Höfner Files for Bankruptcy in Germany, Putting Iconic Violin Bass Maker in Limbo
Editor’s note: Since this post, Höfner has released a statement about its current situation. You can read that here.
Another iconic brand has filed for bankruptcy. Höfner, which makes the Violin Bass made famous by Paul McCartney, has filed for insolvency in Germany. The official announcement came from the Fürth District Court in Bavaria.
“To safeguard the debtor’s assets from adverse changes (§ 21 para. 1 and 2 of the German Insolvency Code), preliminary insolvency proceedings will be ordered on December 10, 2025, at 5:05 p.m.,” the filing states.
The company has been dealing with financial issues for some time, according to a longtime former employee. Höfner has been appointed an insolvency administrator, Dr. Hubert Ampferl, who will try to rectify the debts over the next three months by finding investors and other solutions.
Karl Höfner GmbH & Co. KG was founded in 1887 by Karl Höfner in the town of Schönbach, which is now Luby in the Czech Republic. They began by building string instruments. After World War II, they were forced to move to West Germany. The factory expanded over several years, and in the 1950s they gained worldwide fame with the Höfner 500/1 semi-hollow electric bass, which garnered the nickname the “Beatle Bass” after McCartney adopted the instrument.
This isn’t the first restructuring for the company. In 1994, it became part of the Boosey & Hawkes Group, during which time it moved its headquarters from Bubenreuth to Hagenau. In 2003, it was sold again to the Music Group, and finally to Klaus Schöller in 2004.
This is a breaking story, but we’ll keep you updated with more details as they become available.
In his time with No Treble, Kevin has met hundreds of amazing bassists and interviewed icons like Jack Casady, Victor Wooten, Les Claypool, Marcus Miller, and more. He's a gigging bassist performing jazz in Northern Virginia and bluegrass with The Plate Scrapers up and down the East Coast. Kevin appreciates all genres of music, from R&B to metal and everything in between. Connect with Kevin on Facebook and check his performance schedule on his website.
I have a 1962 violin bass, referred to as a Beatle bass and it has never been played and in it is still in its original case. I want to sell it! Any offers.
Schade, aber es gibt immer hoffnung.
Many people on Facebook are saying that only McCartney has the resources to save the Hofner brand but that’s not true. I suggest that there maybe many thousands of investors around the world that would love to own shares in Hofner if they decided to launch an IPO – I would certainly be a starter.