The pages where other people's Hofners are featured.
EARLY HOFNER GUITAR MODELS
(HOFNERS MADE BEFORE WORLD
WAR 2 IN
SCHOENBACH, BOHEMIA AND IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE WAR IN MOEHRENDORF,
BAVARIA.)
Photo
(c)
Jiri Kalina of The Czech GuitarS Gallery
The Karl Hofner Company was founded in 1887 for the manufacture of
stringed instruments, in particular orchestral instruments such as the
violin, double bass, and cello. The company was based in the
town of Schoenbach in the district of Egerland, Bohemia, which at that
time was
in
the Austrian-Hungarian Empire.
After the First World War, Schoenback became part of Czechoslovakia,
but the Hofner Company and the many other instrument makers continued
their operations in that area between the two world wars. By this time,
Karl Hofner's two sons, Joseph and Walter, had taken on significant
roles in the family business.
Immediately
after the Second World War, the victorious Allies set about re-defining
the map of Europe, and as part of this process, Schoenbach
became
part of Czechoslovakia. Hofner's business was very quickly taken into
state control, and those German-speaking people living in the
Sudetenland, as the area where Schoenbach was now
known, were forced to re-locate into Germany. So it was that the Walter
Hofner
found himself in Moehrendorf, near Erlangen, (which
lies just to the north of
Nuernberg), in Bavaria. Here, in 1947, he began working with Fred
Wilfer on a joint venture which developed into the Framus
Company. A range of archtops were therefore produced under the name of the
Framus Company, but which in fact formed the basis of the restored Hofner
Company's archtop range from 1948/49 onwards.
In 1948, Karl
Hofner together with his elder son Joseph also arrived in
Moehrendorf, and so Walter broke away from Fred Wilfer and the two
Hofner brothers re-established the Hofner company, using a large number
of their former employees, in an old labour camp
barracks
in Moehrendorf.
In 1950, Hofner made the
decision to move to a new purpose-built
factory close by at Bubenreuth, and
production re-commenced there in 1951, where it continued until the
mid-1990's. At that time, the Bubenreuth factory was closed down and
since then all Hofner manufacturing has taken place at
Hagenau. Just about all the guitars featured on this website come from
the Bubenreuth and Hagenau workshops.
In the period
between the two world wars, Hofner had commenced manufacturing
acoustic flattop guitars at the Schoenbach, and these were
followed by archtop "Jazz" guitars ("Schlaggitarren") in
the early 1930's. The trade-name "Primus" was used by Hofner for their archtops
at this time. The production of these guitars continued up to WWII breaking out, and hence the
basis
for the various, and much better known these days, post WWII Hofner archtops began
to formulate from that period. I personally had not encountered any of
the pre-war guitars until a gentleman in Germany called Stefan Lob made
contact with me. Stefan sent me photographs of one of his own Hofner
guitars which was almost certainly made prior to the war. (Stefan has now set up a website,
Schlaggitarren ,
which showcases his own
collection of German-made guitars.)
This stimulated my interest in the pre-WWII Schoenbach period, and I
therefore set up this page in order to share what little knowledge I
have on the subject. Further much appreciated information and assistance has been received from Dr. Chritian Hoyer
who at the time was responsible for the Framus Vintage website, and from Xosé Crisanto Gándara in Spain.
I would be most grateful if any visitor to the
website who owns a pre-war or immediate post-war Hofner guitar, or who
can supply any
information at all on these instruments could
make contact with me.
PRE-WAR
& IMMEDIATE POST-WAR
HOFNER GUITAR MODELS
DISCOVERED TO DATE:
ARCHTOPS:
HOFNER MODEL 501H ACOUSTIC "HAWAIIAN" ARCHTOP GUITAR
c1931
HOFNER
MODEL 501H ACOUSTIC "HAWAIIAN" ARCHTOP GUITAR
A catalogue scan which shows maybe the first Hofner archtop. The 1931
catalogue states that
this a brand-new model. It has a spruce top (one assumes that this was
solid carved spruce) with maple back and sides.
HOFNER MODEL 455 ARCHTOP
1937 HOFNER
PRIMUS MODEL
455 ARCHTOP GUITAR
A scan from the 1937 Hofner Schoenbach catalogue, which describes the
guitar as having a plywood body with binding around the body top, and a
plywood pickguard.
c1947
HOFNER/FRAMUS 455 ARCHTOP GUITAR
Made during the period when Walter Hofner was working together with
Fred Wilfer in the fledgling Framus Company. This guitar is described
in the 1948 Framus price list as having "simple equipment". It is
therefore obviously the "budget" archtop of the period. It bares a
distinct visual resemblance to the earlier 1937 Hofner 455 model and
also to the later one from Bubenreuth.
HOFNER MODEL 456 ARCHTOP
c1947
HOFNER/FRAMUS MODEL 456 ARCHTOP GUITAR
As with the above c1947 455 model, this was presumably a guitar
designed by Walter Hofner whilst working with the Framus company. It is
a slightly better quality version of the 455 above and the description
in the price list says "solid execution and brightly polished". Now
does that mean a solid carved top?
c1947
HOFNER/FRAMUS MODEL 457 ARCHTOP GUITAR
This one is literally described in the price list as "deposits fine,
good execution, brightly polished". I suspect that means that it is
made of good quality timbers, which have been nicely put together and
then well polished. !! However, the picture of the guitar does look
very much like the Bubenreuth 457.
HOFNER MODEL 462 ARCHTOP
1937
HOFNER PRIMUS MODEL
462 ARCHTOP GUITAR
Another scan from the 1937
Hofner Schoenbach catalogue, which describes the 462
guitar as having a plywood body, but having binding on the neck and
block pearloid fret markers. Perhaps this guitar metamophised into the
later 456 model?
c1937 HOFNER
PRIMUS MODEL 462 ARCHTOP GUITAR And at last, an actual example of the
Primus 462 has turned up. I am very grateful to Juraj Harkabus in Prague,
Czech Republic for sending
me these photos of one of the Hofner Company's earliest archtop guitars..
HOFNER MODEL
463 ARCHTOP
1937
HOFNER PRIMUS MODEL
463 ARCHTOP GUITAR
The 1937 catalogue describes the 463
guitar as having a birds eye maple body. (Later Bubenreuth 463 models
has mahogany back and sides, so there doesn't seem to be any connection
between this and the later model versions.) It also has
binding on the neck and
block pearloid fret markers. The pickguard is "celluloid". This was
definitely a few steps up from the 455 and 462.
Pre-1950 HOFNER
MODEL 463/S ARCHTOP GUITAR A totally different specification
to the pre-war 463 model. This guitar would appear to be one of the first
post-war Walter Hofner Model 463 versions. The exact date of its construction is
unknown. It could well have been made whilst Walter was working with Fred Wilfer during the setting up of
the Framus Company in 1947/48, or by the new Hofner
company when it was still based in Moehrendorf. Any definite information on this rare old guitar would be very much
appreciated! It is owned by Kield Andersson.
HOFNER MODEL 464 ARCHTOP
1937
HOFNER PRIMUS MODEL 464 ARCHTOP GUITAR
The body on this model is all mahogany, with an ornate picture
decoration on the body top! It has very little similarity with any of
the Bubenreuth models.
HOFNER MODEL 465 ARCHTOP
c1947
HOFNER/FRAMUS MODEL 465 ARCHTOP
This version of the 465 is very close to the Bubenreuth version, with
rosewood back and sides and a solid spruce carved top. The typical
Hofner rhombus used later on cheaper models is there on the headstock,
as is the Hofner strip type fretmatkers and Lyre tailpiece.
Presumed c1947/48 HOFNER/FRAMUS
MODEL 465 ARCHTOP A very interesting guitar that quite possibly was
produced in the chaotic period when Walter Hofner was working with Fred
Wilfer and the fledgling Framus Company, and just before the Hofner Company
was resurrected. It has a laminated spruce body top, rosewood back and rims,
a beech neck, and and inlaid wooden marquetry on the dyed pearwood
fingerboard and headstock. Owned by Wolfgang in Germany.
UNKNOWN HOFNER
ARCHTOP MODELS
1935 HOFNER PRIMUS
HAWAIIAN ARCHTOP GUITAR A very fine example of Hofner's "Primus" range
of archtops, and in superb condition. This guitar is made of all solid timbers - carved spruce body top
with carved flame maple back & rims. The fingerboard is ebony, and the
guitar has a raised nut for Hawaiian-style playing. Owned by Jiri Kalina in
the Czech Republic.
Mid-late 1930's HOFNER PRIMUS
ARCHTOP GUITAR Well, this is a Hofner Primus archtop, but I can't
work out a model number for it because it doesn't seem to fit in with any of
the model descriptions in the only Primus information that I have - the 1937
catalogue. Owned by Mike Summerscales.
PRE-WAR
HOFNER ACOUSTIC ARCHTOP GUITAR
A lovely old archtop, owned by Stefan Lob in Germany. This guitar has a
carved headstock, plus carving around the F-holes !! It has a solid
spruce top with un-bound maple back and sides.
c1937 PRE-WAR HOFNER ACOUSTIC ARCHTOP GUITAR The
same model as the one above, with a rather indistinct body date which could
well be 1937. Owned by Georg Strobel of Munich, Germany.
ACOUSTIC FLATTOPS:
HOFNER 460 ACOUSTIC FLATTOP
1937
HOFNER MODEL 460 ACOUSTIC GUITAR
I don't have a catalogue description for this one, but
it appears to be a high quality steel-strung acoustic from the photo.
The body seems to be made from a beautiful quilted maple.
HOFNER 480 ACOUSTIC FLATTOP
1931
HOFNER MODEL 480 ACOUSTIC GUITAR
A steel-strung, maple, dark brown bodied guitar with simple features.
Brown body top, dull finish, purfled around body edges and soundhole. Pin
Bridge
HOFNER 480-S ACOUSTIC FLATTOP
1930's
HOFNER MODEL 480 S ACOUSTIC GUITAR
.........or at least that is what I have assumed this pre-WWII Hofner
guitar to be. There are no catalogue pictures available of the 482-S
unfortunately, but at
least this one seems to correspond fairly well with the description given in
the 1931 and 1937 catalogues. It would seem that the main difference between
the 480 and 480-S was that the "S" version had a steel trapeze tailpiece and
drilled headstock, whereas the 480 above had a combined classical style bridge
and a slotted headstock. Owned by Patrick Lutgens in The Netherlands
1931
HOFNER MODEL 483 ACOUSTIC GUITAR
A highly decorated parlour guitar, with a maple body
which is covered in decorative designs. Very weird! The 483 model
produced from 1951 onwards was a very different instrument.
1930's HOFNER
MODEL 485H ACOUSTIC "HAWAIIAN" GUITAR
.........or I suspect that this guitar is a 485H. Certainly it has the
birds-eye maple back and rims of the 485H, but not the same very ornate
scratchplate of the guitar above. It is owned by Aksel a Botni in the Faroe
Islands.
HOFNER 522 ACOUSTIC
1937
HOFNER MODEL 522 ACOUSTIC GUITAR
This looks to be very much a "budget" or a "beginners"
acoustic guitar. It utilisers a simple trapeze tailpiece, and has a
celluloid pickguard glued onto the body top. The Hofner 522 model in a
very similar format resumed production after the war and was made into
the 1970's.
HOFNER 524 ACOUSTIC
1937
HOFNER MODEL 524 ACOUSTIC GUITAR
The 5 - - model number again probably
indicates that this was intended as beginners guitar, but it has more
decoration than the 522 above. The trapeze tailiece is still utilised
however.
UNKNOWN
HOFNER ACOUSTIC FLATTOP MODEL
1930's HOFNER PRIMUS ACOUSTIC
GUITAR I just cannot find this model in
the pre-war Hofner catalogues but I have no doubt that it is a genuine
Hofner Primus guitar. After around 80 years it plays and sounds great
according to its owner Dariusz Zajaczkowski who lives in Poland.
CLASSICAL GUITARS:
HOFNER 486 CLASSICAL
1931
HOFNER MODEL 486 CLASSICAL GUITAR
The 486 was a mid-range Concert model, that was put back
into production after the war, and which was made right through the
1950's, 60's, and 70's during when it was a very conventional classical
guitar with spruce top and maple back and sides. The 1931 version had a
"detachable neck", and there is no mention of a spruce top.
HOFNER 487 CLASSICAL
1931
HOFNER MODEL 487 CLASSICAL GUITAR
Apparently very similar to the 486 above in 1931. In the
post war years, this model had a mahogany back and sides.
HOFNER 497 CLASSICAL
1937
HOFNER MODEL 497 CLASSICAL GUITAR
A large Spanish model with spruce top and rosewood
sides. Again the 497 model was resurected after the war and produced in
very much the same format as the 1937 version right through to the
1970's.
VISITORS'
GALLERY
