John Lennon's long-lost 12-string Framus Hootenanny acoustic guitar has come a long way. After 50-plus years, it was found in the attic of a home just outside of London. Now, it's expected to fetch $800,000 at an upcoming auction – but not before being restored to its former glory.
Guitar repairer Ryan Schuermann is the man behind this one-of-a-kind restoration project. In a recent interview with the LA Times, Schuermann explained how the biggest gig of his life came about.
In mid-March, Schuermann – who previously worked on Robbie Robertson's Gibson double-neck – was asked to restore a 12-string by Mike Adams of Julien’s Auction House in Beverly Hills. However, Schuermann immediately knew this wasn't just any guitar. The gig came with a four-page nondisclosure agreement which he had to sign before even taking a peek at the guitar.
“There was a lot of cloak and dagger to it, which I’m not used to. I asked him what’s the guitar and he said, ‘I can’t tell you,’” said Schuermann. “I sign it. He opens the case. I see the guitar. He says, ‘This is John Lennon’s guitar from Help.’
“You can be really nervous, but all you can do is prepare. I have done this for 15 to 20 years and I’ve done it a lot. It’s just preparation. I wasn’t super-nervous once it’s go time. I was ready... I just went slow.”
The guitar had a lot of structural issues. However, the neck reset was the biggest undertaking. “The neck pull, as it’s called, came out completely flawless. There was no damage to any finish, which is kind of like hitting a home run when you need to hit a home run. You get one shot at it,” Schuermann said.
After the operation, Schuermann tried the guitar out. To mark the special occasion, he played Beatles songs like You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away and Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown). As for the whole experience? “It’s a little dizzying. I’m proud of how clean the guitar was and in immaculate condition and left my shop in even better shape.”
YouTuber Mike Adams (aka Puisheen) was also involved in the restoration project.
“First, I want to tell you that it was an immense pleasure to authenticate this with the help of Andy Babiuk, who is a wealth of Beatles knowledge and really drove home the importance of this guitar," he shared on Instagram.
“Second, I was honored to facilitate the process of bringing it back into perfect playing shape with my friend Ryan. At the end of that long road was truly the most comfortable-playing 12 string acoustic I have ever encountered. I’m not kidding. 4/64” action across the board – bonkers!”
John Lennon's 12-string Framus Hootenanny acoustic guitar will go under the hammer on May 29 and 30 as part of Julien's Music Icons auction. For more information about the auction, head to Julien's Auctions.
