Hofner-(not just Beatle Basses)-Group Part 2 - Page 10

bill reed · #**181** 01-02-2013, 05:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by odysseios

I wrote: "only 3 piece necks are all made in Germany".
And since the CT neck is made by 3 pieces, it's evidently made in Germany (==> Hofner employee info).
Your thinking about the shipping could work, but what about the pickups? Those are as is known the same of the german reissues, so Hofner really must send those to China, then they come back with assembled CTs.
Also consider CT necks must have the same identical specs such as German V64 (as you can see on the Hofner web).

yes I don't disagree with what you are saying. it just seems strange with the CT that only the bodys are made in China, and all the necks are then shipped out to be fitted there.
sending out a a trailer of pick-up would do 1000s of basses but sending out that many necks would seem to add to the price. on the video of the hofner plant in Germany the CNC seems to make 4 necks at a time with one as the refrence.
i'm not saying what you have is said is wrong but it just seems a very costly way to make a bass, think it would be cheeper making then in China and fitting the German hardwear there.

odysseios · #**182** 01-02-2013, 05:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bill reed

think it would be cheeper making then in China and fitting the German hardwear there.

Sure it is, i thought maybe chinese operator could have some difficulties to respect the german specs of the CT.

bill reed · #**183** 01-02-2013, 05:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by odysseios

Sure it is, i thought maybe chinese operator could have some difficulties to respect the german specs of the CT.

The Chinese do made some of the best violins and and Bai Li Xing have been making some of the best since 1785.
the Chinese have been making very fine string instruments long before CNC operaters started putting them out in huge numbers.
i would not think a Chinese operator is any way less good at his job than say a USA operator.
the Chinese also make really fine optic for telescopes and would not say they were any worse at getting things to quality spec than anyone else.
I really do not think that geting to a high quality would be a problem as Tokia have many of there guitars make in China too.

odysseios · #**184** 01-02-2013, 06:14 AM

Hofner has a little industrial plant in Peking. They also make violins, but in Germany too the 500/1 line luthiers aren't the same of the violin line. Maybe they prefer to refine necks by hand in Germany for some reason.

rfslick · #**185** 01-02-2013, 04:07 PM

This is just speculation, but, I would think that Hofner would make all the CT bodies in China, then assemble with neck and electrics in Germany. If in fact the three piece necks are made in Germany and the pickups as well, it would make sense to make a great quantity of bodies and ship them in a unit.
The control is a little puzzling in that it uses four screws like the Ignitions.
I have no facts, but this seems to be the logical way to do this.

bassplayer8953 · #**186** 01-02-2013, 04:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rfslick

This is just speculation, but, I would think that Hofner would make all the CT bodies in China, then assemble with neck and electrics in Germany. If in fact the three piece necks are made in Germany and the pickups as well, it would make sense to make a great quantity of bodies and ship them in a unit.
The control is a little puzzling in that it uses four screws like the Ignitions.
I have no facts, but this seems to be the logical way to do this.

Loading a container with necks and pickups, or loading a trailer with bodies, about the same. It would seem to me that much of the labor required is in final assembly, finishing, and set up. And labor is what's so expensve, in Germany (just like the US). So it would stand to reason that these thasks would be performed in Asia, on the lesser priced models. JMO...

odysseios · #**187** 01-02-2013, 04:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rfslick

The control is a little puzzling in that it uses four screws like the Ignitions.

Would you say the control panel? Screws are 2.
One difference in the neck is the truss rod: that's chinese for sure.

rfslick · #**188** 01-02-2013, 06:09 PM

The control panel on the German basses use only 2 screws centered on either end. The Asian basses have 4, one in each corner.
What did you see differently about the truss rod?

odysseios · #**189** 01-03-2013, 01:09 AM

CT control panel also uses only 2 screws.
The truss rod rotating system in CT/Ignitions is different from Germans: all Asians requires an Allen key, for the Germans there's a proper wrench.

rfslick · #**190** 01-03-2013, 06:08 AM

Thank you. My two German basses were forty years ago. I had forgotten about the hex nut.

ficalini · #**191** 01-03-2013, 09:58 AM

Does anybody know what type of finish is used on the Icons?

Mine has a noticeable dent on the front of the body that might be able to be taken care of.

savofenno · #**192** 01-05-2013, 12:10 PM

I wish to join. Here is my loved beauty.

Ficalini: it`s poly for sure.

rfslick · #**193** 01-05-2013, 12:43 PM

Give an Ignition Club a shot. You'll love it!

mongo2 · #**194** 01-05-2013, 12:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rfslick

Give an Ignition Club a shot. You'll love it!

Ditto!

Mine's a blackburst.

odysseios · #**195** 01-05-2013, 12:54 PM

You replaced the tuners and deleted the writings on the t.r.c. ...

This is my CT (hardly modified):

Nick901 · #**196** 01-12-2013, 06:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by savofenno

I wish to join. Here is my loved beauty.

Ficalini: it`s poly for sure.

#123

Welcome to the club!

audiorep2 · #**197** 01-12-2013, 06:14 AM

1964.

off-topic · #**198** 01-12-2013, 07:26 AM

Model 185 "Artist" bass... beautiful!

off-topic · #**199** 01-12-2013, 07:28 AM

Took another pic of my Senator today

wolfpup · #**200** 01-12-2013, 07:09 PM

Hey all. I have a question for those who own an Icon/Ignition. The screw in the middle of the pickguard...is it supposed to be screwed into the body or not touching it? Because mine is grazing the finish, leaving a nice little nick. I've seen two others - one wasn't touching the body at all and the other was screwed further into it. Mine has quite a few blemishes but that bothers me the most. How is it supposed to be?