Framus Model 5/59 Sorella Arch Top Acoustic Guitar (1969)
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Framus Model 5/59 Sorella Model Arch Top Acoustic Guitar (1969), made in Germany, serial # 78826, sunburst finish, laminated maple body and neck; spruce top, rosewood fingerboard, tweed hard shell case.
"Built in the Heart of Bavaria" this cutaway acoustic archtop is a good-quality-for-the price-point Framus 5/59 Sorella, one step above the Studio in their line of F-hole acoustic guitars. The 17" Sorella was offered from the mid-50's into the mid-70's in a variety of colors with a few variations over time; this is the "brown shaded" finish. It features a laminated maple body with an unusual compound curve by the fingerboard, bound on the top only.
This later example is dated on the label to September 1969 and is what Framus now calls the Sorella "Lite" in their historical archives. Unlike earlier Sorellas, it bears a dot-inlayed bolt on multi-laminate neck rather than a block-inlayed set neck. It has a small tapered neck, round with the ever-so-slightest amount of "V" in the first position; Framus called this their "stiletto" neck. The hardware is all nickel from the tuners and nut to the tailpiece, which was often emblazoned with the name "Sorella". This one is not so may be from another Framus model or simply blank from the factory. The adjustable floating bridge has plastic saddles, a constant fitting throughout the manufacture of the Sorella. The eccentrically shaped laminated black plastic pickguard is screwed to the top on posts, displaying the Framus logo in white.
This was a mid-level model, not as deluxe as the electrified Missouri or their most deluxe jazz model, the AZ-10. However, the Sorella was widely produced, purchased, and loved; it remains a good quality option at its price point. This was one of the last Sorellas made before Framus changed the model to 03100 in the 1970's denoting that it was a jazz guitar, which model, and the brown sunburst color. It is a good player for a Framus and has a surprisingly good sound for a guitar with a laminated maple top.
Overall length is 42 in. (106.7 cm.), 17 in. (43.2 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 3 1/8 in. (7.9 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 24 3/4 in. (629 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.).
This Sorella is in excellent playing shape and is largely clean and issue free; there appear to be no significant repairs or major alterations anywhere on the guitar. There is a bit of honest playwear here and there, dings and scratches and the like, particularly around the edges of the instrument but nothing of consequence and no seam separations. The original finish is free from overspray; there are a few areas of sort of wear in the lacquer on the sides.
The neck and headstock are clean as well and the Framus script logo is dead-on. The tuners and all hardware down to the metal nut are original, as are the wide frets which have minimal string wear but bear the patina of the last 50+ years of play time. The bridge and pickguard are original as well and the original label is still clearly legible just curling slightly at the corners inside the bass side f-hole stamped by master luthier Richard Müller.
The tailpiece does appear to be a correct Framus-style tailpiece but may have been a replacement; usually, Sorella tailpieces across the roughly 2 decades it was in production were engraved "Sorella" regardless of style, and this tailpiece is less commonly seen as Framus approached the 1970's. It resides in a non-original tweed hardshell case and has a tremendous voice, still a pleasure to play and a great piece of work for an affordable archtop. Overall Excellent Condition.
"Built in the Heart of Bavaria" this cutaway acoustic archtop is a good-quality-for-the price-point Framus 5/59 Sorella, one step above the Studio in their line of F-hole acoustic guitars. The 17" Sorella was offered from the mid-50's into the mid-70's in a variety of colors with a few variations over time; this is the "brown shaded" finish. It features a laminated maple body with an unusual compound curve by the fingerboard, bound on the top only.
This later example is dated on the label to September 1969 and is what Framus now calls the Sorella "Lite" in their historical archives. Unlike earlier Sorellas, it bears a dot-inlayed bolt on multi-laminate neck rather than a block-inlayed set neck. It has a small tapered neck, round with the ever-so-slightest amount of "V" in the first position; Framus called this their "stiletto" neck. The hardware is all nickel from the tuners and nut to the tailpiece, which was often emblazoned with the name "Sorella". This one is not so may be from another Framus model or simply blank from the factory. The adjustable floating bridge has plastic saddles, a constant fitting throughout the manufacture of the Sorella. The eccentrically shaped laminated black plastic pickguard is screwed to the top on posts, displaying the Framus logo in white.
This was a mid-level model, not as deluxe as the electrified Missouri or their most deluxe jazz model, the AZ-10. However, the Sorella was widely produced, purchased, and loved; it remains a good quality option at its price point. This was one of the last Sorellas made before Framus changed the model to 03100 in the 1970's denoting that it was a jazz guitar, which model, and the brown sunburst color. It is a good player for a Framus and has a surprisingly good sound for a guitar with a laminated maple top.
Overall length is 42 in. (106.7 cm.), 17 in. (43.2 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 3 1/8 in. (7.9 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 24 3/4 in. (629 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.).
This Sorella is in excellent playing shape and is largely clean and issue free; there appear to be no significant repairs or major alterations anywhere on the guitar. There is a bit of honest playwear here and there, dings and scratches and the like, particularly around the edges of the instrument but nothing of consequence and no seam separations. The original finish is free from overspray; there are a few areas of sort of wear in the lacquer on the sides.
The neck and headstock are clean as well and the Framus script logo is dead-on. The tuners and all hardware down to the metal nut are original, as are the wide frets which have minimal string wear but bear the patina of the last 50+ years of play time. The bridge and pickguard are original as well and the original label is still clearly legible just curling slightly at the corners inside the bass side f-hole stamped by master luthier Richard Müller.
The tailpiece does appear to be a correct Framus-style tailpiece but may have been a replacement; usually, Sorella tailpieces across the roughly 2 decades it was in production were engraved "Sorella" regardless of style, and this tailpiece is less commonly seen as Framus approached the 1970's. It resides in a non-original tweed hardshell case and has a tremendous voice, still a pleasure to play and a great piece of work for an affordable archtop. Overall Excellent Condition.