Thinline semi-acoustic guitars were all the rage in the mid 1960s. The blues guitarists that had been playing them since the late fifties were being emulated by the groups of the time. The likes of John Lennon, George Harrison, Paul McCartney and Keith Richards had made the Epiphone Casino very popular - whilst other guitarists were playing the blues on Gibson ES-335s (Eric Clapton, Alvin Lee) or the Guild Starfire (Dave Davies). Less expensive semis such as the Harmony H76 and Hofner Verithin were selling in absolutely huge numbers.
In late 1965 Fender attempted to capture some of the lucrative thin-line semi acoustic market, by announcing a range of semi acoustics of it's own. The range was designed by ex-Rickenbacker guitar designer, Roger Rossmeisl, who left in some Rickenbacker touches like checkered binding, and F-tailpiece. The guitars were all-maple, with pickups designed by DeArmond. Fender had considered the names 'Fender Fantasy' and 'Fender Aztec', but finally settled on Coronado. They were described as follows:
The bodies are very thin (5 centimeters) with a distinctive design. The modern "F hole" is extremely attractive and is bound on all sides on the dual pickup model.
The pickups are full-range high fidelity units with a volume and tone control for each in the case of the dual pickup models. In addition, the dual pickup models have a three-position tone selector switch allowing the player to select either or both of the pickups.
The Coronado series was not actually available for several more months, and was first included in the price list of July 1966. There were single and double pickup six strings, a twelve string and a single pickup Coronado bass. Tremolo's were listed as an optional extra. By 1967 a dual pickup Coronado Bass II was added to the line. Early publicity images show the guitars placed next to sheet music by the Byrds and the Yardbirds - it was clear who these guitars were aimed at.
Launch prices were close to those of the Gibson ES-330TD and Epiphone Casino; the Coronado was a nice guitar, but whether it was in the same league as the fore mentioned models is debatable. The commercial failure of the Coronado - at least in comparison to Fender's solid body models - strongly suggests that the guitar buying public tended to think not. Some 1966 prices are shown below.
| model | 1966 price | list date |
|---|---|---|
| Coronado II | $319.50 | July 1966 |
| Epiphone Casino | $335/$350 Shaded/Cherry | October 1966 |
| Gibson ES-330TD | $310/$325 Sunburst/Cherry | April 1966 |
| Coronado XII | $449.50 | July 1966 |
| Gibson ES-335-12TD | $395/$410 Sunburst/Cherry | April 1966 |
Standard colours were Cherry and Sunburst, and only these were offered in 1966. By 1967 Fender custom colours (DuPont finishes) were also available at a 5% premium, along with some interesting new finishes: the naturally grainy Wildwood and the antique-style Antigua.
1967 Fender Coronado II in Antigua finish Image Heritage auctions
Fender described their new Antigua finish as follows:
Fender's latest color dimension, the Antigua, puts elegance in the spotlight. This inimitable new finish is a rich, antique white with a halo mist shading which produces a subtle feeling of depth and dimension
The Fender Coronado was widely promoted in 1967, to fill the desire for hollow body thinlines of the 1960s. Fender failed to break into this market in any significant way, however, and they turned their attention back to solid bodies pretty quickly afterwards.
Electric guitar advertisements originally published from 1966 onwards. Click on the images for larger copies. Check out other vintage Fender advertisements
Fender Coronado - Olé (1966)
Fender advert from the middle of 1966 for Fender guitars. Featuring the Stratocaster and Jaguar solid-bodies, the Coronado semi-acoustic and the Concert acoustic.
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Fender Coronado - Full Color Sound (1967)
From Fender Musical Instruments, representing the complete musical spectrum with a selection of master-crafted guitars and amplifiers. See the complete line of Fender Musical Instruments at any aut...
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Fender Coronado - Great New Sound. Same Old Quality (1967)
1967 saw Fender pushing some new lines
Fantastic customized, one-ot-a-kind WILDWOOD guitars: new expanded Coronado Series guitars and basses; the new improved Fender Solid-State Series amps; all...
[more]
Fender Coronado - Full Color Sound (1967)
Advert for the Fender display at the June 1967 NAMM show in Chicago, USA. It features a number of instruments 'representing the complete musical spectrum': a Jazz Bass, a Coronado II electric acous...
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Fender had been injecting dyes into growing beech trees, in order to create interesting grain effects for the Wildwood acoustic guitar. When harvested the wood was primarily green, blue or brown - giving rise to three actual finishes - Wildwood I (Rainbow Green), Wildwood II (Rainbow Blue), and Wildwood III (Rainbow Gold). The very nature of the process meant that each Wildwood guitar was unique; "the color follows the grain and becomes a rainbow of colors and patterns. This causes each instrument to differ from the next"
| Model | Coronado I | Coronado II | Coronado XII |
| Available | 1966-70 | 1966-72 | 1967-72 |
| Pickups | One DeArmond single coil | Two DeArmond single coils. By 1970 these are described as Fender pickups. | Two DeArmond single coils |
| Scale | 25½" | ||
| Body | Maple top back and sides. Bound front and back. 16" wide, 1 11/16" deep | As Coronado I, but with bound f-holes | |
| Neck | 21 frets. Width at nut 1 5/8", dot inlays, rosewood fingerboard. | As Coronado I, only bound, with block inlays, and optional maple fingerboard from 1969 | As Coronado I, only bound, with block inlays. Fender curved 12-string headstock. |
| Hardware | Chrome plated. 1 volume and tone control. Optional tremolo. Simple tailpiece with embossed F | Chrome plated (optional gold hardware from '69. 2 volume and tone controls, pickup selector switch. Optional tremolo, but comes as standard with the Antigua II. | |
| Finishes | Cherry and Sunburst 1966-1969. DuPont colours 1967-69 | Cherry and Sunburst 1966-1969. DuPont colours 1967-69. Wildwood finish 1967-70. Antigua finish 68-72. | Cherry and Sunburst 1966-1969. DuPont colours 1967-69. Wildwood finish 1967-70. Antigua finish 68-72. |
The Coronado hardware did vary somewhat - particularly the tailpiece and bridge. The image below shows some of the colours available, and some of the different tailpieces used throughout the course of production. Top Row: Sunburst Coronado I, Cherry Coronado II, blue Coronado XII, White Coronado bass, Sunburst Coronado II. Note the tailpiece. Bottom Row: Rainbow Green Wildwood Coronado II, Rainbow Gold Wildwood Coronado II, Antigua II and Cherry Coronado I. Once again note the tailpiece.
Image Heritage auctions
The Coronado XII had the same body as the other Coronado guitars, but was fitted with the standard 'hockey stick' style neck as the Electric XII and other Fender 12-string acoustics. The spectacular guitar pictured above is in the Wildwood III (Rainbow Gold) finish.
1965 First mention of the new thinlines in Fenders sales leaflet Fender Facts 10, November 1965
1966 Model launch. The Coronado was first listed in the July '66 price list - three models, the Coronado I, II and XII, at $229.50, $319.50 and $449.50 respectively. A single pickup Coronado bass was also listed at $349. Cherry and Sunburst are the only colours listed. An optional tremolo was also available for an extra $55.
1967 Prices were unchanged from '66, with Wildwood II and XII models first listed at $449.50 and $524.50. Custom DuPont finishes are now available at 5% additional cost
1968 Prices still unchanged from '66, with a new model - the Antigua added to the line. Only the II and XII were available in Antigua finish - prices (March '68) $429.50 and $489.50 (the XII dropped to $479.50 in July '68)
1969 By the end of the sixties models were starting to be phased out. The Antigua and Wildwood finishes were the only ones available, with all Coronado Is dropped from price lists. Six string models had an optional maple fretboard (5% extra) and all models had optional gold hardware (15% extra). Base prices are (May '69): Antigua II $449.50, Wildwood II $469.50, Antigua XII $499.50, Wildwood XII $549.50.
1970 Only the Antigua II and XII are listed (April '70): Antigua II $469.50 (left hand $515), Antigua XII $525.
1971 Base prices are unchanged (Jan '71): Antigua II $469.50 (left hand $515), Antigua XII $525.
1972 Feb '72 - base prices unchanged
1973 No Coronado guitars are included in 1973 price lists.
Fender have published regular lists of replacement parts for their instruments, along with part numbers. The lists below are all from June 1969, and are simple lists of parts. Note the different parts list for the Antigua finish. This finish is actually described as Antique rather than Antigua.
The Coronado is often described as Fender's answer to the Gibson ES-335TD, and in terms of looks perhaps it was. With regard construction and fittings however, it's closest Gibson would be the ES-330TD / Epiphone Casino; unlike most Gibson thinlines these guitars had no central maple block, and single coil pickups instead of humbuckers - or perhaps even the Gibson Crest, with its Wildwood-esque grainy rosewood body and still fully hollow.
No Gibson/Epiphone had a bolt-on neck at that time, so there was no model that could compare like-for-like with the Coronado. Perhaps one of the closest models to the Coronado was the Swedish Hagstrom Viking which resembled the Fender in many ways; but was considerably less expensive. In 1966, US distributor Merson were offering the Viking at just $250.
The Coronado was a great looking guitar, especially the Wildwood examples, and those with checkered binding and block inlays. And it was produced at a time when semi acoustics were all the rage. So why didn't it capture the public's attention? Frankly, the DeArmond pickups were not great - weak if anything - especially in comparison to the P90s and humbuckers fitted to the Gibson/Epiphone equivalents. These rivals, with their set mahogany necks, gave the characteristic 'woody' tones so important to jazz musicians and the powerful output desirable for rock musicians. The Coronado had a strong tendency to feed back - and all this at a price often (slightly) higher than a Gibson. If you wanted a Fender, a Stratocaster seemed a better and considerably cheaper way to go. A sunburst Strat with tremolo cost $281 in July 1966 vs $319 for a Coronado II. And with the likes of Jimi Hendrix demonstrating what a Stratocaster could do...
In 2013, Fender briefly reissued the Coronado - in fact producing a significantly better guitar than the original. The new pickups were far superior, and the the body now had the same feedback-reducing maple block down it's center that Gibson had been using since 1958. These guitars, though no longer in production, are still widely available today.
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Scan of 1971 Selmer guitar catalogue showing the range of electric and acoustic guitars distributed by the company: guitars by Gibson, Yamaha, Selmer, Hofner and Suzuki. 1960s Selmer had always placed Hofner at the front end of their catalogues, no doubt these were the better sellers - but into the 1970s Hofner were slipping somewhat and only appear at the tail end of this publication, pride of place going to Gibson, and to a lesser extent Yamaha. In fact this is the last Selmer catalogue to include the many Hofner hollow bodies (Committee, President, Senator etc) that had defined the companies output for so many years - to be replaced in the 1972 catalogue by generic solid body 'copies' of Gibson and Fender models. A number of new Gibson models are included for the first time: the SG-100 and SG-200 six string guitars and the SB-300 and SB-400 basses.
Scan of 1968/1969 Selmer guitar catalogue (printed July 1968), showing the entire range of electric and acoustic guitars distributed by the company: guitars by Hofner, Gibson, Selmer and Giannini. Selmer were the exclusive United Kingdom distributors of Hofner and Gibson at the time, and this catalogue contains a total of 18 electric guitars, 7 bass guitars, 37 acoustics, and 2 Hawaiian guitars - all produced outside the UK and imported by Selmer, with UK prices included in guineas. This catalogue saw the (re-)introduction of the late sixties Gibson Les Paul Custom and Les Paul Standard (see page 69) and the short-lived Hofner Club 70. Other electric models include: HOFNER ELECTRICS: Committee, Verithin 66, Ambassador, President, Senator, Galaxie, HOFNER BASSES: Violin bass, Verithin bass, Senator bass, Professional bass GIBSON ELECTRICS: Barney Kessel, ES-330TD, ES-335TD, ES-345TD, ES-175D, ES-125CD, SG Standard, SG Junior, SG Special GIBSON BASSES: EB-0, EB-2, EB-3 - plus a LOT of acoustics branded Gibson, Hofner, Selmer and Giannini
Hofner Colorama was the name UK distributor Selmer gave to a series of solid and semi-solid guitars built by Hofner for distribution in the UK. The construction and specifications of the guitars varied over the period of production, but by 1961 it was a totally solid, double cutaway instrument, with a set neck, translucent cherry finish, six-in-a-row headstock, and Hofner Diamond logo pickups. Available as a single or dual pickup guitar, this sngle pickup version would have been sold in mainland Europe as the Hofner 161.
Commodore was a brand applied to a series of guitars produced in Japan at the well-respected Matsumoku plant from the late 1960s to the mid 1970s - and sold primarily (perhaps exclusively?) in the United Kingdom. The models bearing the Commodore name were all guitars available from different distributors with different branding. Although there may have been some minor changes in appointments (specifically headstock branding) most had the same basic bodies, hardware and construction. Equivalent models to the Commodore N25 (and this is by no means an exhaustive list) include the Aria 5102T, Conrad 5102T(?), Electra 2221, Lyle 5102T, Ventura V-1001, Univox Coily - and most famously the Epiphone 5102T / Epiphone EA-250.
The Hofner Colorama was the name given by Selmer to a series of solid (and semi-solid) body Hofner guitars distributed in the United Kingdom between 1958 and 1965. The Colorama name actually applied to some quite different guitars over the period, but in 1960 it was a very light, semi-solid, set necked guitar with one (Colorama I) or two (Colorama II, as seen here) Toaster pickups. Although an entry-level guitar, it was very well-built, and a fine playing guitar; certainly a step up (at least in terms of craftsmanship) from many of the Colorama guitars that would follow, and a good deal of the guitars available in Britain circa 1960.
By the end of the 1960s, a decision had been made to move Epiphone guitar production from the USA (at the Kalamazoo plant where Gibson guitars were made), to Matsumoto in Japan, creating a line of guitars and basses significantly less expensive than the USA-built models (actually less than half the price). The Matsumoku factory had been producing guitars for export for some time, but the 1820 bass (alongside a number of guitar models and the 5120 electric acoustic bass) were the first Epiphone models to be made there. These new Epiphones were based on existing Matsumoku guitars, sharing body shapes, and hardware, but the Epiphone line was somewhat upgraded, with inlaid logos and a 2x2 peghead configuration. Over the course of the 70s, the Japanese output improved dramatically, and in many ways these early 70s models are a low point for the brand. Having said this, there are a lot worse guitars out there, and as well as being historically important, the 1820 bass can certainly provide the goods when required.
Production of Bill Lawrence's Gibson Marauder began in 1974, with production peaking in 1978. But by 1980 the model was officially discontinued, though very small numbers slipped out as late as spring 1981. Over 7000 examples shipped between 1974 and 1979, and although no totals are available for 1980 and 1981, it is unlikely production reached three figures in either of these years. These final Marauders were all assembled at the Gibson Nashville plant, and had some nice features not available through the later years of production, such as a rosewood fretboard, and in this case, an opaque 'Devil Red' finish. It's a great looking and fine playing guitar!
When Epiphone production moved from Kalamazoo to the Matsumoku plant in Japan, a whole new range of electric, flattop and classic acoustic guitars was launched. Between late 1970 and 1972 the new models were launched and refined. This 'folder' catalog contains various inserts released over these years detailing four electric six-strings (ET-270, ET-275, ET-278, and thinline EA-250), three bass guitars (ET-280, ET-285, and thinline EA-260), three folk/steel acoustics, four jumbo flattop acoustics, two 12-string jumbos, four classic acoustics, and a banjo.
'Gibson Specials' was part of the June 1981 pre-owners manual series, but unlike the other folders contained a mish-mash of different guitars: limited editions, test marketing and close outs. "You will find the unusual, the brand-new, and the bargain within this folder". End of line 70s guitars like the Marauder, S-1, and L-6S Custom mixed in with brand new models the The V, The Explorer and the Flying V Bass.
Rose-Morris were selling Shaftesbury-branded Rickenbacker copy instruments from the late 1960s right through the 1970s. The 3263 bass was one of the first models, (alongside the 3261 six string and 3262 twelve string) available from late 1968 until about 1974. The earliest incarnation was a set neck bass, produced very briefly in Japan. But production quickly moved to Italy. This bolt-on neck example was built by Eko, in Recanati, using the same hardware and pickups as fitted to Eko, and Vox basses built around the same time. It's certainly a fine looking bass, and not a bad player either.
This very early, and pretty rare British-built guitar is branded Hohner London. Hohner were, of course, a German company, better known for their harmonicas and accordions, but they were keenly expanding into guitars at the birth of the 1960s. This model, along with the Hohner Amazon and (particularly) the Hohner Holborn, bear some similarity with Vox guitars of the same period; furniture manufacturer Stuart Darkins constructed bodies and necks for both brands, with Fenton Weill assembling them using their hardware and pickups. These guitars do have some hardware peculiarities, and they are not the most adjustable of instruments, but they actually play very nicely, being solidly built out of some very nice woods. Check out the video on this page.
The Vox Super Ace was a mid-priced British solid body electric guitar, produced by JMI at their factory in Dartford, Kent. It was broadly modelled on the Fender Stratocaster, and a sibling model to the dual-pickup Vox Ace. Both the Ace, and Super Ace (along with several other models), were redesigned in 1963 with a new body shape, headstock style, and pickup layout - only increasing the resemblance to the aforementioned Fender. The Super Ace had a 1963 price tag of 47 5S. It's a pretty nice playing guitar with some lovely sounds - check out the videos on this page, and in the Vintage Guitar and Bass supporting members area
The Vox New Escort was Vox's version of the Fender Telecaster, at a time when American guitars were out of reach for most British musicians. It was made by JMI in England, for the British market, and unlike the majority of other models, didn't have an Italian-made equivalent. But the New Escort wasn't a slavish Fender copy, adding Vox's stylish teardrop headstock to the tele-style body, with a stop tailpiece and two Vox V2 single coil pickups. And it's a pretty substantial, and nice playing guitar, with a very comfortable neck. Check out the images, specifications, and watch a video of it in action. There is also extra content in the vintageguitarandbass supporting members area.
Catalog scan. The 1969 Fender Lovin' Care catalog consisted of 48 pages of electric guitars, basses, amplifiers, steel guitars, acoustic guitars, banjos and keyboards. Like the previous catalog, this featured the company's guitars in a variety of interesting settings around California, from the Whiskey-A-Go-Go, to the Hollywood Bowl. Several instruments were making their first appearance amongst it's pages: the Telecaster bass, Montego and LTD jazz guitars, and the Redondo acoustic. It was the final catalog appearance, however, of the Electric XII, Bass V, Duo-Sonic, Coronado I and Coronado Bass I.
The Eko Ranger series of guitars was incredibly popular in the second half of the 1960s and through the 1970s, selling in very large numbers. The Ranger Folk was 1 1/4" smaller, and 1" shallower than the Ranger VI and XII - and with a narrower waist. Not a bad guitar; a little quiet, but pretty playable. These were great value in 1973, and because they sold so many, they are easy to find and excellent value today.
The Symphonic bass was built in the UK, by Vox parent company JMI. It was the Vox equivalent to the Fender Precision bass, and was one of the most expensive Vox guitars produced. It was actually a great playing bass, rather similar to the Precision in feel and sound, but was probably just too expensive compared to an actual Fender and consequently sold poorly. When Vox hit financial problems in 1968, unsold guitars and basses were passed on to Dallas Arbiter, who briefly sold the excess Symphonic bass stock as model 4537. This bass, although with a neck date of February 1966, was most likely one of the unsold Vox guitars sold on by Dallas Arbiter. Check out the bass, and the two video demos through 1960s Ampeg and WEM amplifiers.
The 1968 Shaftesbury 'Electric Guitars' catalog was just four pages long, and contained four guitar models: the six string Barney Kessel-style 3264; and three Rickenbacker-styled semi-acoustic models: the six-string 3261, the twelve string 3262 and the 3263 bass. Shaftesbury was the house-brand of major UK distributor Rose-Morris, and seems to have been launched as a response to the company's loss of it's distribution deal with Rickenbacker. The guitars were mid-priced, and built in (initially) Japan, and later Italy, by Eko
1970 Rose-Morris catalog, dated April 1970. It featured 6 electric guitars, 32 acoustic guitars, 3 basses and 1 steel guitar. It contains the following instruments, over 20 pages: Electric guitars: Shaftesbury 3261, 3262, 3264, 3265, 3400; Top Twenty 1970; Bass: Shaftesbury 3263, 3266; Top Twenty 1971; Acoustic guitars: Eko Rio Bravo, Rio Bravo 12, Ranchero, Ranchero 12, Colorado, Ranger, Ranger Folk, Ranger 12; Aria 1674, 1675, 1676, 1679, 1680, 1695, 'John Pearse' Jumbo, 'John Pearse' Folk; Rose-Morris 15-11, Kansas, Georgian, Florida; Suzuki 1663, 1664, 1665, 3054, 3055, 3060; Tatay 1713, 1714, 1715; Peerless 3052; Steel guitar: Aria 3425
The sixteen-page 1971 Rose-Morris catalog featured electric guitars by Rose-Morris' own brand, Shaftesbury, and budget brand Top Twenty; aswell as acoustics by Eko, Aria, and for the first time Ovation. The catalog contains the following instruments: Electric guitars: Shaftesbury 3261, 3264, 3265, 3400, 3402; Top Twenty 1970; Bass: Shaftesbury 3263, 3266; Top Twenty 1971; Acoustic guitars: Ovation: Balladeer, 12 String, Glen Campbell, Glen Campbell 12 string; Eko Rio Bravo, Rio Bravo 12, Ranger, Ranger Folk, Ranger 12, Colorado, Ranchero, Ranchero 12, Studio 'L'; Rose-Morris Florida; Aria 'John Pearse' Jumbo, 'John Pearse' Folk
A detailed look at an early 1970s Fender Precision bass guitar in custom black finish, with rosewood fretboard. 1972 list price, $307.50. The Fender Precision had been shipping since at least very early 1952 - with just one re-design circa 1957. This example, then, shows a model already two decades old, but barely changed since the '57 revamp. Fender got it right first time around, and although there are numerous minor cosmetic differences, the essence of this bass is effectively the same as it was in '52: a simple, single pickup instrument with a GREAT sound. Check out the demo video through an old Ampeg B15. It's no wonder this is the bass that everybody wants!
The Vox Stroller was the brand's entry level electric solid body guitar, fitted with just one pickup and a fixed tailpiece. Although aimed at student guitarists, it wasn't a terrible instrument, but did lack somewhat in adjustability, having no accessible truss rod and only a floating rosewood bridge. But this example is actually quite an improvement on earlier versions, with a standard 1/4" jack and a solid mahogany body. 1967 price £18 2s. JMI ceased UK guitar production in late '67, and combined with decreasing demand for the Stroller, this surely must be one of the last examples shipped.
A nice example of the Vox Clubman II bass, built by JMI in Dartford, Kent in 1963. This is a lightweight bass, short (30") scale and very easy to play. It is an early example, and as such has a thin black scratchplate and side mounted, coaxial output jack. JMI offered left handed examples of their solid body Vox guitars and basses at 10% premium. Production numbers are unclear, but left-handed examples rarely come up for sale
Not to be confused with the Gibson ES Artist launched by Gibson in 1979; this ES Artist was an early model designed by the Gibson research and development team in Kalamazoo in 1977, the instruments themselves constructed by Gibson artist Chuck Burge. It was planned for launch as a high end semi acoustic with 335-style construction (central maple block) and innovative circuitry - but was pulled at the last minute, being deemed too expensive. Apparently, several examples were produced with varying specifications, though exactly how many actually left the Kalamazoo plant is unclear. Certainly two guitars were sold to LaVonne Music by Gibson in around 1980. Read more about the development of this guitar, with details from Chuck Burge and the story of it's sale to LaVonne music
The Hofner Committee was a truly beautiful guitar produced in Germany, primarily for the UK market. It was a large bodied (initially 17 1/2") guitar with a carved spruce top, available as an acoustic or electric guitar. By the early sixties the carved top was replaced with a laminate, and although still a very fine guitar, the earlier carved top examples, with frondose headstock (like the example shown here) are far more highly prized amongst musicians and vintage guitar collectors.
The Gretsch Chet Atkins Tennessean, or model 6119 was Gretsch's best selling hollow body of the 1960s. This wonderfully faded example from 1965 was originally Dark Cherry Red, but has turned a mid-orange brown. The original color, however, can be seen underneath the pickup surrounds. 1965 specs: maple body, two-piece neck, Brazilian rosewood fretboard and Hi-Lo 'Tron single coil pickups. Nickel plated Gretsch Bigsby tailpiece.
The 1965 Gretsch catalog, or catalog #32, featured 10 hollow body electric guitars, including the newly launched Gretsch Viking; four solid body electrics, including the Astro Jet - making it's only catalog appearance; just one bass, the single pickup PX6070; nine acoustics and 12 tube amplifiers. Pride of place went to the Chet Atkins Country Gentleman that adorned both the front and back covers. 24 pages, six of which are in full color.
Loose frets are especially problematic in certain old guitars, but are generally very easy to fix. You'll be amazed at the difference you can make with just a few tools, a bit of knowledge, and a little time. Fixing loose frets can eliminate fret buzz, remove sharp fret ends, and greatly improve the tone of any guitar. If your luthier bill will be greater than the value of your guitar, definitely time to have a go yourself!
Hagstrom guitars were distributed in the mid-1960s United States by Merson of USA. This eight page 'worlds fastest playing neck' catalog, printed in two-colors contained six solid body electrics, three solid body basses, two electric acoustic guitars, two electric acoustic basses and five acoustics.
The President was produced by Hofner in Bubenreuth, Germany, specifically for Selmer, who distributed the brand in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and other commonwealth nations. The President was a hollow body electric acoustic, available as a full body or thinline, and with blonde or brunette finish. It was a great playing guitar that sold fairly well in the second half of the 1950s, throughout the 1960s, and into the very early 1970s. The example shown here is a full-body depth guitar in blonde - and as a 1965 guitar, one of the last to feature the rounded Venetian cutaway. From late 1965 until 1972, the President sported a sharp Florentine cut. Naturally, such an electric acoustic suggests jazz and blues, but many of the original British Hofner President players were part of the rock 'n roll, skiffle and beat scenes of the late 50s and early 60s.
"The Choice of Professional and Student Musicians Everywhere" This eight page catalogue was included as an insert in the 1963 annual "school music" issue of Downbeat magazine (September 1963). As well as keyboards and pedal steels, this catalog contains seven guitars, three basses and ten amplifiers - from student guitars such as the Musicmaster and Duotone to professional models like the new Jaguar.
