THE HOFNER GUITAR CATALOGUES - PART I

1931 TO 1972

 

The following illustrations are scans of Hofner catalogues and marketing leaflets which stretch back to the time when the Hofner Company were based in Schönbach in the Bohemia area of the Czech Republic. After being expelled from that region after the Second World War, Hofner initially recommenced operations in Möhrendorf near Erlangen in Bavaria and then moved to more permanent workshops in nearby Bubenreuth in 1951.

The early Hofner catalogues were large volumes, full of orchestral stringed instruments and their accessories with only a few pages devoted to guitars. They were probably only intended to be supplied to Hofner's own salesmen and their larger wholesale and retail customers. However, as guitar making became a major part of the Company's activities, from 1951 separate catalogues for guitars became the norm. As the guitar range increased in the mid 1950's, market targeting increased with the issue of several leaflets specific to Electric Guitars, Bass Guitars, Western Guitars, Concert Guitars, and Wander Guitars, more suitable for issue to all prospective customers.  

 

CATALOGUE COVER PAGE

PERIOD

   

1931

(SCHÖNBACH)

ORCHESTRAL INSTRUMENTS PLUS GUITARS

1937

(SCHÖNBACH)

ORCHESTRAL INSTRUMENTS PLUS GUITARS

1950

(MÖHRENDORF)

ORCHESTRAL INSTRUMENTS PLUS GUITARS

1951

(BUBENREUTH)

ORCHESTRAL INSTRUMENTS PLUS GUITARS

   

1951

(BUBENREUTH)

GUITAR CATALOGUE

1952

GUITAR CATALOGUE

View Whole Catalogue

   

1953

GUITAR CATALOGUE

   

1955

GUITAR CATALOGUE

   

1956

GUITAR CATALOGUE

1957-61

GUITAR CATALOGUE

View Whole Catalogue

1962

GUITAR CATALOGUE

1963

GUITAR CATALOGUE

(75 YEAR ANNIVERSARY)

1964

ARCHTOPS LEAFLET

1964

CONCERT CLASSICAL GUITARS LEAFLET

1964

WANDER GUITARS LEAFLET

1965

GENERAL GUITAR CATALOGUE

View Whole Catalogue

1966

SOLID GUITARS LEAFLET

1966

ELECTRIC GUITARS LEAFLET

1966

BASS GUITARS LEAFLET

1967 to 1975

CONCERT GUITARS LEAFLET

1967

FLAT TOP GUITARS LEAFLET

1968 to 1975

WANDER GUITARS LEAFLET

1967 to 1976

WESTERN GUITARS LEAFLET

1968 to 1969

ELECTRIC GUITARS LEAFLET

1968 to c1980

BASS GUITARS LEAFLET

1969

SOLID GUITARS LEAFLET

c1969/70

US SORKIN GENERAL GUITAR CATALOGUE

1970 to 1975

SOLID GUITARS LEAFLET

1971

GENERAL GUITAR CATALOGUE

View Whole Catalogue

c1971/72

US SORKIN GENERAL GUITAR CATALOGUE

   

 

SEE ALSO:

HOFNER GUITAR CATALOGUE COVERS PART II - 1973 to 1990

HOFNER GUITAR CATALOGUE COVERS PART III - 1991 to 2011

 


 

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