On many Hofner instruments, the serial number is the fastest way to find the production year. Hofner was founded in 1887 by Karl Hofner. The brand is best known for guitars and basses, especially the Violin Bass.
Hofner began using serial numbers on guitars in the mid-1970s. Before that, serial numbers were mostly used on instruments made for Selmer.
Table of Contents
Where to Find a Hofner Serial Number
The Hofner serial number looks like a few numbers or a letter plus numbers.
- On many older Hofner guitars, the serial number is stamped on the back of the headstock.
- On some distributor-marked guitars, the number is stamped into the top edge of the headstock instead.
- On hollow and semi-hollow guitars, it may be typed on a paper label inside the body. You can usually see that label through the f-hole.
- On some basses, the label may be under the bass-side soundhole.
- Some older guitars also have dealer or distributor labels on the headstock.
Hofner Workshop Serial Number 1975-1984
In 1975, Hofner began using six-digit workshop number on guitars. It helps place the guitar inside a date range, but it does not give a full built-in date code by itself.
These serial numbers were usually placed on a body label inside the guitar. On many guitars, the label is below the bass-side soundhole. On some thinline models without a soundhole, Hofner used a small white label with black numbers on the back of the headstock.
For example, let’s take serial number 212050. Since it is between 211741 and 212358, it refers to the period from May 19, 1981 to October 14, 1981.
Use the chart below to match a serial number to its date range.
| From Date | To Date | Serial Range |
|---|---|---|
| 12/05/1975 | 19/09/1979 | 401600 to 403600 |
| 27/11/1979 | 08/10/1980 | 208624 to 210510 |
| 08/10/1980 | 19/05/1981 | 210511 to 211740 |
| 19/05/1981 | 14/10/1981 | 211741 to 212358 |
| 14/10/1981 | 23/03/1982 | 212359 to 213188 |
| 23/03/1982 | 17/12/1982 | 213189 to 214283 |
| 17/12/1982 | 05/03/1984 | 214284 to 215676 |
Hofner Serial Number 1986-1999
From 1986 to 1999, Hofner used a six-digit serial number on German-made instruments. In this system, each part of the number has a meaning. The first digit shows the year. The second and third digits show the month. The fourth and fifth digits show the day. The last digit shows which instrument it was that day.
A serial number, for example, is 611072. In this case, 6 means 1996, the number 11 means November, the digits 07 means the 7th day of the month, and 2 means it was the second instrument signed off that day.
The first digit shows the year.
| First Digit | Year |
|---|---|
| 6 | 1986 or 1996 |
| 7 | 1987 or 1997 |
| 8 | 1988 or 1998 |
| 9 | 1989 or 1999 |
| 0 | 1990 |
| 1 | 1991 |
| 2 | 1992 |
| 3 | 1993 |
| 4 | 1994 |
| 5 | 1995 |
These serial numbers were written on a body label. On many guitars, the label is inside the body, below the bass-side soundhole. On models without soundholes, the label may be placed inside the body near the control area.
Many Hofner basses did not switch to this system until 1996. Before that, they often kept the older random workshop numbering system. Some basses continued to use that older system even after 1996.
Modern Hofner Serial Number Since 2000
Since 2000, Hofner has used a letter prefix number serial number on German-built instruments. The first character shows the year. The next two digits show the month. The next two digits show the day. The last digit shows which instrument was signed off that day.
Let’s take serial number Q07154 as an example. In this case, Q means 2014, the number 07 means July, the digits 15 means the 15th day of the month, and 4 means it was the fourth instrument signed off that day.
These serial number is usually written on a body label. The label often includes the model name and the signature of the luthier who signed off the instrument. It is usually inside the body, below the bass-side soundhole. On models without soundholes, it may be inside the body near the control panel.
The first character shows the year.
| Year Letter | Year |
|---|---|
| A | 2000 |
| B | 2001 |
| C | 2002 |
| D | 2003 |
| E | 2004 |
| F | 2005 |
| G | 2006 |
| H | 2007 |
| J | 2008 |
| K | 2009 |
| L | 2010 |
| M | 2011 |
| N | 2012 |
| P | 2013 |
| Q | 2014 |
| R | 2015 |
| S | 2016 |
| T | 2017 |
| U | 2018 |
| V | 2019 |
| W | 2020 |
| X | 2021 |
| Y | 2022 |
| Z | 2023 |
| A | 2024 |
*The year list skips I and O.
In 2024, the sequence returned to A again. That means the letter A can now appear in two different years (2000, 2024). Modern guitars can be visually distinguished from earlier models, and the inside labels also help tell them apart.
Ignition and HCT serial numbers do not give date information. They are used for manufacturing purposes only. HCT means Contemporary. These are modern Hofner models such as the HCT 500/1 Violin Bass CT. Ignition is another modern Hofner line, usually sold under model codes that begin with HI.
Hofner 500/1 V58 Bass Serial Number for Japan 1984-1993
The Hofner 500/1 V58 bass for Japan uses its own serial number list.
Use the chart below to match the serial number to the date range.
| Date Range | Serial Numbers |
|---|---|
| January 1984 to May 1985 | 259000 to 259205 |
| June 1985 to July 1987 | 259299 to 259600 |
| August 1987 to October 1988 | 259575 to 259582 261902 to 262006 |
| November 1988 to August 1989 | 259583 to 259600 262006 to 262101 |
| September 1989 to August 1990 | 261700 to 261901 |
| September 1989 to September 1991 | 261806 to 261882 |
| October 1991 to July 1992 | 261061 to 261901 |
| From April 1993 | 401800 and up |
Some of these ranges overlap. If a number falls into one of the overlapping groups, the bass should also be checked by its features and label details.
Hofner Selmer Serial Numbers 1950-1971
Selmer was Hofner‘s distributor in the UK. Hofner made guitars and basses for The Selmer Company from 1953 to 1971.
Hofner guitars and basses made for Selmer used their own serial number system. Standard Hofner models sold in Europe, the USA, and other markets did not have serial numbers until 1975.
On many Hofner Selmer guitars, the serial number is stamped on the back of the headstock. On archtop models, it may be typed on a paper label inside the body and visible through the f-hole.
These serial numbers can help date a guitar, but they should be used with care. The surviving Selmer charts are not complete, and some ranges may not be fully accurate. On high-volume models, the body could be made in one year and the guitar could be finished or shipped later. So the serial number should be checked together with the guitar’s features and hardware.
Hofner Archtop, Acoustic, and Semi-Acoustic Serial Numbers
On these Hofner Selmer models, the serial number is usually stamped on the back of the headstock or typed on a paper label inside the body. On hollow and semi-acoustic guitars, the label is usually visible through the f-hole. On classical models, check the label inside the soundhole.
These charts are based on surviving delivery records. If a year is not shown in a chart, no serial range is listed for the model for that year.
Hofner Committee Serial Number
The Committee was one of the top Hofner archtops. It was introduced in 1953 and stayed in production until about 1969. It was a large archtop and was offered as an acoustic and as an electric.
Use this chart for the Committee acoustic guitars.
| Year | Serial Numbers |
|---|---|
| 1958 | 2564 to 2950 |
| 1959 | 2951 to 3270 |
| 1960 | 3271 to 3677 |
| 1961 | 3721 to 3744 |
| 1962 | 3745 to 3792 |
| 1963 | 3793 to 3954 |
| 1964 | 3965 to 4108 |
| 1965 | 4109 to 4177 |
| 1966 | 4178 to 4189 |
| 1967 | 4190 to 4247 |
| 1968 | 4248 to 4258 |
| 1969 | 4259 to 4264 |
The Committee Electric is the electric version of the Committee series. It used the same high-end archtop body style, but with pickups and controls.
Use this chart for the Committee Electric guitars.
| Year | Serial Numbers |
|---|---|
| 1961 | 1182 to 1257 |
| 1962 | 1258 to 1326 |
| 1963 | 1327 |
| 1965 | 1617 |
The Committee Thinline is the thinner electric version of the Committee guitars. Selmer-era thinlines appeared from 1959 onward.
Use this chart for the Committee Thinline guitars.
| Year | Serial Numbers |
|---|---|
| 1960 | 1100 to 1175 |
| 1961 | 1176 to 1237 |
| 1962 | 1238 to 1305 |
| 1963 | 1355 to 1411 |
| 1964 | 1420 to 1517 |
| 1965 | 1518 to 1653 |
Hofner Ambassador Serial Number
The Ambassador was sold in the UK from 1965 to 1968. It had double Florentine cutaways and a more modern look than the older archtop models.
Use this chart for the Ambassador guitars.
| Year | Serial Numbers |
|---|---|
| 1965 | 50 to 177 |
| 1966 | 178 to 273 |
| 1967 | 274 to 360 |
Hofner President Serial Number
The President was the main mid-range archtop in the Hofner Selmer catalog from about 1952 until the early 1970s. It was offered as an acoustic, a full-depth electric, and later as a thinline electric.
Use this chart for the President guitars.
| Year | Serial Numbers |
|---|---|
| 1958 | 3480 to 5100 |
| 1959 | 5101 to 6319 |
| 1960 | 6320 to 7967 |
| 1961 | 7968 to 8002 |
| 1962 | 8003 to 8125 |
| 1963 | 8126 to 8308 |
| 1964 | 8355 to 8727 |
| 1965 | 8728 to 8976 |
| 1966 | 8977 to 8986 |
| 1967 | 8987 to 8996 |
| 1968 | 8997 to 8999 |
| 1969 | 9000 to 9002 |
| 1970 | 9003 to 9026 |
| 1971 | 9027 |
The President Thinline is the thinner electric version of the President. It kept the same general President style, but with a thinner body.
Use this chart for the President Thinline guitars.
| Year | Serial Numbers |
|---|---|
| 1960 | 600 to 681 |
| 1962 | 682 to 787 |
| 1963 | 788 to 962 |
| 1964 | 963 to 1059 |
| 1965 | 1135 |
The President 66 is the later Florentine cutaway version of the President family. It appeared in the later 1960s.
Use this chart for the President 66 guitars.
| Year | Serial Numbers |
|---|---|
| 1967 | 1 to 124 |
| 1968 | 125 to 280 |
The President 66 Thinline is the thinline version of the President 66. It kept the sharper late-1960s body style.
Use this chart for the President 66 Thinline guitars.
| Year | Serial Numbers |
|---|---|
| 1965 | 1 to 143 |
| 1966 | 144 to 273 |
| 1967 | 274 to 360 |
Hofner Senator Serial Number
The Senator was the working player’s archtop in the Hofner line from late 1952 to about 1971. It sat below the President and above the Congress. Early versions had no cutaway.
Use this chart for the Senator guitars.
| Year | Serial Numbers |
|---|---|
| 1958 | 4404 to 7800 |
| 1959 | 7801 to 9301 |
| 1960 | 9302 to 11400 |
| 1961 | 11401 to 11702 |
| 1962 | 11703 to 12079 |
| 1963 | 12080 to 12680 |
| 1964 | 12726 to 13516 |
| 1965 | 13517 to 13674 |
| 1966 | 13675 to 13768 |
The Senator Thinline is the thin-bodied electric version of the Senator.
Use this chart for the Senator Thinline guitars.
| Year | Serial Numbers |
|---|---|
| 1960 | 1088 |
| 1961 | 1089 to 1227 |
| 1962 | 1228 to 1309 |
| 1963 | 1310 to 1404 |
| 1966 | 1660 |
The Senator 66 is the later cutaway version of the Senator. Selmer-era guitars appear from 1965 onward.
Use this chart for the Senator 66 guitars.
| Year | Serial Numbers |
|---|---|
| 1965 | 100 to 194 |
| 1966 | 195 to 325 |
| 1967 | 326 to 405 |
| 1968 | 406 to 459 |
| 1969 | 460 to 468 |
| 1970 | 469 to 485 |
| 1971 | 486 to 569 |
The Senator 66 Thinline is the thinner version of the Senator 66.
Use this chart for the Senator 66 Thinline guitars.
| Year | Serial Numbers |
|---|---|
| 1965 | 1 to 90 |
| 1966 | 91 to 151 |
| 1967 | 152 to 189 |
| 1968 | 190 to 191 |
| 1969 | 192 |
| 1971 | 193 |
Hofner Congress Serial Number
The Congress was the entry-level archtop in the Hofner line. It was a smaller-body guitar and stayed in the catalog through the full Selmer period, from about 1953 into the early 1970s.
Use this chart for the Congress guitars.
| Year | Serial Numbers |
|---|---|
| 1958 | 5809 to 7800 |
| 1959 | 7801 to 8800 |
| 1960 | 8801 to 9917 |
| 1961 | 9918 to 10958 |
| 1962 | 10959 to 12278 |
| 1963 | 12279 to 13371 |
| 1964 | 13422 to 14331 |
| 1965 | 14332 to 14891 |
| 1966 | 14892 to 15141 |
| 1967 | 15142 to 15366 |
| 1968 | 15367 to 15456 |
| 1969 | 15457 to 15471 |
| 1970 | 15472 to 15517 |
| 1971 | 15518 to 15523 |
Hofner Club Line Serial Number
The Club 40 is a hollow electric guitar from the Club line. It was the simpler Club model.
Use this chart for the Club 40 guitars.
| Year | Serial Numbers |
|---|---|
| 1958 | 255 to 420 |
| 1959 | 421 to 820 |
| 1960 | 821 to 1534 |
| 1961 | 1535 to 1674 |
| 1962 | 1675 |
The Club 50 is the two-pickup version in the early Club family.
Use this chart for the Club 50 guitars.
| Year | Serial Numbers |
|---|---|
| 1958 | 479 to 650 |
| 1959 | 651 to 1158 |
| 1960 | 1159 to 1779 |
| 1961 | 1780 |
The Club 60 is the best-known early hollow body Club model.
Use this chart for the Club 60 guitars.
| Year | Serial Numbers |
|---|---|
| 1958 | 1 to 180 |
| 1959 | 181 to 588 |
| 1960 | 589 to 1296 |
| 1961 | 1297 to 1607 |
| 1962 | 1608 |
The Club 70 was a later Club model. It appeared in 1967 and was not a high-end guitar.
Use this chart for the Club 70 guitars.
| Year | Serial Numbers |
|---|---|
| 1967 | 1 to 147 |
| 1968 | 148 |
| 1969 | 149 to 154 |
Hofner Violin Guitar 459 Serial Number
The Violin Guitar 459 is the six-string violin-shaped guitar in the Hofner line. It first appeared in 1966.
Use this chart for the Violin Guitar 459 guitar.
| Year | Serial Numbers |
|---|---|
| 1966 | 1 to 170 |
| 1967 | 171 to 200 |
Hofner Verithin Serial Number
The Verithin was introduced in 1960. It is a very thin hollow electric guitar. It was Hofner‘s answer to the popular Gibson thin semi-acoustic style, but it does not have a center block like a true ES-335 type guitar.
Use this chart for the Verithin guitars.
| Year | Serial Numbers |
|---|---|
| 1960 | 350 |
| 1961 | 351 to 699 |
| 1962 | 700 to 1238 |
| 1963 | 1239 to 2223 |
| 1964 | 2260 to 3313 |
| 1965 | 3314 |
The Verithin 66 is the later Florentine version of the Verithin. Hofner used this later body style from 1965 onward.
Use this chart for the Verithin 66 guitars.
| Year | Serial Numbers |
|---|---|
| 1965 | 1000 to 1190 |
| 1966 | 1191 to 1293 |
| 1967 | 1294 to 1388 |
| 1968 | 1389 to 1398 |
| 1969 | 1399 to 1404 |
| 1970 | 1405 to 1408 |
| 1971 | 1409 to 1411 |
Golden Hofner Serial Number
The Golden Hofner was a rare top-end model. It was sold from about 1959 to 1962, with shipping starting in 1960. It had gold-plated hardware, an 18-inch body, and a much more ornate build than the standard archtops. The listed Selmer serial numbers run from 1 to 47.
The Golden Hofner Thinline was the thinner electric version of the Golden Hofner. It was made in 1960. The listed Selmer serial numbers run from 1 to 16.
Hofner Vienna Serial Number
The Vienna is a classical guitar, not an archtop. It was one of the main Hofner classical guitars sold by Selmer in the 1950s and 1960s.
Use this chart for the Vienna guitars.
| Year | Serial Numbers |
|---|---|
| 1958 | 468 to 700 |
| 1961 | 850 |
| 1962 | 981 |
| 1963 | 1189 to 1556 |
| 1965 | 1763 to 2014 |
Hofner Flamenco Serial Number
The Flamenco was another main Hofner classical guitar. Like the Vienna, it used a solid spruce top with laminated maple back and sides.
Use this chart for the Flamenco guitars.
| Year | Serial Numbers |
|---|---|
| 1958 | 4527 to 5100 |
| 1960 | 849 to 5433 |
| 1961 | 5434 to 5688 |
| 1962 | 5689 to 6270 |
| 1963 | 6271 to 7074 |
| 1964 | 7111 |
| 1965 | 7567 to 7888 |
| 1966 | 2289 to 8338 |
| 1967 | 2414 to 8463 |
| 1968 | 8511 |
| 1969 | 8556 |
| 1970 | 2424 to 8571 |
| 1971 | 8575 |
Hofner Solidbody Guitar Serial Number
On Hofner Selmer solidbody guitars, the serial number is usually stamped on the back of the headstock. The Selmer charts are based on surviving records and are not complete.
Hofner Colorama Serial Number
The Hofner Colorama line was one of the main budget solidbody lines in the early 1960s. Colorama I was the one-pickup version.
Use this chart for Hofner Colorama I guitars.
| Year | Serial Numbers |
|---|---|
| 1961 | up to 499 |
| 1962 | 1154 to 1299 |
| 1963 | 1300 |
| 1964 | 944 to 963 |
| 1965 | 964 to 979 |
| 1966 | 980 to 1001 |
| 1967 | 1002 to 1012 |
Colorama II was the two-pickup version.
Use this chart for Hofner Colorama II guitars.
| Year | Serial Numbers |
|---|---|
| 1961 | up to 891 |
| 1962 | 892 to 1700 |
| 1963 | 2154 to 2902 |
| 1964 | 2953 to 3638 |
| 1965 | 3639 |
Hofner Super Solid II and Super Solid III Serial Numbers
The Hofner Super Solid II and Hofner Super Solid III followed the earlier V line. These were better-grade Selmer Hofner solidbody guitars from the early 1960s.
Use this chart for Super Solid II guitars.
| Year | Serial Numbers |
|---|---|
| 1961 | up to 650 |
| 1962 | 651 to 773 |
| 1963 | 774 |
The Super Solid III was the three-pickup version.
Use this chart for Super Solid III guitars.
| Year | Serial Numbers |
|---|---|
| 1961 | up to 1209 |
| 1962 | 1210 to 1838 |
| 1963 | 1839 |
Hofner Super 173 Serial Number
The Hofner Super 173 was a Selmer Hofner solidbody guitar from the 1960s. It belongs to the 173 family.
Use this chart for Super 173 guitars.
| Year | Serial Numbers |
|---|---|
| 1963 | 824 to 1156 |
| 1964 | 1157 to 1348 |
| 1965 | 1349 |
Hofner Galaxie Serial Number
The Hofner Galaxie was a later Selmer Hofner solidbody guitar. It came after the earlier V and Super Solid lines. The surviving Selmer records list it from 1963 to 1970.
Use this chart for Galaxie guitars.
| Year | Serial Numbers |
|---|---|
| 1963 | up to 3147 |
| 1964 | 3318 to 4437 |
| 1965 | 4438 to 4537 |
| 1966 | 4538 to 4637 |
| 1967 | 4638 to 4737 |
| 1968 | 4738 to 4759 |
| 1969 | 4760 to 4858 |
| 1970 | 4859 |
Hofner Bass Serial Number
On Selmer Hofner basses, the serial number is usually found in one of two places. On hollow and semi-hollow basses, check the back of the headstock first, then check for a paper label inside the body. On solidbody basses, the serial number is usually stamped on the back of the headstock.
Hofner Committee Bass Serial Number
The Hofner Committee Bass was the bass version of the Committee family. It was one of the higher-grade Selmer Hofner archtop basses.
Use this chart for the Committee Bass guitars.
| Year | Serial Numbers |
|---|---|
| 1963 | 272 |
| 1964 | 281 to 321 |
| 1965 | 322 to 353 |
Hofner President Bass Serial Number
The Hofner President Bass was the bass version of the President line.
Use this chart for the President Bass guitars.
| Year | Serial Numbers |
|---|---|
| 1963 | 168 |
| 1964 | 179 to 430 |
| 1965 | 431 to 514 |
| 1966 | 515 to 538 |
Hofner Senator Bass Serial Number
The Hofner Senator Bass was the bass version of the Senator family.
Use this chart for the Senator Bass guitars.
| Year | Serial Numbers |
|---|---|
| 1959 | 1 to 199 |
| 1960 | 200 to 601 |
| 1961 | 602 to 643 |
| 1962 | 644 to 822 |
| 1963 | 823 to 947 |
| 1964 | 968 to 1868 |
| 1965 | 1869 to 2058 |
| 1966 | 2059 to 2294 |
| 1967 | 2295 to 2351 |
| 1968 | 2352 to 2375 |
| 1969 | 2376 to 2388 |
| 1970 | 2389 to 2397 |
Hofner Verithin Bass Serial Number
The Hofner Verithin Bass was the bass version of the Verithin line. It is a thinner hollow bass than the big archtop models.
Use this chart for the Verithin Bass guitars.
| Year | Serial Numbers |
|---|---|
| 1963 | 256 |
| 1964 | 309 to 540 |
| 1965 | 541 to 658 |
| 1966 | 659 to 664 |
| 1967 | 665 to 670 |
| 1968 | 671 to 672 |
| 1969 | 673 to 674 |
| 1970 | 675 to 679 |
| 1971 | 680 to 681 |
Hofner 500/1 Violin Bass Serial Number
The Hofner 500/1 Violin Bass is the best-known Hofner bass. Selmer records list it from 1963 to 1971.
Use this chart for the Hofner 500/1 Violin Bass guitars.
| Year | Serial Numbers |
|---|---|
| 1963 | up to 311 |
| 1964 | 352 to 1830 |
| 1965 | 1831 to 2511 |
| 1966 | 2512 to 3064 |
| 1967 | 3065 to 3170 |
| 1968 | 3171 to 3263 |
| 1969 | 3264 to 3347 |
| 1970 | 3348 to 3429 |
| 1971 | 3430 to 3463 |
Hofner Bass 6 500/10 Serial Number
The Hofner Bass 6 500/10 was a six-string semi-acoustic bass. The Selmer list for this model is very short. It shows a range of 1 to 204 for 1960, and then only one recorded number, 205, for 1961.
Hofner Artist Bass Serial Number
The Artist Bass was a later Hofner solid bass. It was introduced in late 1962 and used a more modern offset body shape than the earlier solid bass.
Use this chart for the Artist Bass guitars.
| Year | Serial Numbers |
|---|---|
| 1962 | 329 to 1160 |
| 1963 | 1161 to 1949 |
| 1964 | 1950 to 2250 |
| 1965 | 2251 to 2275 |
| 1966 | 2276 to 2301 |
| 1967 | 2302 to 2306 |
| 1968 | 2307 to 2309 |
| 1969 | 2310 to 2311 |
| 1970 | 2312 to 2313 |
Hofner Solid Bass Serial Number
The Hofner Solid Bass was the earlier Selmer solidbody bass. It appeared before the Artist Bass. Selmer sold both single-pickup and two-pickup versions.
The Selmer chart for the Hofner Solid Bass is very short. It shows 231 to 617 in 1962, then only 618 in 1963. That last number should be treated as the only recorded number in the surviving Selmer list for that year.
Hofner Van Wouw Serial Numbers
Van Wouw was Hofner‘s distributor in the Netherlands. Van Wouw used its own serial number system on Hofner guitars imported into the Dutch market.
A Van Wouw serial number was usually stamped into the top edge of the headstock. That is the first place to check. Unlike Selmer, Van Wouw did not use a separate serial range for each model. Different Hofner models were placed into the same general number series.
These numbers should be used with care. They were added by Van Wouw after import, not by Hofner during production. So they are better treated as an approximate import-period guide, not as the exact year the guitar was made. Also, no full official Van Wouw records are known to survive.
Use the chart below as an approximate guide.
| Approximate Year | Serial Numbers |
|---|---|
| 1960 | 1882, 1921, 2116, 2224, 2531, 3133 |
| 1961 | 3204, 3215, 3267, 3351, 3596, 3894, 3959, 4072 |
| 1962 | 4506, 4748, 5253, 5284, 5390, 5486 |
| 1964 | 7095 |
| 1965 | 7598 |
| 1966 | 8573 |
What If Your Hofner Has No Serial Number?
If your Hofner has no serial number, do not assume it is fake. Many older Hofner guitars and basses were made without a regular serial number. On standard Hofner models, serial numbers usually did not appear until the mid-1970s. Earlier numbers were mostly used on guitars and basses made for Selmer, or on some distributor-marked instruments.
First af all, check the usual places again. Check the top edge of the headstock. Look for a paper label inside the body. Some guitars have a distributor number or label instead of a normal Hofner factory serial number.
If there really is no serial number, the next thing to check is the body date. Many Hofner archtops from the 1950s, and some from the early 1960s, have a date written in pencil or stamped under the top while the body was being made. That date can be a very useful clue. But it is not always the final date, because Hofner sometimes made bodies first and finished the guitar later.
You should also check the pot codes if the guitar has original electronics. Early Hofner electric models often used Preh pots with a date code. That code can help show when the part was made. It does not prove the exact day the guitar was made, but it can help narrow the period.
After that, compare the guitar’s features. Look at the pickups, control panel, tailpiece, tuners, body shape. On older Hofners, these details often help more than a missing serial number.