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HOFNER | VINTAGE ADVERTISEMENTS

Hofner advertisement (1974)

When we asked Alice Cooper's Dennis Dunaway why he plays a Hofner bass, this is what he said:

Hofner G500/1 bass

1974 Hofner advertisement, featuring Hofner endorsee Dennis Dunaway; bassist for the Alice Cooper Group

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Hofner advertisement (1974) When we asked Alice Cooper

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Hofner G500/1

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1957 Hofner model 127 Club 50 a killer John Lennon "Beatle" guitar very clean !

1957 Hofner model 127 Club 50 a killer John Lennon "Beatle" guitar very clean !

Fort Lauderdale, Florida, 333**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$3495

This super rare and very early ?Sunburst?? Model 127 Club 50 it has a 13 inch wide, 2 inch thick, single cutaway hollow body, with a slightly arched top and a flat-back. One-piece natural spruce ?carved?? top with a one-piece maple back. The sides of the body are lightly flamed maple and triple-bound bound in black. Original two-layer pearloid over black plastic heel-cap. Three-piece (maple-beech-maple) neck with a scale length of 24 1 / 4 inches, a nut width of just under 1 5 / 8 inches and a ... more
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Hofner H500 / 1-61L Cavern Club 61 Violin Beatle Bass, Left-Handed w /  Case & Tags

Hofner H500 / 1-61L Cavern Club '61 Violin Beatle Bass, Left-Handed w / Case & Tags

Seattle, Washington, 981**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$4200

Up for sale, a left-handed Hofner H500 / 1-61L ??Cavern Club?? ?61 vintage reissue bass in excellent, 100% original condition and in perfect working order, complete with the original hardshell case, factory paperwork and hangtag. The H500 / 1-61 features all the hallmarks of Hofner's early violin bass design, as seen played by Paul McCartney in The Beatles?? formative days
A genuine German-made Hofner and the highest tiered example offered, this Cavern Club bass features a flat, ... more
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Vintage 1966 Hofner Beatle Bass 500 / 1

Vintage 1966 Hofner Beatle Bass 500 / 1

Round Rock, Texas, 786**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$4000


Here's a beautiful example of a well-aged 1966 Hofner Beatle Bass. All original with the vintage case, this one is unique in having a sleek, black finish on the neck. It plays extremely well and recording with it produces the sound this bass is known and loved for.
All electronics / pickups work and sound great! The neck is also remarkably straight for it's age. Set up by Kurt Viles guitar tech with flat-wounds, it's ready for any show or recording session. There are some knicks and ... more
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Genuine Hofner Original  1970s Western Series Removable Neck Made In Germany

Genuine Hofner Original 1970's Western Series Removable Neck Made In Germany

Loveland, Colorado, 805**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$750

Genuine Hofner original 1970's Western Series Removable Neck Made In Germany. Beautiful guitar does have a repair on the back that you can see however solid as a rock very smooth through the touch as well does not a big playability does not come with the case the removable the neck is a great feature for traveling
... more
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1960s Hofner copy Beatle vintage bass guitar Univox or Tiesco

1960s Hofner copy Beatle vintage bass guitar Univox or Tiesco

Hopewell, New Jersey, 085**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$456

This is a nice Hofner copy of the Beatle Bass Paul used. We believe it to be a Univox or Teisco 1960's. Electronics all work however the tone just has a little static noise when you turn it volume works great and so does the tone other than that drop of static while turning (probably a very good electronics cleaning is in order). There are a few extra screw holes in the headstock some shown in pics. There is a ding on the fingerboard shown in pics at the 4th fret. Selling as is with the ... more
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1960s Hofner Colorama model 161 Circa 1960s - Redburst Made in Germany Vintage

1960's Hofner Colorama model 161 Circa 1960's - Redburst Made in Germany Vintage

Brooklyn, New York, 112**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$795

This Hofner Model 161 Colorama was made in Germany in the early to mid 1960's. The guitar is a fun little single pickup guitar that plays and sounds good. The guitar is super light and weighs 4 LBS & 8 ounces. The body is very thin and comfortable to play. The guitar is in good shape for it's age but does show a fair amount of nicks, dings and scratches. The high E tuner is changed but the guitar is otherwise original to the best of my knowledge. The pickup sounds good and the electronics ... more
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Vintage 1940s Hofner Acoustic Guitar Slot Headstock Cracked Playable

Vintage 1940s Hofner Acoustic Guitar Slot Headstock Cracked Playable

Canyon, Texas, 790**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$295

Top is flat neck is solid in body neck is straight action at 12th feet is 1 / 4 of a inch has glued crack on top from bottom of bridge to bottom of guitar has overall checking end pin is broken off in body pretty back dings scratches and general wear lower bout is 13 5 / 8 inches body depth is 3 3 / 8 inches scale length is 24 1 / 4 width at nut is 1 3 / 4
... more
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Mint "2013" "Epiphone Viola"  Looks New with "HOFNER MODIFICATIONS"

Mint "2013" "Epiphone Viola" Looks New with "HOFNER MODIFICATIONS"

Riverside, California, 925**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$1295

Here we have a Beautiful 2013 "EPIPHONE VIOLA" in absolutley "PRISTINE CONDITION" This Bass has been modified to " HOFNER SPECS " . I had this Bass a bit overhauled for "THE BEATLES" enthusiast. I had a "HOFNER GERMAN TAILPIECE put on, a "HOFNER BRIDGE" a "HOFNER NUT" "HOFNER TUNING PEGS" put on "LABELLA FLATWOUND STRINGS" put on, and had the EPIPHONE CONTROL PANEL, (volume and tone controls) into 250k just like "THE HOFNER " . It has been completely set up and ready to do it's duty. I thought ... more
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Hofner Colorama double-cut HH electric red

Hofner Colorama double-cut HH electric red

Lynn, Massachusetts, 019**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$475

Works great. Straight neck, good action, frets have very little wear, truss turns, electronics are clean. There's some chipping on the nut. Doesn't affect playability. Regular player wear throughout. Features set maple neck, rosewood fretboard, abalone inlays, mini humbuckers, Grover tuners. Ships to lower 48. No case. No trades.... more
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1965 Hofner 500 / 1 Violin Bass

1965 Hofner 500 / 1 Violin Bass

Loveland, Ohio, 451**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$5395

1965 Hofner 500 / 1 Violin body Beatle Bass, Amazing sounding ??Staple??pole piece pickup, individual tuners, Raised logo, Nice light weight, Fun toplay, VG+, NSSC
... more
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1960s Hofner 172 Colorama II Electric Guitar Red Vinyl

1960s Hofner 172 Colorama II Electric Guitar Red Vinyl

Benicia, California, 945**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$799

Buy with confidence knowing this guitar will rock your socks off! We ship off same day or next business day!
In the early 1960s, rock music was sweeping across Europe, and one of the most iconic bands of that era was undoubtedly the Beatles. Their arrival on the scene in 1962 and 1963 marked the onset of Beatlemania, a phenomenon that swept the globe, with audiences clamoring to see them perform and emulate their style
The immense demand for instruments like the ones the Beatles played ... more
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1974 Hofner 500 / 1 Beatle Bass Vintage Violin Bass 100% Original w /  Blade Pickups

1974 Hofner 500 / 1 Beatle Bass Vintage Violin Bass 100% Original w / Blade Pickups

Seattle, Washington, 981**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$4300

Up for sale, a 1974 Hofner 500 / 1 Violin ??Beatle Bass?? in exceptional, 100% original condition and in perfect working order, complete with the original hardshell case. Indelibly linked with Paul McCartney and the Beatles, this genuine vintage 500 / 1 captures the round, pillowy thump and definition inherent to the iconic Beatles sound, with a fully hollow body and blade pickups
There??s a distinctive pluck, percussive cut, and hollow thud that this bass delivers even while unplugged, with... more
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Hofner Verythin

Hofner Verythin

Dixon, Illinois, 610**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$275

I'm retiring in a couple months, so I'm letting some instruments go:
Here's a Hofner Verithin semi-hollow guitar I acquired as a semi-finisher husk, and later refurbished. The original finish was a lumpy / pebbled epoxy mess which I sanded down and clear-coated w / clear poly. I added gold hardware, wired up a simple harness, and installed covered Guitar Madness ceramic humbuckers. Very nice results; in excellent condition (though some of the original finish irregularities are visible in ... more
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Hofner 1965 Vintage 4570e Hollow Body Electric Guitar NEAR MINT - W. GERMANY

Hofner 1965 Vintage 4570e Hollow Body Electric Guitar NEAR MINT - W. GERMANY

Montclair, New Jersey, 070**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$2795


Hofner 1965 Vintage 4570e Hollow Body Electric Guitar NEAR MINT - W. GERMANY
Gorgeous vintage 1965 wide-body semi-hollow Höfner was made in West Germany and is a special instrument. It has been remarkably preserved over the years and shows little to no signs of its age.
A beautiful medium sunburst, a pearloid inlay fretboard and headstock make this a work of art. Every bit of this guitar is original.
The pickups were rewired about five years ago (see pictures) and the slot ... more
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Hofner Violin Bass 1963 Relic Left Handed w / Case - Used

Hofner Violin Bass 1963 Relic Left Handed w / Case - Used

Winchester, Virginia, 226**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$3200

ProAudioStar DJ GEAR INSTRUMENT GEAR LIVE SOUND RECORDING MICROPHONES HEADPHONES ACCESSORIES SOFTWARE LIGHTING BUNDLES Authorized Dealer
Hofner Violin Bass 1963 Relic Left Handed w / ... more
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1965 Hofner 500 / 1 Violin Bass

1965 Hofner 500 / 1 Violin Bass

Florence, South Carolina, 295**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$5000

1965 Hofner violin Beatles bass 500 / 1 for a right handed player. Very nice condition. See pictures. Comes with a new case.... more
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Hofner New President (has bronze frets)

Hofner New President (has bronze frets)

Louisville, Kentucky, 402**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$2700

This beautiful Hofner New President Acoustic-Electric Guitar is a must-have for any musician. With its hollow body type and 24 bronze frets, this guitar produces a unique and rich sound that will captivate any audience. The guitar is perfect for both beginners and professionals alike, and is sure to be a valuable addition to any collection Crafted with the finest materials and exquisite attention to detail, this Hofner New President Guitar is both durable and reliable. It is an ideal choice for ... more
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1960s VOX Framus Hofner Guitar Tone Control Knob Original Plastic Vintage Part

1960s VOX Framus Hofner Guitar Tone Control Knob Original Plastic Vintage Part

Plano, Texas, 750**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$69

Vintage 1960s Framus Guitar TONE Control Knob Plastic Chrome, Black V, Black numbers, nylon hub, Normal light vintage wear, NO CRACKS,   Original FRAMUS PART, THANKS for looking!
... more
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1965 Hofner 500 / 1 Violin Bass

1965 Hofner 500 / 1 Violin Bass

Loveland, Ohio, 451**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$4995

1965 Hofner 500 / 1 Violin Bass, AKA the Beatle Bass, Hollow-body, Sunburst finish, Staple pickups, Large raised logo and larger Pearloid controlpanel, Fantastic warm and powerful tonality, Light weight, Plays great, Truly abeauty, VG++, Rare worn original hard case... more
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Hofner Club 40 Guitar 1962 Sunburst- Beatles

Hofner Club 40 Guitar 1962 Sunburst- Beatles

Slidell, Louisiana, 704**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$2250

Not a re-issue!! I purchased this guitar from a seller onReverb. He purchased a number of 1960??s Hofners Club 40 guitars in the late1970??s and had them ever since. Got the year 1962 on this one from the Hofnersite. It could possibly be a 1963 however I do not think they were continuedinto ?63. Other than a couple of tiny nicks as can be seen in the pictures, this guitar is in great condition and comes in it??s original case. Theseguitars are exceptionally rare in this finish and condition. It ... more
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1971 Selmer guitar catalogue

1971 Selmer guitar catalogueScan of 1971 Selmer guitar catalogue showing the range of electric and acoustic guitars distributed by the company: guitars by Gibson, Yamaha, Selmer, Hofner and Suzuki. 1960s Selmer had always placed Hofner at the front end of their catalogues, no doubt these were the better sellers - but into the 1970s Hofner were slipping somewhat and only appear at the tail end of this publication, pride of place going to Gibson, and to a lesser extent Yamaha. In fact this is the last Selmer catalogue to include the many Hofner hollow bodies (Committee, President, Senator etc) that had defined the companies output for so many years - to be replaced in the 1972 catalogue by generic solid body 'copies' of Gibson and Fender models. A number of new Gibson models are included for the first time: the SG-100 and SG-200 six string guitars and the SB-300 and SB-400 basses.

1968 Selmer guitar catalogue

1968 Selmer guitar catalogueScan of 1968/1969 Selmer guitar catalogue (printed July 1968), showing the entire range of electric and acoustic guitars distributed by the company: guitars by Hofner, Gibson, Selmer and Giannini. Selmer were the exclusive United Kingdom distributors of Hofner and Gibson at the time, and this catalogue contains a total of 18 electric guitars, 7 bass guitars, 37 acoustics, and 2 Hawaiian guitars - all produced outside the UK and imported by Selmer, with UK prices included in guineas. This catalogue saw the (re-)introduction of the late sixties Gibson Les Paul Custom and Les Paul Standard (see page 69) and the short-lived Hofner Club 70. Other electric models include: HOFNER ELECTRICS: Committee, Verithin 66, Ambassador, President, Senator, Galaxie, HOFNER BASSES: Violin bass, Verithin bass, Senator bass, Professional bass GIBSON ELECTRICS: Barney Kessel, ES-330TD, ES-335TD, ES-345TD, ES-175D, ES-125CD, SG Standard, SG Junior, SG Special GIBSON BASSES: EB-0, EB-2, EB-3 - plus a LOT of acoustics branded Gibson, Hofner, Selmer and Giannini

1961 Hofner Colorama I

1961 Hofner Colorama IHofner Colorama was the name UK distributor Selmer gave to a series of solid and semi-solid guitars built by Hofner for distribution in the UK. The construction and specifications of the guitars varied over the period of production, but by 1961 it was a totally solid, double cutaway instrument, with a set neck, translucent cherry finish, six-in-a-row headstock, and Hofner Diamond logo pickups. Available as a single or dual pickup guitar, this sngle pickup version would have been sold in mainland Europe as the Hofner 161.

1971 Commodore N25 (Matsumoku)

1971 Commodore N25 (Matsumoku)Commodore was a brand applied to a series of guitars produced in Japan at the well-respected Matsumoku plant from the late 1960s to the mid 1970s - and sold primarily (perhaps exclusively?) in the United Kingdom. The models bearing the Commodore name were all guitars available from different distributors with different branding. Although there may have been some minor changes in appointments (specifically headstock branding) most had the same basic bodies, hardware and construction. Equivalent models to the Commodore N25 (and this is by no means an exhaustive list) include the Aria 5102T, Conrad 5102T(?), Electra 2221, Lyle 5102T, Ventura V-1001, Univox Coily - and most famously the Epiphone 5102T / Epiphone EA-250.

1960 Hofner Colorama II

1960 Hofner Colorama IIThe Hofner Colorama was the name given by Selmer to a series of solid (and semi-solid) body Hofner guitars distributed in the United Kingdom between 1958 and 1965. The Colorama name actually applied to some quite different guitars over the period, but in 1960 it was a very light, semi-solid, set necked guitar with one (Colorama I) or two (Colorama II, as seen here) Toaster pickups. Although an entry-level guitar, it was very well-built, and a fine playing guitar; certainly a step up (at least in terms of craftsmanship) from many of the Colorama guitars that would follow, and a good deal of the guitars available in Britain circa 1960.

1971 Epiphone 1820 bass (ET-280)

1971 Epiphone 1820 (ET-280) bassBy the end of the 1960s, a decision had been made to move Epiphone guitar production from the USA (at the Kalamazoo plant where Gibson guitars were made), to Matsumoto in Japan, creating a line of guitars and basses significantly less expensive than the USA-built models (actually less than half the price). The Matsumoku factory had been producing guitars for export for some time, but the 1820 bass (alongside a number of guitar models and the 5120 electric acoustic bass) were the first Epiphone models to be made there. These new Epiphones were based on existing Matsumoku guitars, sharing body shapes, and hardware, but the Epiphone line was somewhat upgraded, with inlaid logos and a 2x2 peghead configuration. Over the course of the 70s, the Japanese output improved dramatically, and in many ways these early 70s models are a low point for the brand. Having said this, there are a lot worse guitars out there, and as well as being historically important, the 1820 bass can certainly provide the goods when required.

1981 Gibson Marauder

1981 Gibson MarauderProduction of Bill Lawrence's Gibson Marauder began in 1974, with production peaking in 1978. But by 1980 the model was officially discontinued, though very small numbers slipped out as late as spring 1981. Over 7000 examples shipped between 1974 and 1979, and although no totals are available for 1980 and 1981, it is unlikely production reached three figures in either of these years. These final Marauders were all assembled at the Gibson Nashville plant, and had some nice features not available through the later years of production, such as a rosewood fretboard, and in this case, an opaque 'Devil Red' finish. It's a great looking and fine playing guitar!

1971 'Pick Epiphone' Catalog

1971 Pick Epiphone catalogWhen Epiphone production moved from Kalamazoo to the Matsumoku plant in Japan, a whole new range of electric, flattop and classic acoustic guitars was launched. Between late 1970 and 1972 the new models were launched and refined. This 'folder' catalog contains various inserts released over these years detailing four electric six-strings (ET-270, ET-275, ET-278, and thinline EA-250), three bass guitars (ET-280, ET-285, and thinline EA-260), three folk/steel acoustics, four jumbo flattop acoustics, two 12-string jumbos, four classic acoustics, and a banjo.

1981 'Gibson Specials' Pre-Owners Manual

1981 Gibson Specials Pre-Owners Manual'Gibson Specials' was part of the June 1981 pre-owners manual series, but unlike the other folders contained a mish-mash of different guitars: limited editions, test marketing and close outs. "You will find the unusual, the brand-new, and the bargain within this folder". End of line 70s guitars like the Marauder, S-1, and L-6S Custom mixed in with brand new models the The V, The Explorer and the Flying V Bass.
It was the largest folder in the series, with 24 inserts, (19 guitars and 5 basses): Guitars: 335-S Standard, Melody Maker Double, Marauder, L-6S Custom, S-1, RD Artist, Firebird, Firebird II, Flying V, Flying V-II, The V, Explorer, Explorer II, The Explorer, The "SG" Standard, Les Paul Artist, Les Paul Artisan, ES-335 Heritage, ES-175/CC Basses: Grabber, G-3, L-9S, RD Artist Bass, Flying V Bass

1970s Shaftesbury 3263 bass

1970s Shaftesbury 3263 bassRose-Morris were selling Shaftesbury-branded Rickenbacker copy instruments from the late 1960s right through the 1970s. The 3263 bass was one of the first models, (alongside the 3261 six string and 3262 twelve string) available from late 1968 until about 1974. The earliest incarnation was a set neck bass, produced very briefly in Japan. But production quickly moved to Italy. This bolt-on neck example was built by Eko, in Recanati, using the same hardware and pickups as fitted to Eko, and Vox basses built around the same time. It's certainly a fine looking bass, and not a bad player either.

1961 Hohner Zambesi

1961 Hohner ZambesiThis very early, and pretty rare British-built guitar is branded Hohner London. Hohner were, of course, a German company, better known for their harmonicas and accordions, but they were keenly expanding into guitars at the birth of the 1960s. This model, along with the Hohner Amazon and (particularly) the Hohner Holborn, bear some similarity with Vox guitars of the same period; furniture manufacturer Stuart Darkins constructed bodies and necks for both brands, with Fenton Weill assembling them using their hardware and pickups. These guitars do have some hardware peculiarities, and they are not the most adjustable of instruments, but they actually play very nicely, being solidly built out of some very nice woods. Check out the video on this page.

1963 Vox Super Ace

1963 Vox Super AceThe Vox Super Ace was a mid-priced British solid body electric guitar, produced by JMI at their factory in Dartford, Kent. It was broadly modelled on the Fender Stratocaster, and a sibling model to the dual-pickup Vox Ace. Both the Ace, and Super Ace (along with several other models), were redesigned in 1963 with a new body shape, headstock style, and pickup layout - only increasing the resemblance to the aforementioned Fender. The Super Ace had a 1963 price tag of £47 5S. It's a pretty nice playing guitar with some lovely sounds - check out the videos on this page, and in the Vintage Guitar and Bass supporting members area

1966 Vox New Escort

1966 Vox New EscortThe Vox New Escort was Vox's version of the Fender Telecaster, at a time when American guitars were out of reach for most British musicians. It was made by JMI in England, for the British market, and unlike the majority of other models, didn't have an Italian-made equivalent. But the New Escort wasn't a slavish Fender copy, adding Vox's stylish teardrop headstock to the tele-style body, with a stop tailpiece and two Vox V2 single coil pickups. And it's a pretty substantial, and nice playing guitar, with a very comfortable neck. Check out the images, specifications, and watch a video of it in action. There is also extra content in the vintageguitarandbass supporting members area.

1969 Fender catalog, Fender Lovin' Care

1969 Fender catalog, Fender Lovin CareCatalog scan. The 1969 Fender Lovin' Care catalog consisted of 48 pages of electric guitars, basses, amplifiers, steel guitars, acoustic guitars, banjos and keyboards. Like the previous catalog, this featured the company's guitars in a variety of interesting settings around California, from the Whiskey-A-Go-Go, to the Hollywood Bowl. Several instruments were making their first appearance amongst it's pages: the Telecaster bass, Montego and LTD jazz guitars, and the Redondo acoustic. It was the final catalog appearance, however, of the Electric XII, Bass V, Duo-Sonic, Coronado I and Coronado Bass I.

1973 Eko Ranger Folk

1973 Eko Ranger FolkThe Eko Ranger series of guitars was incredibly popular in the second half of the 1960s and through the 1970s, selling in very large numbers. The Ranger Folk was 1 1/4" smaller, and 1" shallower than the Ranger VI and XII - and with a narrower waist. Not a bad guitar; a little quiet, but pretty playable. These were great value in 1973, and because they sold so many, they are easy to find and excellent value today.

1966 Vox Symphonic bass guitar

1966 Vox Symphonic bass guitarThe Symphonic bass was built in the UK, by Vox parent company JMI. It was the Vox equivalent to the Fender Precision bass, and was one of the most expensive Vox guitars produced. It was actually a great playing bass, rather similar to the Precision in feel and sound, but was probably just too expensive compared to an actual Fender and consequently sold poorly. When Vox hit financial problems in 1968, unsold guitars and basses were passed on to Dallas Arbiter, who briefly sold the excess Symphonic bass stock as model 4537. This bass, although with a neck date of February 1966, was most likely one of the unsold Vox guitars sold on by Dallas Arbiter. Check out the bass, and the two video demos through 1960s Ampeg and WEM amplifiers.

1968 Shaftesbury 'Electric Guitars' catalog

1968 Shaftesbury catalogThe 1968 Shaftesbury 'Electric Guitars' catalog was just four pages long, and contained four guitar models: the six string Barney Kessel-style 3264; and three Rickenbacker-styled semi-acoustic models: the six-string 3261, the twelve string 3262 and the 3263 bass. Shaftesbury was the house-brand of major UK distributor Rose-Morris, and seems to have been launched as a response to the company's loss of it's distribution deal with Rickenbacker. The guitars were mid-priced, and built in (initially) Japan, and later Italy, by Eko

1970 Rose-Morris 'Exciting Electrics Wonderful Westerns Celebrated Classics' catalog

1970 Rose_Morris catalog1970 Rose-Morris catalog, dated April 1970. It featured 6 electric guitars, 32 acoustic guitars, 3 basses and 1 steel guitar. It contains the following instruments, over 20 pages: Electric guitars: Shaftesbury 3261, 3262, 3264, 3265, 3400; Top Twenty 1970; Bass: Shaftesbury 3263, 3266; Top Twenty 1971; Acoustic guitars: Eko Rio Bravo, Rio Bravo 12, Ranchero, Ranchero 12, Colorado, Ranger, Ranger Folk, Ranger 12; Aria 1674, 1675, 1676, 1679, 1680, 1695, 'John Pearse' Jumbo, 'John Pearse' Folk; Rose-Morris 15-11, Kansas, Georgian, Florida; Suzuki 1663, 1664, 1665, 3054, 3055, 3060; Tatay 1713, 1714, 1715; Peerless 3052; Steel guitar: Aria 3425

1971 Rose-Morris 'Exciting Electrics Wonderful Westerns' catalog

1971 Rose_Morris catalogThe sixteen-page 1971 Rose-Morris catalog featured electric guitars by Rose-Morris' own brand, Shaftesbury, and budget brand Top Twenty; aswell as acoustics by Eko, Aria, and for the first time Ovation. The catalog contains the following instruments: Electric guitars: Shaftesbury 3261, 3264, 3265, 3400, 3402; Top Twenty 1970; Bass: Shaftesbury 3263, 3266; Top Twenty 1971; Acoustic guitars: Ovation: Balladeer, 12 String, Glen Campbell, Glen Campbell 12 string; Eko Rio Bravo, Rio Bravo 12, Ranger, Ranger Folk, Ranger 12, Colorado, Ranchero, Ranchero 12, Studio 'L'; Rose-Morris Florida; Aria 'John Pearse' Jumbo, 'John Pearse' Folk

1972 Fender Precision bass

1972 Fender PrecisionA detailed look at an early 1970s Fender Precision bass guitar in custom black finish, with rosewood fretboard. 1972 list price, $307.50. The Fender Precision had been shipping since at least very early 1952 - with just one re-design circa 1957. This example, then, shows a model already two decades old, but barely changed since the '57 revamp. Fender got it right first time around, and although there are numerous minor cosmetic differences, the essence of this bass is effectively the same as it was in '52: a simple, single pickup instrument with a GREAT sound. Check out the demo video through an old Ampeg B15. It's no wonder this is the bass that everybody wants!

1967 Vox Stroller

1967 Vox StrollerThe Vox Stroller was the brand's entry level electric solid body guitar, fitted with just one pickup and a fixed tailpiece. Although aimed at student guitarists, it wasn't a terrible instrument, but did lack somewhat in adjustability, having no accessible truss rod and only a floating rosewood bridge. But this example is actually quite an improvement on earlier versions, with a standard 1/4" jack and a solid mahogany body. 1967 price £18 2s. JMI ceased UK guitar production in late '67, and combined with decreasing demand for the Stroller, this surely must be one of the last examples shipped.

1963 Vox Clubman Bass (left handed)

1963 Vox Clubman Bass left handedA nice example of the Vox Clubman II bass, built by JMI in Dartford, Kent in 1963. This is a lightweight bass, short (30") scale and very easy to play. It is an early example, and as such has a thin black scratchplate and side mounted, coaxial output jack. JMI offered left handed examples of their solid body Vox guitars and basses at 10% premium. Production numbers are unclear, but left-handed examples rarely come up for sale

1977 Gibson ES Artist 'prototype'

1977 Gibson ES Artist prototypeNot to be confused with the Gibson ES Artist launched by Gibson in 1979; this ES Artist was an early model designed by the Gibson research and development team in Kalamazoo in 1977, the instruments themselves constructed by Gibson artist Chuck Burge. It was planned for launch as a high end semi acoustic with 335-style construction (central maple block) and innovative circuitry - but was pulled at the last minute, being deemed too expensive. Apparently, several examples were produced with varying specifications, though exactly how many actually left the Kalamazoo plant is unclear. Certainly two guitars were sold to LaVonne Music by Gibson in around 1980. Read more about the development of this guitar, with details from Chuck Burge and the story of it's sale to LaVonne music

1959 Hofner Committee

1959 Hofner CommitteeThe Hofner Committee was a truly beautiful guitar produced in Germany, primarily for the UK market. It was a large bodied (initially 17 1/2") guitar with a carved spruce top, available as an acoustic or electric guitar. By the early sixties the carved top was replaced with a laminate, and although still a very fine guitar, the earlier carved top examples, with frondose headstock (like the example shown here) are far more highly prized amongst musicians and vintage guitar collectors.

1965 Gretsch Chet Atkins Tennessean

1965 Gretsch Chet Atkins TennesseanThe Gretsch Chet Atkins Tennessean, or model 6119 was Gretsch's best selling hollow body of the 1960s. This wonderfully faded example from 1965 was originally Dark Cherry Red, but has turned a mid-orange brown. The original color, however, can be seen underneath the pickup surrounds. 1965 specs: maple body, two-piece neck, Brazilian rosewood fretboard and Hi-Lo 'Tron single coil pickups. Nickel plated Gretsch Bigsby tailpiece.

1965 Gretsch 'For the Spectacular Sound of the Times' guitar and amp catalog

1965 Gretsch catalogThe 1965 Gretsch catalog, or catalog #32, featured 10 hollow body electric guitars, including the newly launched Gretsch Viking; four solid body electrics, including the Astro Jet - making it's only catalog appearance; just one bass, the single pickup PX6070; nine acoustics and 12 tube amplifiers. Pride of place went to the Chet Atkins Country Gentleman that adorned both the front and back covers. 24 pages, six of which are in full color.

Guitar Repair: fixing fret buzz and sharp fret ends

Guitar Repair: fixing fret buzz and sharp fret endsLoose frets are especially problematic in certain old guitars, but are generally very easy to fix. You'll be amazed at the difference you can make with just a few tools, a bit of knowledge, and a little time. Fixing loose frets can eliminate fret buzz, remove sharp fret ends, and greatly improve the tone of any guitar. If your luthier bill will be greater than the value of your guitar, definitely time to have a go yourself!

1966 Hagstrom 'worlds fastest playing neck' catalog (Merson USA)

1966 Hagstrom guitar catalogHagstrom guitars were distributed in the mid-1960s United States by Merson of USA. This eight page 'worlds fastest playing neck' catalog, printed in two-colors contained six solid body electrics, three solid body basses, two electric acoustic guitars, two electric acoustic basses and five acoustics.

1965 Hofner President

1965 Hofner PresidentThe President was produced by Hofner in Bubenreuth, Germany, specifically for Selmer, who distributed the brand in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and other commonwealth nations. The President was a hollow body electric acoustic, available as a full body or thinline, and with blonde or brunette finish. It was a great playing guitar that sold fairly well in the second half of the 1950s, throughout the 1960s, and into the very early 1970s. The example shown here is a full-body depth guitar in blonde - and as a 1965 guitar, one of the last to feature the rounded Venetian cutaway. From late 1965 until 1972, the President sported a sharp Florentine cut. Naturally, such an electric acoustic suggests jazz and blues, but many of the original British Hofner President players were part of the rock 'n roll, skiffle and beat scenes of the late 50s and early 60s.

1963 1964 Fender catalog

Fender 1963 catalogue"The Choice of Professional and Student Musicians Everywhere" This eight page catalogue was included as an insert in the 1963 annual "school music" issue of Downbeat magazine (September 1963). As well as keyboards and pedal steels, this catalog contains seven guitars, three basses and ten amplifiers - from student guitars such as the Musicmaster and Duotone to professional models like the new Jaguar.