Höfner New President Questions

[BillB]

Hi, first time posting, although I've been a member for years.

Thanks to the many positive posts I read about the model here, I just bought a Höfner New President.
The label on my guitar is serial number E03314, signed by Thomas Stühlein. From the "E" I'm guessing it's a 2004 model.

I'm really enjoying it, but I have two questions I’m hoping someone here can answer.

In a 2016 post from Hammertone he said that, “by 2004, they had modified the designs of the Jazzica and the New President to have more acoustic voicing.”

So my first question is, exactly how is this later voicing different from earlier models and would my guitar have it?

My second question is, there are pieces of gray/metallic-looking tape glued or shellacked next to both f holes inside the guitar. What are they for?

Thanks for any info you have!

Here are some quickie cellphone pics of my guitar and inside showing the tape by the f holes.

[Irishmuso]

They are fine instruments imo. I have one in Blonde but the violin finish is particularly nice. Enjoy.

[Hammertone]

In a 2016 post from Hammertone he said that, “by 2004, they had modified the designs of the Jazzica and the New President to have more acoustic voicing.”
So my first question is, exactly how is this later voicing different from earlier models and would my guitar have it?
My second question is, there are pieces of gray/metallic-looking tape glued or shellacked next to both f holes inside the guitar. What are they for?

1.
A similar set of pix showing the interior of a New President, Vice President or Jazzica from @1999-2002 would reveal that those instruments have no kerfing at all. This is because the laminated rims are thicker on those earlier models, and they do not require kerfing. One modification made at the time was to reduce the thickness of the laminated rims and add kerfing. This made the guitars a bit lighter and also more similar in construction to typical American hollow-body guitars.

2.
My understanding is that those little glued-down pieces of material are used to help inhibit any wood cracking. This is often done with carved spruce tops on archtop guitars, orchestral stringed instruments, and so forth - little strips of muslin, sometimes pieces that encompass the entire soundhole. SOP by Gibson, pre-Gibson Epiphone, and many more.

[BillB]

Thanks, Hammertone.

Since I bought it primarily to play as an acoustic, I'm glad to hear that mine has the more acoustic voicing you mentioned in 2016, care of the thinner rims + kerfing!

And I thought the tape might have been a repair; good to have it confirmed they're just standard practice during the building process to prevent cracks from forming.

Also, you know, you're one of the main reasons I got this guitar, as you were one of several people who'd had such positive things to say about the New President.

Bill

[tramline]

Speaking as a fellow Hofner fan for whom Hammertone's posts helped make the decision easier, congrats! Looks beautiful.

My New President is from 2003, has the kerfing and is similarly very loud. I also have a 90s Vice President with no kerfing that is heavy, quiet, and works much better as a pure electric. Both great guitars!

[garybaldy]

1.
A similar set of pix showing the interior of a New President, Vice President or Jazzica from @1999-2002 would reveal that those instruments have no kerfing at all. This is because the laminated rims are thicker on those earlier models, and they do not require kerfing. One modification made at the time was to reduce the thickness of the laminated rims and add kerfing. This made the guitars a bit lighter and also more similar in construction to typical American hollow-body guitars.

2.
My understanding is that those little glued-down pieces of material are used to help inhibit any wood cracking. This is often done with carved spruce tops on archtop guitars, orchestral stringed instruments, and so forth - little strips of muslin, sometimes pieces that encompass the entire soundhole. SOP by Gibson, pre-Gibson Epiphone, and many more.

Here's the inside of my Loar 700 carved.

[Hammertone]

Speaking as a fellow Hofner fan for whom Hammertone's posts helped make the decision easier, congrats! Looks beautiful.
My New President is from 2003, has the kerfing and is similarly very loud. I also have a 90s Vice President with no kerfing that is heavy, quiet, and works much better as a pure electric. Both great guitars!

Can you peek inside your VP and see if it has one or two support braces? They started out with two and went to one right around @'99 or so. What year is it? Does it have the inlaid purfling on the back? Post pix!

[tramline]

You'd know better than me, but the 908042 serial number on my VP puts it as either an 89 or 99 build, right? Mine has the inlaid purfling on the back, plus the weird plastic raised Hofner logo. With the "stick the iPhone in the hole" method it looks to me like there is a single brace on upper half of the top. Also this guitar has two jacks for some reason, probably some past owner's quirk I guess.

[Hammertone]

You'd know better than me, but the 908042 serial number on my VP puts it as either an 89 or 99 build, right?

Thanks! It's a '99. There was no New President or Vice President (essentially the same guitar) in '89.