Hofner 1967 Model 459-VTZ Violin Electric Guitar Vibrato Treble Booster Fuzz!, w/ Case, Excellent

No sales tax for US customers outside California.

This Hofner 1967 459-VTZ Violin in sunburst is in excellent condition.  This is one of the coolest, most unique items to hit the shop of late.  It isn't just a novelty - it plays great and has really good tone.

The 459 VTZ is a 1960s Violin guitar, and the letters stand for the features: the Vis for vibrato, the T is a treble booster, and the Z is a fuzz. The guitar is really rare, though nobody seems to know how many were made. Paul McCartney is the famous Hofner player, and he's long used the 500/1 violin bass first made in 1956. This guitar is the six-string cousin of that violin shape.

Construction details include a spruce top, maple back and sides, maple neck, Indian rosewood fretboard, and 22 frets. The finish, neck, pickups, switch, bridge, tailpiece, and tuners are all original, with a few original-screw exceptions noted in the specs.  I had to change the volume potentiometer as the original was shot.

Controls offer the great tone, straight from the pickups with volume and tone controls as well as a three-way pickup selector.  There is a switch that engages the treble boost and fuzz circuit when depressed.  In that monde, the 3-way toggle comes into play.  You get treble boost ("T"), and fuzz ("Z"),  or both (TZ).  The fuzz is where it's at, and the TZ setting is really cool too.  The T setting by itself isn't all that great. 

The guitar comes with an original case.

SPECIFICATIONS

• Color: sunburst
• Finish Original?: yes
• Finish Condition: very good
• Weight: 5 lbs 14 oz
• Scale Length: 25.5"
• Has Truss Rod: yes
• Truss Rod Condition: very good
• Nut Width: 1-11/16"
• Fretboard Radius: 7.25"
• String Spacing at the Bridge: 2"
• Body Length: 18-1/8"
• Lower Bout: 11-3/16"
• Waist: 6-11/16"
• Upper Bout: 9"
• Body Depth/Thickness: 2-5/16"
• Overall Length: 39-1/2"
• Pickguard Color: Mother of Pearl
• Pickguard Original?: yes
• Pickguard Condition: good, small hole near bracket screw - see pic
• Pickguard Screws Original?: yes
• Neck Material: maple
• Neck Profile: C
• Neck Condition: excellent
• Neck Repairs: none
• Neck Finish Original?: yes
• Neck Plate Color: chrome
• Neck Plate Material: metal
• Neck Plate Original?: yes
• Neck Screws Original?: yes
• Tuner Model: Nickel spring loaded tuners with white/cream plastic keys
• Tuners Original?: yes
• Changes To Headstock For Tuners?: none
• Tuner Condition: excellent
• Tuner Screws Original?: all but 1
• Truss Rod Cover: yes
• Nut Material: Vintage plastic / synthetic
• Nut Repairs: none
• Nut Original?: yes
• Inlay: Mother of Pearl rectangle
• Fretboard Material: Indian rosewood
• Fretboard Condition: excellent
• Fretboard Repairs: none
• Fret Condition: very good
• Fret Repairs: none
• Fret Count: 22
• Body Material: spruce top, maple back and sides
• Body Condition: excellent
• Body Binding: yes
• Body Binding Condition: very good, some shrinkage at the waist
• Bridge Type: Floating adjustable archtop bridge with a wooden base
• Bridge Original?: yes
• Tremolo Arm Original?: yes
• Saddle Material: metal
• Saddles Original?: yes
• Bridge And Saddle Screws Original?: yes
• Bridge Condition: excellent
• Tailpiece Brand:  Factory needle-bearing smooth vibrato system with a trapezoid-style tailpiece
• Tailpiece Color: chrome
• Tailpiece Condition: excellent
• Tailpiece Original?: yes
• Switch Type: 3 way toggle / Vibrato, Treble Boost ("T"), and Zuzz/Fuzz distortion ("Z")
• Switch Original?: yes
• Switch Tip Color: black
• Switch Tip Original?: yes
• Neck Pickup Brand: Höfner Type 513 / blade-style / mini humbuckers
• Neck Pickup Original?: yes
• Neck Pickup Condition: excellent
• Neck Pickup Screws Original?: yes
• Bridge Pickup Brand: Höfner Type 513 / blade-style / mini humbuckers
• Bridge Pickup Original?: yes
• Bridge Pickup Condition: excellent
• Bridge Pickup Screws Original?: yes
• Solders Original?: yes
• Wiring Original?: yes
• Control Cavity Cover Original?: yes
• Control Cavity Condition: very good, 2 non original screws in bored out holes.
• Potentiometer Count: 4
• Potentiometers Original?: 3 of 4 are original, original included
• Potentiometer Condition: excellent
• Output Jack Original?: yes
• Knob Color: black
• Knob Count: 4
• Knobs Original?: yes
• Knob Condition: excellent
• Case Brand: ?
• Case Original?: ?
• Case Condition: very good
• Case Smells?: none
• Accessories Included: none
• Action 1st String At 12th Fret: 3/32"
• Action 6th String At 12th Fret: 3/32"
• String Gauge: 10-46
• Documentation: none
• Smells?: none

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