MODIFIED 2009 HOFNER GALAXIE SOLID GUITAR WITH ACTIVE CIRCUITRY. 

Olaf Pöter / 29-Apr-10

I could not resist buying a second Galaxie. I was curious as to how this model, which I like so much because of its handling, shape and look, would sound with active Fender circuitry, which is used on the Eric Clapton Strat model. Not that I am unhappy with the sound of my first Galaxie (see My Previous Test Review), but the Fender electronic boosts the mid's up to 25 dB, and the trebles can be accentuated by the TBX control too. I have been a Clapton fan since the Cream days, so I hoped to get closer to his legendary guitar tone.

One thing was clear from the beginning:  I would need a new pickguard, because there were three pots to accommodate instead of the regular two as fitted by Hofner. So as not to confuse the guitars later, I manufactured a vintage white pickguard. However, on a white one, the black original sliding switches do not match, and so I installed an old triple-switch unit from a Hofner 177 from the late 60s, which has the nice, aged cream colour. With these slides, the old Hofner pot knobs look best, so I bought a set of those (now available again from Hofner). I moved the slide switch unit next to the neck end, where it is more ergonomically accessible than at the original positions next to each of the pickups.

As the active electronic requires a battery, some routing work waited for me. I milled out a battery case cavity on the guitar’s back and I also had to create space for the switch unit and for the additional pot. Finally, I even managed to solder all twenty cables to the correct spots.

After weeks of work, I was very curious to find out how Galaxie No 2 would sound compared with Galaxie No 1! My very first impression was: "Wow - what a 'fat' sounding guitar!" It is much louder than No. 1, but darker in tone, too. If you crank up the mid-boost, the tone gets considerably louder, especially with regard to mid- and bass frequencies, while the trebles go more into the background. This can partly be compensated by the TBX tone pot though, which reduces the bass frequencies a little. At louder amp settings, the tone, already without mid-boost, tends to break up slightly. The more you blend in the mid-boost, the more you add crunch, up to distortion of the tone. You can therefore control rhythm and solo playing, just by cranking the boost on and off.

Last night, I tested the modified Galaxie in a band rehearsal. No – it doesn't sound like a Strat, which features single coils sounding more aggressive and biting. Its tone is somehow smoother and more violin like, just like the 60's Cream sound played with various solid bodied Gibsons. In the loud band context, the guitar cut through very well, not missing the expected pick attack "quack". I am really enthused! But it is not easy to tame this guitar! The amp settings are totally different. It will take many more band rehearsals to become fully acquainted with it.

Back to the Galaxie No. 1: This one does not sound anything like as loud at the same amp volume setting as No. 2. The tone is also brighter, with nicely sparkling treble frequencies, well balanced over all strings, and not as bass-accented like No. 2. So I will keep both of them. No. 1 for rhythm and clean soloing, No. 2 for Blues, heavy Rock respectively crunched and distorted sounds.