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Höfner files for insolvency

Johnny Alien

Johnny Alien

Supporting Member
Jan 24, 2003
6,207
3,591
Harrisburg, PA, USA
#1
I know nothing about how these things proceed in Europe but its sad news regardless. (apologies if this was posted before. I did a search but saw nothing)

guitar-player.com

Gitarrenhersteller Höfner beantragt Insolvenz

Zwischenzeitige Lieferschwierigkeiten hatten es schon erahnen lassen, dass bei der Karl Höfner GmbH und Co. KG mit Sitz in Baiersdorf bei Erlangen nicht mehr a
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#4
There is:

Temporary delivery problems had already hinted that things weren't running smoothly at Karl Höfner GmbH & Co. KG, based in Baiersdorf near Erlangen. Now it's official: "To safeguard the debtor's assets from adverse changes (§ 21 para. 1 and 2 of the German Insolvency Code), preliminary insolvency proceedings will be ordered on December 10, 2025, at 5:05 p.m.," according to the official announcement from the Fürth District Court. Nuremberg-based lawyer Dr. Hubert Ampferl has been appointed as the preliminary insolvency administrator. He will now monitor the company's financial situation and examine whether and how regular insolvency proceedings will be initiated. This doesn't yet mean the end of the long-established company, but it's certainly not a good sign.
 
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#11
I'll be surprised if some larger company doesn't snap them up, or it all just goes to Indonesian production. This video is pretty old, but assuming they haven't changed much, the manufacturing methods are 60 years out of date. It's a cool anachronistic way to build a bass, but not too efficient in an era when you can buy a perfectly serviceable CNC cut bass for around $200. Having played the Genuine German Hofner, the Contemporary, and Ignition series, I was hard pressed to identify anything that could remotely justify the $3K plus price for a German Hofner, which, I suspect, has something to do with their current troubles. Let's recall that Macca bought his originally because it was symetrical, so it looked as good lefty as righty, and it was cheap. The cheap part got left behind pretty quick once Paul started playing his, and all the young bass players in the 60's wanted one. My favorite part of this video is where the guy appears to "eyeball" the fret slots, which might have something to do with the "iffy" intonation above the 12th. I personally love them, but $3K+? Nope.

 
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#15
ferrante9 said:
What does this mean ? They will shut down the facility and no more Hofner basses production forevermore ?
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According to the article, that is yet to be determined. Like bankruptcy in the US, it's an opportunity for the company (with the help of the courts) to either fold up cleanly or get back on its feet. It's interesting; because of the company's archaic production style, there isn't necessarily a lot of physical property (like machinery, etc) that could be sold off to satisfy the creditors, so if ending the company is insisted upon the creditors might not get much. Unfortunately it's likely to go like G&L: the Höfner name and IP could be sold off to a competitor or a new company that would probably make the guitars in Asia for far cheaper if they choose to.
 
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#16
I would think they could probably remain solvent, but it's a tough row to hoe with these very specific, anachronistic instruments. It's a very particular feature set that fits a very narrow niche, and they'll need to size the business to that reality, whether EU or Far East production. How narrow a niche? Name me even one aftermarket part to fit one.

I wish them the best of luck.
 
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#17
Norm Nelson said:
According to the article, that is yet to be determined. Like bankruptcy in the US, it's an opportunity for the company (with the help of the courts) to either fold up cleanly or get back on its feet. It's interesting; because of the company's archaic production style, there isn't necessarily a lot of physical property (like machinery, etc) that could be sold off to satisfy the creditors, so if ending the company is insisted upon the creditors might not get much. Unfortunately it's likely to go like G&L: the Höfner name and IP could be sold off to a competitor or a new company that would probably make the guitars in Asia for far cheaper if they choose to.
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Very interesting !
So does that mean they won’t make 64 - 63 - 62 reissues anymore or if they do they will be lower quality ?!?? That’s not good as I just sold my 62 reissue and now I wish I didn’t .
 
#20
J Wilson said:
I would think they could probably remain solvent, but it's a tough row to hoe with these very specific, anachronistic instruments. It's a very particular feature set that fits a very narrow niche, and they'll need to size the business to that reality, whether EU or Far East production. How narrow a niche? Name me even one aftermarket part to fit one.

I wish them the best of luck.
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This! Hofner never kept up with the times. For me, their basses are legacy / nostalgia instruments from the 1950s and 1960s - similar to Fender, but without the scale, global manufacturing network, or supply chain. Unlike Fender, there are no Hofner aftermarket part companies that I know of. It's not like you can replace Hofner pickups with EMGs or something (imagine that!?).

Plus, the only bassists that I know of that played Hofners at least semi-regularly are Paul McCartney and Tina Weymouth. And even both of them played other brands too.

I have a feeling that they're going the way of G&L.
 

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