double dave

What is your style of playing? Have you moved from an electric bass to the double? It so you should take note that the double bass should not be thought of as just a big bass. There are certain hand techniques involved with a double that are particular to it - mainly hooking - you don't tend to use the tips of your fingers unless you are doing light nimble work. It is worth taking notice of this as it is easy to fall into bad habits that are tough to break. If you are serious about taking up the double then I suggest taking a couple lessons with an experienced bassist. It can never hurt! Once you have a frame work of good technique then you can build on it and you will find that your progression will become easier when learning Jazz styles and techniques. Blues and waliking lines is definately a good place to start! keep on it!!

Ok, It turns out that it is in fact a 5000/1 and not a 500/1. It is a deluxe model which features gold hardware, pick ups ect. A chap in the know on the Hofner discussion board is under the impression that it is all stock apart from the out of place pick-up in the neck position. .......not a home bodge job. I have been trying to search the net for any similar basses and I have found one which is very similar apart from it is fretted. Here are a couple links for anyone who is interested. [url="http://hofner.co.uk/index.php?PHPSESSID=8fd40cab4dcf8efe9059127dc2d0f6c0&topic=1270.0"]http://hofner.co.uk/index.php?PHPSESSID=8f...mp;topic=1270.0[/url] [url="http://www.vintagehofner.co.uk/vintagehofner/basses/bas24.html"]http://www.vintagehofner.co.uk/vintagehofn...sses/bas24.html[/url] Result!!

ha ha! Yeah the strings are very cheap, and readily available! I bought it with, as Happy Jack pointed out, round wound strings on so they came off straight away - not good, although the damage does not seem bad and is not noticeable unless you really look. I have not seen anything like this either. Thanks very much for your insight happy jack, it seems you are quite knowledgeable on the Hofners. I am willing to accept the custom job suggestion, but if that is the case I would not put it as a 'home' job as it is seamless. If it is a custom job, which is looking more and more likely, then it must be professionally done as the work is to a very high standard. The mop edging on the neck has not been disturbed at all and the ends of the 'frets' are behind this. Have you ever seen edging like that before either jack? I cannot find anything like it on any hofner I've seen so far. there is a thin black line, then bone, then the gold mop, then black, bone, a 4mm (or thereabouts) strip of rosewood, then bone then another black line. It is quite elaborate. Also hofner logo and the floral detail on the head is also in gold and I have so far only seen it in silver, and the pot plate on the body is also in gold, It seems to me that whoever did this if it was a custom job, knew what they were doing as there are to many uniform consistencies to be a home custom. I also like the colour as well. How common is for them to be so blond? I am a double player really and as such have not got around to reconditioning it yet. Thanks for everyones insights by the way. The more I can get on this the better! Cheers

Yeah, I just started a new thread called Vintage Hofner 500/1. There are some pictures of it there. It needs a bit of a recon. I have been trying to get some info out of Hofner to see weather I should do it myself or give it back to hofner for a full professional registered job. Check it out - [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=20308"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=20308[/url] [quote name='Bassassin' post='207426' date='May 27 2008, 06:04 PM']For a lined fretless board, I really like that. Have you got a pic of the whole bass? J.[/quote]

Hi! I am the prowd owner of a Blond Hofner 500/1 which has Gold hardware and gold MOP inlays and edging. It is also a frettless with level fretts which according to Hofner themselves are original. This is compouded by the fact that the 'fretts' are made from maple and bone as well, marking out the tones and semi-tones. According to Hofner who have been emailing back and forth, this bass would have been specially commisioned for someone back in the sixties as A, they don't do gold hardware on the 500/1 this early and B, They don't do gold inlays or edging at all on 500/1's, let alone to mention the frettles combo of steel and wood fretts, altogether making the bass very rare indeed. All of this begs the question- who the hell comissioned it? At the time of Hofners being too expensive for most people to afford the standard models, who would be able to afford a custom built one and why? If Paul Macca was not yet a world wide legend for long enough then it kind of rules out a collector or Macca enthusiast, and anyway, you would think that they would want an exact replica of his bass? Anyway, trying to get infomation out of Hofner is like trying to extract blood from a stone so that is where my knowledge on it ends. Can anybody help me out?? Cheers, Dave

I Have a particulary rare Hofner 500/1 with 'level frets' which apartently, according to Hofner amongst others, was made like that but is a rarity. If the fretts had been filed down to be level with the frettboard then you would get at lest one tale tale sign of this being done in the form of markings on the board - however slight. The board can be re-waxed and polished but it is still hard to get it looking seamless. If frett markers is a practice that is going on then it is far more likely to be an original custom. It is just a shame that the seller of this bass dosen't know anymore about the origins of it. Here is a few picture of my bass, which has two sets of 'fretts' - one in maple and the other in bone for the tones and semi-tones. as you can see from the pictures there is no way of removing the fretts and replacing them with wodden and bone ones without massive damage to the frettboard and the MOP edging - backing up what Hofner said.

MMMMMM...... Yes, I forgot about that. Maby good old thomann are the way to go after all, apart from thay don't sell (to my knowledge) The hard cases. Although it wouldn't be hard to make my own with a pit of ply, a skateboard truck and a telescopic handle from an old suitcase! Thanks for the heads-up. Also as far as returns policy's go I think that thomann may have the upperhand due to shipping costs back out to the states being somewhat of an expense. Cheers. Oh by the way, Does anybody know anyone who is intrested in a Beringer MX9000 desk that I am selling to try and raise funds for said bass? How about a particualary rare Blonde Hofner 500/1 with gold inlays and hardware? I am going to put up a different post if anyone is interested. Thanks again everyone.

Nice one Rev. I have been eyeing up Thomann for the past year or so as I thought that they where the cheapest supplier of.....well....almost anything, but it turn out That old Bob gollihur from across the pond will supply a removable neck four string with the two separate soft cases with a free hard case if I but it this month , and the shipping over to London all for £1600 - cheaper than Thomann by £130 od - which I like very much. All I need to do now is save up the money proper quick - which is near impossible, but there you go! Anyway, cheers for the help mate, and all who replied to my question. Cheers, Dave

Hi All, I am also looking for an Eminence EUB but It seems that no one in the UK stocks or sells them! I have been looking all over the place. I am reluctant to buy one from Thomann or Gollihur until I can actually see it for myself as it is a huge investment to 'blindly buy'. I recently bought a rather nice looking EUB from a UK company and I didn't rate it at all. It was an Aria - their most expensive one with two pickups and a hollow 'semi acoustic' body made from mahogany and maple but upon delivery when I actually got to play the thing it just sounded like a big bass guitar. I want mobility from my new bass but not at expense to the sound - thats why we all play the double right? Any way I had to send it back and get a refund but this was at my own expense which I thought was fair as the courier cost me about £55 which would have been cheaper than driving up to the shop myself and having a play before buying it, but if I have the same problem with a bass from Germany or the US then it will cost me an arm and a leg to ship beck again - if they even accept refunds! Whats a boy to do? Any feed back greatfully received. Does anybody know of any shops or stockists of the Eminence EUB in the UK and where I can find a stockist? does anyone know of any going for sale second hand? Cheers Dave