Stefan Grossman talks about Franklin Guitars

[mauricemcm]

New Member Maurice McMurry, Greetings one and all. I have often been helped and inspired by the forum content. Thank you! Here is a video some may find interesting.

https://youtu.be/2vhlTABmKh4

[blindboyjimi]

Welcome to the forum. I always found that video interesting as it was posted in 2014 but Stefan had Martin make his signature guitar, the HJ-38SG, in 2007 and rarely played the Franklin after that if I’m correct.

I used to own #11 of the approximately 188 made. It was a wonderful guitar and I wish I could’ve kept it, but frankly (pardon that), my 3 Franklins are just much better. Of course the Martin retailed at $4,999 and even though most regular Martins sell for 50% of retail used, the HJ-38s being quite rare, limited featured appointments and with unique bracing sell, for $3,500 on forums to $4,000 retail. Similar Franklins would be at least double to triple that.

I have so many SG DVDs that I’ll die before I finish all of them, but I love his teaching.

[godfreydaniel]

Someone asked Grossman on his forum about his Franklins about two weeks ago. He said he prefers his Franklins, but also likes his Martin and some Grevens.

[reeve21]

Welcome Maurice! Thanks for sharing that. I enjoy everything that Stefan does and hadn’t seen this video before

[mauricemcm]

Here is another that I also added to one of the old threads here regarding Franklin. I was suprised to see very little about Franklin On the forum. This is fairly up to date. I hope these videos are not in violation of the forum guidelines regarding advertizing?

https://youtu.be/eTUIu2PBNEE

[mauricemcm]

John Renbourn also gave a glowing review in an article I read somewhere, but I cant find it on the web.
This is not the one I was thinking of but it is interesting as well.

http://www.johnrenbourn.co.uk/guitars/

[MCDEMO1]

Franklins are beautiful, well-made guitars, but I was less than impressed with the sound of the one I traveled to play - and it was in my usual favorite wood combo: mahogany and red spruce. Kind of shallow neck carve too, even with the 1-13/16" nut. I was hoping that Franklin might be the replacement for my old 80's Martin J-40M, which had a low-profile neck, 1-11/16" nut and narrow string spacing at the saddle, but not to be.

I think I'd like his rosewood instruments, which get universally great reviews. Those are the models I've heard on-line that sound really good. Of course the artists playing them have something to do with that !

Shortly after playing the thin-bodied jumbo Franklin mentioned above I bought a used HJ-38SG and for me it is a great guitar. A worthy replacement for the J-40M in tone and with better ergonomics and aesthetic features.

[Malcolm Kindnes]

Originally Posted by godfreydaniel

Someone asked Grossman on his forum about his Franklins about two weeks ago. He said he prefers his Franklins, but also likes his Martin and some Grevens.

Like a lot of us here, Stefan has many guitars.

[mauricemcm]

I have observed that Mahogany instruments improve with age more than other woods. Red Spruce is also slow to break in. Perhaps the one MCDEMO1 tried was brand new?

[Fatfinger McGee]

Thanks for posting, I was recently reminded of that video by the Franklin posted in the classifieds. I really love the piece that opens it up, the Franklin tone + Stefan's style just gets me right where I live.

Speaking of, have you listened to the sample video on the one in the classifieds?? It reminded me of Kathleen Turner as Jessica Rabbit. I got such an attack of GAS I had to lie down.

[MCDEMO1]

Originally Posted by mauricemcm

I have observed that Mahogany instruments improve with age more than other woods. Red Spruce is also slow to break in. Perhaps the one MCDEMO1 tried was brand new?

The Franklin Jumbo I tried out years ago at Acoustic Music in CT was far from new, although in great shape, including an excellent setup. It might have just been that particular guitar, or that guitar and my ears. Others must have felt the same because it was there for quite a while.

The experience didn't turn me off of ever considering a Franklin, but I'd definitely want to play the model before a purchase or have the right to return, especially at the prices they sell for. The same would go for any maker's instrument in that range.

Nick Kukich always seems to use fantastic looking Brazilian and spruce. Here is a great looking custom from 1996:

https://www.picknparlor.com/acoustic.../1996-franklin

[mauricemcm]

Originally Posted by Fatfinger McGee

Speaking of, have you listened to the sample video on the one in the classifieds?

I see the OM in the classifieds but do not find the sample video.

[blindboyjimi]

Originally Posted by mauricemcm

I see the OM in the classifieds but do not find the sample video.

It’s in the link. I own 3 Franklins. Nick Kukich is my favorite builder. If I didn’t, I’d buy the one for sale in a second. I almost bought it 30 minutes after it was listed, but I have 2 Brazilian OMs already and a Tippin OM in EIR so it’d be too similar to what I own. But it’s a steal from a well known AGF’er.

[mauricemcm]

Thanks, here is a shortcut for others. I was hoping the young man playing was going to sing some Stan Rogers songs. Looks like It sold.

https://youtu.be/c5dkU_WGx7oOUTUBE

And another thats special to me being a fellow Mc

https://youtu.be/3J3HorVBIqk

[mauricemcm]

More about Mr. Kukich (likely redundant). I nice Jumbo is currently available on reverb.

https://www.fretboardjournal.com/fea...lin-guitar-co/