Hofner Verythin Classic

The features are well-described below. The ones I particularly appreciate are the overall light weight, ebony fretboard, 25 5/8" scale, and the incredibly comfortable assymetrical neck.

My impressions of this guitar were formed running through a Mesa Boogie Mark III and a Studio 22+. I think the longer scale, spruce center block, mini humbukers, and the trapeze style tailpiece all go together to create an extremely "responsive" guitar. The pick attack is much more woody and springy than my 335's. You feel the body vibrating more too. The 335 (with Seth Lovers) has a more metalic clang to it (also a nice tone, just different).

This is an extremely versatile guitar. The bridge tone can be biting or twangy. The neck is a bit scooped and has a rounded top end, making for clear, woody jazz tones. Tweaking the volume and tone controls in the neck/bridge toggle position yields a range from bubbly, scooped jazz tone (with the bridge rolled off a little) to twangy neck/bridge Tele territory (with the neck rolled off). The pickups are significantly higher output than a set of Seth Lovers. In distortion modes the mini humbuckers retain more string-to-string definition than the average humbucker.

I find the "single coil" mode to be almost useless. Perhaps mine is wired wrong. I do hear what sounds a bit single-coil"ish" with the tone controls all the way up. But it sounds like you have simultaneously rolled the tone way back. Rather than more high end, as you'd expect with a split coil, you get far less than in humbucking mode.

I bought mine used and there are a few faint scratches. Overall the build quality is great. There's one cosmetic issue with a hand-painted line that runs down the neck binding. It's just that the thickness of this line varies a bit. I would not be surprised of some of these don't even have that line.

A much larger issue is the pickup height. It's really cool how the design allows surface-mounting the rings and the pickup - and the rings themselves are way cool compared to the usual humbucking pickup rings. These rings really contribute to the simple visual elegance of the guitar. BUT - I can't get the pickup height as low as I'd like it. They're as low as they will go now and the high E is close enough to the bridge pickup that I raised the action a little to prevent it from scratching when palm-muting the strings. I'd also like to get the bridge pickup lower to balance its output with the neck better; the bridge is too loud compared to the neck. If I want the pickups lower, I will have to route the top. This issue with the pickup height brings the score down for me.

On a more positive note, it seems like the woods of the guitar were all carefully hand-selected. The spruce top is a nice, tight, dense grain with some beautiful silking throughout. The kind of top you'd see on a high end acoustic guitar. The neck must have been specifically selected to balance the guitar body; it's very light. When I first picked it up I was ready for to be neck-heavy because the whole guitar is so light, yet the neck looks so substantial. But once I strapped it on, I found it to be very well-balanced. I also appreciate the assymetrical cross secion of the neck. It just feels so comfortable.

I should mention that the fret ends on mine were kind of protruding, as another evaluator noted. However, I found this was truly due to not USING the humidifier in the case. I got the guitar in the winter here in the Northeastern US. The previous owner obviously never bothered to use the humidifier. The fret ends really did feel just fine a couple of days after I put some water in the humidifier in the case. I was suprised that the ebony fretboard would be this sensitive, but apparently it is.

Oh - Yes, the case is one of the best I have ever seen. The hygrometer and humidifiers are kind of a nice touch. But they're not really high-end units. The lens of the hygrometer (plastic) in my case was broken. I replaced the entire hygrometer for $11. The humidifier is meant for a smaller case, but it works OK by my observation.

The spruce top and center block and overall weight make this guitar feel more fragile than, say, a 335. It has a distincly delecate feel to it which I like. But it doesn't feel nearly as durable. I will tend to be a bit more careful with it.

No idea - It works great and it's several years old now.

I have been playing for 43 years now. I have owned a lot of high end gear. Other electrics I own at the moment include a 335, 2 Hamer Monaco Superpros, 3 Music Man Axises, a Ricky 12-string, and a low-end Samick jazz box. I buy a fair number of guitars used just so I can take them for an extended test ride without losing money If I decide to resell them. The Verythin is a keeper for now. I love the neck on this guitar. It just feels like it fits my hand better than most necks I try. I also appreciate the wide variety of sounds I can get from it. The only thing that really bugs me about this guitar is the problem with adjusting the pickup heights lower.

Purchased new December 2007. Made in Germany, primarily and genuinely hand made by a single luthier. Semi-acoustic, 335/Gretsch double-cut "ish" style body (16" across lower bout), but much thinner, and to my eyes, more elegant than either. Extremely comfortable to play. Natural spruce finish top, figured maple back and neck. Fret board is ebony. Woods are laminate, but of the same wood, ie. no cheaper wood in the sandwich. Fitted and shaped spruce centre block. Pickups (2) are Kent Armstrong mini-humbuckers with a unique feature, when tone control is on 8 or above, the pickups mimick a single coil sound, but without the hum. This allows for a wide variety of sounds, depending upon the settings used for each pickup. Gold plated German Schaller hardware with tailpiece. Case is of superb quality and includes a built in hydrometer and very classy looking humidity guage. A very elegant, beautifully made instrument.

I play a wide variety of styles and this guitar is an excellent all rounder. It is particularly sweet on jazz, but also can be dialled in to give a great sound for country. It has a unique sound which I would describe as "sweeter" than a 335, due to a combination of the mini-humbuckers and the spruce top and tuned spruce centre block. I have not had any issues with feedback. I have Strats, a Tele and a Les Paul, all of which I love, and thing that I most like about the Hofner is that it doesn't sound like any of them, richer than the Fenders and sweeter than the Les Paul.

I have had no problems in getting an excellent low action, without buzzing, and the neck is a delightful balance between thin and slick, and meaty. The thin body makes it the most comfortable semi-acoustic I have ever played. It is a light guitar, possibly slightly neck heavy. The overall standard of workmanship and materials is excellent. It has the look and feel of a largely hand-made instrument, which it actually is, primarily made by one luthier, who signs the ID label. My only quibble is that the frets were a little rough on the edges, not finished off to the standard of the rest of the instrument.

This is a very classy instrument, and by its very nature, one that you will tend to look after and treat carefully. I will reach for the Tele to beat off the bar room drunks, rather than the Hofner. The hardware is quality German Schaller, and while I am not normally a fan of gold plated hardware, it is of high quality, and with care, should last well. Strap buttons are made for straplocks. The case is the best I have seen come with any guitar. Old school tweed material over a wood shell. The fit is absolutely precise, ensuring the guitar is held firmly within its well padded grip. I have already referred to the built in hydrometer, to control humidity (none of this silica packet nonsense), and the humidity guage. This is not a gimmick, the hydrometer and guage really do help you retain an optimum humidity level in the case.

Warranty is 12 months, but I have not had any occassion to make a warranty claim as yet.

I have been playing guitar since amplifiers ran on whale oil, and over the centuries I have acquired a very tasty collection of instruments. I was after a top-end semi-acoustic, but have always found 335's uncomfortable to play, the sound not sufficiently different to a Les Paul, and frequently, quite crudely constructed and finished. In this country (Australia) the Hofner retails at significantly more than a 335, and rightly so in terms of quality of materials, workmanship and finish. I loved the feel, comfort, sound and look of the Hofner, and was able to do a good deal on the purchase price. The more I play the Hofner, the more pleased I am with the choice I made. It doesn't have a pickguard, and I think a clear acryllic one would be desirable. This instrument will be a keeper for me, and if lost it, I would certainly try to get my hands on another one.

I picked this semi hollow guitar over the Heritage because of its neck width of 1 3/4 inches at the nut (I have fat finger tips), gorgeous looks, carved spruce top and the Kent Armstrong special design mini humbuckers which are wired to sound like single coils when the tone knob is between 8 and 10. Also the body is only 1 5/16 thick at the edge with a slight arch on the front and on the back. This makes it very light, with the neck slightly heavier than the body. The trapese type tail piece is also gorgeous. My wife said it looked like a girls guitar. I had to explain the a mans guitars are like his harem.

The sound of the pickups is fantastic. I get compliments all the time with my Frenzel amp. The mini humbuckers are not muddy like full size ones. And the single coil effect with the two tone pots is a plus though I wouldn't say it sounds like a Strat. When I got the guitar I hated the sound when both pickups were on. It sounded thin and nasally like they were out of phase. So I contacted the guys in Germany and sure enough it was. So he told me which wires to switch(I fergot) on the tone pot and it done the trick. Now I love it.

Perfect. Although I had to file down a slight burr on the tail piece.

Made in Germany, this guitar compells you to take care of it but you cal also play the hell out of it. Does not have a pick guard though. I would hate to have to drill and holes to install a clear plexiglass one. Comes with strap locks though I dont use 'em. The case it comes with is top notch.

Bought it used but the guy in Germany gave me the info I needed to fix the wiring.

Been playin since 1964 but stopped a few times to eat. Now doin the blues jams and hope to find a band of old farts like me. This is guitar #8 for me and the nicest one so far. It's perfect for the jazzy style of blues I play. Think of a cross between Duke Robillard, Little Charlie and Jimmy Thackery and you've nailed what I aspire to.

Mine is an '03 in Iced Tea Sunburst. I figure I paid a few hundred or so extra for this finish--but it is very rare on this guitar, and lovely to look at. Flame City on the back. Thinline with a spruce block. Simulated single coils with tone on 10, full mini- humbuckers when rolled back to 8. Gold plated hardware. Long-scale (25.5). If you are reading this, you probably know all about the guitar's features. Great hardshell case, by the way.

I play in a couple of different variety/wedding bands. This guitar covers all styles that I play well (50s thru 80s, country, pop, jazz) The single-coil simulation is effective, although certainly not like playing a Fender. But still useful for pop and country stuff. The humbuckers are snappy yet still capable of mellow tones. Gibson-like sounds with a tad of an edge. Roll the tone off on the neck pickup and it is very appropriate for jazzy stuff.

Mine was 3 years old when I received it. Took it in for a string change and set up(.11s) and it plays great. These guitars are essentially hand-made. The fit and finish on mine is breathtaking--really gorgeous.

This guitar is so pretty and impressive to look at, you will naturally be careful and baby it when on a gig or any time you have it out of it's case. Still, I have no reason to think that it won't withstand the typical rigors of live playing as I know them. Gold Scahller straploks give added security. Certainly giggable without a back-up. Absolutely. Also, I take care of my gear.

Warranty is gone, I assume. Not a concern. Have emailed Hofner in the states (north of Chicago) and received helpful responses each time. Also, a Google search shows plenty of high-end or specialty guitar stores that carry Hofner products. I am not concerned about this piece of the puzzle.

Have been playing almost 38 years. Own an American Tele with Fralin pickups, a Ricky 660/12, 2 reissue Voxes, and a couple of vintage Voxes. I was looking for a nice semi, and struck by the classiness and uniqueness of the Hofner--as well as by the scale, which I like alot. I bought it over the net without being able to play it----and couldn't be happier. These things show up on Ebay at prices vastly lower than their list--or than their real worth (I think). It is a keeper.

22 fret shallow double cutaway semi hollow (with spruce block). Laminated spruce top,maple body, maple neck and bound ebony fretboard. Jumbo frets. 2 mini humbuckers, tone control has single coil emulation. Gold plated hardware and very thin body. Tweed case. Looks a little unusual but exudes class. Could probably use a pickguard.

I am using this guitar primarily for jazz. There is a good hollow body thump to single notes which is more pronounced than other semi hollow guitars. Even the high E string has some weight to it and is not thin sounding like other semi hollows. With the tone control wide open the guitar is in single coil mode - a unique useful sound but maybe a tad 'out of phase' sounding particularly with the volume rolled back. In humbucker mode the guitar takes on a more traditional jazz sound.In all modes there is a nice attack or 'pop' to single notes which reminds me of George Benson. This is my first guitar with mini humbuckers and I assume this quality is due to this pickup type. There are a lot of shades of high quality sounds here. My only complaint is a slight nasal quality with the volume rolled back when playing chords, not quite as even sounding as a full sized humbucker. But overall the character of the sound is much more positive than negative. Also of note it sounds very interesting and alive with overdrive.

The long scale makes the neck feel roomy and comfortable although it is maybe a tad too thick.I bought this guitar second hand so I can't comment on the factory setup. This guitar however has some issues. First there is some fret buzz. I have adjusted the truss rod and raised the action as high as I am willing to but there is still a little buzz on certain notes. The frets are big and not poorly finished but do not appear to be polished any better than guitars costing less than this. There are 3 long thin cracks which run for several inches on the top of the guitar - disconcerting but evidently cosmetic only. There is also some clouding or hazing of the finish which will not buff out on the top of the guitar and would indicate some sort of factory flaw in the finish or application of. There are some tiny imperfections in the binding which are acceptable to me and would indicate a guitar built possibly mostly by hand.

I don't anticipate any problems

Instrument was purchased used

I have been playing a long time and have been studying jazz guitar seriously the past few years. This guitar has a unique combination of versatility, light weight and character. There is nothing quite like it although it is somewhat comparable to a 335, but how many 335's have an ebony board, mini humbuckers and single coil circuitry?. For guys concerned with feedback, bulk or for whatever reason don't want a full sized archtop jazz guitar and have jazz leanings I can't think of a better choice than this guitar. For me this guitar is not flawless but has a lot of character which I have not found in less expensive instruments and is very inspirational.

I wanted a semi in the ES-335 vein but saw one of these at a guitar show and fell in love with it looks and light weight. Superb flamed maple bookmatched back, carved maple top, ebony fingerboard, nice block markers and the distinctive Hofner headstock, plus gold finish hardware.Flash but restrained. The supplied hard shell case includes a hygrometer - probably irrelevant in the UK but maybe a necessity in Oman? I bought this from Macaris in London, and as usual, no book, no truss rod adjusting tool, nothing on how to get the best from the guitar. UK distributors not particularly easy to contact either. After 2 weeks serious neck bow, fixed by Macaris, but I feel that neck is a bit unstable somehow.

I play in band covering 60's to 90's danceable stuff and occasionally foray into the jazz/rock area. The Veryhthin is an extremely versatile guitar which excels at clean sweet sounds, but set on the bridge pickup through a Fender valve amp has a really distinctive growl, quite unlike a Gibson or the Tele which is my other regular guitar.It does require a fair amount of treble boost to give it the cut through the mix, but is able to cover pretty much our whole repertoire in convincing fashion. Watch the feedback on high gain settings though - unless you are seeking that Neil Young feel of course.

This is my main beef. I feel that the action is really hard to get right. In the shop the guitar felt great, but it just seems to be very susceptible to temperature changes. Played unplugged there is a buzz from the G string and the trapeze bridge which must affect the sound when amplified. I feel that the nut is part of the problem, and will probably try to find a luthier to sort it out, because the guitar is worth it - it's really distinctive. However, compared to a PRS McCarty I've played, Hofner have some way to go!. So, make sure you play the guitar for a good time before buying.

The guitar is a pleasure to play despite my reservations about the action etc. The lightweight is a bonus in a gig (certainly compared to a Tele). It's a little neck heavy, so choice of strap may be important. Attracts a lot of attention from guitarists 40+, and probably much unspoken derison from those under 40.

Hofner is part of the Euro-based Music Group,and both the Hofner website and the UK distributor are pretty sketchy with detailedm technical support. Warranty is one year, I think (lack of printed info again!)

I've had it now for 18 months and won't get rid of if. I've had to spend time and effort on my Tele to get it 100% right, and the Hofner will need some attention too, but the broad palette of sounds and really distinctive look makes it unique. I'd probably look at an ES-335 if lost or stolen, but might succumb again.

2003 verythin, improved reissue of the old sixties verithin. Pickups are designed by Kent Armstrong and Hofner. Mine is the second edition, with the art nouveau inlay on the headstock and plastic orange knobs. I have only seen them in natural finish, like mine, but the first edition also had black and sunburst finishes. Schaller hardware. (It's a German guitar)
It has the tone contour thing which enables the player to switch between humbucker mode and noiseless single coil mode by turning the tone-control.
At first sight this is just another 'creative' ES335 copy, but a closer look reveals some very individual features.
In the case is a little hygrometer and moisture regulator. I don't know how these things work and how they help preserving my guitar for future generations but these are certainly nice additions.

This is, IMO, a tone-guitar. Its tone is sweet. It is hard to write about tone, but the guitar can produce a lot of different tones which are all 'sweet'. (does anyone understand this?) Not really a ES335 sound, nor a ES175 sound, maybe a little bit Tele-like. Maybe it is a sweetened (there is that word again) ES335 sound.
It is definately a matter of taste but this guitar is probably the opposite of the Scofield Ibanez.

The guitar is very beautiful in an individual way. A little art nouveau. In general it was well built, but I had some minor complaits, like spilled glue inside. The neck is thick (Hofner style) and asymetrical. No adjustments there.
I only lowered the strings. (until now)

I don't know about the neck joint. It might be fine but its fragile look does not really inspire my confidence.
I think I could use it on a gig without backup.

Never dealt with them. Is it Boosey Hawkes or Musicianswhatever?

I like it better than the 'real' ES335. To my opinion these are overrated and lack personality. The Verythin tone is subject to taste. Prepare to be gazed at when you play it in front of a guitarconscious crowd.

This is a new Hofner Verythin, which has been updated (and significantly improved) in many ways from the original Verithin from the '60s. The guitar is a little different from most other things out there. A semi-hollow loosely in the ES-335 school, but the top is spruce, back and neck maple, the pickups are tapped Kent Armstrong designs, the neck carve is asymmetrical and the shape is unique (and very thin, as advertised). Floating metal tailpiece, fixed tune-o-matic style bridge.

The tone controls are unusual. When on 10, the pickups are in tapped "singlecoil" mode, though there is some anti-hum in the circuit and they are very quiet. Roll back to 8 or so and they go into full humbucker mode, with a smooth treble rolloff as you back off further from 0-7.

The asymmetrical neck carve is very comfortable, slightly slimmer on the treble side, slightly fuller on the bass. It's subtle, -- if no one told you, you probably wouldn't notice.

The guitar works well for jazz/pop players, but also works in a blues or even rock context. The neck pickup in the single coil setting is terrific. Warm and full, but with a beautiful sparkle on the high end -- a great, poppy George Benson-ish sound, and surprisingly woody/airy considering how thin the guitar is. The humbucker setting is more like a traditional Gibson 335 sound and darkens up nicely with a little rolloff. The bridge pickup has a bit of almost Rickenbacker-like jangle to it and, while not a tone that pure jazzers would need, it adds a second voice that would be very useful to someone playing in a pop or rock vein. Very versatile.

Build quality is generally very high, the finish surface and the inlays in particular being very well done. The choice of woods is excellent -- nicely silked spruce on top, very flamey maple on back.

Gripes: Not many. The fret ends are a little rough, could use a dressing. The guitar is a tiny bit neck heavy, but not bad in this regard, nothing you have to fight.

The guitar came set up with fairly light strings and I'm going to try a heavier guage when it's time to change. But meanwhile it's fun flying around with the light guage, and it still sounds damn good.

It's new, so no long term experience, but appears to be very well constructed.

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Been playing for over 30 years, a mix of various styles, and have owned many guitars. This is definitely one of the cooler ones out there for those who can appreciate something a little different. Very versatile, and should be of interest especially to jazz and pop players who don't need or want to bring a full-size archtop around to gigs. Wide variety of sounds available, feels great. Plus, it's very pretty and certainly doesn't look like everything else out there.