(Almost) NGD - 2003 Hofner New President

**LesB3** · 03-13-2025, 02:56 PM

Impulse buy... but going back tomorrow.

(Almost) NGD - 2003 Hofner New President-1000007078-jpg

Sounds great thru the amp, but the bridge is bottomed out and the neck has a bow in it. Under the cover, it looks like the truss rod has been cranked on quite a bit (I couldn't even get a bite on the nut).

(Almost) NGD - 2003 Hofner New President-1000007075-jpg

(Almost) NGD - 2003 Hofner New President-1000007075-jpg

It is a shame since I really wanted to like this guitar. I can get the strings to stop buzzing, but then the action is fairly high. Going back tomorrow, unless someone convinces me the time and $$$ will be worth it!

**deacon Mark** · 03-13-2025, 05:01 PM

This goes back no exceptions to me the worst of all issues. To me this guitar has almost zero value without a whole lot of attention.

**garybaldy** · 03-13-2025, 07:03 PM

With all the Hofner issues from the 50s you would think 50 years later they would get it right.

**Hammertone** · 03-14-2025, 05:44 AM

Originally Posted by LesB3

Impulse buy... but going back tomorrow.

Sounds great thru the amp, but the bridge is bottomed out and the neck has a bow in it. Under the cover, it looks like the truss rod has been cranked on quite a bit (I couldn't even get a bite on the nut).
It is a shame since I really wanted to like this guitar. I can get the strings to stop buzzing, but then the action is fairly high. Going back tomorrow, unless someone convinces me the time and $$$ will be worth it!

Do you have the correct trussrod wrench from Höfner? I'm nowhere near one, but IIRC, they are quite deep.

As well, Höfner often shipped archtops with very high saddles - easy enough to simply sand down their undersides to allow for plenty of up-down adjustment. One other thing they did with many of these guitars was to ship them with very high bone nuts. I suspect that their thinking was that players would get their own guitar techs/ luthiers to set up the guitars to taste. Or maybe they just neglected to do it, or maybe they were drunk.

I've never encountered any trussrod adjustment issues w/newer (post 1999) Verythins, Jazzicas, New Presidents or Chancellors, but I've only worked on a hundred or so of them, so YMMV. I mention all of this only because you seem to otherwise like the guitar, and these may very well be minor, easily-solvable issues.

**LesB3** · 03-14-2025, 07:14 AM

Hi Hammertone,

Many thanks... I have only a generic set of wrenches, and none of them are particularly deep. I was most worried about the amount of truss rod seen peeking out from the nut, as I am not used to seeing that much thread on any of my other guitars, especially when the neck itself still requires a bit more straightening. Is the nut a 7mm? I might have a longer / thinner socket in my tool drawer.

I was already suspicious about the nut and bridge -neither appear to have been more than superificially cut, but figured that was something I might be able to address / look at once I got the neck straight.

My purchase price was a bit lower than they seem to go for otherwise ($1500), but I'm not sure I want to throw more money at this. In the suburbs where I live, there are plenty of "techs" that will gladly do a pickup swap or simple setup, but no one I would trust to do any serious work, should that truss rod need to be addressed with more drastic measures. For that, I would have to drive into the city.

**LesB3** · 03-14-2025, 10:28 AM

Some additional info... I adjusted it to the point where the strings no longer buzz and action at 12th fret is 7/64" on Low E side, and 4/64" on High E side. Playing the DGB and E strings is fine, but the E and the A are too high for me. If I try to lower the E and A strings more, the D and G strings start to buzz. Its clear to me that the bridge has never been properly set on this guitar -puzzling, since it is already over 20 years old.

I managed to get my socket on the truss rod nut, but it appears that it is already adjusted (clock-wise) as far as it can go. I did not force it. It also appears to turn freely counter-clockwise, so my assumption is that the nut and rod are working, but are not able to adequately straighten the neck.

That was always my main issue with the guitar, so looks like it is going back.

**garybaldy** · 03-14-2025, 01:38 PM

Originally Posted by LesB3

Some additional info... I adjusted it to the point where the strings no longer buzz and action at 12th fret is 7/64" on Low E side, and 4/64" on High E side. Playing the DGB and E strings is fine, but the E and the A are too high for me. If I try to lower the E and A strings more, the D and G strings start to buzz. Its clear to me that the bridge has never been properly set on this guitar -puzzling, since it is already over 20 years old.

I managed to get my socket on the truss rod nut, but it appears that it is already adjusted (clock-wise) as far as it can go. I did not force it. It also appears to turn freely counter-clockwise, so my assumption is that the nut and rod are working, but are not able to adequately straighten the neck.

That was always my main issue with the guitar, so looks like it is going back.

It possibly needs some washers on the TR and the bridge saddle radiused to match the fretboard.

**LesB3** · 03-14-2025, 01:41 PM

I had thought about that, but decided I'd let someone else deal with it. The guitar went back this morning.

**deacon Mark** · 03-14-2025, 01:57 PM

I am not sure what you paid for this but one thing you might consider that I think would be a better deal. There is a Campellone Standard for sale on Reverb. I would not go through Reverb but call the deal and get a best cash price. It looks great and would be a suburb guitar far better than the Hofner.

M. Campellone Standard 17" Amber Burst Hand Made Hollowbody w/OHSC | Reverb

**LesB3** · 03-14-2025, 02:11 PM

Thanks!

Its funny you mention that because I spoke to Mark last week to get put on "the list." Hopefully, I get my turn before he retires!

But that is really good deal, I just don't know how I feel about the orange finish (and I'm a Gretsch guy too!)

**deacon Mark** · 03-14-2025, 02:38 PM

Originally Posted by LesB3

Thanks!

Its funny you mention that because I spoke to Mark last week to get put on "the list." Hopefully, I get my turn before he retires!

But that is really good deal, I just don't know how I feel about the orange finish (and I'm a Gretsch guy too!)

Well there is a blond one on Reverb too that is ridiculously nice and I believe close enough for you to get in person. To me this is a no brainer if you are willing to get on the list then simply get on the immediate list and go by the blond one. It would be as good as anything he is making and as Bill Barker said when someone ask him about buying a used Barker he said buy it if you like it and the sound. He said no guarantee a new one would be better. All these folks on the Campellone list baffle me when you can buy a used one? That pickup is worth $500 itself.
Mark Campellone Special 17" Archtop DeArmond Rhythm Chief 1100 | Reverb

**LesB3** · 03-14-2025, 03:21 PM

Originally Posted by deacon Mark

Well there is a blond one on Reverb too that is ridiculously nice and I believe close enough for you to get in person. To me this is a no brainer if you are willing to get on the list then simply get on the immediate list and go by the blond one. It would be as good as anything he is making and as Bill Barker said when someone ask him about buying a used Barker he said buy it if you like it and the sound. He said no guarantee a new one would be better. All these folks on the Campellone list baffle me when you can buy a used one? That pickup is worth $500 itself.
Mark Campellone Special 17" Archtop DeArmond Rhythm Chief 1100 | Reverb

Yup! Saw that one too.

I'm on the list because I'm looking at getting something fairly unique for myself.