Hohner HG-320

I don't know the exact year, because I bought it used in 2004 for $600.00, but the label states "Handmade for Hohner", "Made in japan" and "Limited Edition". It has 20 frets, with the 14th meeting the body. Solid "Bearclaw" Spruce top, with solid Rosewood sides and and three piece back. Lots of Abalone trim with Hexagonal inlays on the neck. The neck is mahogany, and the peghead overlay is rosewood. The head is bound with w/b/w binding, as is the neck. There are no cracks visible to the eye.
It is a typical dreadnought style, much like a Martin. It is a little lighter than my Martin HD-28B. The tuners have no markings on them, but they work fine and look original. I bought the guitar on eBay. Since it was close to my home, I traveled to the owner and paid cash after inspecting and playing it.
WOW. I have had several professional guitarist marvel over this guitar. It plays extremely well. The action is unbelieveable, and it sounds wonderfull. The serial number is #7021707, which makes is early 70's. I doubt that I will part with it. It plays to well. It came with a hardshell case which looks original also.
I spoke with George Gruhn about this guitar but he did not have much information available at the time. I saved his emails and plan on checking back with him in a few years. I have a feeling more of these guitars will surface when people find out how nice they are.

I would classify the sound as low and loud. Perfect for Bluegrass, which is my preferred style of playing. There are no electronics on the guitar.

The action on this guitar is very very nice. Wonderfull to play.

As far as reliability goes, it's over 30 years old and going strong. I think it speaks for itself.

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This purchase was more of a collectibilty purchase, and not for a main guitar to play. However, I find myself using it more and more because of the way it plays. I have been playing for over 40 years and this is one of the best players I have ever played.

I bought this 1978 HG 320 a couple of weeks ago and have not put it down since. Comparing this guitar to my 1972 Martin D28, I find that they are almost exactly the same as far as weight and balance, which would indicate similar construction materials; solid rosewood back and sides and a solid spruce top. Even the faux arrow joint where the neck meets the headstock are nearly identical (the Martin's is longer and more pronounced). This Hohner has had the nut and saddle replaced with real bone, tuners are Shaller mini's, and a bridge pickup has been installed. Bridge pins appear original. The 320 is very square-shouldered compared to the D28; it is about one inch wider in the treble bout; height and depth appear to be exactly the same.

I'm using some cheap light gauge strings on the 320 right now. I bought them to set it up and it sounded so good I just left them on there. Can't wait to see what it sounds like with some decent strings. My D28 has a nice midrange sound with a punchy bass, unlike the HG, which has more of a treble tone. Not really a fair comparison, considering I have Elixer mediums on the Martin. The wider treble bout and lighter strings naturally give the Hohner a more piercing tone. Both guitars have about the same volume, rattling my snare drum equally. One thing I find amusing is the quirky b-string issue these guitars seem to have. Like the other HG 320's reviewed, this one also has a hot b-string sound. No intonation problem, just a quirk of this model.

This particular HG320 has gorgeous abalone inlay pattern and a translucent white binding, giving it a beautiful green/blue glow in the sunlight. I've never seen a guitar with a more open grained spruce top. The finish is thick and glossy. Absolutely no excess glue inside the body cavity. Neck is straight, action is perfect. Plenty of saddle left. The only complaint I would have in this area is that too much epoxy was used on one of the fretboard inlays, leaving a small nipple that you can feel with your finger while you're playing. Just something that needs to be smoothed off a bit.

All four of the HG Hohners I own are built like tanks. They seem to have really solid neck joints. The only problem I've noticed is with the bridge. In the days before digital tuners it would be easy to string your guitar too tightly. And living in the northeast with all its weather changes doesn't help. Whether it is a weakness or not, since I've never owned an HG new, two of the HG's I've owned have had bridge problems. Although the bridge has slightly lifted on this HG 320, it seems very stable and always stays in tune.

I started playing when I was 13- that's 32 years! Always played and collected just for my own enjoyment; never got into it for money. I've got a 1972 Martin D28 and a 1962 Martin F55; a ratty old G&L Legacy which I love to death, and a Fender tele, along with assorted banjos, an old Alvarez mando and everthing else you can imagine you would need to equip a small jam studio. I really can't seem to get enough of the quality and value of the Hohner HG acoustics.

I aquired my Hohner HG-320 (ser# 7005907) new in 1973 from my good friend Dan Upsdell's music shop in Stoney Creek Ontario. I believe it was retail priced to sell at around $800.00 CDN. at the time, but I traded an old weatherbeaten, warped and cracked 1953 0018 Martin for it that had been rained on and battered on a few cross country hitch hiking adventures. (I got the better part of that bargain...believe it or not!)
As in the other reviews,there is a wooden sticker beside the paper label that reads " hand made for Hohner " and the label reads in fine print at the lower right corner "made in Japan".
As a side note, I accompanied Dan Upsdell to the Musical Instrument and Accesories show and convention that was taking place in the late spring of 1973 in Toronto, where we bargained with various sellers for his season's new stock purchases, including the aforementioned Hohner HG320. I loved the tone and playability of the guitar and recommended the product to be carried in his store. I remember that the supplier mentioned that the factory where the Hohner was made was the old "CBS Masterworks",factory that was bought up a few years later by Fender to manufacture the old 'F' series line of guitars.He said that the line was entirely handmade by their most seasoned and skilled craftsmen. It sure looked the part and the sound then was up to par with the best Dreadnaughts from Martin, Fender or Gibson of that time, but at a much lower cost!
As mentioned, the top is solid spruce without figuring in it, and the sides are of solid rosewood, as is the 3 piece back with double rope style 4 color wood and abalone perfling.The neck and headstock are of mahogany and there is very inticate and detailed perfling in black, white, and abalone.The name Hohner is inlaid in abalone in the head stock. It has 24 frets total,(14 to the body) mahogany fretboard that is inlaid with 1 hexagonal and 7 elongated hexagonal abalone inlays for a total of 8. The nuts and saddle appear to be ivory, but I could be mistaken there, but there is some striation there that could indicate growth rings which would be the case with tusk ivory! The bridge is mohogany wood and the pegs are inlaid with abalone dots.

I have owned this guitar from new (that would be 32 years as of this writing) and the sound today is better than it has ever been. I play it almost daily in a fingerpicking style.It has mellowed with age and the wood has taken on a wonderful patina, and the sound is rich and full. It has never needed any adjustments in all the years I've had it, although there are a few marks on the top from the inevitable accidents and bumps that come with age and experience (not to mention parties).The intonation has been spot on for the medium or medium light strings I prefer ( .013 .017 .026 .035 .045 .056 )and the notes sustain for just about forever.There isnt a single buzzz that has developed and the frets are wearing extremely well. The sound is as good if not better than instruments that cost several thousands of dollars today, and come close to the quality found in some luthier's lineup.

The first thing I did was change the factory strings and have stayed with the better brands from day one(currently 'Elixer' medium).The finish was flawless when new and still is...no hazing, or cracking at all. The action is good for a big guitar and as I said, the intonation is right on.

What can I say...after 32 years of regular playing, it just gets better and better. No complaints about this baby! Nothing's gone wrong, and it has never let me down.

Never needed any support! I don't remember any warranty, but it hasn't needed anything but stings and polish!

I have been playing (not pro) for 39 years. I have own and have owned Martin, Fender, Beltone, Norman, acoustic 6 and 12 string guitars as well as a vintage '53 Les Paul Jr.,and a '72Gibson SG.
I would pick up another one without hesitation if the opportunity came along. This has turned out to be the best value I've ever had from a relatively unknown guitar.I plan to pass it on to my grandson who is now just learning at age 10! I'm sure it will outlast him too, and perhaps some day future collectors will find the amazing value there that I have found. I don't know whose hands crafted mine, but if I could meet that person, I would love to compliment and thank him ( or her :)

I think it was made in 76 or 77. I bought it in 77. Like the others, the sticker inside the soundhole says "Handmade for Hohner" and "made in Japan. This is a 20 fret Solid Spruce Top, Solid rosewood back and sides, there is no doubt about that. The guitar came without a pickup but I had a Fishman Piezo (active) put in it about 7 years ago. Pickup is non-invasive in that the only mod was boring out the strap-peg hole a bit to put in a strap-peg plug. The finish is glossy and the body was made to look like a Martin D-28 the best I can tell. Frets are probably medium to medium jumbo (just guessing)
The tuners are getting a bit stiff in their old age but it still holds tune perfectly. I may upgrade to Sperzels before too long.

This guitar has alway had a very loud rich sound. I continually get comments about it's awesome sound. I've never owned any other acoustic guitars but I've play Martin D-28's, all kinds of Taylors, Breedloves, Tacomas, and everything in between. I can honestly say that none of these guitars have sounded better than my Hohner. A few have sounded as good, and a Taylor or two did this while playing a bit easier. So I wouldn't mind havning a Taylor, however I'm in no hurry as long as this baby holds up and there's no sign of failure in sight.

I don't really remember the factory setup, that was about 28 years ago. I've done a resetup or two since then and it plays great today. Good action, little or no fret buzz. The top is bookmathed very nice, bridge is great and there were no flaws when I purchased it. I did have the same intonation problem that another reviewer had with the B string, sounded good when playing a G but not a D. I put a compensated saddle on it and now it intonates perfectly.

I've played this guitar regularly for 28 years. Like I said, I've never owned another acoustic guitar. I've played it as a teen and took it everywhere with me. The last 8 years It's been used several times a week playing on a church worship team. The finish is still holding up well, the top has mellowed slightly in color, and the wood has resonated nicely over the years. This guitar has only been refretted once by a pro Luthier. I totaly rely on it and never have a backup. Although I probably should just in case of string breakage (which is very rare)

Never used it, didn't know I had any.

I've been playing for 30 years and own 4 other electric guitars. Fender Strats, a Tele and a Les Paul copy.
If it we're stolen or lost, I'd cry and go buy a Taylor or Breedlove or Martin D-28 or something I've have to mortgage my house on to buy.
I love the sound the best, the looks second, I like the tuners the least (cuz there getting old). When I bought this guitar I was 17 years old, I bought it because a friend of my sisters worked at the music store I bought it from. I trusted him and didn't try out or even look at anything else. He told me it was a great guitar and it is. The only dissapointing thing about this guitar is that I can't buy anything else that will sound or play better unless I spend about $2,000.00 or so. So it looks like I'll be playing this guitar as my main acoustic ax for some time to come!

I bought mine in 1977, when I was in University, it was my first solid wood guitar. I am a banjo player and all my budies were buying Martins, so I bought this cheaper one ( about 700 can) as my second instrument. It turned out to be a real gem. Looks like a Martin D 41 It has a solid spruce top and solid rosewood back and sides. It says custom hand made for Hohner on a sticker on the inside. As I understand it they had a few hand made with Martin Style headstock. Craftman ship is excellent, mine had a bit if extra glue just on the inside of the soundhole that I had to cut/sand off, and after I did that it opened up well. It has been a real rock solid guitar over the years, and now one of my sons is playing it.

Excellent, very similar to a D 28 Martin, just a bit less base.

Action is excellent

Very Reliable

Never needed any

I own two Martins, and just recently bought a Blueridge. Been playing for close to 40 years now.

I bought this guitar new in 1977 or 78. Memories like a siv ! When I bought it there were two side by side. The one I didn't buy sounded very high end, no bass response at all while mine sounded very warm and Martinish. Honest. And at $475 (Canadian) compared to the thousand bucks D-28s were going for at the time the chioce was easy. Like the otheres mentioned it was "hand made in Japan". Up til now I haven't been able to find anything on the internet on this fine guitar.In terms of the finish the only fading I have was the result of OFF bug repellant on my hands in my younger drunken camping days. The top has aged nicely to a golden colour.

As earlier stated the sound was very warm and evenly responsive and remains so to this day. I have had many Martin/Guild owners comment on the fine sound. I play different styles ranging from folk a la John Prine to old blues in open tunings with a slide to Eagles, Skynyrd etc. This guitar handles all no problem.

The factory setup left a little to be desired. (It still baffles me that makers ship guitars with strings that seem like they took them off a pre-war Martin, never having been changed). After a minor setup the only thing that remains a slight aggravation is the intonation of the B string. It is right on if playing a song in G but out if playing a song in D, or vise versa. A slight turn of the peg fixes that in a hurry tho.

This guitar has been used and abused for 25 years or so now and has never let me down. It has been played indoors under stage lighting, outdoors on damp night by campfires, banged about by airline baggage handlers, (most of whom I believe are retired WWF wrestlers, not exactly known for their gentle handling of things marked FRAGILE). If the first 25 years are any indication it should be enjoyed by my son years after I am gone.

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I've been playing since 1972. Gigging in bars since '75. I also own a Yamaha 6 string, Yamaha classical (actually my wifes),a '55 tele, a '71 Strat, a 25/50 anniversary Les Paul, a Takamine 12 string, an early 60's Silvertone electric, a cheap Profile electric with a really bad neck that I use for slide.

Dreadnaught. Solid spruce top with nice looking grain. Pretty sure the back and sides are laminated, not solid as the previous reviewer said. Lots of inlay work, not the best inlay you'll ever see, but pretty. Thick glossy coating, typical of Japanese imports of the era. Medium neck, uncompensated bridge, chrome tuners.

Poor. Not much bass response. Muddy, especially when it's strummed hard.

Bought it used, so I don't know how it was new. Bookmatching on top was OK. Hasn't held up particularly well over the years. The finish has clouded, especially on the back. The neck has a kink where it meets the body, so it may need a neck reset.

Tuners don't work very well any more. I don't plan to test the durability, I plan to get rid of it.

The seller claimed it was solid rosewood sides and back, which implied a certain level of quality. Instead, I got a fairly cheap 70's Japanese Martin copy with poor sound and pretty inlays. Lesson learned.

20 fret D-41 sytle dreadnought. I have no idea what year it was built but I'm assuming sometime in the eightys. The label says it was handmade in Japan in a limited edition. All solid wood so far as I can see. Rosewood back and sides, with a bookmatched and slightly bearclawed spruce top. High gloss finish. Shaller style tuners that hold it greatly in tune. Medium width neck feels great. I had a Fishman Acoustic Matrix installed last year. Amazingly beautiful instrument.

Tone, and tons of it. A great Martin-esque sound, clear and balanced with lots of volume. A little extra high end, espeically for a rosewood guitar, without sacrificing bass response. Full and alive sound that works ver well for solo gigs or with my churches worship band. Great for folky/jammy/acoustic music I'm involved with. Friends of mine who own or formerly played martins, taylor, gibsons, etc are amaze by THIS hohners tone. The fishman pickup produces a great, full, rounded tone through my behringer mixer and roland kc500 keyboard amp, which we're currently using as a mini P.A. system for acoustic guitar, keyboards and vocals with great results. Overall amazing tone, unplugged or amplified.

I came into this guitar used. It was my grandfather's, and my uncle got it used for him about a decade ago. Therefore I have no idea how it was set up at the factory, yet I have had it set up at Stutzman's in Rochester, NY; and Union Music in Worcester, MA based on where I was living at the time. Union Music installed the pickup last year, and Dave is the only tech in MA I'll trust with my instruments.

This guitars at least 15/20 years old, and still performs for me daily at home and every weekend out and about. I have no choice but to gig w/o a backup, but I wouldn't bring another guitar along even if I could. In the last 5 years this guitar has never let me down.

No idea.

Overall this is a great acoustic. I've played nearly every martin and guild (my two favorite acoustic brands) and i always go home to my hohner. While I'd love a martin d-28 or guild F47-RCE, i cannot justify the cost when i have such a great guitar at home. I've been playing for about 7 years, and more or less learned on this guitar. My other guitar is a 1966 Guild Starfire III and an 1967 Ampeg Gemini I amplifier. The guild and ampeg make a great combination, but I always end up coming back to the natural sound of acoustic guitar. I have no official info on this guitar, but if you come across one, at least give it a chance, it will blow you away.