Instrument: The 494 first saw the light of day in the 1950s as a steel-string guitar with a height-adjustable bridge and a concert look. From the beginning, it was equipped with a striking bird's-eye maple body, which is how you recognise every 494. The steel-string idea disappeared in the sixties, as did the adjustable bridge, and since then the 494 has been a real, wonderful 4/4 classical guitar that remained in the range until the eighties. Curious: It was the only model that was always pictured from the back, not the front, in Höfner brochures and catalogues because of its beautiful body! Our model has a stamp from 1976.
Material: The top is made of Alpine spruce, the sides of the uniquely beautiful bird's eye maple, fully solid, as is the back. This is very elaborately made from one piece without a central joint. The two-piece mahogany neck and the rosewood fingerboard contrast beautifully with this. The rosewood tailpiece has a beautiful purfling of light maple with decorative stripe. In addition, multi-ply bindings around the body and a really beautiful soundhole rosette with rose motifs. Open, engraved tuners with white pearloid handles.
Instruments history: The guitar stood forgotten in a music shop for many years until it was discovered and bought by a collector in the early 1990s. It has never been played until today. We took it over completely covered in dust as part of a collection of several guitars.
Restoration work: We cleaned and polished the guitar, blew out the body, polished the frets and oiled the fingerboard. A new set of strings was mounted and a basic setup was made.
Current condition: Our 494 has been in mint condition for 47 years. In the beginning, it probably stood in the showroom of the music store, then at some point it moved to the back shelf and hung on the collector's wall for another few years, where it was allowed to gather dust in honour. No cracks in the varnish, no scratches, no damage, nothing faded, fretboard and frets untouched - this is a 47-year-old new instrument. Of course, completely odourless and clean. With the bright body and tasteful rosette it looks very noble. The bird's eye maple is a feast for the eyes! It plays very pleasantly with a very good string action for concert guitars, the sound is loud, warm, woody and very harmonious. An extremely rare collector's item and also a wonderful player guitar - you don't see something like this every day.
Measures: Overall length 102 cm/40.2”; body length 49,5 cm/19.5”; lower bout width 37,5 cm/14.8”; waist width 24 cm/9.4”; upper bout width 28 cm/11”; body depth 9,5 cm/3.7” at neck, 10,5 cm/4.1” at lower bout; scale length 65 cm/25.6” (nut to saddle); fingerboard width 5 cm/2” at nut, 6 cm/2.4” at 12th fret; overall weight 1.730 g; string action on 12th fret 2-3 mm/0.08-0.12”.
Case: If you would like the right home for this beautiful guitar, we have a wonderful like-new hardshell case on offer that fits it perfectly. You can find it here.
Purchase and payment: Just send us an email to info@german-vintage-guitar.com and you will receive your invoice immediately. Or simply order here through the shop.
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