Hofner 500/1 Funky red finish

[radaddict]

Hi all - new here and saying hey to everyone. Also, I've just acquired a Hofner 500/1. This isn't my bass, but here's a link to a bass that looks identical:
http://www.vintagehofner.co.uk/gallery/bass/bas42.html

I think the info associated with that bass may be somewhat incorrect. I'm sure Hofner made a transparent red-burst that was at the 2000 NAMM, but I think Hofner offered the 500/1 in this finish (as well as a transparent blue) in the US around that time frame.

Can anyone shed any additional light on the history of this bass? I removed the control panel expecting to find a label indicating the model and serial number. Unfortunately, there's no label. However, judging by the specs, this appears to be a '63 reissue.

While I'm a bit bummed by the hazy/cloudy finish issue (the finish is polyurethane and not nitrocellulose), this bass fit my needs/wants perfectly - I wanted a fairly recent German 500/1, but something a bit out of the ordinary. In spite of that, I'm wondering if there is anything I can do to restore the finish and whether that would affect any kind of resale value (I don't intend to sell this bass, but I never intend to sell any of my guitars, but usually do at some point ;-)

Anyway, any and all input/feedback/suggestions are greatly appreciated! (BTW, I e-mailed Hofner, but haven't received a reply.)

 

[peterkidd]

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]


The above may not work, but if you try on an inconspicuous spot , probably won't make it much worse.


Have often used it on Nitro finishes to very good effect.

 

[radaddict]

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]


The above may not work, but if you try on an inconspicuous spot , probably won't make it much worse.


Have often used it on Nitro finishes to very good effect.

Interesting. I'll look into that (wonder if it will work on polyurethane?). Thanks

 

[davidgoldman]

I don't know anything about the bass but I had that Vox amp in the mid 60's. It was terrible.

 

[Thornton Davis]

Hofner made a limited run of approx 100 of these along with 100 finished in blue. They are indeed v63's.

Here's a scan from the 2005/6 Hofner product catalog showing them.

There was a special custom redburst 500/1v63 with deluxe features that was shown at the Winter NAMM 2000 show by Hofner. It was a one of a kind bass. Here's a couple of photos of it. Notice the neck inlays and headstock binding along with the redburst finish. The hardware was gold as you can clearly see.

The Trans Red and Blue basses were finished by an outside supplier and not by Hofner themselves. All of those basses have experienced the same clouding issue in the finish. They play and sound just like any other v63, but they look terrible once the finish clouds IMO.

Here's a photo from the 2006 Winter NAMM show with the entire 500/1 product line at the time. No Chinese products are in this photo.

TD

 

[radaddict]

Awesome info, thanks much! So my trans redburst 500/1 is from 2005 or 2006. Not as old as I was led to believe. Any reason why Hofner would not have placed an identification label under the control panel?

 

[peterkidd]

Perhaps a reasonably safe way to test:

Assuming the cloudiness is also on the small bit of body concealed under the control plate, remove plate, carefully mask off all of the body save for the bit hidden under the plate.

Light squirt, it fixes it Fast w/ Nitro, you'll know right away if it worked.

If failure, plate back on, call it a Red Fog finish.

Success, remove everything except for the wood, maybe mask off the fingerboard, go to town.

And I remember my Essex w/ affection, almost got another one last year, but was too slow on Craigs...

 

[radaddict]

Perhaps a reasonably safe way to test:

Assuming the cloudiness is also on the small bit of body concealed under the control plate, remove plate, carefully mask off all of the body save for the bit hidden under the plate.

Light squirt, it fixes it Fast w/ Nitro, you'll know right away if it worked.

If failure, plate back on, call it a Red Fog finish.

Success, remove everything except for the wood, maybe mask off the fingerboard, go to town.

And I remember my Essex w/ affection, almost got another one last year, but was too slow on Craigs...

Thanks for the suggestion!

 

[MAJOR METAL]

Looks great. I wish they would do Greenburst!

 

[Paul Boyer]

I have a blue one from approximately 2000, and although the finish is not great and has some cracks in it, it is not foggy like that red one you show. I think there were something like 50 or 100 each of the redburst and blueburst made, all with standard 500/1 trim (chrome hardware, Höfner logo decal, pearl tuner keys, dot position markers).

It appears that Höfner had several specials made probably before the color production run. I've seen photos of two, the one shown above being held by the Dude from the Dudepit(?). That one has block position markers, gold hardware and the redburst finish. I've seen photos of another that had a special translucent cherry-red finish but standard trim. And then there is this one, described briefly above. It's mine now. The retired president of Boosey & Hawkes USA, Jack Faas, sold it to me on eBay in the fall of 2005. It is the most impressive of the three specials. It has a brilliant cherry-red finish over a birdseye maple (very fine and hard to see in photos) veneer top, back, and sides, gold hardware (including tuners), pearl block inlays, and the raised plastic Höfner logo on the headstock. This is the fanciest Höfner Beatle bass I've ever seen. Recently, I've had a problem with it, though. The pearlescent pickguard was leaching a corrosive "sweat" which started eating any metal near it, including the pickups and even the strings. She's currently going through a restoration.
The blueburst one does have a serial number on a sticker inside the control cavity. The special red one does not.

 

[radaddict]

Perhaps Hofner only puts labels in the control cavity of standard run basses and does not use a label for special run?? If that's the case, then mine may be a special run? Unfortunately, without a label or other documentation, there's no way to be certain and all I can do is speculate.

While it would be great to have definitive answers, fundamentally, it doesn't really matter. This bass fits my needs, plays and sounds great. I've ordered the Mohawk product recommended above and will see if that will improve the finish. If not, then I will need to wrestle with having it refinished or not (I'm leaning towards not).

Thanks everyone for your replies. If anyone has any additional information or can clarify my speculations, many thanks in advance.

Here's a pic of my 500/1. Scored it off of Ebay (probably paid too much, but what the heck... it's only money ;-)

 

[radaddict]

Update: Unfortunately, the Mohawk Super Blush Retarder did not correct the finish blushing on my red-burst 500/1. While I was hopeful and eager to try it, I'm not surprised since the product is for use on lacquer finishes and my bass is apparently finished in polyurethane. C'est la vie. I will continue to search for a solution short of refinishing. My thanks again for your input and recommendations.

 

[radaddict]

Well, I'm still trying to definitively determine the manufacture details for my bass. I've run across some interesting info in this Ebay listing: http://www.ebay.com/itm/RARE-1962-6...3?pt=Guitar&hash=item4166f556f5#ht_720wt_1398

According to the listing Boosey and Hawkes released a 40th anniversary 500/1 from old stock parts they found at the Hofner facility. The listing also says these parts were from 1962/63 (how was that determined??). 300 were made from the old parts (this may align with some of the information already provided). Some were brown sunburst and others were red or white (I've not heard about or seen a white one).

Now, I'm wondering if my bass may be one of those. I suspect that the stockpile of old parts were perhaps parts that did not pass quality control. Looking at my bass may bear out this hypothesis: There is clearly a tool mark on the fretboard where the builder began cutting a slot in the wrong place (but stopped before too much damage was done). Also, it appears the tuning machine holes were cut in the wrong place, filled and redrilled. The center darker wood running down the middle of the neck does not stay centered at the heal. I've posted pics of all these for your review and comments.

I've also posted pics of the controls - can someone compare this to a recent 500/1 to determine if the components (capacitors/resistors etc.) may be old stock? Also of interest is that one of the control wires is labeled W. Germany. Not sure if that indicates old stock or if Hofner just purchased a huge amount of wire back before the unification of Germany and has been using it ever since. Anyway, thanks for whatever comments or conjecture you can provide.

Note to mods: I understand there is a thread devoted to Hofner basses. Feel free to move this to that thread.

 

[radaddict]

Additional pics:

 

[Spyders]

Hey radaddict,
I just bought a red Hofner from a guy in the LA area (I live in Texas). It has the very same cloudy red finish as yours. I've found a mark on the fretboard very similar to the one in your photo and I've found corrosion on the metal parts around the pickguard. I haven't pulled the control panel yet but that wire labeled W Germany is quite interesting. I'll have to check for that. Have you found out any more about the origins of your Hofner? I'd be quite interested to hear more.

Spyders

 

[radaddict]

Hey radaddict,
I just bought a red Hofner from a guy in the LA area (I live in Texas). It has the very same cloudy red finish as yours. I've found a mark on the fretboard very similar to the one in your photo and I've found corrosion on the metal parts around the pickguard. I haven't pulled the control panel yet but that wire labeled W Germany is quite interesting. I'll have to check for that. Have you found out any more about the origins of your Hofner? I'd be quite interested to hear more.

Spyders

I decided to sell mine about 6 months or so ago. I was never able to find any additional information. Good luck with yours!

 

[Pimpernel Smith]

Many people don't realize that the Hofner pearloid pick guards, and control panels can out-gas and attack the nickel finish on the metal bits. Not only is the material combustible, it can be corrosive as well.
It's one reason I'm glad that I have an Icon these days.

 

[Spyders]

Hi Pimpernel,
So if the pearloid pieces "gas out", do you think I would be safe in assuming that leaving the bass out of the case would minimize the damage from the gassing out due to the increased air flow around the pearloid?
Spyders

 

[Paul Boyer]

If I may say, that wasn't the case with my special one-off red. I had it hanging on a wall for several years, then out on a stand for a few more. Hardly ever has had "case time." The acid leaching out of the pick guard corroded the gold-plated pickup covers, tailpiece, and even the strings!

 

[Thornton Davis]

If I may say, that wasn't the case with my special one-off red. I had it hanging on a wall for several years, then out on a stand for a few more. Hardly ever has had "case time." The acid leaching out of the pick guard corroded the gold-plated pickup covers, tailpiece, and even the strings!

I've had the nickel finish on my 500/1v62 hardware cloud over badly but nothing like this. That's just down right nasty!

TD