Info on Hofner guitars rqd.

Subject: Info on Hofner guitars rqd.
From: GUEST,mcpiper
Date: 10 Jun 00 - 06:18 AM

A friend has just bought a Hofner (or Hoffner) guitar, made about 1956. I havent heard of them, anyone got any info. My first posting to Mudcat, been a reader for months, best thing on the net.

Subject: RE: Info on Hofner guitars rqd.
From: Ed Pellow
Date: 10 Jun 00 - 06:29 AM

You might want to have a look at < a href="http://www.argonet.co.uk/users/steverussell/cont.html">Steve Russell's Vintage Hfner Guitar Page

Ed

Subject: RE: Info on Hofner guitars rqd.
From: Ed Pellow
Date: 10 Jun 00 - 06:31 AM

Ooops I meant: Steve Russells' Vintage Hofner Guitar Page

Ed

Subject: RE: Info on Hofner guitars rqd.
From: GUEST,mcpiper
Date: 10 Jun 00 - 06:59 AM

Many thanks Ed, I've seen quick responses before, but this one caught me by suprise.

Subject: RE: Info on Hofner guitars rqd.
From: GUEST,Timber
Date: 23 May 13 - 09:46 PM

your friend got a Hofner that you never heard of, but you are positive it was made in 1956? come on.

Subject: RE: Info on Hofner guitars rqd.
From: PHJim
Date: 24 May 13 - 12:18 AM

Hofners are German-made guitars with a long history. I learned my first three chords on my brother's Hofner arch top. Paul McCartney's fiddle shaped bass is a Hofner and George Harrison played a Hofner in the very early Beatles days as well. In the fifties and sixties they were inexpensive guitars, but thanks to the Beatles, they are no longer budget guitars. Most of the Hofners I've played were arch tops with zero frets.
I believe there are budget Hofners coming out of China now.

Subject: RE: Info on Hofner guitars rqd.
From: GUEST,Eddie1 (sans cookie)
Date: 24 May 13 - 02:10 AM

Going back to the 50's, Hofner was about the best you could get in the UK. For some reason there was a ban on American instruments. Hofner, made in Germany had a range going from the Congress (at about £16) to the Committee - actually a pretty good guitar - at nearer £80! A fortune back then! Although their range of "Western" guitars (flat-tops to you and I) were available in Germany they didn't appear in the UK till much later. I played a Senator, single cutaway with two pickups, for years.

For me to remember this much is quite an achievement!

Timber - your contribution to the thread was amazingly helpful, thank you!


Eddie

Subject: RE: Info on Hofner guitars rqd.
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 24 May 13 - 02:32 AM

Not the same as HOHNERS, I guess? A name I associate with melodeons and moothies, but I do have a Hohner guitar, and have seen a very few others. Not bad for a cheap acoustic, beginning to develop a few probs now after 20 years, but doesn't really owe me anything, had my money's worth out of it.

Subject: RE: Info on Hofner guitars rqd.
From: Little Robyn
Date: 24 May 13 - 05:32 PM

I've just found mine in the catalogue - the 1963 #420.
It's similar to this one but has a fully rounded back and is in better condition.
I bought it second-hand in 1965 - paid $35 for it then but that was almost one weeks pay at the time.
I don't play it much these days - it's very quiet but I still love it.
Robyn

Subject: RE: Info on Hofner guitars rqd.
From: Murray MacLeod
Date: 24 May 13 - 06:45 PM

As Eddie says , back in the 50's (before my time) but certainly in the early 60's (which was my time) Hofners were the standard objects of (male) teenage lust.

I so wanted a Hofner Committee ... never could afford one.

One of my school-mates had a Hofner Senator ...action was about 1/2" high at the twelfth ...we thought that's just the way it was, and accepted it. Changed days nowadays.

Subject: RE: Info on Hofner guitars rqd.
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 25 May 13 - 05:59 AM

The rhythm guitarist in my first group in 1962 had a blonde Hofner Committee, which he played through a 10 watt Watkins Westminster amp. I remember 2 things about that guitar - terrible action which made it awful to play, his fingers used to bleed after playing chords for "The Savage", but it had screaming treble! He eventually traded it in for a Harmony Meteor (I think) which was excellent.

I occasionally borrowed a Hofner Colorama which the owner had set up with a low action, and had a bigsby tremolo fitted, which was brilliant.

The Hofner V3 was often used as a poor man's Fender Strat I remember.

Subject: RE: Info on Hofner guitars rqd.
From: GUEST,alex s no cookie
Date: 25 May 13 - 06:53 AM

don't forget the basses - my 1962 semi-cutaway is still going strong

Subject: RE: Info on Hofner guitars rqd.
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 25 May 13 - 10:02 AM

Ah yes, our bass player had one of those, then traded it in for a Burns bass of some sort.

Subject: RE: Info on Hofner guitars rqd.
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 25 May 13 - 10:52 AM

"The Hofner V3 was often used as a poor man's Fender Strat I remember."

Yep, I was one of those poor men! Played mine in several bands for years. Unlike some of the other Hofner models, it had good neck geometry and could be set up with a nice low action. Eventually traded it in for a '66 Telecaster, which was a great move!

Subject: RE: Info on Hofner guitars rqd.
From: GUEST,Mike Rogers
Date: 26 May 13 - 04:57 AM

My first electric was a 2nd Hofner Colorama I with a tremulo arm and a single pick up at the neck. As it produced very little treble I moved it close to the bridge, thereby destroying any collectable value it might have had. But it did its job for several years , as did many other Hofner models. They were an integral part of Britsh rock and pop music of the 50s and 60s.

Subject: RE: Info on Hofner guitars rqd.
From: eddie1
Date: 26 May 13 - 12:55 PM

It has been pointed out to me by a friend whose memory is slightly better than mine that what I had was a President!

Eddie

Subject: RE: Info on Hofner guitars rqd.
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 26 May 13 - 01:50 PM

The excellent lead guitarist in The Big Three used a Colorama for a while

Subject: RE: Info on Hofner guitars rqd.
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 26 May 13 - 04:59 PM

He did indeed. Brian 'Griff' Griffiths.
IIRC, he played that Colorama whe my band supported The Big Three at the Drill Hall in Lincoln in (I think) 1964. The bass-player was Johnny Gustafson. Excellent band.

Subject: RE: Info on Hofner guitars rqd.
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 27 May 13 - 03:00 AM

Theirs was the definitive version of 'Some Other Guy', AFAIC.

Subject: RE: Info on Hofner guitars rqd.
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 27 May 13 - 06:31 AM

I've always read that The Big Three were one of the loudest bands at that time - even louder than Sutch! I never saw them unfortunately, but we had James Royal & The Hawks who had a support residency at the Big Beat Club in Harrow, North London. They were a cross between JK & the Pirates and The Big Three, Micky King was their guitarist who was amazing. Oh for a time machine!

Subject: RE: Info on Hofner guitars rqd.
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 27 May 13 - 08:47 AM

Out of interest Johnny Gustafson played in the Pirates for a while around 1985, I saw them once in London - a great band!

Subject: RE: Info on Hofner guitars rqd.
From: cooperman
Date: 28 May 13 - 06:25 AM

I had a violin bass early seventies and guitar player had a Hofner Galaxie. They were affordable guitars at the time, played and sounded ok (and looked pretty cool!)