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Hofner Basses

#41
Rob Martinez said:
I don't have an issue with them sounding different, you seem to.

No, it's really you.....
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Naw, you got it backwards...

I'm not claiming that audiences are fooled into thinking my Icon is a real German Hofner, that it "gets the same effect" for a lot less money, that I played a real one years ago and it "sounded the same" as the icon, etc, etc.

All I said is that last week I spent an hour with both basses in hand in a quiet room with a good amp, and the differences were not subtle. If people sharing that type of info gets you bent outta' shape then I suggest you quit reading a forum dedicated to discussing the differences in basses.

I'm just sayin......
 
#42
Of course there is a difference between the german Hofner and the Icon but it definately isn't a $1700 difference. And I am sure that blindfolded, very few would tell which is which. There is a reason why a Rickenbacker costs around $2K and there's also a reason why a German Hofner costs around $2K. With the Ric it's the quality, and with the Hofner it's Paul McCartney. The only reason why Hofner is so overpriced is the fact that it was played by Paul McCartney throughout his career. Otherwise we would be buying german Hofners for $500 today.
 
#43
i couldn't give a crap if it's better than a german hofner or not...i love my jay turser copy. and if someone doesn't like it, they can pound sand.

btw, in the 70's i once saw a hofner beatle bass hanging in the local music store for well over a year with a $200 price tag.
 
#44
Labi said:
Of course there is a difference between the german Hofner and the Icon but it definately isn't a $1700 difference. And I am sure that blindfolded, very few would tell which is which. There is a reason why a Rickenbacker costs around $2K and there's also a reason why a German Hofner costs around $2K. With the Ric it's the quality, and with the Hofner it's Paul McCartney. The only reason why Hofner is so overpriced is the fact that it was played by Paul McCartney throughout his career. Otherwise we would be buying german Hofners for $500 today.
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I would agree that the real Hofner is a bit overpriced, but I would put it more around $1200. It is not just Macca, it is a quality handmade instrument - and it certainly takes more skill and time to make a violin body than to make a solidbody - and skill and time cost money, especially when you aren't paying chinese slave-labor wages.

BTW - I think Ricks are overpriced also.
 
#45
i bought two beatle basses at the same time in 1974 (a '68, which i still have, and a '70 which i sold). i paid $250 for the pair. i sold the '70 a couple of weeks later for $250.00, so i always considered that i basically got the one that i still have for free.

IMO, a German Hofner's retail price isn't because of McCartney playing one, but their popularity probably is. i think that their price reflects what it costs to build a hand made archtop bass, using qulaity wood, nitro lacquer etc and built by skilled luthiers in Germany. back in the late 60's-early '70's, they retailed for a couple hundered more than a Fender jazz bass, so they were always expesnsive.
 
#46
GM60466 said:
I have several German models of both. They are well built and play great. IMO The Icon beatle bass isn't worth fire wood.
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I hope you enjoy them as much as I do my Icons (Club and Violin).

As far as feel goes both the Contemporary (several) and German Hofners (only 2) I tried had much clunkier feeling necks and were not nearly as comfortable to play as my Icons.

Soundwise, my Icons give me the hollowbody tone I was looking for. The Contemporary didn't have it at all and the German Hofners were close but not worth the inflated price.

IMO, the Icons are a great instrument at a great price and the improved playing comfort is well worth the $1700 increase in price I didn't have to shell out.
 
#47
I have a Hofner Violin bass which I love playing, it's not my main one, but I can get some great tones out of it. As with all things I guess it's down to the person in the end. I love the sound of my Warwick basses, but some wouldn't. I really don't care where the thing is made they are all individual and if it sounds good/plays well that's all that matters to me
 
#48
lazerbrains said:
Naw, you got it backwards...

I'm not claiming that audiences are fooled into thinking my Icon is a real German Hofner, that it "gets the same effect" for a lot less money, that I played a real one years ago and it "sounded the same" as the icon, etc, etc.

All I said is that last week I spent an hour with both basses in hand in a quiet room with a good amp, and the differences were not subtle. If people sharing that type of info gets you bent outta' shape then I suggest you quit reading a forum dedicated to discussing the differences in basses.

I'm just sayin......
Click to expand...

My response to you is still, SO WHAT? Are you going to buy a German made Hofner? I'm not. I'm happy with my Icon, you obviously are obsessed with how "different" the two Hofner versions are.

You are the one all twisted on this and can't seem to let it go. You just can't seem to let people enjoy the Icon bass. Why?

You stated the basses are different to you. Fine. I don't care if they are. You certainly are focused on it. Let it go, dude! Just play your bass.
 
#49
Labi said:
Of course there is a difference between the german Hofner and the Icon but it definately isn't a $1700 difference. And I am sure that blindfolded, very few would tell which is which. There is a reason why a Rickenbacker costs around $2K and there's also a reason why a German Hofner costs around $2K. With the Ric it's the quality, and with the Hofner it's Paul McCartney. The only reason why Hofner is so overpriced is the fact that it was played by Paul McCartney throughout his career. Otherwise we would be buying german Hofners for $500 today.
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Not quite sure I agree with this compleyely. Hofners are built by hand by old German guys who have worked for the same company for 30 years. That's definitely worth something in today's world. Like Riceknbacker, they are a unique heritage brand. Nobody else makes that one thing that they do so well. A brand new Hofner bass is a work of breathtaking craftsmenship in a world of cheap plastic crap that's meant to break in a few years. The idea that old Hofners were so cheaply made, as suggested above, raises the question: then why are so many old ones still in use?
 
#50
So far in this thread we've debated the relative merits of the various Hofner models, but as far as I can tell no one has mentioned one important thing - its light weight. For me, that was the Icon's biggest selling point. I'm a geezer with geezer legs, and lugging a P-Bass over my shoulder for three hours absolutely kills my legs. So now I use my Hofner Icon for the majority of our songs, and whip out the P for some of the faster numbers, since I love the P's growl. I love the Hofner's feel, tone, and playability, but my legs love its light weight!

One more thing. I put a piece of thin grey foam over the strings to deaden the sound a bit, play with my thumb, with the neck pickup on, and play sparse, roots-and-fifths runs, and presto! Instant upright! Great for slow ballads!
 
#52
stratovani said:
So far in this thread we've debated the relative merits of the various Hofner models, but as far as I can tell no one has mentioned one important thing - its light weight. For me, that was the Icon's biggest selling point. I'm a geezer with geezer legs, and lugging a P-Bass over my shoulder for three hours absolutely kills my legs. So now I use my Hofner Icon for the majority of our songs, and whip out the P for some of the faster numbers, since I love the P's growl. I love the Hofner's feel, tone, and playability, but my legs love its light weight!

One more thing. I put a piece of thin grey foam over the strings to deaden the sound a bit, play with my thumb, with the neck pickup on, and play sparse, roots-and-fifths runs, and presto! Instant upright! Great for slow ballads!
Click to expand...

^
This!!
 
#54
stratovani said:
So far in this thread we've debated the relative merits of the various Hofner models, but as far as I can tell no one has mentioned one important thing - its light weight. For me, that was the Icon's biggest selling point. I'm a geezer with geezer legs, and lugging a P-Bass over my shoulder for three hours absolutely kills my legs. So now I use my Hofner Icon for the majority of our songs, and whip out the P for some of the faster numbers, since I love the P's growl. I love the Hofner's feel, tone, and playability, but my legs love its light weight!

One more thing. I put a piece of thin grey foam over the strings to deaden the sound a bit, play with my thumb, with the neck pickup on, and play sparse, roots-and-fifths runs, and presto! Instant upright! Great for slow ballads!
Click to expand...

I love the light weight of my Club and Violin but I also use my Icon as an upright (foam mute not shown):

Link Removed
 
#59
stratovani said:
Wow, that's a great idea! Where do you get a stand like that? :confused:

Boy, if I has the money I'd get another Icon and make a fretless out of it! :)
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Thanks, it's the stand from my son's Steinberger CR4M EUB. Edit: I cobbled an adapter block from maple to make a non-invasive attachment point for the stand that attaches to the Icon with foam tape and the original strap button screw:

Link Removed

A sturdy cymbal stand could be re-purposed for that use as well.

I was thinking of making it fretless but I haven't decided yet.
 
#60
If I were to modify my Hofner (which. i would not)I would probably not do any technical changes mostly because I love its sound and it has character plus it sits nicly with my dads les paul (Im still convinsing him to let me have it) But where im getting at is that there is not much you can do to it. Paul Mccartney plays his Hofner today and thats one that was modified for left handed. I have had some cherished memories with my Club but from what I have swen on this thread people have some memories too and I dont think that you guys would change your hofners if you knew it would not be the same as before.
I do awknowledge the person on here who shared his modded Hofner and giving his storie
 

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