The ShadowMusic Web Community

Hi
There's a very early Framus Star Bass just like the one Jet Harris played that's just come up for sale on eBay. The item number is 140756535076 if anyone's interested.
I might add it's NOT one of those later 'plank' items as used by Bill Wyman of the Rolling Stones but an original one (OK not in original condition...) from pre 1956
Regards
Pete

Bill's later endorsement of a signature Framus bass was for a small hollow body job with no F holes, in what they called a 'humbug' finish!

He endorsed Framus basses because he has very small hands- and those old Framus basses had necks like a toothpick-I had one myself years ago.
Also being short scale, they were very easy to play compared to most other basses. Also he probably got either a discount or they were complimentary!

Isn't it true that Bill Wyman used to carve chunks out of the necks of his basses to make them even thinner?

Don't know about that Steve, but he certainly re-shaped and re-worked his old Dallas Tuxedo bass- and removed the frets. He said it might have been the first fretless bass in the UK! He later had a Baldwin bass pickup fitted to it also..

Was always impressed by the strong bass line on the Stones debut single Come On.
Maybe for this particular track a fretless bass was indeed used?

Mike

Bill nearly always used the home modified Dallas bass on the early recordings, he said he took the frets off to re-finish or paint the bass, but it sounded so good fretless that he didn't replace them.

He talks about this in his book 'Stone Alone'.

I agree, he was a great bass player, with his own distinctive driving style. And a short scale bass with flatwound strings, and a neck pickup, will always give a different sound to the typical Fender Precision sound.

I just got my Framus Star Bass and I can tell you a little more about.
This is not an original, but the last Framus reissue 5/150 in red color.
I saw this guitar at Framus vintage guitars exhibition at Francfort Music Messe for ... 5 years and was waiting for this reissue with my (old) child eyes !!!
This is a very light & pleasant guitar to play.
It's fitted with flatwound strings Dadd'Arrio 40/105.
There is nothing to mention on manufacturing, it's a reall beautiful piece.
I'll certainly change the strings because it sounds a little metallic, not so loud as I need and as mentioned, even playin with my VOX AC 50 on normal channel.

So, I'll tell you more in next future ...

Michel