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Thread: Hofner restore

  1. #1

    Default Hofner restore

    I have what I believe to be a Hofner model 545 mandolin I am restoring. From what I can tell it was made in the 50's or 60's. looks like the neck came apart and someone pur a screw in it to hold it. I will repair the neck first. The frets appear ok just need some cleaning up. I will also make a new bridge from some rosewood stock. This is my first post. Comments & suggestions are welcome. I'll keep you guys posted as I progress through this.
    http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x.../Mandolin1.jpg

  2. #2

    Default Re: Hofner restore

    Nice. I love those cats-eye sound holes.

  3. #3

    Default Re: Hofner restore

    Quote Originally Posted by teleman1958 View Post
    I have what I believe to be a Hofner model 545 mandolin I am restoring. From what I can tell it was made in the 50's or 60's. looks like the neck came apart and someone pur a screw in it to hold it. I will repair the neck first. The frets appear ok just need some cleaning up. I will also make a new bridge from some rosewood stock. This is my first post. Comments & suggestions are welcome. I'll keep you guys posted as I progress through this.
    http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x.../Mandolin1.jpg
    Well? How goes it?
    I have one with exactly the same repair. They have a design flaw methinks. Hofner made them like they make a violin but there is not enough strength in the neck at the body, or the laminations eventually separate there. The screw is a bad fix. Mine lost its lovely resonant depth after that. I am restoring that one, but instead of re-visiting the fix, and because the neck is not repaired to the right angle anyway, and becuase I have two more 545's to fall back on, I decided to add a 1/4" taper under the fingerboard to get the desired bridge height back, add an adjustable radiused bridge, and add an acoustic pickup.
    I also have an untouched one that has the original bridge (yes, its rosewood) and I will use that template to effect a return-to-original repair on my existing instrument. Once that is done, I will take the untouched one in and have it set uo, health check, and see if there is not a way that I can ensure it does not experience the same fate as the others. I love the tone of these, especially once the pick-guard is removed, and with a spacer at the back.

  4. #4
    Registered User mandorando's Avatar
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    Default Re: Hofner restore

    I have a 545 that I had restored by David Schneider a few years ago. Same as Roddy said above, the neck came off (twice) and the neck angle was way too low, keeping the strings just off the body after I lowered the bridge to a reasonable action height. (It was a non-adjustable bridge, so it meant a permanant adjustment!). Dave added a taper to fix the angle, which allowed me to add an Fishman bridge/pickup, and the strings are high enough for a much better tone and volume. Instead of a screw or bolt, he used a dowel to strengthen the bond between the neck and body.

    Another strange problem mine had was that a couple of the frets where in the wrong place, you could see it visually! The intonation was a bit off around the 7th and 9th frets, so Dave moved them to the right place. Later I also replaced the tuners. I'd like to put a radiused bridge on it; it's not quite right with the flat bridge and the radiused fretboard. Still, a pretty decent mandolin with the repairs and mods.
    Randy
    Randy

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