I definitely can't comment on the German Hofners since they are way over my $$$$ range but my cheap Hofner Club sounds pretty awesome without dead spots using rounds. Im thinking some of the flats used in Hofners, LaBella being one of them, gives the Hofner the thump the OP might refer to as dead spots. Also worst strings I have ever put on this Hofner have been the Hofner flatwounds made specifically for these basses, tried two different sets and both E strings have been dead.
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Höfner basses and dead spots
- Thread starter TortCult
- Start date
Ric5
Inactive
- Jan 29, 2008
- 29,772
- 30,452
- Disclosures
- I like 5, 8, 10, and 12 string basses
One of my favorite basses of all time is the Höfner violin bass. Only reason I don't have one is that they seamingly all have terrible dead spots on the E or A string (or both), in fact every Höfner bass I've tried out had at least one terrible dead spot in the 'money zone', with exception of a CT Club bass, which had a sustain block, separating both halfs of the body (didn't really have the classic Höfner sound).
I contacted one of the large dealers here in Germany, asking them, if it's possible to get a violin bass without dead spots on the E/A string and they replied:
"The violin bass is a retro-style instrument and always has several very pronounced dead spots (...) This not only applies to basses of the Ignition or Contemporary series but also to the handmade german violin basses."
When I look at the reviews of these intruments, no one really seems to complain about dead spots. I'd be pretty disappointed, paying 2.000+ bucks for a handmade violin bass and having to deal with a dead spot on the 5th fret of the E-string. Maybe I'm just fussy, who knows.
What's your experience with violin-style basses (not only from Höfner) and their dead spots?
My first 2 basses were a Hofner and a Hofner copy … I haven't played one of those basses since the 1970s … I don't remember dead spots … but that was a long time ago.
You can try different strings, different setups, and the old fat finger thing on the headstock.
They're actually the same as Pyramid Gold flats, just under a different name. The dead E is supposed to be a feature!
Gorgeous club bass, glad you like it.I didn't say they sound dead, I said they tend to have dead spots in areas, where you usually don't find them.
Big difference.
The original Hofner violin basses from the 50's as Paul plays are representative of their time, and Hofner's lineup: Go back to all the archtop guitars (think L5, Super 400, the D'Angelicos, Strombergs, original Epiphones and the like) and the construction was modeled on violin building: Tuned spruce top, maple back and sides, floating bridge, etc.
Hofner carried this premium construction style into those basses; this was when the bass guitar was in its' infancy, and the quality / construction was more known and valued than performance as a bass guitar. So with that design and those pickups, it was primo in its day, but is almost laughable today by how far we've come. It looked like a Rolls-Royce alongside any of the Kays or Gibson's original EB that were sold alongside it in the 50's. And as it inevitably became 'the Beatle Bass', its' bones were made, forever.
You buy one to get that sound and that tiny size, and as others have pointed out, that's what they do. You'd be hard pressed to reproduce that sound faithfully on a modern, long-scale axe and modern amps. It has its place for those that like them, and the German-built prices are probably representative of just how few they probably build every year, and just how few artisans are left at Hofner that can build one.
The few times I've played one convinced me that Paul must be one hell of a player to get that much music out of one to those little toy-like axes.
Hofner carried this premium construction style into those basses; this was when the bass guitar was in its' infancy, and the quality / construction was more known and valued than performance as a bass guitar. So with that design and those pickups, it was primo in its day, but is almost laughable today by how far we've come. It looked like a Rolls-Royce alongside any of the Kays or Gibson's original EB that were sold alongside it in the 50's. And as it inevitably became 'the Beatle Bass', its' bones were made, forever.
You buy one to get that sound and that tiny size, and as others have pointed out, that's what they do. You'd be hard pressed to reproduce that sound faithfully on a modern, long-scale axe and modern amps. It has its place for those that like them, and the German-built prices are probably representative of just how few they probably build every year, and just how few artisans are left at Hofner that can build one.
The few times I've played one convinced me that Paul must be one hell of a player to get that much music out of one to those little toy-like axes.
IIRC, the dead spot (note: just one that I recall) on my old '07 500/1V63 was at the C of the G string at the 17th fret.
Hope this helps.
For pick playing it sounds quite good!
Just kidding, I usually play fingerstyle or use my thumb.Interesting. Considering that some of my favorite reggae bass players started out on these in the mid/ late 60's, I thought they must have already been rather cheap instruments back then. I mean some of these guys literally lived in the ghetto.
Nice, pretty much out of the way, except you're trying to be Jaco on a violin bass.
Yes, mine is short scale with the long tailpiece. Saying it’s the sum of flaws is pretty accurate. I don’t think this description is in any way negative though.
Mine sounds exactly like Paul’s rooftop concert version of “Don’t Let Me Down”. Every time I do a hammer on or pull off I’m amazed at how expressive it is. When McCartney does those pull-offs during his short solo emphasis in that version, you really hear the personality of a Hofner. They’re great basses, and I’m glad that after 23 years of playing I finally tried one...then immediately bought it.
Yeah, it's not the best design in the world but there is certainly nothing like it.
The Ignition violin I used to own actually also was a very nice bass, despite being from the cheapest series and having that nasty dead spot at the first fret of the E. What I liked most about it, was how the body would resonate with every note, as though it had a build in woofer! Sometimes I miss that thing but back then it drove me nuts, trying to get rid of that dead spot by adding weight to the head stock, replacing the nut, experimenting with the truss rod etc. etc.
Maybe it's just the price I have to pay for having such an instrument.
I have an early 2000s Gold Top CT that I put Labella HBstrings on. The CT is the mid priced bass with the center block. There are No dead spots that I am aware of on this bass. In fact, I was marveling on this the other day. My only complaint about the bass is the pickups are SO HOT!, I have to turn the volume to about 50% to match my other basses.
I've also noticed their PU's are particularly hot. Really dig the gold top, fancy!
I think you misunderstood, I'm referring to this:
"I stopped using flats due to their tendency to go dead quickly for me." I don't know what kind of flat you're using but I've had flats on my basses for years and never had that issue. I use La Bella's I don't know if that makes a difference.
I bought one of these and returned it three days later for this exact issue. Serious dead spots on the E and A at the 5th fret and beyond. There was no sustain and the tone changed radically from every fret prior. Not to mention the cheap, toy-like feel of these things. I can't believe how much PoS's sell for, even used, just because they have the Hofner logo on them. Complete garbage!
