Gigbag for Hofner President

[jeremy stokes]

Hello

This is my first post. Been a long time lurker but have just signed up to the forum.

I recently picked up a 1963 Hofner President acoustic for the not unreasonable sum of £150. The shop I bought it from only really deals in pianos but quite often customers want to exchange any musical instruments they have to offset the price of a piano. It isn't unusual to walk into the shop and see a wall lined with someone's dulcimer collection.

The guitar was missing the D and G tuners and the scratchplate and had a fair few dents in the body hence the low price. I managed to source a couple of tuners off Reverb and strung it up with some Martin Monel 12s and it sounds absolutely fabulous.

What does anyone else with a similar model use as a gigbag? Are dreadnought or jumbo bags an option? Not looking to spend Mono prices - but anything well padded would be great.

[John A.]

Hello

This is my first post. Been a long time lurker but have just signed up to the forum.

I recently picked up a 1963 Hofner President acoustic for the not unreasonable sum of £150. The shop I bought it from only really deals in pianos but quite often customers want to exchange any musical instruments they have to offset the price of a piano. It isn't unusual to walk into the shop and see a wall lined with someone's dulcimer collection.

The guitar was missing the D and G tuners and the scratchplate and had a fair few dents in the body hence the low price. I managed to source a couple of tuners off Reverb and strung it up with some Martin Monel 12s and it sounds absolutely fabulous.

What does anyone else with a similar model use as a gigbag? Are dreadnought or jumbo bags an option? Not looking to spend Mono prices - but anything well padded would be great.

I only use gig bags with all my guitars. In my experience, dreadnought bags work well for 16" archtops (never had a 17" archtop so no experience with that). Here are ones I've had that cost less than a Mono or Reunion Blues that I would recommend:

- Roadrunner Boulevard -- I had one that I used with an archtop. It's pretty barebones with not a whole lot of padding, but it works and has excellent storage pouches.
- Roadrunner Highway -- I currently have one that I use with a strat, but they also make an acoustic version. Very well made and protective; reinforced very well padded, I'd say it's at least as protective as a Mono M80 (which I also have and use with my archtop). The downsides are that it it's a bit bulky, and though it has tons of storage space (a single area the size of the whole case with some small pouches all covered by a big flap), I find this design les convenient than separate pouches
- Gator Transit -- I currently have one that I use with a Les Paul, but they make an acoustic version and I know people who use them with archtops. Well padded and somewhat reinforced (a lot better than the Broadway, but not as protective as the Highway. Nice bag overall.
- Music Area TANG30 or Wind20 -- I have one (Wind30, which appears to be the same as the Tang30 on their website) that I use with my acoustic guitar. They use to sell on Amazon and were pretty cheap, but they seem now only to sell direct from China. I'm a little leery of that, but it's a really great case, at least the equal of the Mono M80 in terms of protection, padding and storage. The only downside is that it carries higher on the back so you have to be careful walking under low doorways, etc.

[jeremy stokes]

Thanks for your reply John

this gives me lots of options to look at. The president has a 25.5'' scale and is a little longer that some other archtops at 42''.
Do any of your guitars have a similar length?

Good point on the higher backstraps.

[John A.]

Thanks for your reply John

this gives me lots of options to look at. The president has a 25.5'' scale and is a little longer that some other archtops at 42''.
Do any of your guitars have a similar length?

Good point on the higher backstraps.

My archtop is about that length (shorter scale, but it has a big headstock) and it has room to spare in both my Mono and my Music Area bags.

[jeremy stokes]

Thanks John

[Sigmund451]

We need to see this bargain!

[Hammertone]

25 1/4" scale.
Possibly a bit wider than 16".

[GuyBoden]

Well done, £150 is a truly great bargain.

I think you've probably already found the UK Hofner Website here:
The Hofner President - Fact File



I have a Hofner Committee and use a TGI Extreme Series Dreadnought Gig Bag, in the UK they're priced about £55.00.
Length: 107cm, Lower Bout: 43.5cm, Upper Bout: 33.5cm, Depth: 15cm.

TGI Extreme Series are great gig bags, well recommended by many guitarists for the low price and quality.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/285799832098

[Hammertone]

I think some Presidents have a 17 inch (43.2cm) lower bout.

They vary from @16" to @16 1/2". None of them made 17".

[GuyBoden]

They vary from @16" to @16 1/2". None of them made 17".

Many thanks.

Still, the TGI Extreme Series Gig Bags are great and inexpensive, recommended by a lot of guitarists.

[jeremy stokes]

Thank you for all your replies

You're correct Hammertone, it's a 25 1/4'' scale

Thanks Guy, I did find the Hofner site, very useful. Enabled me to date it from the serial number. Grateful for your reccomendation - I was looking at those TGI bags and hoping they would be a good fit

Phone picture doesn't really do it justice, it's made it look really orange. What Hofner call brunette is more a honey/amber, nicotine stained pub ceiling. I love it.