Any Hofner Violin Bass Players Around?

[gsgbass]

A short time ago, I acquired a Hofner 500/1 bass that plays so smooth. Anyone else playing Hofner violin basses?

[CamdenRob]

No-one will ever make it big playing one of those...

[Geek99]

Yep strictly for total losers

[PaulWarning]

hope you don't play with a pick, it's all in the fingers you know

[grandad]

That looks a beauty, nice wood. I have a soft spot for these, the McCartney connection I expect.

Not a Hofner I'm afraid but I have an Epiphone Viola MIC. The wood and finish are excellent. The tone is full strung with flats, RS77M.

To achieve a decent action along the fretboard my luthier modified the bridge, shaving the height. He also reduced the screw height to make damping comfortable. It is now a favourite noodling instruments, so light and with a lovely action, though I don't think I'd gig with it.

[Rob MacKillop]

The Hof makes a surprisingly good jazz-funk bass:

[media]http://youtu.be/rgyHqJ4U1UE[/media]

[chriswareham]

I have one of the Chinese made Hofner Violin basses and I love it. Even used it to play a cover of Velvet Revolver's "Slither" in drop D. The cheap Chinese ones don't have a block of wood down the inside of the body, which makes them sound more like the original ones than the current "contemporary" models that are made in Germany.

[Rob MacKillop]

I didn't know that - the absence of the wood block. So, it's a true archtop.

[Rob MacKillop]

I'd like to get my hands on the top of the range model. I bought the Chinese version for my daughter a few years ago, but she never took to it, and we eventually sold it. But when I played it, I felt the instrument was a bit stiff, the sound a bit wooly, if that makes any sense. It seemed well made, but not "alive", somehow. I assume the top model would be a lot better, though at a price. But the Chinese one looked great, and, with a few misgivings, was fun to play.

[Rob MacKillop]

http://youtu.be/xADoIFoKa0Q

[Rob MacKillop]

I'd like to get my hands on the fretless version:

[attachment=227985:hofner-5000-1-fretless-bass-r.png]

[luckman67]

I have an original '64 500/1 (May 24th) s.n 687, which I have owned for the past 28 years Haven't played it much since 1998 as I went back to full scale basses, still love it though .

Edited September 15, 2016 by luckman67

[upside downer]

Got a Westfield VB960 copy of the Hofner. Great feel and tone and seeing as we play for over 2 hours per gig the lightness of it helps my poor old back no end. Saw it at an auction house that had a spree of selling off some half decent stuff a year or two back, lots of Peavey stock etc. Prepared myself for a bidding war but ended up winning it for £32! Result!

Edited September 17, 2016 by upside downer

[CaptainBlackarm16]

Never played one, but I'm looking into acquiring an old one!

[stingrayPete1977]

Where's blue when you need him?

[police squad]

I have one of the ltd union jack basses. strung with la bella flats. excellent 'thud' sounds from it but I haven't touched it for over a year now.

[Graham]

The father of the guitarist of the band I was in at uni had one of these, don't know what model; it was very comfortable, light and sounded great....................I just can't get past the looks

[uk_lefty]

Have often fancied one but can't quite bring myself to it. I enjoy the Beatles but have not learned any of their songs on bass other than come together. Can't help feel it's only for tribute bands due to the distinctive looks, though I know the sound is distinctive and what should count more. I'm shallow. Most people don't even know what a bass is.

[James Nada]

A good compromise between getting the violin bass sound and not looking like a tribute act is the Hofner Club (500/2).
[URL=http://s712.photobucket.com/user/badgerpigdog/media/hofner_full.jpg.html][IMG]http://i712.photobucket.com/albums/ww127/badgerpigdog/hofner_full.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
I have one of the HCT models and it a good bass. They are fully hollow body, with no "tone block" so you do get the more vintage Hofner thud.

[Rob MacKillop]

Is that fretless?

[Who's Who]

Picked one up yesterday and loving it.
Never owned a short scale before but it's pretty comfortable to play.
Got the contemporary model in sunburst complete with teacup knobs, Macca strap and pyramid gold flats.
Now nailing that McCartney tone

Edited September 20, 2016 by Who's Who

[rushbo]

I've got the "entry level" version - it was called the Icon at the time, but I think they're called the Ignition series now...

I picked it up from Thomann with a fitted hard case and a "correct" strap for about £240. It sounds fabulous. For quite a light instrument, it really packs a punch. Mine still has the factory fitted strings, so I can only imagine what it would sound like with decent flats on.

I also did the trainspottery mods - flipped the pick ups, replaced the black knobs with "teacups", brassoed the "Icon" logo off the truss rod cover blah blah. They really are great basses - even the cheapo version. The real deal must be incredible!

[James Nada]

[quote name='Rob MacKillop' timestamp='1474401067' post='3137779']
Is that fretless?
[/quote]
That one is. Most of them aren't 😃

[Cosmo Valdemar]

[quote name='rushbo' timestamp='1474407515' post='3137871']
I've got the "entry level" version - it was called the Icon at the time, but I think they're called the Ignition series now...

I picked it up from Thomann with a fitted hard case and a "correct" strap for about £240. It sounds fabulous. For quite a light instrument, it really packs a punch. Mine still has the factory fitted strings, so I can only imagine what it would sound like with decent flats on.

I also did the trainspottery mods - flipped the pick ups, replaced the black knobs with "teacups", brassoed the "Icon" logo off the truss rod cover blah blah. They really are great basses - even the cheapo version. The real deal must be incredible!
[/quote]

I've got the same - also pimped with teacups! What do you mean by flip the pickups?
As for the strings, seriously, whack some flats on as soon as you can - it will bring the bass to life! Mine's got the Hofner flats with the dark green silks. Joyous thump.

[rushbo]

[quote name='Cosmo Valdemar' timestamp='1474569296' post='3138919']
I've got the same - also pimped with teacups! What do you mean by flip the pickups?
As for the strings, seriously, whack some flats on as soon as you can - it will bring the bass to life! Mine's got the Hofner flats with the dark green silks. Joyous thump.
[/quote]

I'm in the market for some flats at the moment...

The 500/1 has the pickup reversed for some reason...hopefully a Hofner geek will be along in a moment to tell us why.

I painted the switches cream and put a thin piece of sticky vinyl around the headstock to look like binding. Pretty convincing, too. I painted the nut to get the striped look (fiddly as all hell...) and put wood filler in the bridge to get that "stepped" look. I like fiddling about with basses - it's fooling no-one, but it amused me.

The great thing about them (apart from the incredible value for money and lovely thumpiness) is that you don't even need to plug 'em in for low level, home practice!