I’m starting with this one because it’s one of the first guitars I got my hands on. Purchased at a yard sale in Alexandria VA for $50 when I was in middle school, sometime around 1981 or 82. Made by the Franconia Musical Instrument Company in the heart of Bavaria. Some of the reasons I love it:

- ultra narrow, short scale neck

- very cool, thumpy ‘60s bass tone (currently strung with Thomastik/Infeld flat wounds)

- excellent build quality and solid, chunky hardware

- nitrocellulose sunburst finish

- built-in bridge mute

- neck is a laminate of dozens of strips of wood - very stable

I’ve never seen any other exemplar of this model, and very few vintage Framus guitars ever surface on line. Bill Wyman is the only big-name rocker I have ever heard of who played Framus . . . So good company anyway!

Gig picture is from the Plymouth Farmer's Market when it used to be held at Stephen's Field by the water. We played there every Thursday one summer and were able to take away a lot of unsold produce at the end of the day. Matt Whipple on guitar and Paul Izzo percussion.