The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
  1. #1

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    /Edit: found it - It's a Hoyer Jazzstar, late 50s, early 60s; well, sort of, once was, not anymore... but thanks for your interest anyways.

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    Hello fellow guitar maestros,

    I got this thing in the late 80s, changed with a Les Paul Standard sunburst, because I was routed to become a jazz guitar player, what did not happen. I later thought it was a stupid thing to do because the Gibson seemed better valued. But lately I'm kind of happy because I switched to double bass a decade ago and take it now only practicing stuff for theory and learning the sound of new tunes, it feels very nice and the sound is very responsive, even more since I put on the Thomastik Flatwounds 014 (2 years ago and still going strong, this is magic!).

    But I never really figured out the maker and the model. I suppose its from germany, 50s/60s... Is anyone able to confirm and add details?

    The neck is not original, hence no detail shots, and is supposed to be a Höfner "Everstraight" (what a name, and it's also untrue, because the octaves are not really accurate any more). Nor is anything else original but the body itself.


    Anybody able to guess that guitar model?-img_4377-jpgAnybody able to guess that guitar model?-img_4378-jpgAnybody able to guess that guitar model?-img_4379-jpgAnybody able to guess that guitar model?-img_4380-jpgAnybody able to guess that guitar model?-img_4381-jpg
    Last edited by ctrlzjones; 09-24-2022 at 02:19 PM.

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    The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
     
  3. #2

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    The best expertise has yet to respond. However, I believe such laminated necks were used by Hopf and Framus. False intonation is typical of Höfners, though. The rest of the guitar - no idea. The tailpiece may be a later replacement. Interesting!

  4. #3

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    You could ask Norbert Schnepel (e-mail adress is at the bottom) who wrote a book on German vintage guitars.

    EDIT: He wrote five books.

  5. #4

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    The guitar body was made in Rodebald Hoyer's shop in Kochel am See in Bavaria, between the mid-1950s and mid-1960s. Most Rod. Hoyer archtops have inkstamps, typically stamped twice on the back under the bridge area. Date formats are typically DD MYY or DDM YY. Some Rod. Hoyer models have carved top plates, but the majority have laminated pressed top plates. Back plates are almost always laminated.

    This body looks like a nice version of the "Jazzstar," given the higher-end binding/purfling. The top may very well be carved. The tailpiece and the bridge are not original.

    Several West German makers purchased neck blanks or partially finished necks made with the multi-laminate material as seen on this neck. In recent years. companies like Martin have used this material in cheap flattops. The replacement neck on this guitar is not from Hofner.

    Rod. Hoyer archtops typically used the Stauffer/Legnani clock-key bolt-on neck attachment, which was common on East German-built archtop guitars but was rarely used by West German builders (although it does pop up on them occasionally). This would certainly make it easy for the neck on this guitar to have been swapped, although the photos posted only show a bit of useful information, making neck identification difficult. It appears that the replacement neck on this instrument was glued in.
    Last edited by Hammertone; 09-25-2022 at 04:22 AM.

  6. #5
    Wonderful, thank you. This is more info than what I hoped for. And yes, on my quest I’ve come upon pictures from other “variants” of the Jazzstar that are not as good looking as my blonde. How curious that they did carved and also plywood versions for the same line. The back is composed of two pieces wouldn’t that be a hint for being carved? Would there be a way to find out if the top is carved?

    The neck is definetly a replacement as it is very much thinned out at its end, above the body; they unfortunately took away so much wood that the trussrod has broken through. At one point the neckjoint came even apart.

    Imgur: The magic of the Internet
    Imgur: The magic of the Internet

    I hide glued it back together and as a temporary fix I put a piece of wood between body & neck, to press the trussrod back up again, but that does not seem to be a good solution as it executes pressure to the top and additional stress on the neckjoint. Well, as long as everything holds together it’s good enough to use it as a workhorse. I assume that the whole thing lost all of its market value with the neck replacement plus nothing else being original anymore anyway. I really like how it plays and sounds, so I plan to just leave everything as it is and keep the Rhythm Chief 1100 it came with in the drawer for the time I’ll have to retire from playing double bass.

    Thank you again.


    Quote Originally Posted by Hammertone;[URL="tel:1221520"
    1221520[/URL]]The guitar body was made in Rodebald Hoyer's shop in Kochel am See in Bavaria, between the mid-1950s and mid-1960s. Most Rod. Hoyer archtops have inkstamps, typically stamped twice on the back under the bridge area. Date formats are typically DD MYY or DDM YY. Some Rod. Hoyer models have carved top plates, but the majority have laminated pressed top plates. Back plates are almost always laminated.

    This body looks like a nice version of the "Jazzstar," given the higher-end binding/purfling. The top may very well be carved. The tailpiece and the bridge are not original.

    Several West German makers purchased neck blanks or partially finished necks made with the multi-laminate material as seen on this neck. In recent years. companies like Martin have used this material in cheap flattops. The replacement neck on this guitar is not from Hofner.

    Rod. Hoyer archtops typically used the Stauffer/Legnani clock-key bolt-on neck attachment, which was common on East German-built archtop guitars but was rarely used by West German builders (although it does pop up on them occasionally). This would certainly make it easy for the neck on this guitar to have been swapped, although the photos posted only show a bit of useful information, making neck identification difficult. It appears that the replacement neck on this instrument was glued in.