Gerhilde Benker

Gerhilde Benker served as president of Höfner Music, the company founded by her grandfather Karl Höfner in 1864 in Eger, Germany. A pioneering woman in the music products industry, she led one of its most innovative and influential firms with vision and grace. Her father, Walter, invented the iconic Höfner bass — known worldwide as the “Beatle Bass” after a young Paul McCartney adopted it. The endorsement of the instrument by the most popular band in the world created a demand unlike anything the company had ever experienced. Although Paul continued to play the Höfner bass well into the 2020s, Gerhilde noted that she never had the chance to meet the former Beatle in person. Under her leadership, the company also introduced several other groundbreaking products, including their renowned hollow-body guitars and distinctive pickups.