Framus

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Headstock of a Framus 12string (1969) with the typical logo

Framus is a German manufacturer of guitars, basses and amplifiers that was founded in Erlangen in 1946 .

History until 1981

The company's founder , Fred Wilfer , was born in 1917 near the music city of Schönbach . After the Second World War, Wilfer heard of the Allies' settlement plans, whereupon he contacted the Bavarian state government and negotiated about the settlement of Schönbach instrument makers in the Erlangen area.

Framus Strato de Luxe (1960s)

Wilfer founded the "Fränkische Musikinstrumentenerzeugung Fred A. Wilfer KG" on January 1st, 1946. And in March 1948 he set up the first workshop in Möhrendorf, a few kilometers north of Erlangen. At the end of 1948 the production had to move due to lack of space and again in 1954. The new factory in Bubenreuth , which was inaugurated in 1954 and henceforth called "Framus-Werke", was one of the most modern of its time. 170 instrument makers produced around 200 instruments per month on an area of ​​more than 2200 m². The initial dominance of violin production was gradually replaced by guitar production. From 1967 to 1977 there was a branch in Pretzfeld , so that Framus became the largest guitar factory in Europe with 300 employees. A less well-known product were the concert zithers, some of which were produced in somewhat unusual designs (mainly as air resonance zithers): The resonance body, usually about 3 cm deep, widens to 5 cm towards the rear. This gave the instruments a very sonorous sound dominated by the lows.

Framus went bankrupt in the late 1970s. Production stopped in the early 1980s. The reasons are not clear, as the company's archive was lost after the bankruptcy. Internal and financial difficulties are known, which were attributed to the increased competitive pressure from Japan. A documentation from the Bavarian Broadcasting Corporation reported that during the Framus boom there was a tour of a Japanese group of visitors in the Framus factory. The work processes were photographed in detail without the management's knowledge. Later the first Far East copies of German guitars and basses pushed onto the instrument market, a circumstance that later led to Framus' bankruptcy.

Framus jazz guitar, ca.1959

With the construction of the plant in Bubenreuth, early musical education was planned. From 1954 on, Gertrude Fischer taught a wide variety of instruments to children from the age of three. The company was involved in various projects to promote children until production was discontinued in 1981.

Since 1995

Framus was revived in 1995 and is now part of Warwick GmbH & Co Music Equipment KG in Markneukirchen, Saxony . Today's production consists of several guitar series, a bass series and an amplifier production. Framus also produces guitar strings . The woods for the instruments (flamed maple, sycamore, mahogany, ebony, etc.) are imported directly by Framus from the USA, Europe and Africa. The wood is stored in special climatic chambers for a few months before it enters production .

The company has been trying to take on a pioneering role in environmental and climate protection since 2005. It works in a climate-neutral way and electricity and heat come entirely from the company's own energy sources. These include a photovoltaic, wind power and geothermal system, wood waste and exhaust air heating and a company's own natural gas-operated combined heat and power plant. The wood for the instruments is sourced from sustainable forestry. A painting method based on water-soluble lacquers replaces the otherwise common, environmentally and health-damaging processes in instrument construction such as nitrocellulose or polyurethane lacquering . Since 2011 the company has been working according to the specifications of the Eco Management and Audit Scheme , a voluntary environmental management and environmental audit system of the European Union , which aims to continuously improve operational environmental protection. The company has been a member of the Saxony Environmental Alliance since 2012 . In 2014 it was accepted into the initiative "Climate Protection Companies" of the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry , whose member companies, according to their self-portrayal, are "voluntarily committed to measurable and ambitious goals in climate protection and energy efficiency" and "already outstanding achievements in operational energy efficiency in products and services and produced ". In 2015 the company became a member of the "Initiative Deutsche Manufakturen", which, according to its self-portrayal, "has made it its task" to "confidently represent the special quality standards of German manufacturers".

Framus has a custom shop where customers can put together the instruments they want.

The Framus Museum was opened in Markneukirchen in July 2007. In a renovated and converted Wilhelminian style villa, 200 instruments from the years between 1946 and today are presented on three floors. Since August 2014, the museum has been part of the "Route of Industrial Culture", a selection of "industrial-historical sights" made by the Dresden Ministry of Economics in the state of Saxony.

Supported artists

Framus Earl Slick Signature, 2013

Framus has worked with many musicians over the years, or has been played by many famous musicians. The first Framus supported artist ( endorser ) was Billy Lorento (later known as Bill Lawrence) in the late 1950s . Some of the most famous artists who made music with a Framus instrument included John Lennon , who owned a 1965 Framus Hootenanny , and Keith Richards . The jazz guitarist Attila Zoller also worked with Framus. Bill Wyman of The Rolling Stones was under contract with Framus from 1964 and played the Framus Star Bass for more than three years . Together with Jan Akkerman , Framus developed a guitar that he played. This guitar model was also played by Rik Emmett, the guitarist of the group Triumph . For Peter Kraus , the "German Elvis Presley ", a 4-string "Peter Kraus Schlager guitar" was built; a tenor guitar that was very easy to play. Even Volker Kriegel worked with Framus and played in the 1960s and 70s several Framus models. Framus was also present in the Oberkrainer genre : the guitarist of the original Oberkrainer Leo Ponikvar owned and played a model.

Phil Campbell , guitarist of the former Motörhead , also plays some of the Panthera models . Wolf Hoffmann ( Accept ), Earl Slick ( David Bowie , New York Dolls ), Phil X ( Powder , Triumph , Bon Jovi ), Stevie Salas ( Rod Stewart , Mick Jagger , George Clinton , Justin Timberlake ), William DuVall ( Alice in Chains ) and Devin Townsend play with them, developed Framus models named after them. Other endorsers include Powerwolf , Hans Platz ( Feuerschwanz ), Mats Mappe Björkman and Lars Johansson ( Candlemass ). Since 2015 Matthias Ambré and Marcus Testory from the band Die Kammer have also been endorsed .

literature

  • Franz Holtmann: Framus - Built In The Heart Of Bavaria . In: Stromgitarren, pp. 100–110. Special issue of the magazine Guitar & Bass on the history of the electric guitar. MM-Musik-Media-Verlag, Ulm 2004. ISSN  0934-7674
  • Christian Hoyer: Framus - Built In The Heart Of Bavaria. The story of a German musical instrument manufacturer. 1946-1977 . 1st edition. Framus Edition, Markneukirchen 2007, ISBN 978-3-940448-00-2 .

Web links

Commons : Framus  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ^ A b Ulrich Zwack: Electric guitars from Franconia - "Built in the Heart of Bavaria". (mp3) In: Bayerisches Feuilleton . Bayerischer Rundfunk , September 29, 2012, accessed on August 2, 2019 .
  2. ↑ Andreas Schulte: Act today - harvest tomorrow. In: Handelsblatt of April 14, 2015
  3. ↑ Jan Hauser / Thiemo Heeg: The boys prefer to spend their money on smartphones In: Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung of April 13, 2013
  4. ↑ Dana Heide, Dirk Lindemann, Martin Neumeyer and others: How a catastrophe improves the world In: Handelsblatt of March 11, 2014
  5. ↑ Dana Heide: Green electricity reform: "You really have to be afraid of Berlin". In: Handelsblatt . June 25, 2014.
  6. ↑ Jan Hromadko: German companies prefer to make their own electricity In: The Wall Street Journal of March 3, 2014
  7. ↑ Martin Greive / Daniel Wetzel: On hold In: Die Welt from March 29, 2014
  8. ↑ Sarah Sommer: Prepared for the Blackout In: Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung of October 8, 2013
  9. ↑ SMWA. Video: Markneukirchen music industry produces climate-neutrally. Saxon State Ministry for Economy, Labor and Transport; Retrieved April 26, 2015
  10. ↑ Marc Brümmer: Practical example of energy self-sufficiency in medium-sized companies: Framus & Warwick Music Equipment In: Wirtschaftsforum Mittelstand from May 23, 2013
  11. ^ [1] Forest Stewardship Council ; Certificate database
  12. ↑ Claudia Otto: Manufacturing electric guitars and electric basses in a climate-neutral way In: Sustainable production from February 12, 2013
  13. ↑ Susanne Ladopoulos: Video: Instrument makers looking over the shoulder ( Memento of the original from March 3, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. In: MDR TV , magazine "Einfach genial" from January 28, 2014 @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.mdr.de
  14. ↑ [2] European Union / Eco Management and Audit Scheme; Certificate database
  15. ↑ Archive link ( Memento of the original dated December 3, 2013 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Environmental Alliance Saxony; Directory of participants  @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.umwelt.sachsen.de
  16. ↑ Archive link ( Memento of the original dated December 9, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Climate protection company; Membership directory  @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.klimaschutz-unternehmen.de
  17. ^ [3] Initiative Deutsche Manufakturen; Membership directory
  18. ^ [4] Saxon State Ministry for Economics, Labor and Transport; Press release
  19. ↑ framus-vintage.de Billy Lorento. Framus Vintage Archives, accessed April 24, 2015
  20. ↑ framus-vintage.de 5/67 AZ-10. Framus Vintage Archives, accessed April 24, 2015
  21. ^ Franz Holtmann: Masterpiece: Framus AZ-10 Custom Shop Edition. In: Guitar & Bass , 12/2008, pp. 114–116.
  22. ↑ framus-vintage.de 10950 Jan Akkerman. Framus Vintage Archives, accessed April 24, 2015
  23. ^ LJ Eifel: Made in Germany: Framus Jan Akkerman. In: Guitar & Bass , 1/2004, p. 184.
  24. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXhqOhrJ7cY
  25. ↑ framus-vintage.de Volker Kriegel. Framus Vintage Archives, accessed April 24, 2015
  26. ↑ Heinz Rebellius : Framus Earl Slick Signature. In: Guitar & Bass , 1/2012, pp. 100-102.
  27. ↑ Thoralf Lange: Woofer of world renown. In: Frankenpost from February 19, 2015
  28. ↑ Marian Quantity: Stevie Salas: Out of Service Star. In: Guitar & Bass , 3/2015, pp. 60–63.