Hofner Club 40

Hand made German guitar from 1960 by Hofner, the model is a Club 40. It's a semi-hollow body with a single coil pick-up in the neck position. No f-holes or sound holes of any sort. Steel reinforeced neck via truss rod and bizarro control panel: Master volume knob, Treble On switch, Bass On switch, Solo/Rhythm switch.

Three in a line tuners. Very short scale, the guitar is a 3/4 size instrument.

A very unique sounding guitar. This is what I really wanted to comment on, it is very rare that I find an instrument that I fall inlove with and want to own apart from the guitars I already own. I am a professional touring musician and when I came across this Hofner I couldn't believe how unqiue it sounded. The tone of the guitar acoustically is what you would associate in the jazz world but the pick-up really colours the acoustic resonance of the instrument in a strange way. The Hofner company really perfected their line of Jazz hollowbody/archtop instruments and this guitar was meant to contend in the rock category but it has a very rich tone with clear bass tones. It is far brighter then a Les Paul and due to the nature of the bridge bends etc. don't have the sustain but it sounds highly admirable clean jazz style or with a light blues style overdrive but any high gain settings: you start to loose tone and just get squeal, hum and general nastiness.

I realize many people browsing ebay/what have you check in here for an idea of how other people feel about a guitar they are thinking of purchasing. If you can find one of these in good or above good condition I would highly recommend picking it up as it has given a fresh breath/new life into my playing. A very unique instrument with indeed it's own sound. These are not highly collectable guitars and can be had for very reasonable prices.