https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2025/12/23/hofner-bankruptcy-filing/
That's too bad. Maybe something for Warwick to pick up?
Or Yamaha?
I've followed the restoration of a few vintage Hofners. They are a weird mix of fiddly complexity, fragility and corner-cutting cheapness. Old world-y orchestral instrument manufacturing fu. A lot now need things like full fat neck resets, the pickups eat themselves, big crumbly inlays and binding add challenges to reissues. Properly expensive luthiery work required, which the vintage market won't really offset the cost of in most cases.
Maybe a daft thought, but unless you are a big Beatles fan with deep pockets, who needs a German-made violin bass? There are import Hofners at a few price points that do the job, if you just need that woody 'clunk' in your bass collection. Hofner make other models, but they aren't as iconic or unique. You can buy the €300 Ignition or €650 HCT version... or spend €2500 on a bass that will fundamentally deliver the same tone in 90% of practical scenarios...
Hofner has clarified its position.
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/money/other/h%C3%B6fner-maker-of-paul-mccartney-s-legendary-violin-bass-shares-statement-following-bankruptcy-filing/ar-AA1SPFpB?apiversion=v2&domshim=1&noservercache=1&noservertelemetry=1&batchservertelemetry=1&renderwebcomponents=1&wcseo=1
Just came across this ...
Höfner has been bought by GEWA of which Thomann has a large shareholding. They intend to keep on producing violins, but Höfner will no longer handle what is called the white wood.
They will also keep producing the 500/1 bass.
24 production staff have been retained.
Thomann will handle all European distribution while GEWA will deal with the rest of the world.
I do not have further info at this time, such as where built, which premises, what models, any of that."
Good news.
Thanks for the new info.