Paul Franklin Box

Dennis Ellerbee · Post by **Dennis Ellerbee** » 22 Jan 2015 8:44 am

Does anyone know how the acoustic box Paul Franklin used with Dire Straits was made. What type wood and what pickup.

Elton Smith · Post by **Elton Smith** » 23 Jan 2015 7:59 pm

I don't think anyone knows what you are talking about.Bobby Seymore has a pedal that will make it sound like a dobro.But you can eq that to do the same thing.He told me how to do it.I'll have to look in the trailer to see which type of pedal it is,but ill get back with ya.By the way ask paul he comes on here from time to time.God rest Bobby's soul.

W. Van Horn · Post by **W. Van Horn** » 23 Jan 2015 9:43 pm

Dennis is inquiring about a well known instrument Paul Franklin plays called "the box". My understanding is that it is a square box with string on it, an acoustic lap steel with no neck I think. I do not know anything about the construction but I think Mr.Franklin has discussed it on the forum. I am curious if anyone know what he tunes it to. I am assuming c6...

Ian Worley · Post by **Ian Worley** » 23 Jan 2015 10:59 pm

Google is kinda useful sometimes https://www.google.com/#q=paul+franklin+the+box

Joachim Kettner · Post by **Joachim Kettner** » 24 Jan 2015 1:14 am

Here's a good view of the istrument. I'm not to familiar with Dire Sraits, but I remembered the song. Maybe there's more. Also on a Randy Travis record, Paul is credited playing a pedal dobro.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0T-JVeYXxs

Charlie McDonald · Post by **Charlie McDonald** » 24 Jan 2015 4:10 am

Here's a 'head shot' of The Box, long about the time Franklin played with Dire Straits.

John Booth · Post by **John Booth** » 24 Jan 2015 4:27 am

That's a cool piece.

Freddie Wooton · Post by **Freddie Wooton** » 1 Feb 2015 3:03 am

It looks and sounds like a single ped-a-bro with his baritone tuning.

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 1 Feb 2015 9:05 am

Thanks Joachim. That was a great video. I hadn't seen that one. Paul and Mark were a killer combination.

Dennis Ellerbee · Post by **Dennis Ellerbee** » 1 Feb 2015 10:27 am

Its is not a Pedal-bro because it has no resonator in it. It looks like a box with a hole cut in it like an acoustic guitar. It has a pickup installed in the hole. Might have to ask Paul next time I am in Nashville. Love the sound he gets with it. I wish Paul would read this an answer the question.

Francesco Porcu · Post by **Francesco Porcu** » 20 Nov 2023 12:45 pm

Hi guys, I see this post now, I'm interested in that instrument that Paul used with the Dire Straits in 91/92, it's a 10-string box tuned to C6, same keyboard as the PSG, I don't know what pick up he used on the soundhole, I'd like it own one but apparently there is no news about it or whether there is anyone who could build it. I hope that one day Paul will respond in this post about it, which I sincerely thank in advance if he does so one day. Good music Francesco

Jon Irsik · Post by **Jon Irsik** » 22 Nov 2023 8:32 am

Ian Worley wrote:Google is kinda useful sometimes https://www.google.com/#q=paul+franklin+the+box

I Googled it and it brought me back to this post. Sometimes Google isn't so useful...

Chris Templeton · Post by **Chris Templeton** » 22 Nov 2023 9:06 am

I can't remember what instruments Paul played on this record besides pedals, but on the Notting Hillbillies, "Missing...Presumed Having And Having A Good Time" I believe the Pedabro is on here and maybe The Box. I don't know.
Have a listen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzumKzj ... 1VrLv3BN66

Brett Day · Post by **Brett Day** » 22 Nov 2023 10:29 am

Joachim Kettner wrote:Here's a good view of the istrument. I'm not to familiar with Dire Sraits, but I remembered the song. Maybe there's more. Also on a Randy Travis record, Paul is credited playing a pedal dobro.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0T-JVeYXxs

The pedal dobro is the Franklin pedabro, and only twenty-five pedabro guitars were built by Paul Franklin Sr. "Forever and Ever Amen" was the first song to feature the Franklin pedabro. I was watching the video of Paul playing The Box and the Box is a lap steel.

Francesco Porcu · Post by **Francesco Porcu** » 22 Nov 2023 11:45 am

Guys we have understood what it is about for years because we see it being used with the Dire Straits, many of us know what it is about (The Box) but here we are trying to understand if there is an American luthier who has ever built one, so I can see it and hear it play because I'm looking for one for my concerts. If anyone has any information about this please kindly leave a message. Thank you very much Francesco

Ian Worley · Post by **Ian Worley** » 22 Nov 2023 10:12 pm

Jon Irsik wrote:
Ian Worley wrote:Google is kinda useful sometimes https://www.google.com/#q=paul+franklin+the+box
I Googled it and it brought me back to this post. Sometimes Google isn't so useful...

I guess you didn't notice that this thread was started almost nine years ago, it's an historical document now. Carry on

Francesco Porcu · Post by **Francesco Porcu** » 23 Nov 2023 1:34 am

Ian Worley wrote:
Jon Irsik wrote:
Ian Worley wrote:Google is kinda useful sometimes https://www.google.com/#q=paul+franklin+the+box
I Googled it and it brought me back to this post. Sometimes Google isn't so useful...
I guess you didn't notice that this thread was started almost nine years ago, it's an historical document now. Carry on

Of course I see that it's from 9 years ago, and if I wrote this post below it means that the Google search gave me this and some others even older but in all of them there is never a concrete answer.

The Steel Guitar Forum

Paul Franklin Box

Paul Franklin Box

Box

The Box Paul Franklin

The Box

The box