Help Dating Hofner

[dc-upright]

I just bought this bass, would someone be kind enough to tell me what I have here. It was sold to me as a 70s Caravan. I am not sure how to date it. It has an awesome sound and playability but I would like to know more about the bass.

Library Slideshow by detaylor25 | Photobucket

 

[FranF]

Appears to be a Chinese Cavern CT. The tuners and ferrules look wrong though, and it's definitely not a genuine made in Germany bass like the fake sticker on the back says. Hoping you didn't pay more than the going rate, maybe $400 max....

 

[FranF]

And if it's what I think it is, it's brand new, maybe no more than 2 years old. Definitely no older.

 

[winterburn69]

Flowers & chocolate might help

 

[dc-upright]

Thank you for your replies, I traded a mex p bass for it, but I have 7 days to return it.

 

[Thornton Davis]

What Fran said. Remove the control panel and look to see what the Hofner label inside the body says. It will tell you the model and serial number.

TD

 

[dc-upright]

If it is a CT can you see the block when you remove the control panel

 

[Thornton Davis]

If it is a CT can you see the block when you remove the control panel

Yes. The area around the control panel is hollow, but look deeper into the body and you'll see the block.

It looks like this.

TD

 

[dc-upright]

Thank you THorton, I could not see or feel the block but I will look again. I added 2 new pictures to the link in the OP. The tailpiece says made in Germany but there are 2 small holes in the pic of the tailpiece. Not sure why they are there.

 

[Thornton Davis]

Did you remove the control panel and if so was there a label inside the body and what did it say? The photos of the tailpiece and control panel that you added are vintage and definitely not new.

When the bass is NOT plugged in, does it sound hollow or does it sound like a solid body bass? If it's a CT, it will sound like a solid body but the label will tell you for sure what model it is providing there's one there.

TD

 

[dc-upright]

It sounds hollow when you are lay it not plugged up. There is no label that I can see. This afternoon I will bring a mirror home and take a better look inside. Thank you for your help.

 

[antonspon]

Any Hofners made before 1989/1990 would be labelled "Made in WEST Germany". You got a fake.

 

[dc-upright]

Where is the label supposed to be?

 

[pholli00]

Flowers & chocolate might help

& violin music? (gracelessly bows out).

 

[Treadstone71]

Where is the label supposed to be?

The label showing production date, serial number, and place of manufacture would be inside the body under the control panel, similar to a violin's being visible through the f-hole.

 

[Slevage]

Flowers & chocolate might help

Macca didn't need no stinkin' chocolates.

 

[Ric5]

Flowers & chocolate might help

You beat me to the dating jokes

 

[dc-upright]

I took the control panel back off, there is no center block and there is no label.

 

[Son of Wobble]

Questions of legitimacy notwithstanding, that bass looks really pretty in black.

 

[reddog]

A bunny outfit? A couple blue pills?