FRAMUS Hootenanny 12ST VNM Vintage Tinted Natural Matte / John Lennon Reissue Model / 12-String Dreadnought Round Shoulder / FRV C 0184-25

Carefully inspected and professionally set up by our guitar workshop, this instrument is a showroom model in like-new condition.

Framus Deluxe Hardcase and original accessories included.

FRAMUS Hootenanny 12ST VNM Vintage Tinted Natural Matte

• John Lennon Model 2025 Reissue
• 12-String Folk Guitar – Dreadnought Round Shoulder
• 100% Solid Wood
• Overall Length: 1,049 mm
• Top: Solid Sitka Spruce
• Back: Solid Mahogany
• Sides: Solid Mahogany
• Neck: Solid Mahogany, set neck
• Fingerboard: Rosewood
• Bridge: Rosewood
• Scale Length: 643 mm / 25.3"
• Nut / Zero Fret Width: 50 mm
• Fingerboard: Flat, no radius
• Frets: 19, nickel silver
• Nut: Bone
• Tuners: Vintage Style, enclosed, nickel-plated, 6+6, ivory buttons
• Bridge: Adjustable height
• Tailpiece: Nickel-plated trapeze tailpiece, an essential characteristic of the model
• Bracing: Fan Bracing
• Rosette: Wood, made from multiple pieces
• Binding: Ivory/black
• Pickguards: 2 included, black + tortoiseshell imitation
• Original Strings: D’Addario XTAPB1047-12 / .010–.047

Framus is one of those brands whose history is intimately connected with the golden age of European guitar making. Founded in Germany in the aftermath of World War II, the brand built a genuine legend around its instruments before entering a new chapter under the guidance of Warwick and eventually reclaiming a unique position in the world of high-end instruments. The Hootenanny holds a very special place in this history: this 12-string guitar is inseparable from the image of John Lennon, who notably used one in the early 1960s with The Beatles and played a major role in turning this instrument into a true icon.

With this new reissue, Framus has gone far beyond simply reviving an old name and creating a modern guitar loosely inspired by the historic model. The approach is considerably more ambitious. The Hootenanny was reconstructed from an identical example preserved at the Framus Vintage Museum, combined with an in-depth study of the brand’s historical documents and archives. The goal was to recreate, as faithfully as possible, the instrument that defined its era, right down to its design details and distinctive aesthetic character.

The result is particularly impressive. This Hootenanny 12ST immediately delivers that unmistakable character associated with great vintage 12-string guitars, with a full, generous and deeply musical voice. Its twelve strings produce an impressive harmonic richness, combining depth, sparkle and resonance in exactly the way that makes an excellent 12-string dreadnought so captivating. It delivers a broad, enveloping sound for accompaniment while retaining enough definition to allow every note and doubled string to remain clear and articulate. There is something wonderfully organic about its response, with a projection that genuinely encourages you to play hard, let the chords ring and allow the notes to sustain.

The construction itself plays a major part in this feeling of authenticity. Framus has opted for an all-solid-wood construction, perfectly consistent with the ambition of this reissue, while faithfully reproducing several characteristics that make the historic instrument instantly recognizable. The adjustable trapeze tailpiece, as original as it is iconic, contributes to its distinctive appearance while reinforcing the impression of a genuine instrument from another era. The flat 19-fret fingerboard is another feature directly inherited from the historic model and contributes to a playing experience that feels quite different from that of a conventional modern acoustic 12-string.

This is precisely where the Hootenanny becomes particularly interesting: it does not attempt to artificially modernize the concept. It fully embraces its vintage identity. Everything about the instrument appears to have been designed to recreate the spirit and feel of the original Hootenanny, from its architecture to its finishing details. The result is a guitar with genuine visual and sonic personality, far removed from the standardized instruments commonly found in this category.

And what a presence! With its Round Shoulder silhouette, unmistakably retro aesthetic and imposing 12-string configuration, the Hootenanny immediately has something deeply appealing about it. It possesses that special charm of historic instruments that seem to have a story to tell even before they have been played. The Vintage Natural Matte finish reinforces this impression with its understated, warm and subtly aged appearance, perfectly suited to the spirit of the model.

Beyond the Lennon connection and its historical significance, however, this Framus is first and foremost a superb 12-string guitar, equally at home in the hands of a guitarist passionate about vintage instruments or a musician looking for something genuinely different. Its voice is particularly compelling for folk, pop, acoustic rock and, of course, any style in which a 12-string can bring that instantly recognizable sonic dimension.

This reissue is therefore much more than an aesthetic tribute. It is a genuine historical reconstruction. Framus went back to the reference instrument preserved in its own museum, worked from the available archives and reproduced highly specific features such as the adjustable trapeze tailpiece, flat 19-fret fingerboard and all-solid-wood construction. This is therefore a long way from a modern Hootenanny merely borrowing the name of its illustrious ancestor.

For enthusiasts of Framus, vintage guitars and, of course, The Beatles’ history, this Hootenanny 12ST VNM has a particularly compelling appeal. It offers the opportunity to experience the spirit of a guitar that became legendary, while benefiting from a brand-new instrument, carefully crafted and ready to play.

A rare, original and history-rich reissue that succeeds above all in what matters most: bringing one of the most iconic 12-string guitars in guitar history back to life with remarkable respect for the original.