Futurama

Futurama

Also known as: Grazioso, Resonet, Resonet Grazioso, Futurama Grazioso

Unclaimed

Futurama was a brand name applied by London music importer Selmer to electric guitars and basses sold in the United Kingdom from the late 1950s through the 1960s. The earliest Futurama instruments were Czech-made solidbodies built by the Drevokov cooperative in Blatná, South Bohemia, originally branded Grazioso and carrying the Resonet name on the scratchplate; production later shifted to the C...

more

Futurama was a brand name applied by London music importer Selmer to electric guitars and basses sold in the United Kingdom from the late 1950s through the 1960s. The earliest Futurama instruments were Czech-made solidbodies built by the Drevokov cooperative in Blatná, South Bohemia, originally branded Grazioso and carrying the Resonet name on the scratchplate; production later shifted to the CSHN factory in Hradec Králové. From around 1963, Selmer began applying the Futurama name to higher-quality guitars built in Sweden by Hagström, including thinline hollowbodies and solidbody models marketed as the Futurama II and Futurama III.

The Czech-built Futurama was essentially an affordable Stratocaster-style instrument with three single-coil pickups, individual on/off switches and a vibrato tailpiece, sold in Britain at a time when American-made guitars were difficult to import. That accessibility made it the entry-level electric of choice for a generation of British beat-group players. George Harrison played a Resonet-badged Futurama during The Beatles' Hamburg residencies and early Cavern Club shows, and the model was also used in the early careers of Jimmy Page and Albert Lee.

The Futurama line was discontinued by the end of the 1960s, and the name survives mainly as a collector's curiosity tied to the British beat-boom era. Surviving examples — the Resonet/Grazioso solidbodies in particular — are sought after for their historical association with The Beatles and their distinctive late-1950s Eastern European construction.

Futurama has 4 products cataloged on Equipboard, including Solid Body Electric Guitars. Their gear is featured by 3 artists, with the strongest followings in Rock and Pop. Notable users include Jimmy Page, George Harrison, and Hilton Valentine.

Artists Who Use Futurama

Jimmy Page uses 1 Futurama product

Jimmy Page

Guitarist · Led Zeppelin

George Harrison uses 1 Futurama product

George Harrison

Singer, Guitarist · The Beatles

Hilton Valentine uses 1 Futurama product

Hilton Valentine

Guitarist · Eric Burdon & the Animals

Are you on the Futurama team?

  • Be the first to know when an artist is spotted using Futurama gear
  • Curate the Futurama catalog, images, and product details
  • Respond to community photos and reviews of Futurama gear
  • See how Futurama gear is trending on Equipboard