Hofner Stuart Sutcliffe

[Pete Academy]

A frtiend has asked me what this Hofner 500/5 Stuart Sutcliffe might be worth, with a view to selling it. I think it's 1959 or 1960. He's fitted a new front pickup and scratchplate, bought direct from Hofner. Otherwise, all original.

Any ideas?

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[Pete Academy]

Anyone know?

[tayste_2000]

Happy Jack is the only person I can think of who would know.

[theosd]

I'll give him a tenner for it...?

[Happy Jack]

Hmmm. Low-res photos, and not good ones either.

From what I can see, it's a genuine 1959 and unusually it really IS a Sutcliffe model - most of those claimed as Sutcliffes are later models. Condition appears about right for a bass that's over half a century old.

If that was all, and if it was all original, even in the current market it would probably fetch the thick end of £1000 on eBay.

Definite problems are (1) the non-original bits, (2) the AWFUL job someone has done on the headstock, and (3) the bit that's totally unclear from the photos, which is the state of the neck joint.

(1) and (2) between them mean that most collectors and Hofner buffs would probably steer clear of this one, thus reducing the value quite sharply. (3) is the bit that usually puts off uninformed buyers because they think a collapsing neck might be a problem.

Your friend's best bet would be to eBay it with the U.S. market in mind.

If you can send me more and better photos, I could be a lot more helpful.

[Pete Academy]

[quote name='Happy Jack' post='790111' date='Mar 29 2010, 11:13 PM']Hmmm. Low-res photos, and not good ones either.

From what I can see, it's a genuine 1959 and unusually it really IS a Sutcliffe model - most of those claimed as Sutcliffes are later models. Condition appears about right for a bass that's over half a century old.

If that was all, and if it was all original, even in the current market it would probably fetch the thick end of £1000 on eBay.

Definite problems are (1) the non-original bits, (2) the AWFUL job someone has done on the headstock, and (3) the bit that's totally unclear from the photos, which is the state of the neck joint.

(1) and (2) between them mean that most collectors and Hofner buffs would probably steer clear of this one, thus reducing the value quite sharply. (3) is the bit that usually puts off uninformed buyers because they think a collapsing neck might be a problem.

Your friend's best bet would be to eBay it with the U.S. market in mind.

If you can send me more and better photos, I could be a lot more helpful.[/quote]

Thanks for that...much appreciated. I'll have a word and see if he can get better photos.