Hopf

Hopf
Hopf is a family run German instrument maker that has been around for hundreds of years, first as a Violin maker founded in 1669 and later introducing other instruments. The original location of the workshop was in the Klingenthal / Markneukirchen area, but after WWII this was behind the Iron Curtain so in 1948 Willy Hopf arrived in the West, setting up in Wehen under the name Willy Hopf & Co. In 1981 Willy's Son, Dieter (who qualified as a luthier in 1968), left and set up his own guitar making firm Dieter Hopf Guitar Studios in the same area. When Willy Hopf & Co went out of business in the 1980's this firm took over the mantle of being Hopf Guitars founded in 1669.

Hopf was one of the German electric Guitar makers, like Höfner and Hoyer, who in the 1950's and 60's made a number of interesting looking archtop instruments; and a few Ukuleles too. In 1976 Hopf stopped making their own ukuleles and started selling re-branded Brüko made ones. The current firm has a Soprano and a Tenor Ukulele in the catalogue but these are still re-brands, this time made by Kremona