Framus Teambuilt Artist WH 1 SBS

Framus Teambuilt Artist WH 1 SBS review

The Framus Teambuilt Artist WH 1 SBS is a German-made, Wolf Hoffmann signature electric guitar with a V-shaped body, a solid black satin finish, and a specification list aimed at players who want locking hardware and flexible pickup selection. It has been available since September 2023. The listed price is 3,877, although the supplied information does not identify a currency, so that figure should be checked against the seller's local listing.

This is a specification-based assessment, not a report from a playing session. No customer reviews are available for this product, and the details provided do not support claims about its sound, comfort, tuning stability, or finish durability. Those qualities depend on the actual instrument, setup, and player, and should be evaluated in person where possible.

Construction and neck

The body and neck are maple, with a neck-through construction that runs the maple neck through the body. The fretboard is tigerstripe ebony, and there is no separate top. The neck has a standard profile, a 305 mm fretboard radius, a 41.28 mm nut width, and a 648 mm scale length. That scale is commonly used on full-size electric guitars.

There are 24 small, tall nickel-silver frets, each specified at 2.0 mm wide by 1.3 mm high, with rounded edges. Framus lists both Invisible Fretwork Technology and Plek fretwork. These describe fret-finishing and setup processes, but the specifications alone cannot establish how a particular instrument feels or whether it needs adjustment after shipping. The fretboard inlays combine mother-of-pearl blocks with abalone pyramids, adding decorative detail without changing the guitar's basic construction.

Pickups and controls

The pickup arrangement pairs an active Fishman Fluence single-coil pickup at the neck with an active Fishman Fluence humbucker at the bridge. A three-way selector chooses between pickup positions, while a volume control with a push-pull function selects a pickup voice. This gives the player a way to change the available pickup voicing without adding a separate voice switch to the listed control layout.

There is an important specification conflict: the general product data identifies the pickups as active, while the detailed electronics description calls the electronics passive. Since the same detailed description names active Fishman Fluence pickups and a push-pull voice selector, buyers should confirm the wiring and electronics configuration with Framus or the retailer before purchase. The information provided does not explain the discrepancy or specify the available pickup voices, so it would be unwise to assume particular sounds or switching options.

Bridge, tuning hardware, and finish

The guitar has an original Floyd Rose vibrato bridge and an R2 Floyd Rose locking nut. Graph Tech Ratio locking tuners and Warwick security locks complete the listed hardware, which is finished in black. This is a locking vibrato setup, so string changes and setup adjustments follow a different process from a conventional fixed bridge. The listing does not say whether tools or spare parts are included, and players should check the supplied accessory set before relying on it for maintenance.

The finish is described as solid black satin with a UV varnish. The factory string gauge is.010 to.046 inches. That is useful reference information for a replacement set, but changing string gauge can affect a floating vibrato system's balance and may require setup work. No case is included. The package does include a Starline RockBag, model RB 20506 FV STARLINE, and a Framus Teambuilt accessory set.

Who should consider it?

The WH 1 SBS is a highly specified signature model for players drawn to a V-shaped guitar, a maple neck-through design, 24 frets, and a Floyd Rose system. Its pickup layout offers a neck single coil and bridge humbucker, with a push-pull voice selector, though the conflicting electronics description should be resolved before ordering. The ebony fretboard, detailed inlays, locking tuners, and included bag add useful points to compare against alternatives.

The main practical checks are the guitar's balance and reach in its V-shaped format, the feel of its neck and fretwork, and the operation of the vibrato and pickup switching. These require inspection or a hands-on trial; they cannot be confirmed from a specification sheet. Buyers should also verify the quoted price and exact electronics configuration with the seller. The item number is 539208, and the stated sales unit is one guitar.

Verdict

On paper, the Framus Teambuilt Artist WH 1 SBS combines premium construction details with a focused feature set: maple neck-through construction, a tigerstripe ebony fretboard, active Fishman Fluence pickups, locking hardware, and an original Floyd Rose vibrato. The supplied information establishes what is included, but not how the instrument performs in practice. The passive-electronics discrepancy is the clearest point to investigate before purchase. With that clarified, an in-person check of setup, ergonomics, and controls can determine whether this signature model fits the player's needs.