Hofner Bass Serial Number Location: Everything You Need to Know

The following registers were compiled between 2006 and 2019. The intention was to ask Hofner owners to fill in a registration form which provided me with detailed information about their guitar, in order that I could use that information in order to fully understand the development progression of certain important Hofner models. The models chosen for this treatment were mainly the Selmer-distributed models, which were comparatively easy to date because of Selmer's insistence on regimental serial number systems for Hofner-supplied guitars. The only non-Selmer models also registered were the 500/1 bass guitar, the 125,126,127, & 128 Club-style guitars, and the 160,161,162,163, & 164 budget-level solid guitar range. I felt at the time that, for various reasons, I had confidence that I would be able to accurately date those non-Selmer models despite them not generally having serial numbers.

Photos from 2009 of a Hofner Club guitar, serial number 1649, which I believe dates it to 1961. The guitar obviously needed restoration but was in good condition overall at the time the photos were taken. The photos were taken in Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire, England when the guitar was owned by the composer Ian Hawkridge.

hofner bass serial number location

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Knilling is the bowed string instrument division of St. Louis Music, which imports instruments from many different factories and workshops from around the world. Knilling instruments are often found in music stores and rental programs, but do tend to be good instruments. Most of the student-level instruments did have serial numbers on the label to make it easy for companies that rent them to keep track of the violin, but the labels were not dated.

The exact serial number in your violin is pretty much meaningless as far as a production date, because those labels were applied inside the violins after they were imported--often left to the dealer to insert (or not). What is more important in identifying your violin is the model number. The most common models at that time were the German-made #8 and #10 models, which were used extensively in rental programs. Back in the 1980's and '90's, most of the #8 Knilling violins came from the Klier factory, while the #10 violins originated in the Hofner factory. Even though your label states "handmade," it is most likely a factory-produced instrument. If you can post a picture, I might be able to tell you what you've got. Generally speaking, the #8 models were a dark reddish-brown color with spirit varnish that tended to chip and scratch easily--but properly set-up, they sounded pretty decent. The #10 models were more of an orange color with a bullet-proof poly-ureathane finish, and a mediocre sound (because they were made heavy and then encased in a thick, plastic finish).

This Hofner Committee Bass Guitar is in very good cosmetic condition and excellent functional condition, and sounds great. It has a serial number in the mid 200s, indicating that it was built in 1963.

The Roth violin that is featured here from our inventory at Day Violins is a copy of a Stradivari violin from 1700. It has an internal brand and serial number on the inside above the label. This violin was made in 1936 in Markneukirchen and is a fine example of the instruments coming from the Roth workshop during that period.

Selmer Hofner guitars were assigned serial numbers, unlike the European equivalent guitars (model 4574 in this case). Selmer Hofner serial number charts do exist, although they are perhaps not infallible, but when combined with specific hardware and potentiometer codes, allow for easy dating. The potentiometers in this case are marked 142 which signifies a production date (of the pot, not the guitar!) of week 14 of 1962. But in the early 1960s, potentiometer dates correspond fairly well with guitar production dates. Hofner serial numbers (on hollow body guitars) were generally stamped on the label in the soundhole. See also the Hofner Verithin register at vintagehofner.co.uk which lists Verithins by serial number, with approximate date and hardware specifics. 2ff7e9595c