A Spotterʼs Guide to HIPs and Strings

Pictured: 1974 Hohner International String Vox (also see one posted here)

via Zen & the Art of Synthesizer Maintenance

"Anyone interested in 1970s-80s Hohner/Logan/ELKA string machines and Hohner/ELEX/Excelsior electronic pianos (some with strings voices), who has been confused by their rebadging relationships and the often dubious information online, might like to consider this new article summarising my research over the last few years:

A Spotter’s Guide to HIPs and Strings

https://zasm.earth/hipstrs

Models covered:

• Hohner International String Vox
• Hohner International String Melody and String Melody II
• Hohner International Electronic Piano K1 (HIP / HIP II / K1)
• Hohner International K2 (Stringvox)
• Hohner International Electronic Piano K3
• Hohner International String Synthesizer K4
• Hohner String Performer
• Hohner International EK61 'Globetrotter'
• Hohner International EK 2
• Hohner C86"

and

• ELKA Rhapsody 610
• Logan String Orchestra"

"Not long after the technology became reasonably affordable, Matth. Hohner AG sold several electronic piano and string machine models under their ‘Hohner International’ brand, apparently aiming at cheapness and portability compared with their acoustic and electromechanical keyboards. Most of these were either rebadged ELEX (Excelsior) products or perhaps Hohner-inspired modifications of them. Some were rebadged ELKA and Logan instruments, and they produced a couple of their own designs. [1] (Hohner did also produce organs, bass keyboards and pedalboards, acoustic and electromechanical piano-like instruments amongst others, but thatʼs not todayʼs topic.)

The plethora of these instruments from different manufacturers, some sold as Hohner, some not, some easily distinguished, some not, some modified either inside or out over their production span, has led to a certain amount of confusion in the years since, and poses a puzzle for people interested in obtaining and/or repairing them. But perhaps itʼs possible to construct a comprehensive overview which will allow them to be identified and distinguished?"

Read more at https://zasm.earth/hipstrs.