Eleuke
M. Gerarda
Waikiki
Click here for Waikiki Ukuleles
click on the image to go to the page for that instrument
Photos on this page courtesy Hohner or Hofner.
Steel strings and a narrow neck are the main features that distinguish these from classical guitars. They come in several styles of body shape, e.g. Folk or (somewhat confusingly) classic, dreadnought (shown, also sometimes referred to as Western guitar), Jumbo, 00 (also called concert, grand concert), 000 (also called Auditorium & grand auditorium), Orchestra or OM.
All of these can have an added pick-up or a cutaway.
There are also small bodied versions abvailable, variously called Baby, Travel, Compact or Backpacker.
Broad neck and nylon strings typify the Classical guitar, which is used for Classical, Flamenco and Latin styles of playing where a warm and responsive tone is sought. The string winding mechanism is also usually the cylinder type as seen in the picture as opposed to the geared machine heads of the acoustic.
Two main types of electric guitars: solid bodies (like the one pictured) and hollow bodies, which sometimes have a sound block inside. electric guitars vary enormously in the shape of the body: everything from rectangular (the Bo Diddley model) to flying V and all kinds of crazy curves and sharp bits designed to scare parents off...
A 20th Century invention, kind of a cross between the double bass and a guitar. Popularised by Leo Fender in 1951, to the extent that the American musicians Union referred to the instrument as a "Fender bass" for many years. Now generally known as the Bass Guitar.
Not really a guitar, but belongs to the plucked/strummed string instruments family so here it is. Differs from all the others of the guitar family in that it has a round body with a "head" or skin stretched over it, held in position much like the head on a drum. The bridge rests on the head and the vibration of the strings is amplified by the head vibrating simpathetically.
The model shown is a 5-string or bluegrass type. Note that the fifth string is traditionally shorter than all the others and its tuning peg is mounted on the neck at the fourth fret. (This was originally a sort of home made extension).
A traditional instrument tuned in fifths like a violin (G, D, A, E) but with each string doubled. Again, not really a guitar but vaguely related.
This one is a fully-fledged member of the guitar family, being the Hawaiian adaptation of a small Portuguese guitar that was taken to Hawaii in the late 19th century by Portuguese sugar plantation workers.
Machine head assembly on classical guitar (note nylon string ends visible). These typically come in pre-fabricated sets of three on a cut-out headstock. The string is wrapped around the tuning peg section and tightened or loosened to change the pitch of the string.
Machine heads for acoustic (ie steel string) and electric guitars are usually single units with a steel winding mechanism which is attached to a solid headstock. (see illustrations above to compare acoustic & classical headstocks)
Left to Right: Hohner Classical guitar headstock, Hofner Galaxie headstock (back view), Hofner Club 50 headstock.
The headstock is often (but not always) carved from the same piece of wood as the neck. Comes in a wide variety of shapes and sizes.
The necks of all guitars and most basses have pieces of wire called frets embedded in the surface of the fingerboard to give accurate pitch. Some electric basses have no frets and are called "fretless basses".
The type of wood used on the fingerboard is very important for the response and tone of the instrument.
Types of wood used include Rosewood, Ebony, Maple and Pao Ferro.
The neck is often decorated with inlays made of nacre (mother of pearl).
see also INLAYS section
Holds the fingerboard in place and keeps the strings under tension by separating the body and the headstock....OK, I'm being facetious here but you know what I mean. Must be strong and hold its shape under tension. Made from various woods including Mahogany, Maple, Koa, Rosewood & Wenge. The different woods give the instrument different tonal qualities.
Pictured above is the neck of a Hofner "Shorty" travel guitar.
Essentially a long steel screw that runs through the length of the neck and is used to alter the tension and therefore the curvature of the neck along its length. All guitar necks have a slightly curved contour to allow the strings to vibrate freely without buzzing against frets closer to the bridge than the one being played.
Pictured above is an ad from UK Melody Maker 1959 for a Hofner thin line guitar with adjustable truss rod shown in cross section.
The bit that holds the strings in place at the fat end of the instrument and transfers the vibrations from the strings to the body of the guitar. Very important for the tone and response of the instrument. Often has adjustable "saddles" for each string on electric guitar bridges. The bridge of a Hohner classical guitar is shown above and that of a Hofner electric guitar below.
Holds the strings in place at the skinny end of the neck. Typically made of plastic or bone with slots for each string to pass over before reaching the machine heads. The vibrating section of the string is between the nut and the bridge, but the string must be longer than this to allow for the distance from the nut to the machine head and from the bridge to the tailpiece if one is present.
Suspends the strings between the side of the guitar and the bridge, meaning that the bridge does not have to be rigidly attached to the top of the body, thus allowing the top to vibrate more freely.
The resonating "box" that reinforces the sound of the strings.
Pictured here is the Hofner Verythin hollow-body electric guitar with double cutaways.
Click here to see a solid body electric guitar.
Again, the type of wood used is very important in determining what kind of tone the guitar will produce.
Woods used include Spruce, Ash, Alder, Walnut, Mahogany, Lacewood, Soft Maple, Hard Maple and Koa. The type of wood used for the top is often different to that used to build the back and sides in order to combine tone qualities or to keep the instrument within a particular price range. The top, back and sides are usually laminated on less expensive guitars, but "solid" and/or carved rather than shaped by other means on more expensive models.
The shape, size, construction methods and internal reinforcing of the instrument body will also greatly affect the volume and sound produced.
Allows the player to more easily reach the higher notes of the fretboard without having to adjust the thumb position too much.
The size and shape of the sound hole affects the tone and volume of the instrument. Some guitars have "f-holes" set to the sides of the strings for this purpose.
This photo also shows the pick-guard (this one is red "tortoise-shell" plastic), mother of pearl inlay (around the sound hole), the neck and the cutaway.
Decorative mother of pearl inset into the fingerboard and headstock of this Hofner guitar is typical of inlays on guitars. The markings on the fingerboard help the player locate the 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th etc frets of the instrument. The 12th fret (octave) often has a double inlay.
Some makers put very elaborate inlays on their instruments.
On a guitar fitted with a tremolo arm (also called a "whammy bar") the bridge is free to move on one side and the player pushes down or pulls up on the tremolo arm to produce changes in pitch.
Though originally designed to add tremolo by rapid small movements it is now also used to radically alter the pitch (usually downwards) to give all kinds of swooping and howling effects. Jimi Hendrix revolutionised its use (and many other aspects of electric guitar playing).
Hofner Verythin HVE3 with three humbucking pick-ups (the screws are magnetic and can be adjusted in height to correct the balance between the strings), three control knobs and a 3-position switch for selecting pick-up combinations.
PICKUPS are of two main types: single coil and humbucking (double coil) and consist of copper wire wrapped around a core which contains magnets. The steel strings on the electric guitar induce a current in the coil when they vibrate through the magnetic field which extends to the coil from the magnets. Unfortunately, there is a tendency for a single coil pick-up to hum when there are other electromagnetic radiation sources nearby (eg amplifiers or just about any other electrical appliance). Humbucking pick-ups largely eliminate this hum by means of a second set of coils wrapped in the opposite direction, i.e. one clockwise, the other anti-clockwise. Humbuckers are usually larger than single coil pickups, but have the disadvantage of producing a less "pure" tone. They make up for this by usually having a higher level of output.
two Single coil pick-ups on a Hofner Contemporary Club Gold top model.
Knobs are attached to a coil within a "pot" inside the body of the guitar. By rotating the knob, the resitance of the coil is changed which then alters the amount of current passing through the circuit attached to it, typically either volume or tone controls.
Switches act pretty much like any other switch on any electronic/electrical appliance by either opening (switching off) or closing (switching on) the circuit attached to a particular switch. This is most often to change the combination of pick-ups being used or adding an overdrive or similar circuit.
Electronics: any of the transistors, resistors, capacitors, integrated circuits (chips), coils, wires and whatever else is housed inside the guitar body to transform sound energy into electonic current and then modify the resulting signal before it is amplified.
Hofner was established in 1887 and they produce guitars and other string instruments including orchestral strings, banjos and mandolins. There are three price-points for Hofner guitars depending on the factory source:
The German Workshop produces top-of-the-range professional instruments including the Chancellor, New President and Club arch-top and hollow-body guitars, and the famous Violin bass ("Beatle bass") and Club bass, all built by hand in the traditional manner by skilled craftsmen. These models have the 01-H prefix in their item codes.
The Contemporary Series are re-issues of models from the classic period of Hofner's production in the 1960s and '70s, built to the original designs in Hofner's own factory in China. These high quality guitars are priced in the mid-range and represent extraordinary value for money. These models all have the 01-HCT prefix in their item codes.
The Ignition basses are also produced in China from Hofner's original designs. Bargain pricing gives the entry-level customer their first Hofner experience. Item prefix: 01-HI.
ALL HOFNER GUITARS AND BASSES ARE NOW SUPPLIED WITH A HARD (WOODEN) CASE OR ORIGINAL HOFNER GIG-BAG.
Along with their harmonicas, accordions and melodicas, Hohner have produced a variety of instruments over the years, including keyboards (like the very funky Clavinet as heard on Stevie Wonder's "Superstition" etc) and brass and woodwind instruments.
They have been making guitars since the mid-1970s, and the current range includes classicals, acoustics, Staufer electrics and the headless series with licensed Steinberger hardware.
Our own brand of quality entry- to mid-level instruments: affordable, sturdy, great sounding and attractively designed.