Founded in 1874 by Franz Hoyer in Schönbach (now Luby, Czech Republic), Hoyer is a German guitar manufacturer with deep roots in European luthiery. Franz Hoyer initially crafted lutes and zithers before transitioning to classical and folk guitars. After World War II, the family relocated to Tennenlohe near Erlangen, Bavaria, where Arnold Hoyer — Franz's grandson — reorganized the company and built its reputation for high-quality, handcrafted instruments. Under Arnold's leadership, Hoyer became one of the first German guitar companies to publish a product brochure in the postwar era.

Hoyer's golden era spanned from the mid-1940s through the late 1960s, producing distinctive archtop jazz guitars, semi-acoustics, and classical instruments prized for their craftsmanship. The archtop models Herr im Frack ("Gentleman Dressed for the Evening"), Solist, and Bianka are considered collectors' items with cult status among vintage guitar enthusiasts. The top-of-the-line Special SL featured carved spruce tops, flamed maple backs and sides, and cat's eye tone holes. Hoyer guitars are recognized for their signature design elements, including the German Carve body detailing, distinctive lightning bolt and cat's eye f-holes, rolling bridge saddles, and parallelogram-shaped pickups custom-made by Schaller.

Eric Clapton received a Hoyer acoustic guitar for his thirteenth birthday, and Randy Bachman of The Guess Who and Bachman-Turner Overdrive is a noted Hoyer collector. After Walter Hoyer took over following his father Arnold's death in 1967, the company changed hands several times before production ceased in 1987. The Hoyer brand name and trademarks were acquired by Ritter in 2009, with the aim of reviving the heritage brand.

Hoyer has 4 products cataloged on Equipboard, including Steel-string Acoustic Guitars, Solid Body Electric Guitars, and Semi-Hollowbody Electric Guitars. Their gear is featured by 2 artists, with the strongest followings in Rock, Pop, and Stage & Screen. Notable users include Randy Bachman and Domenico Finizio.