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  The Jazz Café was conceived as a full acoustic in the grand tradition,  just the sort of guitar Hofner might have made in the 50's and 60's.    You can see the full write up of this instrument by going to #003 in the Hofner Collection.

Unfortunately its integrity was lost when a pickup was fitted very badly by its second owner.      I bought back the Jazz Café in order to re-work it the way I would have done had I intended it to be electric at the outset.      You can see its conversion by looking at a dedicated page "In the Workshop"    (see Site Map).

     
  The Shadow AZ pickup now sits neatly into carefully carved nacelles either side of the neck.   The design was inspired by the very neat shaping on my '65 Gibson Byrdland.

Refinished with nitro- cellulose it could have always been this way! 

 
   
 
  My favourite jazz pickup for a Hofner,  the amazing Shadow Attila Zoller.
       
 
  The Rosewood pickguard has been modified to take the AZ and its mounting bracket had to be re-positioned slightly but it still shows no visible means of support (no ugly brackets) and it rises and falls with the bridge, keeping its relationship to the strings at a constant height.    Nice!

A Schatten thumbwheel volume control is hidden beneath the pickguard and coupled to a Fishman endpin jack.    

These AZ pickups are so rich and mellow,  I don't want to add a Tone control.   I prefer to let the pickup speak for itself and set up my Amp for any small tonal adjustments.

   
 
  Neat, tidy and hidden  -  the thumbwheel is completely out of view.    The wiring disappears into the f-hole when the pickguard is attached.
       
 
  Finished,  at last!      Quite amazing how the tone has mellowed over the years.    Played acoustic,  it is rich and sweet,  even majestic.     Amplified,  it is still rich, sweet and majestic but now sounds just like an amplified acoustic,   just the way we all hope for and seldom achieve.   It has bell-like tones,  great voice,  very articulate and with massive ringing  sustain.     Harmonics were always good on this guitar   -  it can sound like a Harp!

I shall not ever let it go again!!!

   
   
       
       
  Back to - In the Workshop