1957 hofner committee

[bluesdude]

dammit i knew i should have kept my mouth shut.now i want to pull it and sell overseas.aghh.i think i watched your band the darcy perry band at the first music at matakana?if so .loved your band.really digging the blues man.

[B45-12]

Yay - I passed up a blond one of these for $28.00 in Hulstons auction rooms Christchurch back in 1974 or 5 - How much is it worth?? well the Hofners were usually built for medium to heavy strings and this one does not have the electrics so I reckon you'd do well to get $2k in NZ despite the delicious minty condition. However to an enthusiast overseas etc who knows?

[DarcyPerry]

i think i watched your band the darcy perry band at the first music at matakana?if so .loved your band.really digging the blues man.

Yes, that was us. You're most welcome.

[JD]

Ok, that's weird but I will try again. I said,

I checked the 2007 bluebook price on Amazon, which is in US dollars, and they said $15-2200. for more ornate models; which yours is. I've never seen one as minty as yours though.

Where has it been all this time?

[Ears]

There was a nice example of a hofner on tardme 18 months ago, it wasn't a committee though was made with solid carved spruce top and beautiful dark Rio rosewood back!, it looked stunning and in good nick but I have no idea how it played, anyway it went for less than $800 but the model was going for much more that in UK.
Similar to this but nicer back http://www.vintagehofner.co.uk/selmer/h ... arch5.html
Good website that for all Hofner models

[Ears]

http://www.vintagehofner.co.uk/cont.html
Why not offer the guitar to the guys whose contact details are given on above page

[bluesdude]

have sent info and pics to the adresses.see what happens?

[clubhouse]

Yay - I passed up a blond one of these for $28.00 in Hulstons auction rooms Christchurch back in 1974 or 5 - How much is it worth?? well the Hofners were usually built for medium to heavy strings and this one does not have the electrics so I reckon you'd do well to get $2k in NZ despite the delicious minty condition. However to an enthusiast overseas etc who knows?

+1. These early Hofners were made before balanced string sets were available (Ernie Ball being the 1st to market them as far as I'm aware, in 60s) and so the tops were made thicker to cope with the loading imposed. They had longitudinal bracing bars to keep the tops stiff and aid them in vibrating in similar fashion to a speaker driver cone. With the heavy strings (0.13" and bigger) they sounded loud and 'cutting', able to be heard in a 'big band' context with horns and drums. With big strings their tone is reasonably balanced but with a treble emphasis, due to the stiffness of the top, which suited a big band sound.

With contemporary light gauge strings they can sound thin and lacking. On the carved models the trebles still sound nice and 'sparkly' but overall lacking in lower-mid and bass warmth that the modern 'ear' is used to.

The clean originality, hard-case and supporting documentation is what would make your guitar very desirable to a collector, especially overseas. Its a prime candidate, in this condition, for a collector more than a player.

There was a nice example of a hofner on tardme 18 months ago, it wasn't a committee though was made with solid carved spruce top and beautiful dark Rio rosewood back!, it looked stunning and in good nick but I have no idea how it played, anyway it went for less than $800 but the model was going for much more that in UK.
Similar to this but nicer back http://www.vintagehofner.co.uk/selmer/h ... arch5.html
Good website that for all Hofner models

I have a 456 export model. You are right about the rosewood...very unusual choice for an arch-top although I suspect it maybe a veneer/plywood. More unusual though, Hofner saw fit to bend the sides with the grain running perpendicular to the top/back rather than the usual longitudinal direction! I can only think that maybe it bent easier, without cracking, in this direction especially if plywood, or that in marking out the timber, this gave the most efficient cutting use...no?

They play as you might expect a small bodied arch-top: loud and bright! despite the rosewood implying a more fuller tone The necks, are a 'clubby' C-profile and are annoyingly narrow for my hands. The string spacing is too close and I choke a few too many chords as a consequence.