VISITORS'
GALLERY
The page where other people's Hofners are featured.
4A: FLAT TOP &
CLASSICAL
GUITARS - SELMER DISTRIBUTED MODELS
Bob
Bullock's Hofner "Arizona" 12-string & 6-string Acoustic
Guitars.
The
following picture-sets of Hofner flattop guitars have been sent to me
over the
years by their owners. This has allowed me to present a much greater
range of models and vintages than encompassed by my own
collection on the website, and maybe this will help other visitors to
the site to identify and date their own Hofner.
Click on the underlined heading
for each guitar to view the
photographs of that particular example.
SELMER
DISTRIBUTED GUITARS:
6-STRING ACOUSTIC GUITARS:
- Late 1960's HOFNER
COUNTRY & WESTERN ACOUSTIC GUITAR
This model was distributed by Selmer in the UK throughout the 1960's.
It's Selmer catalogue number was 5154. An electric version (5155), and
acoustic and electric 12-string models were also available (5156
& 5157). This particular 6 string acoustic is owned by Graham
Stockley in the UK.
- LEFT HANDED EARLY 1970's HOFNER WESTERN
JUMBO GUITAR
Probably one of the last Western Jumbos brought into the UK by Selmer.
This one has a double scratchplate and obvious signs of having been
changed from right to left handed before being sold new to Kelvyn
Taylor of Surrey, England in 1973/74. It was almost certainly
"adjusted" by Selmer prior to being supplied to the retailer in Denmark
Street, London as a left handed guitar.
- c1966
HOFNER ARIZONA GUITAR
The budget flattop in Selmer's catalogue, introduced around 1965/66 in
the UK. It was in-fact identical to the European/US market Hofner 489
model. An adjustable neck rake screw was fitted to the heel of the
Arizona, in common with many of the non-Selmer flattops. This
nice example is owned by Bob Bullock in the UK.
- SELMER-BRANDED
WESTERN JUMBO ELECTRIC-ACOUSTIC GUITAR
This guitar was made by Hofner for Selmer to sell under
their own brand-name. I am guessing that it was made in the early
1970's, maybe at a time when Selmer was no longer the exclusive UK
distributor for Hofner, but I am not sure of this. It is fitted with
Hofner's fingerboard-mounted pickup. Photos courtesy of Paul Cook,
Norfolk, UK.
12-STRING ACOUSTIC GUITARS:
- HOFNER WESTERN 12 STRING
ACOUSTIC GUITAR
Selmer catalogue #5156. Intended as a mid-quality acoustic guitar and
introduced into the UK sometime around 1963; just in time for the boom
in folk/country music that was becoming popular around then. An
electric version was also available. Another of John Lynch's guitars.
- HOFNER ARIZONA 12
STRING ACOUSTIC GUITAR
The budget 12-string in the UK Hofner line. This appeared at the same
time as the 6-string Arizona in 1965/66, and was in fact identical to
the European/US market Hofner 490 model. It differed from the 6-string
Arizona, in that it had a three-part neck as opposed to a 2-part on the
Arizona 6, X-bracing as opposed to parallel, and a body/neck joint at
the 12th fret, in common with all Hofner 12-strings. This immaculate
example is owned by Bob Bullock.
CLASSICAL GUITARS:
- c1954
HOFNER
'CONCERT'
CLASSICAL GUITAR
This is a high quality instrument, probably based on the European-market 497
model, with
rosewood veneers to the body back and sides, and lavish body binding/edge purfling.
It seems to have been one of the first guitars offered by Selmer in the
early 1950's and is definitely of a much higher quality than the
Vienna model which came along a year or so later. The 1952/53 Selmer catalogue
states that "as each instrument receives the personal attention of Karl
Hofner, only a limited number can be built and orders will be dealt with in
strict rotation". The Concert was maintained in Selmer's catalogue
until around 1956. Owned by Finlay
Morton.
- c1957 HOFNER VIENNA CLASSICAL GUITAR
Mid-quality classical guitar range in Selmer's catalogue, until
overtaken by the Hofner Classic in c1967. It had a solid spruce top
with (usually) very attractively marked maple back and sides. This one
is owned by James Gordon in Hampshire, England.
- 1964/65 HOFNER 'FLAMENCO' CLASSICAL GUITAR
A lower quality classical guitar than the Concert and Vienna. A near-mint
example owned by David Inkel in the UK.
- 1956/57
HOFNER 'FLAMENCO' CLASSICAL GUITAR
An example of an early Flamenco, owned by John Wheble in the UK.
- Late 1960's
HOFNER MATADOR CLASSICAL GUITAR
The Matador was introduced to the Selmer catalogue around 1967. It was
intended to be a budget-grade guitar, and sold for a lower price than
even the Flamenco model, which was strangely retained in the range. It
had a spruce top with laminated plain maple back and sides. The
equivalent to the Matador in the general Hofner range was probably the
512/5120 model. This example is owned by Dennis Kilmore in the UK.
- 1967/68 HOFNER
'CLASSIC' CLASSICAL GUITAR - CATALOGUE SCAN
A very high quality, and expensive, classical guitar that was
in the Selmer catalogue for only a year or so in 1967/68. All solid
woods, with rosewood for the body back and sides, ebony fingerboard and
fine marquetry soundhole rosette. All in all a top professional concert
instrument, equivalent to the 4980 Model in Hofner's main
catalogue.