Framus AK 1974 User manual

Instruction Manual for all
Framus Guitars
ENGLISH

ENGLISH

Markneukirchen, October 2011
Dear Customer,
“Made in ermany” stands for quality, and that, along with more than 60 years of tradition and experience in guitar manufactu-
ring, is what the Framus brand stands for.
As a pioneer, and one of the oldest electric guitar manufacturers in Europe, Framus is committed to the tradition of guitar
manufacture. Here in Markneukirchen we continue to develop our own ideas and designs with this awareness in mind. Technical
innovation, the best selected woods and one of the most modern instrument manufacturing processes in the world are the
foundations of our success. But there is still plenty of manual work necessary for building our instruments and so we also
provide our workers with cutting-edge, in-house training. This symbiosis of tradition, state-of-the-art technology and attention to
detail helps us create instruments daily that then find their way to aficionados all over the world.
Our claim is to make the individual wishes of musicians a reality. Unusual wood, pickup and color combinations - as well as
different type of finishes - have the power to make each guitar lover’s heart beat that much stronger. Each satisfied customer, and
our continuous success worldwide, shows us that Framus is on the right path into the future.
Framus, a family-owned company, is very proud of its history. In this regard we founded the Framus Museum, something that is
unrivaled worldwide. Please come visit us here in Markneukirchen.
We wish you lots of fun and enjoyment with your new Framus guitar.
Yours truly,
Hans Peter Wilfer

4
Index
1) Tuners 5
2) Frets and the Plek achine 5
3) String Action Setup and Truss Rod Adjustment 6
4) Framus Nut and Locking Nut 7
5) Pickup Setup 8
6) Bridges and Vibratos 9
7) Electronics Layout for all models 11
odels, Specs
AK1974 13
AZ10 1PU 11
AZ10 2 PU 11
LP10 11
MM10 11
Diablo 12
Diablo Progressive 11
Diablo Progressive X 12
Diablo Supreme 12
Diablo Supreme X 12
Diablo 7-string 11
Mayfield Legacy 13
Earl Slick P90 13
Mayfield Pro 11
Mayfield Custom 11
Panthera 12
Panthera Legacy 12
Panthera Supreme 12
Earl Slick Humbucker 12
Panthera Studio 13
Panthera Studio Supreme 13
Panthera 7-string 11
8) Tips for Body, Neck and Fingerboard Care 14
9) Easy Access Electronics Compartment 14
10) Security Locks 15
11) User Kit 16
12) Warranty / Customer Service 17

5
1) Tuners - Stringing / Tuning
Tuners
All Framus guitars come with high-quality Framus precision tuners (15:1 ratio). Framus tuners feature a sealed, self-lubricating gear that
warrants high tuning stability and needs no maintenance.
Locking Tuners
Depending on the model, Framus guitars come with locking tuners that provide additional tuning stability.
Unlock the locking system on the front face of the headstock with a fitted flat screwdriver or coin by turning the locking nut
counterclockwise.
Keep in mind that when feeding the strings through the holes, these should be parallel to the fingerboard.
Feed the new string through the hole of the tuner and pull it tight with one hand. Then tighten the locking system with the same tool you
used to unlock it by turning the locking nut clockwise. Now you can cut off the excess string. Tune your instrument as usual.
2) Frets and the Plek achine
Plek® Technology
Plek technology guarantees 100% perfect fret dressings on all Framus guitars. An optimal guitar setup is provided thanks to this
technology.
The neck measuring procedure, accurate down to 1/100th of a millimeter, scans the fingerboard on all relevant points (basically every possi-
ble playing position on the guitar). Measuring is done with the machine concurrently simulating string tension. Fret dressing is not done with
the usual manual sanding and fret crowning procedures, because the Plek® machine dresses every fret individually according to the previo-
us measurements with a custom-shaped wheel cutter. This preserves the radius and shape of the fret even after the dressing is done.
Tolerances that would normally occur with manual fret dressing are thus eliminated.
The end result is a perfectly seated, defined string action along the fingerboard and optimal playability.
Plek® Technology means:
- Computer-driven fret dressing
- Dressing is done while simulating string tension
- Cutting procedure with an accuracy down to 1/100th of a mm
- Exact fret crowning
- Defined string action
- Optimal playability
For further information please visit: http://www.plek.de
Framus Standard Machine Head Framus Locking Machine Head Framus Vintage Machine Head

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3) String Action Setup and Truss Rod Adjustment
String Action Setup
Thanks to our collaboration with Plek®, optimal string action setup is predetermined, which in turn should be perceived as comfortable by
the majority of players.
Due to the physical characteristics of wood and strings in conjunction with the vibration process please keep in mind that with a very low
string action setup, string buzzing is quite possible. The guitar has an optimal setup when your individual requirements are met. String gauge,
playing techniques, pick gauge, string attack, are all variables that cannot be considered when performing a factory setup.
Standard String Gauges (Framus Strings)
6-string 25,5“ scale
45210 CL 009/046"
Framus Nickel Plated Steel Strings (.009" - .046")
009", 011", 016", 026", 036", 046"
6-string 24,75“ scale
45220 RE 010/046"
Framus Nickel Plated Steel Strings (.010" - .046")
010", 013", 017", 026", 036", 046"
7-string 25,5“ scale
Framus Nickel Plated Steel Strings
009", 011", 016", 026", 036", 046", 056“
AZ10 /LP10/ 10 Jazz archtop 24,75“ scale
HS PFT 1000 M
HS Flatwound Medium 013"-054"
013", .017", .026", .034", .044", .054"
How often should one change strings?
Changing strings is a matter of individual preference. It also depends on many different factors. Hand sweat and inappropriate room
conditions can attack the strings and negatively influence the sound of the guitar and its playability.
We recommend changing the strings once or twice a month to ensure brilliant tone and playability.

7
B
A
Direction A = Back bow
Direction B = Forward bow
Truss Rod Adjustment
The neck is setup correctly if it has a slight forward bow. You can verify the neck’s relief by pressing the lowest string at the first and last fret
(simultaneously). The gap between fret and string should be approximately between 0.1 and 0.3 mm at the 9th fret. This value is indepen-
dent from the actual string action setup of the instrument.
Turning the truss rod wrench clockwise (direction A) will tighten the truss rod and give the neck a back bow; turning the wrench counterclock-
wise (direction B) will loosen the truss rod and give the neck a forward bow. These adjustments should be done in small steps because the
neck’s reaction is not instantaneous. You should check the results after approximately one hour and probably check again the following day.
Readjust the truss rod if needed. One should pay attention to the neck’s setup and the corresponding truss rod adjustment particularly during
the change of seasons or during strong weather fluctuations and resulting changes in humidity.
4) GraphTech BLACK TUSQ™ XL Nut
From June 2010 all Framus electric guitars are equipped with raphTech BLACK TUSQ XL™ nuts. raphTech BLACK TUSQ XL nuts have a
Teflon lubrication impregnated all the way through the material, which improves the tuning performance of the guitar significantly, especial-
ly when using a vibrato or bendings. The highly resonant BLACK TUSQ XL material also brings out hidden harmonics in the guitar.

8
Locking Nut. .
uitars that come with a Floyd Rose Vibrato System feature our specially designed locking nut. This nut locks the strings and guarantees
tuning stability even during extreme use of the Floyd Rose Vibrato System.
When stringing and / or tuning a guitar with a Floyd Rose Vibrato System keep the following steps in mind:
First Step:
Cut off the string’s ball end and insert the string between the saddle and the string holder block of the Floyd Rose Vibrato System and tighten
the string stopper screw.
Second Step:
Feed the strings through the nut and under the loosened pressure pads.
Tune the guitar with the nut still unlocked. Keep in mind that the overall tuning with an unlocked nut is actually below the correct pitch. When
the pressure pad screws are tightened the strings will tune up slightly due to the additional pressure.
Third Step:
Once the guitar is tuned, tighten the screws on the locking nut pressure pads with the supplied Allen wrench.
Fourth Step:
Fine tuning is done with the fine tuning screws of the Floyd Rose Vibrato.
5) Pickup Setup
The factory setup for the pickups is such that pressing the lowest and highest string at the highest fret will create a distance of 2 mm between
strings and pickup.
Use a screwdriver to adjust the pickup height.
The closer the pickup is to the strings, the higher the output and the sustain decreases. Normally the bridge pickup should be closer to the
strings.

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6) Bridges and Vibratos
Fixed Bridges
Ebony Bridge & Framus AZ-10 Stringholder - AZ-10, LP-10, -10
Tune-O- atic with Stop Tailpiece - only Custom Shop
TonePros Tune-o-matic with Stop Tailpiece, ayfield Pro, ayfield Custom, ayfield Legacy,
AK 1974, Panthera, Panthera Supreme, Panthera Studio, Panthera Studio Supreme, Panthera
7-string, Diablo 7-string or Custom Shop, Earl Slick P90/Humbucker
The Tune-o-matic bridge as well as the stop tailpiece are fully lockable with allen screws.

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TonePros Wraparound Bridge - Diablo Progressive, Diablo Supreme or Custom Shop
With the wraparound bridge the strings are threaded through the bridge from the pickup side.
Framus by Wilkinson - Diablo / Diablo Supreme X or Custom Shop
Vibratos
The strings are threaded from the back of the instrument through the vibrato block.
Original Floyd Rose vibrato - Diablo Progressive X or Custom Shop
The Floyd Rose vibrato is mounted together with a locking nut. For a detailed
description please see page 8.