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Did hofner ever make bad basses?

#5
I'm not sure what would make a Hofner "bad" but I'm a fan of the neck profile of the Hofner Icon and Ignition series I own and I don't like the neck profile on the Contemporary or Made In Germany models I've tried.
 
#10
IME, Hofners can be kind of idiosyncratic if you're used to US and Japanese brands. Some people might be quick to sell if they bought one expecting it to feel like a Fender. Doesn't mean it's bad, only different.
 
#11
totally sure it was a Hofner, not a knock-off? or it didn't have a crack in the body? or a twisted neck?

the set-neck design is more unforgiving sometimes. and there're always basses in good and bad condition.
 
#13
During the late 1960s, when there was a tremendous demand, their production could not meet demand, and made some not so great instruments according to the guy who imported them into the US in those days. Demand was so great for the 500/1 violin bass that they slapped on their Club guitar bodies, which weren't selling well, in hope that they would be bought. It took a while for the Club models to be accepted as basses. The importer told me that they had quite a few returns in the late 1960s.
 
#14
epsonecotank said:
I don't think it's a club model, the club model looks too thick.
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Was it a Hofner Shorty Bass?
hct-shb-bk-0_1n.jpg

Because given the price used that sounds accurate. @LowEndLobster reviewed one and from memory he wasn't thrilled by it. That said, replace the pickup with an EMG and I think you'd have a sleeper.
 
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#15
epsonecotank said:
I saw a hofner bass once that was selling for 100 dollars, was it that cheap because of how bad it is or was it just really cheap? It wasn't in a violin shape btw.
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I can’t really remember the whole story but back the early Beatle days John and George were messing with Paul (and his bass) …just before the start of the show they would de-tune his E string.

So for the first song he was scrambling and fighting through it.

Paul was of course totally unaware of what had happened.

He was complaining to Hofner about having a defective bass. So they sent him replacements to accommodate him.

At one event he saw the others doing this and apparently the show started very late while he attempted to fight it out…

I was always impressed with the sounds Paul got from his Hofner’s.
 
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#16
Dan B said:
Was it a Hofner Shorty Bass?
View attachment 4370821
Because given the price used that sounds accurate. @LowEndLobster reviewed one and from memory he wasn't thrilled by it. That said, replace the pickup with an EMG and I think you'd have a sleeper.
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The shorty was the bass I owned that I hated the most. Ok, it was very cheap, but it was absolutely no fun to play. It didn't hang right. It didn't feel right. It didn't sound all that good. I was really glad to sell it.
 

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