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my parents lived right outside of nashville and my dad had to take everyone to see that every time we went there.....wish i'd have paid more attention to it....

if i remember correctly there was a guy that was building a castle near lexington, ky....seems like he ran out of money or something though....i'll have to find out....

I have a chunk of the Parthenon in a box somewhere right here in my basement.  My partner grabbed it when he was little; his father was stationed out there at one time.  Foreign spies are probably still looking for it....he also has some tile he pried off the floor of some 3 million year old Holy Muslim Shrine of some sort...only a kid would do something like that in a country where you risk getting both hands chopped off.  What a fool!

Hey Gruhn guitars is where I got the appraisal for my 1965 Hoffner 465/S/E2 Guitar. I had to send several pics from all angles and upclose to show detailing. I heard they were the best place to go so I called them and emailed all the pics. I've had the guitar since 1972 and it was kind of kewl to get some more history on it.

Does he still do that for $50 ?   I could've given it to you for free

Actually when and if you sell it, you'll want to have it appraised again.  The value changes from year to year of course.  That's the best place to get it appraised of course.  Quite reputable

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

If it's 1965 by Hofner, are you sure it's not the 470 ?   I'm familiar with the 470 SE2 Natural cutaway

ADDED IN:

I agree,  I always like to know what I have sitting around too. I need to have stuff appraised for insurance purposes.  An appraisal from Gruhn is always a good thing to have on a Vintage Guitar.  I have the Orion Bluebooks for guitars, and Musical instruments..  Those things aren't inexpensive however.  I need something to reference though since I collect.

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

Steve I have a pic of it in my photo album. To be honest, the pics they sent me did NOT totally match up to the model I had. I was under the impression that the guitar was older than 1965, however the knobs are placed the same as the 1965 models and it does have the clear pick guard which is common for that type. The guy I got this from said this was a rather rare model, but I have no proof. However I have yet to see any pictures of a guitar identical to mine and I've searched high and low. This one has all the inlay detail around the body front and back. Anyway, I got a decent appraisal on it as a starting point and really don't want to sell it. I just wanted a rough idea of its value.  Anyway let me know what you think of the pic - it sure is a pretty one

Michael,  I've got news for you. They scatter limestone rocks around the base of the parthenon knowing damn well the numerous "Do not touch or take anything from this premises, These are ancient ruins, and to remove or take fragments from this location is illegal" signs don't deter we tourists.  So when you are walking down the Acropolis towards the Placa, and some native is chasing you insisting you buy your picture at the entrance of the parthenon gagging on the "lemonaid" (which is pure lemon juice)  thinking that the Parthenon is going to have a new location once you get back to the US, the jokes on us... Those of us that think we stole part of ancient greece..   They know what's going on there.  Damn Placa,  I bought torqoise jewelry there.  Real special jewelry too,  Where else can you buy a Tourqoise ring that has real Torquoise coloring that comes off as soon as you unwrap it  :(   They really love to rip us off.  Alot of european merchants really think most Americans are fat, Rich and Dumb..  It's just wrong, I'm not rich..

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

http://www.provide.net/~cfh/hofner4.html


This Hofner site isn't a bad reference.  You probably have an extremely rare, uncommon model.  I hope they gave you an accurate appraisal of the model and it's worth.  I doubt if A site like G Gruhn would ever admit to not knowing your guitar, but the truth is, they might not've.  If it's a 465, It'd likely be early 1950's


Is your guitar the rosewood bodied one with herringbone purfling up the wazoo ?
What a descriptive site this is


Your best reference might just be the Guitar's Serial #

Just for haha's

http://cgi.ebay.com/ORIGINAL-1970S-HOFN ... dZViewItem

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

Steve that is where I started was the Hofner site. Then I went to a UK Hofner museum site. The body is identical to the 1950's 465, but has 2 more inlays on the fretboard. However they say the clear pickguard came on later models. I have no way to prove it as the original owner has passed away. But I could have sworn he told me he bought it overseas during the Korean war. I was just a kid (14/15) at the time so it all kinda went "whoosh" right over my head. Then after Gruhn gave me the appraisal, I thought maybe I mixed up the wars and it was the Vietnam War. The Korean war makes more sense though because of the age of the man at the time I bought the guitar. I don't know if I will ever get an answer. I got kind of frustrated because none of the info I've gotten to date has really added up to what my impressions were. Maybe I'll take the search up again some day . Another thing, there is no serial number....normally on these older ones, it was taped to the inside. Myself and several others have gone over it - there is nothing. It may have fallen out, but if I recall correctly, the man I got it from said it didn't have one. Accckkkkkk!!! This is going to drive me crazy all over again .

Yes my guitar is the rosewood bodied one with herringbone purfing up the wazoo and then some .

I'm VERY curious now !   That seems to be a rare guitar.  Likely worth ALOT,  and assuming it is a model such as a 465 2 pickup model, it doesn't appear too many were manufactured.  You just don't see them around.  I'm quite curious about this..  It'll give me something to do for awhile besides yacking in here  LOL

What's so interesting about these obscure guitars is that people REALLY DO NOT know what they have when they sell such a guitar for the most part... These are often the pawn shop prizes.  Assuming a person takes it to an average guitar store, they won't know it's value, It's very hard to get an actual appraisal value,  in fact, Orion Blue book has it marked very low, however Orion seems quite inaccurate based upon it's actual collectibility in the jazz-box market..  It appears that such guitars do in fact sell for 2500K or more *if they are in prestine condition.*.  Some Hofners sell for over 5K... I would not be able to figure this guitar out.. I doubt most amateur collectors could.  It seems very rare.  Can you tell me roughly at some point what the serial number is ?   It might give an indication to year, and number in production

Another option is to call Elkhardt Indiana, and speak with someone at Selmer,  They bought Hofner *I think*

http://www.vintagehofner.co.uk/gallery/ ... /arcs.html

It doesn't say "distributed by Selmer", anyplace in the body does it ?  If you look in the F-holes does it give you any more info ?

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

Steve I've been all over this guitar - there is no serial number. I guess on early models they were just written on paper and taped inside. If this was ever done, its long gone and was before I even got it. The man I got it from said he never saw a serial number either. Now I didn't pay that much for this guitar back then, but at the time he told me that there were only 10 of this exact model made. As to the validity of that statement I can't say. The man knew my dad quite well and provided us with this history. He had no reason to lie, and sold it to me for an unbelievably low amount. Unfortunately I have no proof of anything and this is from the memory of someone who was 15 a loonnnnngggg time ago. The guitar is in excellent condition, however it does have finish cracks - I used to play it a lot, and although I took good care of it, it did see a lot of action. I still have all the pics I took of it on my digital camera, from all angles. I studied and hunted down info on this thing for 3 weeks and then contacted Gruhn. They pretty much laughed at my story, but the pics they sent me of similar guitars, were not even close to my eyes. They had different hardware, except for the control knobs and pickguard. this ISSS going to drive me nuts!!!

I might have an idea what you have.  I need to compare the tailpiece of your guitar, and the pickup type.  I think it's an early-mid 60's Golden series... I'm going to search this area.


http://www.vintagehofner.co.uk/factfile ... /gold.html

On the model you need to use the style tail-piece Hofner was using and the nobs as some indication I think,  Look at how similar in style the "Golden" was to yours ! So it likely is around that era, likely slightly later because Hagstrom, Hofner, many european makers stopped using the switches on the guitar in the 1960's

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

Yep,  The tailpiece says you have the "Holy Grail of collectible models"

So-far I believe you can go by that,  The exact same tail-piece when it's as unique as yours is, is a good indicator of the period of production


THE GOLDEN HOFNER
The "Holy Grail" of Hofner collecting! For a full description of the Golden's assets and history, visit the Golden Hofner Factfile elsewhere on this website


1960 GOLDEN HOFNER ACOUSTIC
One of the first at Serial No 5, and being an acoustic version, the rarest of the Golden Hofner styles.


1960/61 GOLDEN HOFNER ELECTRIC THINLINE
Serial No 18. Pictures courtesy of Darren Meehan in Lancashire, England.


1962 GOLDEN HOFNER ELECTRIC
Serial No 67, and probably the very last Golden Hofner made, reputedly for the 1962 Frankfurt Trade Show. This guitar is in near-mint condition, and still has its original Selmer case. Owned by Mike, in England.

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

Yeah - mine had 4 control knobs kind of offset and a very plain silver colored tail piece. The body doesn't look quite as big as the Hofner Gold Series. Plus it wasn't all blonde. The body is identical to a Hofner 465/S accoustic except its electric. It has the exact tail piece and fretboard, with 2 more mother of pearl inlays up on the fretboard. When I get some time I'll find a model with the same control knobs I have. This is frustrating .

Check this out.  I think you have a site right here that will help you !   It gives you some interesting info as well !  You can register it with Hofner,  Why not ?  Send THEM photo's too... They will nail this for you.

http://www.vintagehofner.co.uk/commreg.html



ASSUMING you have none of those models, they will tell you  

It's the poormans method of getting an appraisal !!!

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

Those ones are kewl but a little fancier than mine in some respects.

http://hofner.mysite.wanadoo-members.co ... arch1.html

Check the fretboard, inlay, head piece and tail piece - they are identical to my guitar, minus the 2 inlays on the fretboard.

that was the 2nd sight I contacted. They weren't exactly sure either, and the photos they sent me of guitars "like mine" weren't the same either. Although I do have to take new pics and send them in as he does want it for his site. I was set to do that before my PC crashed.

Assuming your model was made around 53, does Gruhn know what he's talking about ?  He's putting your guitar at a period of production 12 years later.  Assuming they made very few models of your guitar, what would the odds be ?   Yes, it does look like that model,  I need to check out the headstock, and tuning machines on yours.  assuming it's never been moded, see if they are the same too..

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

Oh and the Vintage Hofner uk site also confirmed it as a 465/S/E2. So that much I do know....now its a matter of figuring out how old it is .