Help with a Höfner 500/1

[JollyJack4959]

A few days ago I rather ham-fistedly removed my new Höfner from its case and ended up with the guitar and a piece of plastic in my hand. I examined the guitar with fastidious care but could not see where this object had come from. I googled everything I could, examining “exploded views” of whatever I could find: but, alas, I could find nothing to help me.

is there anyone in talk.bass land who recognises this extra bit of Höfner (see photo) and tell me what I need to do to reinsert it in the correct place?

 

[DirkP]

Looks like something to secure the bass after production / during shipment and is meant to be thrown away.

 

[Ghastly]

I was thinking something like that, too; or maybe just a bit from the case. Does your instrument look and sound right?

 

[JollyJack4959]

Your suggestion(s) seem eminently plausible. The “piece” doesn’t look particularly well machined, does it? I don’t think there has been any significant change in the sound, so I will toss it. Initially I thought it may have been inserted somewhere to dampen vibrations but I think I am more than content with accepting the “used in transport” hypothesis. Thanks immensely for your help.

 

[JollyJack4959]

DirkP your avatar photograph was obviously taken in your bass-ment.

 

[b/o 402]

How big is the piece?

 

[JollyJack4959]

13.5 x 1 x 0.3. That’s l x b x t in cm.

I don’t know what that is in the old money as we in Australia have been decimalised since the mid ‘60s. But I still haven’t got a real feeling for the metric measurements; particularly when used to describe height. If you told me that someone was 5’6” I would immediately realise that if the person were a male he was a bit under average height; if a female, average-ish. But say he/she is 1.73 metres and I have no idea if he/she is a dwarf or a giant.

 

[b/o 402]

Hmmm. Can't imagine what it would have been for. So it's hard plastic? Maybe just keep it in the case?

Here in the Benighted States we still cling to Imperial measurement, so conversions are often necessary just to communicate with the rest of the world.

Here are a few I find useful:

3mm =~ 1/8"
10mm = ~3/8"
20mm = ~3/4"
10cm = ~4"
1M = ~40"

 

[crunge]

It's supposed to be glued to the bottom of the pickguard, as a guide/insertion point for the pickguard bracket.

 

[GM60466]

under the pickguard

 

[JollyJack4959]

Thanks to both crunge and GM for your responses. My question is now: does it need to be reseated? If so, is there an illustration I can follow/copy to ensure that it’s in the correct place?

 

[mongo2]

TMy question is now: does it need to be reseated? If so, is there an illustration I can follow/copy to ensure that it’s in the correct place?

I found these images...hope it helps

Link Removed

I found a more precise image on aliexpress at this link...

1.0US $ |Pickguard For Hofner Contemporary Series 1/500 Violin Bass Right Hand Version Original Hofner Pickguard - Guitar Parts & Accessories - AliExpress

 

[JollyJack4959]

You people have all been so helpful. Simply knowing that there are folk “out there“ who are willing to help a total stranger with what are not earth-shattering problems, makes me wish that all the politicians in the world played guitars and had access to this (and other) forums.

And thanks, mongo2, the URL you provided showed me exactly what I needed to know.