The ShadowMusic Web Community

Recently I was given a Futurama 2 guitar in original condition in it's original case by a friend who knew the futurama
was my first decent guitar and it would bring back memories. It certainly did and I remembered my electrician brother
opened it up and brought my original delight back down to earth by saying the inside bits were worth about ten bob.

I just wondered if any other members are old enough to remember the Futurama, maybe started on one like me. I would be really interested
to hear of any memories or recollections.

Norman

I can remember a local Salvation Army group in Portsmouth who used Futurama guitars, ice blue if I recall. My first electric was a Watkins Rapier 33 with a black scratchplate, aah memories, nostalgia, living life in the past lane!

There were at least two and possibly three distinct models known at different times as the Futurama 2 (or II).

Is yours the original three pickup Czech model with rocker switches? Or the smaller two pickup guitar later known as the Futurama Duo? Or perhaps the Swedish Hagstrom re-badged by Selmer as Futurama?

I remember liking the look of the Futurama especially the rocker switches- If I could have afforded it I most likely would have bought one...I ended up with a Watkins Rapier...neither guitar sounded very good. I guess in those early days the guitar to get would have been one of the Hofners.
I later bought a Hagstrom Viking (I think it was called), a semi acoustic which was quite good.

George Harrison and I think, Gerry Marsden played 3 pickup Futuramas in the late 50's.
Harrison is quoted as saying this was the closest he could get to a Fender!

My first elelcric guitar was a Futurama II Deluxe around 1962. It was the ice blue model with tremolo and the blue cloth covered back. The front appeared to be perspex with the only visable wood being on the fret board! It had two pickups with the silver cheese grater insert between them. Our lead guitarist had the Futurama III with its rocker switches sometimes held in position with matchsticks! The II Deluxe cost 29gns as I recall - my Dad had to sign the HP forms as I was only 16! Our bass player had a Fenton Weil, which seemed almost as big as he was! Good days though!

neil2726 wrote:My first elelcric guitar was a Futurama II Deluxe around 1962. It was the ice blue model with tremolo and the blue cloth covered back. The front appeared to be perspex with the only visable wood being on the fret board! It had two pickups with the silver cheese grater insert between them. Our lead guitarist had the Futurama III with its rocker switches sometimes held in position with matchsticks! The II Deluxe cost 29gns as I recall - my Dad had to sign the HP forms as I was only 16! Our bass player had a Fenton Weil, which seemed almost as big as he was! Good days though!

That was the first version of the (Swedish) Hagstrom-made guitars, sold in the UK by Selmer as Futuramas.

A later version had a more orthodox construction and assembly, albeit with a very stylised hard plastic pickguard / control panel.

This a picture of me summer 1963 with my first guitar, it was purchased from Watkins in Balham high rd priced at 25 Gns along with a Watkins Westminster amplifier at £29-15 shillings, the reason there is no tremolo arm on the guitar is because I had worn the thread out which I believe was a whitworth thread, but nevertheless you can see who I was a big fan of, yes that man changed my life forever becoming a pro musician for 50+ years, I also remember seeing a Fiesta red Strat hanging on the wall on a black velvet background priced at £148 something, sheer magic I remember it like it was yesterday.

not able to upload picture, too many pixels.
Graham.

Lots Of Info And Pictures At These Sites :-

https://www.vintagehofner.co.uk/cont.html

https://www.vintagehofner.co.uk/hofnerf ... a/fut.html

https://www.vintagehofner.co.uk/hofnerf ... tgall.html

Lol.

Tony Sheridan (with Futurama Grazioso, Licorice and Brian!) is featured in one of the latter Oh Boy! shows (7.21 in), broadcast in April 1959...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtDG9ZbAHIg

Bill