Framus presents this double-cutaway archtop, wrapped in excellent construction materials and electronics. Let's find out what lies behind its distinctive sound and the settings in which it shines. Throughout its pages, ISP has taken in-depth looks at semi-hollow, semi-acoustic and archtop guitars. Practically every company has a product line in this category: Gretsch, Gibson, Yamaha, Ibanez, etc.
In general, because of its sonic characteristics, this tends to be a fairly clean type of instrument, with thick tones, widely used by jazz guitarists, although many of these guitars have also shown up in rock & roll, blues and even pop settings.
I suppose that, in reality, the style of the guitar, given its technical features and even its sound, doesn't define what music you should make with it. You can play "blues" on a violin and classical music on the hardest-rocking guitar on the market. So labeling things isn't really my style, and I sincerely believe the best thing is to go with the flow, understand what each guitar you play can do and integrate it into your "thing," if it suits you.
Body and construction
I have tried Framus guitars before and was frankly delighted with their quality. That's something I can absolutely vouch for regarding the solid-body models I tested, which, it must be said, were high-end.
The Mayfield's finish is immaculate. Painstakingly crafted details and perfect finishing touches. Glancing at the spec sheet, we see that no expense has been spared on materials: flamed maple top and neck, rosewood fingerboard, etc., all befitting a luxuriously dressed high-end guitar.
Another noteworthy observation, and a logical one given the absence of a solid body, is its light weight. Obviously it isn't a deciding factor (at least for me) when considering a purchase, but it's clear that handling a light instrument is more comfortable than an extremely heavy one. The fingerboard and neck are not overly narrow and rather flat. To the eye, the layout is very clear and gave me an especially sharp view of what I wanted to tackle at each moment.
To close this section, I'll conclude that the instrument displays professional construction and finishes.
Electronics and sound
I began this test review by talking about the styles associated with archtop guitars and their affinity with certain groups of players. Well, in this section, the sound, we got some very striking impressions in terms of setup and results.
Initially it was logical to expect a solid low end and extreme clarity in phrasing and chords. So we plugged the instrument in "clean," looking for clarity and for what it offers in the mids/lows in terms of roundness and nuance. The results were excellent in terms of punch: lots of low-frequency power and the definition typical of this type of guitar. A very balanced sound, well blended (across the strings) and with great power in its clarity.
Its two chrome Seymour Duncan SH-2 / SH-4 humbuckers immediately catch the eye. So I couldn't resist the idea of testing what they could do with medium and heavy overdrive. That's why I mentioned that you have to experiment and not pigeonhole instruments based on how they look at first sight. The tests with overdrive/distortion strongly caught my attention. The truth is, this guitar's look doesn't exactly suggest cranking it up, but... wow...
I found very personal sounds. It certainly doesn't strike me as the ideal guitar for chasing certain aggressive "vibes," but its versatility, and above all the personality of its sounds, captivated my senses. Especially in "British-style" settings and medium overdrive, the guitar truly shone, without ruling out its suitability for rock & roll, blues and countless passages that took on the Mayfield's own flavor as they were played.
That blend of acoustic sound with humbucker pickups is an explosive fusion, given the inherent contradiction it involves. In short, very varied sounds that let us approach crystalline "jazzy" territory, heavy on the lows, with defined highs and an enormous range of sonic resources we can customize to our liking.
As for controls, the guitar has the corresponding tone and volume for each pickup. That is, two tone controls and two volume controls. The selector combines the bridge and neck pickup positions. Its sound is so thick that you have to adjust the EQ compared with other guitars to avoid excessive gain. For that reason, you always have plenty to spare.
Tuning/intonation
Just what you'd expect from a pro guitar. Its Tune-o-matic bridge provides tuning stability. The intonation is mathematically correct. The tuners are precise, with optimal stiffness / sensitivity for adjusting the tension of each string.
Conclusions
Despite all the advantages described, and my intention not to pigeonhole the instrument into a specific style (something I don't like doing with any instrument), it's clear that the guitar has its own personality in terms of construction and design. If you're looking for an ergonomic "metal" guitar, or any other guitar completely removed from this concept, you obviously shouldn't compare it, as it will offer quite different things. However, if you're looking for a clean guitar with personality that gives you options across a wide variety of styles, the Framus Mayfield will stand out remarkably. If you're looking for quirks (which will surprise you) in overdriven tones, I invite you to try it as a different alternative, and certainly one in the professional guitar league, which, mind you, also shows in the price. For archtop connoisseurs and lovers, there's little to say except that here you have a powerful alternative.
