Framus 5/111-54T Atlantik, 1968

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  • MK60
Instrument: The Television, Atlantik and also New Sound TV type models represent perhaps the... more
Framus 5/111-54T Atlantik, 1968

Instrument:
The Television, Atlantik and also New Sound TV type models represent perhaps the most beautiful, independent Framus design, perfectly balanced and simply well done. Here we have the Atlantik standard model of the late sixties, with cloud headstock, as it was only built in 1968 and 69. The date stamp on the soundhole label reads 68 I, so the guitar dates from September 1968. The guitar has no centre block, so it is a genuine, lightweight thinline.

Material:
The body of the guitar is made entirely of maple, the top and back are bookmatched. The neck is made from the indestructible and elaborately crafted beech multilayer wood. It has a rosewood fingerboard with pearloid dot inlays and side dots in five frets and, of course, a truss rod. There are cream-white bindings around the top and sound holes. The pickguard is made of beautiful four-ply pearloid and has a worn Framus logo that is only visible in relief. The hardware is massive and nickel-plated. The bridge is fully compensated and equipped with a damper. The three-colour sunburst lacquer is semi-transparent in the bright area and allows the wood grain to be seen.

Electrics:
The guitar has three of the classic Framus P90 pickups. They are each activated with their own slide switch, and there is also a bass cut and a solo-rhythm switch. The controls act as master volume and tone controls either in solo or rhythm mode on all pickups. Once you have understood the principle, it is simple and very convenient.

Instruments history:
Unknown. We received the Atlantik as part of a larger collection, unfortunately it is no longer possible to determine how it arrived there.

Restoration work:
We have completely cleaned the guitar and blown out the body. All lacquered surfaces were extensively retouched and polished. We renewed the faded headstock lacquer and painted in a new Framus logo. We dismantled, cleaned, polished and reassembled all the hardware. The tuners were also disassembled, cleaned and re-oiled, and the bushings polished. The fingerboard shows no wear, we oiled it and polished the frets. We cleaned the slightly scratchy controls and they now run perfectly and smoothly again. Finally, a new set of strings and a basic setup - that's it.

Current condition:
Let's start with the patina: If you hold the guitar up to the light, you can see a number of fine sanding marks on the top, as if someone had used too heavy sandpaper. The top has been clear lacquered, it is sealed and feels very smooth. There are a number of tiny, superficial pressure marks on the back in the belt area. And finally, the switch plate on the upper body horn is a little scratched, we don't know why. So much for that, but for a 56-year-old guitar this is negligible. Mainly because it is not noticeable at first glance and does not photograph well. Otherwise, the guitar is in almost perfect top condition, 100% original and fully functional, stable and resilient! The lacquered surfaces shine beautifully, as do the almost flawless nickel surfaces. The fingerboard and frets are as good as new, the neck is straight as a die, the string action is perfect at 1 mm at the 12th fret. The entire electrical system works perfectly, nothing scratches or buzzes. The sound is top-notch, as you would expect from an Atlantik: very versatile from soft Shadows sounds and gentle jazz to hard rock and treble-emphasised rockabilly, even the country chicken picker gets his kicks with the bridge pickup. This Atlantik is not a flawless collector's item, but a grateful player for every day that doesn't mind getting the one or other scratch in the rehearsal room and on stage. Perhaps the twin of an immaculate collector's item that you only play at home? A vintage beginner for an excellent price-performance ratio? The workhorse for every day? The birth-year guitar for all sixty-eighters? In any case, this Framus has considerably more spirit than thousands of far-east assembly line guitars, even of the big brands.

Measures:
Overall length 105 cm/41.3”; body length 50 cm/19.7”; lower bout width 38 cm/15”; waist width 24 cm/9.4”; upper bout width 32 cm/12.6”; body depth 4 cm/1.6”; scale length 63 cm/24.8” (zero fret to saddle); fingerboard width 4,2 cm/1.7” at zero fret, 5,2 cm/2” at 12th fret; overall weight 2.730 g; string action on 12th fret 1 mm/0.04” (adjustable).

Purchase and payment:
Send us an e-mail to info@german-vintage-guitar.com and you will receive your invoice immediately. Or simply order here through the shop. We are happy about a direct bank transfer (SWIFT/BIC), because this is free of charge, in contrast to the PayPal payment with its service fees.

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