Now Hofner files for bankruptcy.

[stobro]

https://guitar.com/news/industry-news/hofner-files-for-bankruptcy/

[specialk]

Droppin' like flies… 

[Steve Haynie]

Hofner is known for one particular instrument, not a range of instruments even though they have tried making different basses and guitars.  They got a good run out of that violin shaped bass.  Can you name anything else they have done?

[cmatthes]

They did that other bass…no wait…

[RobB]

2 hours ago, Steve Haynie said:

Can you name anything else they have done?

The Verythin semi-hollow.

They ghost-built bodies for Carvin in the 90'-2000s.

That's all I can think of. Bear in mind, though, that Hofner has been essentially a European vendor. Many thousands of young Brit/European bands used Hofner gear, including their guitars. Look for early-60's British Invasion band photos and you see a lot Hofner instruments.

Edited December 18, 2025 by RobB

[soli'd]

I've always sorta mixed up Hofner and Hohner, like I use to with Hamer and Kramer before I started hanging out here.  

To wit: I was about to suggest Prince's tele as another Hofner offering...

[G Man]

I had a Hofner Club bass for a while, it was a fun little instrument with a great tone, and nice a light.  Was great for dub and could get an almost upright tone with flats and the right rig.  It will be a shame to see them go, but understandable.

[crunchee]

Tina Weymouth (Talking Heads, Tom Tom Club) has used a Hofner Club bass off and on for years:

Shop | Höfner

 

Edited December 18, 2025 by crunchee

[tbonesullivan]

Jeez, I was just curious to see what their actual product line was and their website now literally redirects to the article about going bankrupt on guitar.com.

Most of my knowledge about Höfner actually comes from their association with Carvin Musical Instruments in the 1970s and early 1980s, when they made necks, bodies, and semi-hollow bodies for Carvin, who finished and assembled them stateside. I think they rode the McCartney connection for so long that they forgot how to do anything else.

Did they ever make a long scale violin bass, or something more appealing to non-Beatles fans?

[crunchee]

I tagged this above at the bottom of my post.  It's still there:

 Shop | Höfner

[crunchee]

P.S.:  Guess who else is feeling sad about Hofner going bankrupt?

Paul McCartney 'very sad' to see bass guitar maker go bust

[Kerry Marchman]

They actually made some cool guitars way back when. I hate to see anyone go out of business, unless they are retiring to go live on the beach..

[ARM OF HAMER]

                                                     If Paul McCartney had never played a Hofner bass they would have hit the skids years ago.........................Hofner, isn't that the guy that used to be the head of the TEAMSTERS and went missing?

[stobro]

Hofner also made orchestral string instruments (violins, cellos, double basses), but apparently not enough of any of them to keeps the lights on.

[tbonesullivan]

16 hours ago, crunchee said:

Tina Weymouth (Talking Heads, Tom Tom Club) has used a Hofner Club bass off and on for years:

I will say, Tina got a freakin awesome sound out of that bass. Perfect for that song. Sadly short scale basses are often completely overlooked, even though there were some really nice designs. Marketing fail for Hofner I guess, but then again it's hard to fight the Fender Bass Supremacy Syndrome