition is welcomed.
Pick up covers and scratch plate are missing, the body and fretboard was covered in many years of grime (body was dark mud brown when I got it!), body and fretboard has plenty of knocks. Frets were in such a bad condition that one of them was even down to the wood in one area! There's plenty of lacquer cracking and the pickup covers look like they've been melted in some places!
I've completely cleaned it up, re-fretted it (even changed the zero fret) and got it playing pretty much perfectly.
This is a heavy bass. Fretboard is rosewood and I think the body is probably pine (but that's just from the grain pattern so I could be wrong). Not sure what the neck is made from, but it's a very thick neck. Truss rod cover is missing from the pics, but I do have it.
Sonically it sounds very good. Nice big fat round tones with the neck pickup, to Jazz growl with blending of both and very jazzy twangy tones with the bridge pickup.
Oh and Jaco recorded with one of these, albeit a fretless one, when he was in Germany in the 70's.
I've seen them advertised from around £730 - £1000 for examples in very good condition. I'm looking to sell it, so any advice on what it might be worth in this condition is welcomed.
