Product: Hofner Verythin
Price Paid: GBP 300
Submitted
01/08/2009
at
11:32am
by
Jeff Kinnell
Email: gjones1810 at aol<dot>com
Features
:
8
Manufactured in China in 2008.
22 Frets.
Solid top I believe, albeit not 100% sure
2 volume and 2 tone controls with 3 way selector switch.
Fitted with Hofner Humbucker pick ups, with Passive control.
Mahogany with Rosewood fret board. Body in Cherry Gloss Finish. (also available in Gloss Black and Sunburst).
Double cutaway body with 4 m/m thickness.(Brilliant)
Sound
:
10
This is such a versatile guitar offering quality sounds for Jazz, Country, Rock and Blues. I also use it for fast instrumental work, and use as second guitar to my Fender Strat Deluxe.
I use the guitar through an old Marshall pre-amp and DI into a Proel Tour 3000 watt PA System. The sound is unbelievable. With the pre-amp and the Hofner Verythin guitar controls, I can model most guitar sounds.
This guitar plays as good as my Gibson 335 and at a fifth of the price. Albeit I'm not knocking my Gibson, which is now increasing in value. I wounder if the Hofner Verythin will increase in value over the coming years.
I used to own a Hofner Verytnin in the early 70's and loved it then, however it did not have a truss rod, whilst the new Verythin does. A great improvement.
Action, Fit, & Finish
:
8
I, spent almost 2 weeks on the guitar when I first bought it, tweaking the truss, honing the frets, lowering the action and tuning the intonation . It was time well spent as the factory settings were, to be fair, reasonable to good. The guitar settings are now brilliant, and equal my 335. The pick up heights needed to be lifted slightly, but the guitar is now perfect, easily rated at 10. It is my favorite guitar at the moment, and I do have some impressive guitars to chose from.
Reliability/Durability
:
9
When I heard Hofner had re-released the Verythin, I could not wait to get my hands on one, and whilst wary of the China build, I must say, having done the above settings, this really is a special guitar. Bearing that in mind, it does not really matter how good the machine heads are, how good the volume and tone pots are, the instrument is in its self so good it warrants a bit of money spending on top quality fittings. Whilst there is no need to change anything at the moment, no doubts in the future I will be changing one or two things, such as machine heads, humbuckers ect.
As a Pro Guitarist, I've already taken this guitar out on the road, and the number of guys asking about it has really surprised me. Hofner have a winner here. Obviously a lot of the younger kids had never heard of the Hofner Verythin, and back in the 60's and 70's it was considered the cheap mans Gibson 335. I did not agree with that comment then, and still don't today. If you get the chance to try one, please do, I'm sure you will be surprised.
Customer Support
:
10
The guitar is still new so I've had no reason to contact the manufacturer for warranty issues, nevertheless, Hofner is a well and long standing supplier of musical instruments and I have spoken to them in the past, so would not expect any problems in the future.
Overall Rating
:
10
As a Pro Guitarist with over 40 years experience, I am delighted with the new Hofner Verythin, its not often I go over board with new equipment but this one has re-kindled some great memories. I have many guitars such as, Gretsch White Falcon, (Man's Guitar), Fenders Strat $ Tele, Gibson 335, Yamaha SA500, Gibson Les Paul, plus and old 60's Vox single coil.
