MusicRadar

• Review

By its own admission Warwick took a while to get Framus right. Over a decade into the brand's relaunch, however, the quality and design has gone from strength to strength and the new Mayfields really are up there with the big boys.

The inspiration is obvious, but proper laminated-body thinlines in the style of Gibson's ES-335 aren't too common. This paucity of competition is one reason why the ES-335 remains such an electric guitar icon.

The Framus Mayfield, however, uses pressed laminate top and back, albeit with solid sides, and a maple centre-block. Pretty much the real deal.

"There's soup from the neck pickup, ring, attack and brightness from the bridge, and a funky mix sits between."

Shape-wise, it's very different, with thinner horns, less bulbous lower bouts and slightly more compact too: 389mm (15.3-inches) across the lower bout and 473mm long (18.6-inches), as opposed to the ES-335's 406mm (16-inches) by 483mm (19-inches). Thickness-wise, however, it's similar with a rim depth of 46mm and a maximum depth of around 65mm.

Weight is good too, more vintage-like than many contemporary, heavier Gibson ES-335s.

The Custom tops the line in the Mayfield mini range and comes with a choice of four body materials. Our flamed maple version, in its high polish antique tobacco stain finish, is quite a looker but in an understated manner.

The laminate top and back feature very smartly centre-jointed and nicely figured facings, while both the solid sides (thin with un-kerfed linings) and neck have vibrant flamed figuring.

Compared to a solidbody, a thinline like this is a complex build. Aside from the centre-blocked hollow body, both top and back edges are bound but Framus does it all perfectly: the cream plastic binding with inner black/white/black purfling is remarkably clean, the top edges nicely rounded.

This almost obsessive detailing continues to the neck with its impressive fretwork (Framus uses the Plek set-up system, as Gibson does) only marred by some visible filler/adhesive around the inlays although it's far from sloppy.

The 'board isn't bound but the fret slot ends are filled and the edges nicely rounded. The Mayfield's neck is less Gibson like than its build suggests. With a slightly narrow width, the shape is quite a thin-depth 'C' (19mm at the first fret, 22mm at the 12th, slightly thinner than the Framus specs).