A lot of factors would play into it, paper, print quality, point size, etc. I wouldn't see any reason why Frutiger wouldn't work as long as you take all the variables into consideration. It's always good to set some text, and do some test prints, I rely too much on the screen sometimes.

Sans does not work for very long texts.
If you must use a sans, use Legato.

hhp

Just to complete the reference to Legato:

Similar (more or less) to Legato are as well: Acorde, FF Strada, PF Centro Sans, Mundo, Alright Sans, FF Zwo, Sense. (New but different to Legato: Winco) Typophile on body text sans firstly, secondly, thirdly.

The essential thing about Legato (and the probable reason some-
body would recommend it) has yet to replicated by anybody else.

See last review here:
http://typographica.org/2005/on-typography/our-favorite-typefaces-of-2004/

hhp

What about setting text in one of Adrian Frutiger's other faces, such as Meridien or Egyptienne?

Thanks everyone for your ideas. I have been contemplating using a serif for the text. I was hesitant to add to many types however. Script, sans and serif...I know that's only three. But I also have a variety of weights and colors.

Thoughts?

You could certainly find a serif face that harmonizes well
enough with Frutiger to reduce the visual cacophony quite
a bit. Victor's idea of looking at Adrian Frutiger's œuvre is
solid, although you can/should look elsewhere too.

hhp

Meridien is a bit blah for text though. Sort of light and spiky. I seem to remember Frutiger didn't even advocate it himself, later on. (Disclaimer: Maybe it's just a personal dislike of mine.)
If you're considering a serif you might look at Frutiger Serif (which in fact is sort of a remodeled Meridien) which is supposed to work extra well with Frutiger. You might do something like having the headlines in Frutiger (or that script maybe) and the text in the serif? I haven't used it myself though, so can't really utter a recommendation.

How about Apollo? That's Adrian Frutiger's bread-and-butter-serif, right?

Good point, Sindre, Apollo should work [better].
I just went back to that big Meridien-cum-optical-spacing thread we had a while ago and found Bringhurst in fact recommends pairing Frutiger with Apollo (or Meridien, which however he deems less useful for text):

"Frutiger also mated well with the same designer's Méridien and Apollo, though such a mixture was not apparently part of the original design plan, and the fonts did not match in weight or body size." (Bringhurst, p. 257)
"[In making Apollo] Frutiger used the opportunity to rethink his first text face, Méridien, drawn eight years earlier. Apollo lacks the sharpness of Méridien, but its smaller eye, blunter serifs and reduced modulation can make it a better choice for text […]". (Bringhurst, p. 215)

Although Frutiger was designed for way finding signs, isn’t usable for text too, as it is a humanistic design? I frequently see it actually in reports. An example:

Report using Frutiger

I didn’t have troubles reading it.

Frutiger is a terrific choice for reports etcetera. The number of available styles makes it very versatile. I have used it a lot in the past.
If you go for Frutiger, use the last incarnation Frutiger Next — it is more like the Frutiger Mister F imagined but could not make at the time (due to technical restrictions).

> Frutiger Next … is more like the Frutiger Mister F imagined

Really? I thought he hated the («true») italics.

Bert probably meant Neue Frutiger. It's okay to get confused by all the different versions ;)

Oh wow, I didn't even realize that exists as well. Thanks for the clarification Jens :)

I stand corrected (and ashamed) — Neue it is.

So who's going to make Frutiger EnoughAlready?

hhp

I'm very glad that Frutiger was able to make the version that he really wanted. The other versions, after Roissy, were compromises for various reasons. I find it a little ironic that he took off the sharper terminals, drawn by his then assistant...
I've liked them, but I can see why he toned them down. They make the final version closer to Myriad...

Neue Frutiger fixes the widths that were imposed by linotype's earlier system, and improves the weights. He was upset about Frutiger Next, as explains in his book.

> They make the final version closer to Myriad...

Oh unbearable irony!

hhp