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Do I want a German Hofner 500/1

BassJuju

BassJuju

Jul 9, 2016
2,860
7,985
Texas
#1
A few months ago I bought an Epiphone Viola bass which is a nice bass in many ways and very beautiful as well. I like the tone. However, I watched a Steven Tyler video this past week and the lady playing bass was playing a Hofner and I really liked the tone. Steven remarked that it was a “real” Hofner. I.e. German.

So, are they worth it? I fully acknowledge that I have developed a fresh case of GAS. Can you talk me out of it? I know, I’ve come to the wrong place to be talked out of something. Nevertheless, I am here.
 
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#2
Of course you want a German Hofner. But 'want' and 'can afford' might not align themselves (at least not for me). What to do? Check out the two other Hofner lines. The CT (Contemporary) line is excellent (built in the factory Hofner owns and runs in China, using German-made pickups). CTs have center blocks, which may or may not matter to you. If you want fully hollow, the Ignition line offers that, and they've got the Hofner sound, too.

As for whether the German line is worth it, I'd say they're worth what they cost: they're painstakingly handmade by highly trained professionals in a country with high wages. If you compare them to typical solid-body electrics, the price seems pretty steep; I think it makes more sense to compare them to high-end American-made acoustic guitars, since the methods of manufacture are so similar.
 
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#3
Rather expensive...close to $3,000.
"Better" basses available for half the price.
This, for example.


You might also consider the Club bass if you like Hofner.
6_AE4_CA24-01_A7-4222-_B63_E-5_F51_CB365_F87.jpg

But if you simply have to own the violin-shaped one, go green.
09078_DE8-3_FF1-4231-_A56_D-8185_E844_E624.jpg
 
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#5
In which case, start shopping, man! (After playing most of this summer's gigs and rehearsals with my slab bass, I took my Hofner CT to rehearsal last night. Every time I play it with a band, I wonder why I even bother with another bass. And I say that even though I really like my other bass. The Hofner's tone is so full and rich, with lovely bloom and decay, and it finds the perfect spot in the mix without stepping on toes. That's with an electric band; with an acoustic group, it's about as close as an electric can get to copping a double bass. They're just great instruments.)

As luck would have it, there are some remarkable German Hofners right here in the classifieds:
For Sale - Hofner 500/2 Club Bass, Gold Label Ltd Ed, Orange, German
For Sale - Fodera, Alleva, Olinto, Hofner...CLEANING HOUSE!!!
For Sale - Hofner Gold Label 500/2 Club Bass (Two Face)
For Sale - Vintage Circa 1967 Hofner 500/1 Beatle Bass
For Sale/Trade - Hofner 2017 500/1 Violin Bass "Berlin" - Madrone Burl Gold Label
For Sale - Hofner Club Bass H500/2 Black

Finally, here's some video inspiration:




 
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#6
I have found German Hofners to be very well-made instruments, and are absolutely "worth it" if you like the Hofner sound and feel. Buying used helps to bring them into a more affordable price point.
One caveat: My late 1990s '63 reissue required a significant angling of the bridge to be properly intonated. This hasn't been an issue with Hofners of more recent manufacture, IME, although others may have different experiences.
 
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#7
I know many players swear by them, but I have never cared much for the entry-level Ignition Hofners. The Contemporary model is a different story -- I owned one and found it to be a real step up from the Ignition. Still prefer the German ones, but you may want to try out a CT.
However, a CT is going to have a center block, like your Viola.
 
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#9
#10
fermata said:
Agreed. Since the OP is shopping for a German-made one, here's another one going for a good price: Invalid Link Removed

Or make a trip to Chicago for the mother lode: Hofner Bass and Guitar sales - Buy Hofner Basses for sale online and in Chicago
Click to expand...

The 64 re-issue is the one I had a chance to play today. It was a well put together bass and sounded nice. Not as nice as it needed to, so I passed. The case was clean and the bass as well. Some one will get a nice bass. I may try another, but I had to have a look as they are hard to find in the wild around here.
 
#11
073B58B3-4EAB-4161-B376-67B846C95FFC.jpeg
Love my 2 German Hofners, a 62 and a madrone burl with Cavern spec. Was just watching a show about Tom Petty and they had a picture I was surprised by. Could not find the specific picture but found the above. Apparently he liked German Hofners as well!
 
#12
As mentioned above, I would go for a 500/2, they are more comfortable, particularly when playing seated. I had a 500/1V63 for a while, very nice bass once you get used to the very narrow string spacing.

Go real or stay home, that's what they say in Deutschland!
 
#13
Pet Sounds said:
I have found German Hofners to be very well-made instruments, and are absolutely "worth it" if you like the Hofner sound and feel.
Click to expand...
True indeed I bought my '64 Hofner Violin Bass 500/1 back in Nov '88 and in the last 30 years (next month) I have never had any problems with it, haven't even had to have the neck re-glued and it used to have cut down 45-105 strings on it with some of the winding pulled off the E string.
Strange thing though I have never tried or played a Hofner CT or Ignition 500/1.
 
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#14
When I was ~15 years old I owned a cheap Korean knock-off of a Hofner 500/1 ...so for a long time I thought I knew what those basses were all about. Between my Hofner clone and all the recordings and live performances I'd listened to that featured genuine German Hofner 500/1s I basically dismissed them as undifferentiated from any other 1960s short-scale hollowbody bass.

Then in 1982 my housemate bought a genuine German Hofner 500/1 and I was astonished by how cool it sounded, how unique it sounded, how wonderful it sounded... in short, it was completely unlike everything I expected it to be.

So yeah, there's good reason for wanting one.
 
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#15
I don't think they're at all worth the money when the cheapest Asian made Hofner is just as good, in my opinion/experience. It's different than the Squier Affinity to American Fender comparison. There, there are real, objective differences. In my experience with real deal Hofners, they're not better than the icon/ignition.
 
#18
Oberst said:
View attachment 3169866 Love my 2 German Hofners, a 62 and a madrone burl with Cavern spec. Was just watching a show about Tom Petty and they had a picture I was surprised by. Could not find the specific picture but found the above. Apparently he liked German Hofners as well!
Click to expand...
Petty's bass shown there isn't even a Hofner, let alone German...
 
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