Looks like Luthier's Collection just got another Franklin in. This ones Mahogany and Adi top. No price listed. Would love to hear one of his with this wood combination.

So would I. Jeeeeezzzee.

Does Nick play and does he personally have any recordings.



Stuart

Nick used to play well and professionally. He no longer does so; he plays for his own amsuement and to satisfy himself the the guitars he builds are what the new owner wants. He's pretty darn good as a player, perhaps not Wayne Henderson, but a good player/luthier.

I spoke with Nick a few days ago about my Franklin OM. (Thanks to members here who helped put me in touch with him). He was very generous with his time in answering my questions. The Brazillian came from a farmhouse in Sao Paulo bu9ilt entirely of BZ Rosewood. My back came from the centerbeam which was over two hundred years old. (!) The German Spruce came from classical builder Jeffrey Elliot in the late sixtys. I asked if he had change anything from the older Franklins. The bracing has been changed and as a result the guitarr is lighter and more responsive. he said the only other builder who was doing something similar is classical builder Thomas Humphrey on his Millinium model. Anyway, I thanked him for an amazing guitar and look forward to the next one.

Yeh, but does he have more Braz just as nice. .

And Jaco, what about your recordings.

Love to hear your new geetar.

Stuart

I've got several tunes recorded on the Franklin that are being finished up at a friends studio. I'll be happy to send out copies to anyone interested when they're done. Merry Christmas all!

Sounds great,

There are too few recordings of Franlins out there in cyberland.

I look forward to hearing your recordings.

thanks,

Stuart

I've got a late 70s Franklin OM. It sounds great. I sold my Collings after I bought the Franklin.

I was actually not far away when Nick first moved to Missouri, but moved from the area before I got to meet him.

Tried to post a picture, but exceeded size limit.

One observation might be that, generically, the wood supply might have been healthier back then.

If he was making the guitars any better now, frankly I wouldn't know what to do with the extra tone. Certainly nobody else seemed to be making them better, during my great OM search 7-8 years ago.

What woods does your Franklin have?


Stuart

It's Brazilian Rosewood and German Spruce.

One more thing of interest on this forum. Nick remembers very well that when he was living in Idaho, Bill Collings, who was just starting out, called him, and questioned him at great length--Nick thinks the phone call lasted for hours-about his construction methods. This was apparently in response to Bill having seen a Franklin in the hands of someone passing through his shop. Bill didn't have any recollection of the event when I asked him about it, but said that he did get ideas from a lot of people.

I took my D1AVSB custom varnish out after I got it and Nick was highly impressed that such a piece could be produced in "a factory". I tried to tell him that this a a most unusual shop and could hardly be described as a factory, but I think more than one person is a factory to Nick!

I dunno, Franklin was sort of a "factory" itself, from like 1977-1981, or so. They had up to about 5 people I think.

Mike Dulak said he probably sanded mine, which is co-signed by Nick and someone else.(I complemented him on his sanding job). And cut the inlays on the '79 headstocks, which I think are the coolest looking he's done.