A 2005 Jazzgitarren Bianka replica of a 1961 Hoyer Bianka electric archtop guitar, #003, in sunburst 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. From Randy’s collection of German archtop guitars.

Enthusiasts of Hoyer’s visually arresting Bianka guitars know how rare and difficult to acquire they can be, especially with so little in the way of reference material by which to authenticate them. For years, one of the leading sources of information on these Hoyer creations is the Jazzgitarren website, which functions as an online museum of Hoyer instruments as well as many other builders.

In 2005, the folks behind the website hatched a plan to create Bianka replicas built by Japanese luthier Toro Fuji and made to exacting specifications to recreate the magic of the original Biankas. Five were released between 2005 and 2007, including this guitar made specifically for Randy using original Hoyer tuners, electronics, and bridge, with the pickguard and tailpiece manufactured in Japan.

A seven-piece flame maple neck, multi-ply bound headstock with mother of pearl “Jazzgitarren Bianka” and lightning bolt inlays. A multi-ply bound ebony fretboard with 21 frets and mother of pearl bowtie inlays. Vintage Hoyer tuners. A sunburst-finished thick carved and scalloped spruce top, a sunburst carved and scalloped flame maple back, natural flame maple sides. Brownish pearloid purfling along all of the body edges, which are bound in multi-ply plastic. Bound lightning bolt sound holes.

Vintage adjustable Hoyer bridge, newly fabricated pickguard and tailpiece, vintage Hoyer jack-mounted parallelogram pickups, vintage Hoyer control plate and electronics.

Includes hardshell case.

PROVENANCE From The Collection of Randy Bachman

Guitars & Instruments, Randy Bachman