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HOFNER | PARTS | PICKUPS

Hofner Toaster pickup (1960-61)

Hofner electric guitar pickup

Some guitars fitted with this pickup

1960 Hofner Colorama1960 Hofner Colorama

Described as 'Super Response' pickups in Hofner literature, these single coil units are better known today as Hofner Toaster pickups, in light of the four black slits on the top (giving it the toaster-like appearance). Note also the small diamond in the centre, containing the Hofner logo, and the lack of external pole pieces. The Hofner Toaster pickups were only used briefly in the very early 1960s, being replaced by the Hofner 510 'Diamond' pickup by the end of 1961.

These pickups are not attached directly to the guitars body; rather they are held in place via four grub screws along the top and bottom edge of the pickup surrounds. These grub screws can be removed (or loosened) to allow the pickup to lift out. The black plastic surrounds are themselves held onto the guitar's top with two screws: there is no route into the guitar's body. The grey lead to the controls/output merely enters the body through a small hole in the top. Although a seemingly simple means of mounting (and easy to produce, requiring no body routes) it was not actually very effective, making fine adjustments to pickup height is really very difficult. The pickup heights have to be adjusted by hand, with the grub screws supposedly locking the pickups in place. In reality the act of tightening the grub screws has a tendency to change the set pickup height (generally lowering them). This can be partially alleviated by positioning the correct thickness of cardboard beneath the pickups before tightening the grub screws, but frankly this is a far from perfect solution

The Hofner Toaster pickups have approximate dimensions 80mm long x 24mm wide x 11mm high (at each end) or 14mm (in the middle), with a DC resistance of between 8 and 9 kΩ

The following description comes from original promtional material appearing in a July 1960 issue of Melody Maker

Unique arrangement of five pole pieces completely eliminates the overpowering second string tendency found in normal pick-ups. This new Hofner design has been fully adjusted by experts before fitting to the guitar, avoiding tiresome adjustments by the player. New spring-loaded mechanism enables you to raise or lower the pick-up accurately and quickly by two single screws. These great advances in pick-up design give you correct frequency response on each string plus a higher sensitivity than ever before. This new pick-up is exclusively fitted to Hofner guitars and is not available as a separate item.

List of Hofner guitar pickups

Hofner Toaster pickup (1960-61)

Hofner Toaster pickup (1960-61)

Hofner Toaster pickup (1960-61)

Hofner Toaster pickup (1960-61)

Hofner Toaster pickup (1960-61)

Hofner Toaster pickup (1960-61)

Hofner Toaster pickup (1960-61)

Hofner Toaster pickup (1960-61)

Hofner Toaster pickup (1960-61)

Hofner Toaster pickup (1960-61)

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Vintage Hofner Jazz Bass Style Pickup

Vintage Hofner Jazz Bass Style Pickup

Acme, Pennsylvania, 156**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$40

This vintage Hofner Jazz Bass style pickup is a great addition to any musician's collection. With its classic design and renowned brand, this piece is sure to impress Crafted for optimal sound quality, this pickup is perfect for any vintage guitar or bass enthusiast. The brand Höfner is known for producing high-quality instruments, and this pickup is no exception. Whether you're a collector or a player, this vintage Hofner pickup is a must-have. The pickup has been tested and is working. It ... more
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1966 Hagstrom 'worlds fastest playing neck' catalog (Merson USA)

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1965 Hofner President

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1963 1964 Fender catalog

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