Hofner President Blonde Thinline Guitar - Toaster Diamond Pickups - Sturdy Martin Hard Case - 1961

I am selling my Hofner President semi-hollow guitar, made in Bavaria between 1960 and 1961.

It’s all original except for a replaced pickup ring and in very good condition. Included is a classic Martin hardshell plastic case that has taken a few hits but will thoroughly protect the guitar.

Things of note about his guitar:

It has a loud bright acoustic sound. The neck pickup is full and bright sounding and, from my experience, is not quite as loud as a Dearmond 40 but louder and not muddy sounding like the Kay Kleenex box pickups.  The bridge pickup is low in volume and has a very trebly, almost tinny sound. It is usable but can easily be overwhelmed by the loud neck pickup. Both pickups read 7.4 on the meter.

The neck is straight without pronounced bow or hump and the frets are clean and smooth. The pickup heights, because they have springs on the bottom, prevent the strings from being lowered to an optimal height. I replaced the bridge pickup ring with one that sits slightly lower, but the ring is still a bit high so I have lowered the pickup into it (Little screws on the side push into the pickup body to allow this). All notes play up and down the fretboard and are pretty comfortable, but if I were to keep this guitar I would experiment with removing the spring in the neck pickup to bring it lower and finding an even lower ring for the bridge pickup.

Hofner manufactured and sold the President line of guitars from 1952 until 1973. From what I can tell there were "Blonde" and "Brunette" versions of the wood - this is the Blonde finish. These thinline guitars were their middle of the range instruments and were very well made. The two "Toaster" pickups, the rectangular shaped control consul (with two volume controls and three tone controls), beautiful vine/flower headstock inlay using mother of pearl, and three dot markers on the fretboard date this guitar from 1960/1961. Prior to this there were black bar pickups and immediately following they used the staple mini-humbuckers.

Here is some more information about this model:

• Laminated spruce body top, and flamed maple back and sides
• Lower Bout Width: 16.25 inches 
• Length about 41 inches, Depth 2 inches, Nut width 1.75 inches
• Plain white binding, with multiple black/white purfling around the body. 
• Five piece slightly flamed maple/mahogany laminated neck. 
• Eight fret markers on fingerboard. 
• Truss rod fitted to neck ( I have done a bit of adjusting and there could be more to work with)
• Rosewood fingerboard. 
• "Compensator" style tailpiece. 
• Two piece compensated saddle bridge with vertical adjustment.
• Rectangular control panel with two tulip volume knobs and three tone switches.
• Two "Toaster" pickups, as found on the 1960-61 models. I believe they are single coil.

Ships with the hardshell Martin case as pictured, which has some cracks that have been taped but is solid and the latches work.

I’ve described this 65 year old guitar as best as I can with words and images, if you have any questions be sure to ask me before you buy.

Will pack professionally and ship quickly.