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The headstock, tail piece and tuning keys are the exact same. Nothing was modified.

Well,  between the time they produced the 53 acoustic model, and your model they changes the Headstock inlay design, as well as inscription,  Your headstock might be larger as well... Your headstock is a newer design, different inlay, and has HOFNER on the headstock, the 53 model does not.  There are differences.  So this is an interesting quest... Good thing I don't have a life,  how'd I possibly have time for this stuff !!!! It's a newer neck on that older body.

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

Ahhhh your right - mine does have "Hofner" on the headstock...I was looking at the inlay pattern. Also my whole fretboard was black. I just noticed that this one is not...but the shape of the inlays on the fretboard are the same.  This is getting deep .

AHA !



Hear you go


Do you have a dental mirror ?


Guitar Top Dates
Hofner provided useful dating information: dates were often written on the undersides of the tops, and may be found using a dental mirror, some illumination and a lot of patience. I was quite delighted when I first stumbled upon such a handwritten date while visiting the interior of an old Hofner.

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

I can't tell on the 465/S model, but my tuning keys are very pearly - those ones just look white. Mine have the same look as the inlay on the fretboard.  Anyway I gotta get some sleep - but I'll be back into this in the morning. The can of worms has been re-opened

If you are very careful using a dental mirror,  Hofner dates it's guitars on the underside of the front face.

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

thats been done several times...by myself and 3 different guitar shops, including Gruhn. No one can find it. So I have no idea - definitely makes things more difficult!!

Drea ~
I would take pictures of your Hofner from every conceivable angle and send them to Steven.  He'd be great at trying to track this down.  That's assuming he has time.

Well Don, He definitely has the knowledge and ability, but I don't want to impose.

Now I want to go get another dental mirror and try one more time.... I keep thinking that serial number has to be on there somewhere, however if it was on paper, which I have heard they did for awhile, its probably long gone.

Don,


 Thanks for the vote of confidence, but this is beyond my ability.  She pretty much knows what she has.  Hofner or a Hofner collector would be best at this point.  I think she has ALOT of resources online.  She has a rare guitar, people would be happy to help tell her exactly what it is... Usually Hagstrom, Tiesco, Hofner, or vintage collectors of this type of guitar enjoy comparing notes.... She knows more than I do about the guitar,  I think she has AMAZING resources right here on the internet to find out exactly what she has... I found another site (I think)

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

Goodnight everyone - be back in the a.m. And I'm sure my search will continue - this is going to drive me crazy till I find out for sure...

That info was taken from

http://www.provide.net/~cfh/hofner2.html

(not sure if I sent you part 1 or part 2 already)

Yep, I need to crash soon too,  I'm going to check out the description, I think Gruhn knows what they were talking about

Of course the question is this.

When you have a guitar that is THAT rare,  how does it appreciate yearly ?  THe value at the time of the appraisal, is not it's value today.  You might have one of two models (for all you know) anyplace..  I'd try to get a rough idea every few years what you have value-wise,  like an original painting or anything collectible,  WHile I wouldn't pay Gruhn every few years,  unless of course you needed to sell it... You can likely find other means of assessing it's worth yearly..

Get involved with that Hofner site.. Sounds like something worthwhile IMHO,,  They have clubs

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

What's %*$(#'ing me off,  is the Orion blue books cost a few hundred dollars per volume.  Her guitar isn't even in my orion guitar book

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

It is a 60's guitar she has.  In the early 60's Hofner used the Gibson type Tune-o-matic saddle pieces that sat on a rosewood base.

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

How can a person tell if he's getting an accurate, definitive appraisal on such a vintage guitar?

You aren't going to ever get a "definitive" appraisal on such a vintage guitar for this very reason.  It's a hybrid guitar,  Hofner mixed and matched..  The body is one make, but they used a different neck I believe..


"Inventory Philosophy
Hofner continued to use old hardware inventory after the introduction of new hardware features, so many examples exist that have combinations of old and new features. New pick-ups were introduced on top-of the line instruments and trickled down the models. As well, especially among the 450, 455, 456 and 457 (and perhaps because of their similarities), many hybrid guitars were built, such as a 456 with a 457 neck, or vice-versa. This may have been due to experimentation, model changes, lack of correct inventory, backorders or plain carelessness."

" figuring out the fine details, like when changes were made to specific models, or when models were added or discontinued, is difficult without reference to old (and unreliable) catalogues from specific years."


They used an older 465 body, newer pickups, Gibson type tone tone volume volume control layout (60's) Pot's thru the face of the body., their micromatic bridge, they used the acrylic clear pickguard they used on higher end ornate guitars.. The neck is probably not the traditional 465 neck however.  I think this might be a hybrid make... They likely used never components, and a newer 60's neck, and the older 465 acoustic smaller body.  Sort've like an Epi Emporer if I recall...

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

Since the Korean war was around 50-53 (I think), and you say that's a stock non-modified guitar, there's no way he could've actually purchased that whole guitar during that period.  Both the neck and the parts are 60's.  It's the 465 body that'd put the guitar back around 1953 only. Almost all the components put that guitar in the 60's.. IE



The perloid tuners were 6o's


 He might've thought it was made during the Korean war..  But it was likely made during the period he bought it in, VIetnam war.
If that is a guitar made from two different eras of Hofner (Hybrid)  I would NEVER know how to appraise it !  On one had,  you have the traditionalists, or purists that wouldn't look at it..  On the other, you have the fact that it's a one of a kind model.  So it's a high-end Hofner even assuming it was a hybrid model, however how does one appraise a "hybrid" from two different periods in a manufactures history ?  Some might even consider it a modified 465 ?  I don't know. It very tricky.
I still have to look into this !  It appears as though they appraised the :body:, but did the consider the neck of that guitar "THAT" exact model as well ?  How about the electronic components, pots, nobs, (if it's chrome plated and not nickle) was that considered,  etc.   The other thought is that it is a complete 465 that's so rare, it's VERY difficult to find it listed anyplace.. VERY few might've went into production.  I don't know..  Hofner would know.

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

Actually Steve, when he bought it it was new and its very likely that he said Vietnam War. I was 15, ADHD, and didn't pay much attention to details . What you are saying makes a lot of sense, and I think the hybrid theory is correct. Mine definitely has the newer neck and the clear pick guard, and thats why the 60's thing rang true...I just couldnt find that body on any other guitar from that era - only on the 50's models. I guess its a possibily that 10 of that exact guitar were made...others may have been hybrids too that were close, but not exact. According to pictures sent to me, that would be accurate. The other guitars had the same controls, pickups and pick guards, but not the same bodies, or tail pieces. Well this all adds up, and makes so much sense - I thank you for taking the time to look it up.

I think I am going to take more pictures of my guitar and send them to Hofner to see what they can tell me. I think what put me off on that is that I can't provide a serial number. #$(*&%#(*%& I may look again though . But at least I can definitely see where its a mid 60's guitar - thats one less thing to think about!!