Framus Tenor 4 String Banjo 1960s w/ Chipboard Case

Framus was a West German instrument manufacturer that built guitars, basses, and banjos from the late 1940s through the 1970s, supplying a surprising volume of reasonably well-made instruments into the European and American markets during the folk and trad revival era. Their tenor banjos are solid, workmanlike instruments — nickel-plated pot and tone ring, mahogany neck, rosewood fingerboard with mother of pearl dot inlays. Tenor banjos like this one were the workhorse of Irish traditional music sessions, Dixieland ensembles, and vaudeville-era playing styles, and the 22.5" scale and 1-1/8" nut width are right in the traditional tenor sweet spot — short enough for comfortable chord work across four strings, narrow enough for players coming from a mandolin or similar background. The 11-1/8" head diameter is standard for the format, and at 6 lbs 14 oz the instrument has a solid, planted feel without being unwieldy.

This particular banjo shows honest use. The mahogany neck appears to have had a break repair at the heel at some point — it's holding and stable, as these repairs are when done properly. The frets, nut, tuners, and tailpiece are all original, though the tailpiece is missing its extension piece — a common casualty on these instruments and not difficult to address. The nickel plating on the pot and tone ring shows the kind of patina you'd expect from a well-traveled instrument. Neck thickness runs .909" at the first fret and 1.112" at the twelfth, giving it a profile that fills the hand without being chunky. The resonator depth is 1-1/4". Comes in a generic chipboard case.

If you're looking for a playable, affordable tenor banjo with genuine vintage character — not a modern import — this Framus fits the bill. It's the kind of instrument session players, beginners looking for something with history, or collectors filling out a German-made vintage category will appreciate.

Mahar's Vintage Guitars is a brick-and-mortar and web-based retailer. We are happy to talk with you before you make a purchase.   Please reach out if you feel so inclined! We cross market our items here and on our own site, so items are subject to sale elsewhere at any time (however we will never cancel a sale if it happens here first). See our profile here, our Google reviews as well as our 100% positive Reverb feedback. Also, Reverb limits us to only 25 pictures of our items. There is a good chance we have more. Contact us if you’d like to see them.

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SPECIFICATIONS:

• Weight: 6lbs 14oz
• Body: Nickel Plated
• Tone Ring: Nickel Plated
• Neck: Mahogany, looks like a break repair at some point at heel
• Fretboard: Rosewood
• Inlays: Mother of Pearl Dot
• Frets: Original
• Fret Count: 19
• Nut: Original
• Nut Width: 1-1/8"
• Scale: 22.5"
• Neck Thickness At 1st Fret: .909"
• Neck Thickness At 12th Fret: 1.112"
• Total Length: 34-5/8"
• Head Diameter: 11-1/8"
• Resonator Depth: 1-1/4"
• Hardware: Original
• Electronics: none
• Bridge: non original
• Tailpiece: Original, missing extension piece
• Tuners: original
• Case: Generic chipboard

Excerpts from real online end-user reviews:

"Well-built and sound decent, and can be found for bargain prices." - Banjo Hangout
"I have always been very impressed with the action on these banjos as they are incredibly playable." - alt.banjo Google Groups
"Definitely worth consideration." - Banjo Hangout

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About Shipping Stringed Instruments: Multiple shipping speeds are available for orders on our website — Ground, 2 Day, 3 Day, and Next Day Air Saver. For Reverb orders: customers from any state that is more than a 3 day UPS ground shipment from our shop will get their shipment via UPS 3 day air. Otherwise, ground shipping will be used.