Original hofner senator

[oldslapper]

So I walk into the front room of a young student for a lesson last night, and there in the corner is an original Hofner senator.
His aunt gave it to him as she heard he was having lessons.
It's been hanging around her house and didn't know what to do with it as it's "old" and might do him until he gets something nicer.

Anyway, it was a bit dirty and needed a clean up, but in overall good nick.
Action is very high though, so will take it to a tech for a set up.
Such a cool looking bass.....I'll get some pics up.

Lucky sod!

[Gareth Hughes]

Nice one. I have one too - damn nice basses. Laughably light and infectiously groovy, especially to record with.

[oldslapper]

Cool Gareth,
What's the action like on yours?
I didn't want to touch the neck as the bass hasn't been touched in years. Have you adjusted yours much?

John

[Gareth Hughes]

I haven't touched the action since I got it about ten years ago. It's pretty low, with 45-100 (or maybe 40-95, can't remember) medium scale Rotosound flats on it. Easy to get around on, but also easy to be unintentionally heavy handed with it too. For me, it works best with a pick and some compression - but I think the compressor is mostly needed for the nearly 50 year old pickup being a little weak.

[geoffbyrne]

My first 'real' guitar was a thin 1957 Senator, blond with 1 black bar pickup.

Because of the design of the heel, most of these old Hofners will split , the whole neck splitting across the heel parallel to the body. It's very common - it's due to the design, with the bottom end of the fretboard floating across the bodywork. If it hasn't already done this, he's very lucky.

Usually they need to be taken to a decent luthier, have the neck re-fixed to the heel & then the heel reset to get the action right. A bit to pay, but usually well worth it.

I was offered a free Hofner President in decent nick apart from some binding & fretwork about 20 years ago - I had to be honest & told him it was worth a few bob in good nick & suggested he get it to Jimmy Moon, which he did.

I saw it some 6 months later and it was absolutely beautiful and perfectly set up. I was sorry it wasn't mine, but felt I did the right thing. The owner was delighted.

G.

Edited November 11, 2011 by geoffbyrne

[Happy Jack]

Not sure about the neck splitting from the heel ... that bit is usually made of two separate pieces glued together.

What happens with old Hofners is simply that they are still made using traditional animal glue, the stuff that has always been used for violins, cellos, etc.

Animal glue has a known lifespan, roughly 40 years give or take, after which it dries to a powder and stops being glue. At that point, any Hofner will see the neck/heel start to part company and - more worryingly - the neck fold up like a pen-knife against the body.

This is largely responsible for their reputation as "cheap and fragile" and is a complete misunderstanding.

Take the bass (or guitar) to any good luthier and ask them to re-glue it, using animal glue again of course, and it will be fine for another 40 years give or take.

I have genuinely lost count of the number of Hofners that came into my possession in a "broken" state and just needed re-gluing. It's certainly in double figures.

[oldslapper]

Thanks gents, I'll probably show the luthier your posts.

This is the first time I've genuinely been jealous of a students guitar, it's so nice.

My older brother had a 6 string verithin back in the 60's which I loved hearing him play when I was a kid.
He became a hippy late in the day and swapped it for a fender acoustic, which was crap. He regrets that decision to this day.

[geoffbyrne]

If you look at the heel shots here (you have to scroll the pic panel down to find them) you'll have an example of what I mean:

[url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VINTAGE-1958-BLONDE-HOFNER-SENATOR-/290626609598?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item43aab221be"]http://www.ebay.co.u...=item43aab221be[/url]

G.

Edited November 11, 2011 by geoffbyrne

[Nodd]

<p>A Hofner Senator was my first bass,&nbsp;</p>
<p>and as I am left handed I had it flipped.</p>
<p>After six months I got rid of it, it had &nbsp;sky high action, one plummy sound</p>
<p>and I felt it was &#39;old fashioned&#39;!</p>
<p>Hey ho...such is youth</p>
<p>Nodd</p>
<div id="myEventWatcherDiv" style="display:none;">&nbsp;</div>

[pete.young]

Well somebody must like 'em - this '64 one, in what looks like very nice condition but with duff electrics sold for £430 !

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/290628672884?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

I had one just like this as my first bass, and if I'd know it would be worth this much I might just have kept it. Mine had low-tension black nylon strings on, which are probably something you should consider if you can get the action back down again. I don't think modern high-tension steel core strings do these old axes too many favours.