Hofner Committee Gloss Natural 1960 Modified Hollow Body Electric Guitar

This is a modified Hofner Committee Hollow Body guitar in Natural finish. The Committee was the top end of Hofner’s archtop offerings in the Selmer catalogue, and was produced exclusively for sale in the UK. The model was introduced in 1953, and was in continuous production until around 1969. Both acoustic & electric models were available, both sporting luxurious appointments, high quality materials & plenty of ornamental features such as the headstock design & inlay work, not to mention ornate binding & purfling. The Committee was listed in the 1960 catalogue at a price of 63gns, equivalent to £66.15 in decimal terms, and worth in excess of £1900 in today’s money.

The electronics have been added at some stage in the guitar’s life - likely quite recently due to the condition of the wiring & pickups which appear almost brand new. Please see ‘Electrics’ in the Luthier Report below for further details. This electric conversion has been tastefully performed, with what appear to be modern equivalents of the Hofner 511 Staple pickup being installed. The original 1960 Committee electrics would have sported a small control panel, as was common on a lot of Hofner electric instruments.

The Maple neck plays very nicely, with a profile which might be described as a smooth ’D’ profile well suited to a wide range of playing styles and techniques. The Ebony of the fretboard is pleasant under the fingers and provides a luxurious playing surface to explore. The archtop body is comfortable in the arms in both standing & seated positions, and even at 65 years old, the instrument retains a sense of luxury that is very pleasing. The Staple type pickups do a great job of capturing the acoustic tone of the instrument, and with the independent volume & tone controls ensure that you are able to dial in just the right tone for any musical situation. Well preserved & tastefully modified, this is a beautiful instrument that is ready to serve as a musical companion to its new owner for many more years.

Luthier Report

Our ID: 1100626214923

Weight: 6.25lbs

Serial: 3647

Aesthetic Condition:

Headstock: Overall very good condition. All aspects of the headstock demonstrate light scratching and finish checking throughout, most notably circular scratching around the low E and G string winding posts. The corners of the rear face demonstrate light indentation and chipping of the finish.

Neck: Overall very good condition. The rear of the neck demonstrates notable lacquer cracking, most notable at either end. These cracks have been tested and present no structural concerns. Very light delamination of the finish near the binding means that the seam between the binding and neck can be lightly felt in the playing position. Filled holes are apparent at the fingerboard extension, likely where a floating pickup was previously fitted.

Body: Overall very good condition. All aspects of the body demonstrate light scratching, indentation and finish checking, in line with an instrument of this age. The most notable markings are seen to either side of the bridge, beneath the pickguard, near the toggle switch and control knobs. A notable scratch is apparent to the sides near the lower strap button.

Condition of Frets:

The frets demonstrate mild signs of use, not affecting playability. Very light denting is present in the early register, with light flattening of the frets throughout. There is moderate material remaining for any fret work the new owner may wish to perform.

Current Set Up:

Truss Rod: Fully functional. Truss rod tool (4mm hex) not included.

Hardware: Very good condition with light to mild tarnishing of the metal hardware, most notably the tailpiece & tuning machines.

Structural: No concerns or issues to note.

Height of the string from the 12th Fret-1.5mm - Bass 2mm

Please be aware that the action on a guitar may move slightly in transit and this measurement is the current height.

Strings on Guitar - 10-46

Electrics:

Fully functional. The pickup system is not original. The previous owner of the guitar has informed us that the original conversion was completed in Germany in 1973 with some parts that did not fit the look of the guitar. Luthier Brian Eastwood restored the pickup system to it’s current condition in 2025, with the pickup surrounds being specially 3D printed to accommodate the pickups & cover up the screw holes from the original conversion.

Case & Accessories:

Brown Hard Case

Very good condition with some scuffs to the exterior. Truss rod tool not included.