Dating Höfner By Serial Number

Before the early 1970s, Höfner instruments were not assigned serial numbers. However, some instruments manufactured before that time may have a stamped or written date of production on the back of the headstock. These particular guitars were sold by the English company Selmer and the Dutch company Van Wouw.

Table of Contents

Where to Find Höfner Serial Number?

To find the serial number, examine the back or the top edge of the guitar’s headstock. For semi-hollow and acoustic models, check the label located within the upper f-hole.

Höfner Serial Number Lookup
Höfner Serial Number Location

Selmer Serial Number

Between 1953 and 1971 Höfner produced a series of guitars for the British distributor Selmer Company. These models were often similar to the Höfner standard range but usually had small differences in detail.

The ‘Selmer‘ guitars were given serial numbers, usually stamped on the back of the headstock, or typed on a label that is visible in the F-hole. Guitars distributed in Europe, the US, and other countries did not have a serial number until 1976.

The Dutch distributor Van Wouw also used a serial number system which deviates from that of Selmer. This can lead to confusion when a Van Wouw appears where Selmer guitars have been distributed.

Van Wouw serial numbers were stamped in the workshop on the top edge of the headstock. The list below is therefore not by definition the year of manufacture, the numbers were stamped after the instrument was imported.

Van Wouw Serial Number
Hendrik Van Wouw and Van Wouw Serial Number top edge of guitar headstock

Some Höfner dealers placed their labels on the back of the head with numbers. These are not ‘Selmer’ serial numbers.

Van Wouw serial number Chart

Import YearSerial Numbers
19601921, 2116, 2224, 2531
19613204, 3215, 3267, 3351, 3596, 3894, 3959, 4072
19624506, 4748, 5253, 5284, 5390, 5486
19647095
19657598
19668573

The tables below with Selmer serial numbers are incomplete and not accurate. The serials are based on delivery documents that have been preserved. These documents may have been inaccurate.

You can consult the tables(*) to determine the production date of a Höfner guitar, but you also have to consider other things, such as the pick-ups and pot meters. Also on these elements are manufacturing data that can lead you approximately to the production date of the guitar.

As you can see in the tables, there are many overlaps (duplicates) of the serial numbers. The different models can therefore carry the same serial number.

* Information is obtained from authentic Höfner documents.

Acoustic, Archtop, and Semi-Acoustic Guitar Serial Numbers

Committee, Ambassador Guitar Serials Chart (1958-1969)

YearCommitteeCommittee ElectricCommittee ThinlineAmbassador
1958
 2564 – 2950
19592564 – 3270
19603271 – 36771100 – 1175
19613721 – 37441182 – 12571176 -1237
19623745 – 37921258 – 13261238 – 1305
19633793 – 39541355 – 1411
19643965 – 410813271420 – 1517
19654109 – 41771518 – 165350 – 177
1966 4178 – 41891617178 – 273
19674190 – 4247274-360
19684248 – 4258
19694259 – 4264

President guitar serial Number Chart (1958-1971)

YearPresidentPresident ThinlinePresident 66President 66 Thinline
1958 3480 – 5100
19595101 – 6319
19606320 – 7967600 – 681
19617968 – 8002
19628003 – 8125682-787
1963 8126 – 8308788-962
19648355 – 8727963 – 1059
19658728 – 897611351 – 143
1966 8977 – 8986144 – 273
19678987 – 8996 1 – 124274 – 360
19688997 – 8999125 – 280
19699000 – 9002
19709003 – 9026
19719027

Senator Guitar Serial Number Chart (1958-1971)

YearSenatorSenator ThinlineSenator 66Senator 66 Thinline
1958 4404 – 7800
19597801 – 9301
19609302 – 114001088
196111401 – 117021089 – 1227
196211703 – 120791228 – 1309
196312080 – 126801310 – 1404
196412726 – 13516
196513517 – 13674100 – 1941 – 90
196613675 – 13768 1660195 – 32591 – 151
1967326 – 405152 – 189
1968406 – 459190 – 191
1969460 – 468192
1970469 – 485
1971486 – 569193

Club guitars Serial Number Chart (1958-1971)

YearClub 40Club 50Club 60Club 70
1958 255 – 420479 – 6501 – 180
1959 421 – 820651 – 1158181 – 588
1960821 – 15341159 – 1779589 – 1296
19611535 – 167417801297 – 1607
196216751608
19674190 – 42471 – 147
19684248 – 4258148
19694259 – 4264149 – 154

Congress, Verithin, Violin guitar serial number (1958-1971)

YearCongressVerithinVerithin 66Violin Guitar 459
19585809 -7800
19597801 – 8800
19608801 – 9917 – 350
19619918 – 10958351 – 699
196210959 – 12278700 – 1238
196312279 – 133711239 – 2223
196413422 – 143312260 – 3313
196514332 – 1489133141000 – 1190
196614892 – 15141 1191 – 12931 – 170
196715142 – 153661294 – 1388171 – 200
196815367 – 154561389 – 1398
1969 15457 – 154711399 – 1404
197015472 – 155171405 – 1408
197115518 – 155231409 – 1411

Vienna, Flamenco guitar serial number (1958-1971)

YearViennaFlamenco
1958468 – 7004527 – 5100
1960– 849– 5433
1961 850 –5434 – 5688
1962981 –5689 – 6270
19631189 – 15566271 – 7074
19647111 –
19651763 – 20147567 – 7888
1966– 2289– 8338
1967– 2414– 8463
1968– 8511
1969– 8556
1970– 2424– 8571
1971– 8575

Solid-Body Guitar Serial Number

Galaxie, Super 173, Colorama Serials database (1961-1970)

YearGalaxieSuper (173)Colorama IColorama II
1961 – 499– 891
19621154 – 1299892 – 1700
1963– 3147824 – 115613002154 – 2902
19643318 – 44371157 – 1348944 – 9632953 – 3638
19654438 – 45371349964 – 9793639
19664538 – 4637980 – 1001
19674638 – 47371002 – 1012
1968 4738 – 4759
19694760 – 4858
19704859

Super Solid, V2, V3 Serials database (1961-1963)

YearSuper Solid IISuper Solid IIIV2V3
1961– 650– 1209
1962651 – 7731210 – 1838
196377418392039

Bass Guitar Serial Number

Bass Committee, President, Senator, Verithin Serials Chart (1959-1971)

YearCommittee BassPresident BassSenator BassVerithin Bass
19591 – 199
1960200 – 601
1961602 – 643
1962644 – 822
1963  – 272– 168823 – 947– 256
1964281 – 321179 – 430968 – 1868309 – 540
1965322 – 353431 – 5141869 – 2058541 – 658
1966515 – 5382059 – 2294659 – 664
19672295 – 2351665 – 670
19682352 – 2375671 – 672
19692376 – 2388673 – 674
19702389 – 2397675 – 679
1971680 – 681

Bass Artist, Solid, 500/1, 500/2 Serials Chart (1960-1971)

YearArtist BassSolid Bass500/1500/2
1960– 1020
1962329 – 1160231 – 6171021
19631161 – 1949618 – 311
19641950 – 2250352 – 1830
19652251 – 22751831 – 2511
19662276 – 23012512 – 3064
19672302 – 23063065 – 3170
19682307 – 23093171 – 3263
19692310 – 23113264 – 3347
19702312 – 23133348 – 3429
19713430 – 3463

Bass 6 500/10 Serials Chart (1960-1961)

YearBass 6 500/10
19601 – 204
1961205

Hofner Serial Number 1975-1984

In the table below, you can see the guitar serials from 1975 to 1984 years.

serial number Chart 1975 – 1984

FromToSerial numbers
12-05-197519-09-1979401600 – 403600
27-11-197908-10-1980208624 – 210510
08-10-198019-05-1981210511 – 211740
19-05-198114-10-1981211741 – 212358
14-10-198123-03-1982212359 – 213188
23-03-1982 17-12-1982213189 – 214283
17-12-198205-03-1984214284 – 215676

Hofner Serial Number 1986-1999

During this period, the Hofner instruments received a new 6-digit serial number.
The first digit stands for the year of construction. This means that a serial number starting with eg 8, in 1988 or 1998 has been built.
The second and third for the month, and the fourth and fifth for the day of the month.
The last digit is the sequence number of the guitar that was made that day.

Example: 805107.
8051007 is the 7th instrument built on 10 May 1988 or 1998.

Hofner Serial Number Since 2000

In the year 2000, the first digit was replaced by a letter (see below).
The letters I and O have been skipped to prevent confusion with 1 and 0.

Example: M06085.
Serial number M06085 is the 5th instrument built on 8 June 2011.

Hofner serials letter decoder (since 2000)

LetterYear
A2000
B2001
C2002
D2003
E2004
F2005
G2006
H2007
J2008
K2009
L2010
M2011
N2012
P2013
Q2014
R2015
S2016
T2017
U2018
V2019
W2020
X2021
Y2022
Z2023

The production date of Höfner guitars from the 50s, 60s, and 70s are usually older than the serial number indicates. After it came from its own storage or from Höfner, the serial number was placed by the distributor/dealer.

For example, an instrument with a serial number that was stamped in January 1960 was already produced in 1959.

Dating Selmer/Hofner Guitar by Potentiometers

Also, a way to find out the estimated production year, (in the case of an electrical model) is to look at the potentiometers.

Unscrew the plate worth the potentiometers on its mounted loose, and turn it over. There are a variety of numbers on the bottom of the potentiometers. 128KΩ of 250KΩ with a number.

With the potentiometer code, you can check the manufacture date of the potentiometer.

Höfner history

Karl Höfner was born in 1864 in Schönbach, Bohemia, which was then a part of Austria. After completing his studies with Anton Schaller in 1887, he founded his company as a luthier in Schönbach, where his high-quality instruments quickly gained popularity across Europe.

In 1919, Karl’s sons, Josef and Walter, joined the company, and exports rapidly expanded, solidifying Höfner’s reputation worldwide as a premier producer of fine-stringed instruments.

In addition to violins, cellos, and double basses, Höfner began manufacturing guitars in the 1930s, with the first models featuring curved tops and bottoms and steel strings. Following World War II, the company relocated first to Möhrendorf in Bavaria in 1948, and then to Bubenreuth, where it opened in 1950.

Höfner quickly regained its place in the global market, with its product line expanding to include models like the President, Committee, and the now-famous Beatle Bass (500/1), all of which were designed and developed by Walter.

The rising popularity of rock ‘n’ roll music in the 1960s led to increased demand for Höfner guitars, which became the company’s primary export product. In addition to archtop models, Höfner began producing semi-acoustic, solid body, and various bass guitar models. Due to space constraints in Bubenreuth and increased demand, a second factory was built in Hagenau.

Höfner’s market share suffered from competition with American guitar manufacturers, leading to the closure of its English distributor, Selmer.

Gerhilde Höfner, Walter’s daughter, and her husband Christian Benker ran the company from the 1970s to the 1990s, a time during which competition from Japan and China posed significant challenges for Höfner’s independence. As a result, Höfner was sold to the British company Boosey & Hawkes on January 1, 1994.

Boosey & Hawkes also owned Roderich Paesold, a bow manufacturer in Bubenreuth, which was merged with Höfner in 1995 as part of its “Instrument Division.” However, both companies remained independent in terms of production and sales.

In 1997, Höfner moved from Bubenreuth to its second factory in Haguenau, which had more modern production facilities, and a new building was added.

In 2003, “Instrument Division” was sold to the British investment consortium “The Music Group” (TMG), and at the end of 2004, Höfner, as part of “Instrument Division,” was sold to Klaus Schöller and his wife Ulrike Schrimpff. Klaus, who had worked at Höfner since 1989, became General Manager, and Ulrike became Chief Financial Officer.

In 2009, Höfner opened a branch in Beijing, which it owns entirely. As one of the few companies, the Chinese government granted Höfner an export license. Instruments produced in Beijing have the equivalent quality to those produced in Germany, thanks to the constant exchange of personnel between the two locations.

Höfner has always felt like something from the past to me. Their unique vintage design makes it hard to believe they are still being produced today. I’ve never encountered them in my area. But once, at a musical instrument exhibition in Germany, I was lucky enough to hold one in my hands. It was a memorable experience. I like guitars of a different type, but it was very unusual and special. I can imagine one day buying a Höfner for myself and starting a band playing music from those distant years. Who knows? 🙂