• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Help needed Hofner Verythin Bass

Mattrill

Mattrill

facebook.com/dayshazy
Feb 20, 2015
269
204
30
London
#1
Hey guys,

Today I purchased my very first bass.... that isn't a Fender!

It's a Hofner Verythin Bass which when I saw I fell in love with! Got for £465

It's strung with rounds as far as I can see from the pictures, which I want to change to flats.

It's 30" scale but from what I have read you need long scale strings for this bass? Can you bass wizards advise what length to go for, also I am open for suggestions of strings!

I play with GHS precision flats at the moment

Cheers
Matt
 
#3
It must be the distance from the bridge to the tailpiece that requires the extra length. Any decent string site (my fave is bassstringsonline ;)) should have the "winding length" documentation, that's what you need to know - the "usable length" between the silks / balls etc.. - just has to be longer than the distance from the tailpiece to the nut (make sure there's enough winding for the tuners). Some short / medium strings will probably work. I haven't had too much trouble using longer scale strings on shorter basses - yeah, the regular windings aren't supposed to go around the tuning pegs, but seems to work ok for me. Would only try it on a 4 though (I don't understand short scale 5ers anyway).
 
#5
bholder said:
Some short / medium strings will probably work. I haven't had too much trouble using longer scale strings on shorter basses - yeah, the regular windings aren't supposed to go around the tuning pegs, but seems to work ok for me. Would only try it on a 4 though (I don't understand short scale 5ers anyway).
Click to expand...
Some shortscale strings are longer than most, like DR and I think TI.

The Labella flats for Hofner Beatle bass would probably work well.
Invalid Link Removed
 
#7
Gorn said:
Some shortscale strings are longer than most, like DR and I think TI.

The Labella flats for Hofner Beatle bass would probably work well.
This thread
Click to expand...
Mattrill said:
thanks guys,

i'll keep a look out for some medium lengths.

the labellas sound nice.
as for now, i need to contain my excitement for my new bass :hyper:
Click to expand...

This thread, which both of you commented in, discussed this very issue. Unless the La Bellas for Beatle basses are significantly longer than the Pyramid short (also BB-ready) scales, which I doubt, they may be too short for the Verythin because the tailpiece is even further from the bridge than on violin basses since so is the body edge. You need at least "proper" medium scale strings (if I can venture a guess they would barely clear the nut and some silk shaving might be needed - might not, no big deal in either case), and some long scales should work (the Pyramids do), while some others would be too long. Do some measuring after you get the bass, and look for the length you need here:
Invalid Link Removed
(So +1 about the DR and T-I shorties, they're actually middies in all but name.)

As far as suggestions go, I wasn't in love with the single Roto E I tried, and I'm moving towards the brighter side of the flatwound tonal spectrum; I did try Pyramids and liked them even though they're fairly dark. Oh, and fragile, IME at least: I've had an A break inside the gig bag - no traumatic event had occurred except leaning the (gigbagged) bass against a table edge... Got it replaced by the manufacturer, no questions asked; still I hesitate to declare them gig-worthy. No experience with GHS, La Bella or DR flats but they're often mentioned in the same posts as far as tonal similarities (Pyramid Golds too).

Congrats on the bass!
 
Last edited:
#9
hotbass57 said:
I have med. scale xl chromes on my hofner. Fit like a glove.
Click to expand...
What Hofner? That's sort of the point: a Violin Bass and a Verythin have different minimum length requirements - medium scale strings should fit fine on both (and so should DR and T-I "short" scales), common short-shorts wouldn't on either, violin shorts aren't long enough for the Verythin, short longs are fine for the latter (but too long for the violins), long longs are too long for both. Clear eh?
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back