A 1959 Hoyer Special SL electric archtop guitar in natural finish. Owned and played by Randy Bachman, who has sold 40 million records worldwide as a member of The Guess Who, Bachman-Turner Overdrive, and as a solo artist.

“How beautiful!” exclaims an overjoyed Randy Bachman as he sets his eye on this Hoyer Special SL. “These were the most elaborate of all German guitars. Beyond the carved top and back, the woodwork, the craftsmanship, all unparalleled.”

He’s not wrong. Ranking between the less ornate Special and the highly embellished Bianka models, the Special SL can be seen as a “best of both worlds” option for players who wanted to stand out with a unique and eye-catching model, but not quite so much.

Arnold Hoyer took over the brand for his father Joseph in 1945, who took over from his father, Franz, who started the company in 1874. First lutes and zithers, then eventually folk instruments, Arnold pivoted toward creating top-of-the-line instruments with the Special SL and Bianka models embodying that ethos.

If you like inlays and binding, look no further. The carved spruce top is inlaid with brown pearloid along its edge, set inside the multi-ply zebra binding which is also echoed on the cats eye sound holes. Randy is especially excited about the binding of this example. “You know how they made the binding? They made dozens of them and cut ‘em on a block diagonally! Just amazing.”

The headstock is also bound in rope binding, with pearl “Hoyer Special SL” logos inlaid with a diamond below. The 21-fret ebony fingerboard wears multi-ply binding and block inlays. White/black/white nut plus zero fret. Flame maple back and sides.

Two pickups, volume and tone controls for each, and a rotary selector switch rounds out the tonal package. Chrome tailpiece and Schaller tuners.

Includes hardshell case.

PROVENANCE From The Collection of Randy Bachman

Guitars & Instruments, Randy Bachman