An Exceptionally Fine 1960 Hofner Club 50

1960 Hofner Club 50 (Model 126 semi-acoustic) [Selmer]

This rare 'Natural' Club 50 weighs just 4.30 lbs and has a 13 inch wide, 2 1/8 inch thick, semi-hollow, lightly arched (top and back) single-cutaway body. Two-piece natural spruce top with a two-piece book-matched flamed maple back. The sides of the body are lightly flamed maple and triple-bound bound in black. Original tortoiseshell heel-cap and professionally added strap buttons. Three-piece (maple-beech-maple) neck with a scale length of 24 1/4 inches, a nut width of just under 1 5/8 inches and a medium to thick profile. On the back of the headstock, stamped in blind is the serial number "1653". 'Slab' rosewood fretboard with 'triple-layer' nut, 'zero' fret and 22 original medium frets with inlaid 'graduated' pearl dot position markers. Ebony capped headstock with "Hofner Distributed by Selmer London, Foreign" and treble and bass clef in gold-leaf. Open-back strip tuners with white oval bone buttons. Two 'Type 2 Hofner Toaster' pickups with 'Diamond' logo's and outputs of 7.62k and 7.60k. Original tortoiseshell pickguard, edged in white and secured by one pin into the side of the neck, another into the bridge and a metal bracket attached to the treble-side of the body. Two volume controls plus three selector 'slide' switches, all on rectangular tortoiseshell panel (edged in white) on treble bout. Original Hofner 'teacup' control knobs with securing grub screws. Hofner ebony bridge on ebony base with six individually adjustable  saddles (actually lengths of fretwire). Hofner 'trapeze' tailpiece. This rare little guitar is in exceptionally fine (9.00) condition with just some finish checking on the body and a few small and insignificant surface marks on the spruce top. The playability is quite outstanding. Housed in the rare original Hofner five-latch, shaped black hardshell case with brown 'poodle' plush lining (8.75).

"The Club series of guitars are probably those most considered to be the Hofners that helped the early British rock heroes in their early careers. Photographs abound of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Dave Gilmour, Justin Haywood, etc. clutching a Hofner Club in their youth. The Club was considered by most young guitarists in the late 50s to be the "business", until they were weaned away by such modern developments as the Futurama III or, if really lucky, an American guitar! There were three Club models to choose from in those days; the Club 40 with one pickup and modest timbers and ornamentation and the The Club 50 was its two pickup equivalent, and there was the 'super deluxe' Club 60. Despite a resemblance, in shape and size, to the Gibson Les Paul, the Clubs were of hollow construction using laminated timbers, and hence considerably lighter than the Les Paul. The tops were finished with spruce and back/sides flame maple book-matched backs. The usual Hofner blonde (natural) and brunette (sunburst) finishes were offered on all Club versions. The neck on the Club 50 is of three-part construction, maple/beech/maple, capped off with a 'slab' rosewood fingerboard. The Clubs were much played in British rock bands during the late 1950's and early 1960's. (Source: The Vintage Hofner website).