Help identifying beatle bass carcass

[spiderjames]

I purchased yet another project from Ebay. this appears to be a fairly well made beatle bass copy. It has a very thin body and no F holes. It appears to have been well made but delicate. the placement of the control cavity seems like maybe a Klira or similar. The body is a routed out solid piece of wood with the top and back glued on, no interior bracing. the serial # is on a brass plate rivited to the back of the headstock near the neck. looks like it originally had only a neck pickup

[p5string]

try here: http://www.fuenfhunderteins.de/index1.htm

[scottbass]

Originally Posted by p5string

try here: http://www.fuenfhunderteins.de/index1.htm

WOW! Thanks so much for this link - I never realized there were so many different violin basses. Isn't the internet great?

Do you happen to know - were Hofner's the first, or were they copying someone, too?

[p5string]

not positive but I think Gibson was one of the first violin basses

[Feral Feline]

Cooolio!

I can't help, alas, as you've already been directed to the repository of all that is Violin Bass. Neato projectum you have. I like how incredibly thin it is, and the control cavity – curvaceous!

I find the clunky-looking rectangular control plate that is on all but the earliest Hofner and most clones to be quite fugly and ruins the looks of violin-shaped basses. Viva the earliest Hofners and the Kliras etc!

Please continue to post pics as the project continues. If you decide to pass on the project, please PM me. Even if it is nearly the size of the entire bass, might I suggest a Darkstar pup?

[ggvicviper]

Originally Posted by p5string

not positive but I think Gibson was one of the first violin basses

The first, I think. The Gibson Electric Bass (later EB-1) introduced 1953. The Hofner was similar, but not an exact copy of the Gibson. It was introduced in 1956.

The Gibson Electric Bass/EB-1:

[scottbass]

Yeah - I found the info on that cool web site - thanks again p5string! It seems Gibson made the first violin-shaped bass in 1953, but it was a solid body that just had the outline of a violin body. Hofner made the first true violin-bodied (i.e. hollow) bass in 1956.

[spiderjames]

Cool website! I didn't find anything exactly like this one. When I get home I will take a look inside with a mirror and flash light to see more about the construction. It may need a neck reset. the thin body has bowed allowing the neck to pull upward. i will get some random parts and try to get 'er playing and see how it goes. Don't know if it is good enough quality to invest in a neck set. then again I'm not totally adverse to dropping $ into a "lesser" instrument if i like it.

[spiderjames]

I like the fact that it doesn't have F holes

[spiderjames]

Here's what I found so far. Body has a solid hardwood "frame" similar to maybe a rick semi hollow or say a gretsch super axe. the top and bottom ar glued to this frame. the top is solid bookmatched spruce?? I assume the back is solid as well. No bracing inside. The neck looks like maple. The fretboard is maple or similar (pear?) stained black. inlays look like real abalone, has a working truss rod. the footprint left by the original tuners looks like the teardrop ones used on many european basses/guitars. like these:

enlarged long ago for some aftermarket machines.
As to the maker I have no idea. If I was to wager a S.W.A.G. I'd say a mid quality european Hofner copy but who knows?? I know realatively nothing about beatle basses.

Question: Are the PUPs on Hofners top mount or are the tops routed?