• 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.

Hofner Beatle Bass

#41
I own an MIG Club reissue, and have been tempted many times by the Ignition series instruments. Less seen but still available are the Ignition series Club basses, which look and feel every bit as good as their violin shaped siblings. North Coast Music's website is a good place to see these. They hand pick their stock and give each a thorough setup before shipping. Worth a look.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Peacefrog35
#45
ICM said:
So is it nitro?
Click to expand...
I don't think so. It was done in California and you can't spray Nitro there anymore. I think the top coat is very thin poly It's indistinguishable from my nitro finished Hofners. Enclosed is a pic of a german 2007 Chancellor Archtop with a dark violin varnish. This is what I wanted my bass to look like and they don't offer this in a standard finish so I sent it to Pat. Its hard to photograph, but this is exactly what the finish looks like in person on my bass. I couldn't save the image, but here's a link to it.

Invalid Link Removed
 
#46
Had a chance to play this Hofner at a local shop today. It was a lot lighter than my CT. ;--)

ImageUploadedByTalkBass1413081700.967262.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: ICM
#47
I've got a 64 Hof and have played her at a couple of blues jams and she was mighty mighty. Lots of compliments and as I was asked to stay on for the next jammers ended up playin all night with her being a light weight she felt great after playing for hours on end. My problem is I kind of dig in hard when I play and I'm all ways afraid I'll break her in two if I get to wrapped up in a toon.
 
#50
Thomann has them. I was actually thinking cone who asked them to special order cone from hofner last year and they added them to their inventory. Just make sure your cavern has the the spacing that's further apart. Some of the early cavern reissues had the pups very close together. The later ones having spacing a bit further apart and are very consistent including the contemporary caverns too.
 
#51
I used to own the Epiphone Viola and played it out quite a bit; I let it go and then missed it, so went through the whole thing of trying all of the violin basses once again. Darned if I didn't buy the Viola again, as it just plain felt and sounded better than the Icons I'd pretty much decided to buy before I A/B'd them all. If anything, the newer Violas sound better than the older one I originally paid $469 for back in 2003. I did go with the Hofner Labella flats, original gauge, and these eliminated any of the residual buzz I was getting from the stock strings. The nut seems to favor the original gauge Hofners. I play with PA support and never had an issue cutting through the mix in a ten-piece rock and soul band. It doesn't have the presence of my Stingray, or Sting Precision, but it is a nice change of pace and can be tweaked easily enough to fit most of the oldies and Motown stuff we do. And it is pretty light at seven pounds.
 
#52
The tighter string spacing and rubber bandy feel of short scale, ultra light Labellas is not for everyone.

The machine heads with the dinky holes mean you are stuck with few choices for short scale strings that actually fit.
all with skinny tops and notched at the bridge because most strings are too fat with the wrapping.

I always played fingers only and I'm used to the bass, but my '64 Jazz plays so much better.

If you really want a Hofner, buy a real Hofner, but if you just want a good hollow body bass sound,
I'd go for a Gretsch or Guild, maybe Epiphone hollow body bass.

What you won't hear in the store is how those basses sound with flat wounds or nylon wrap strings.

Here's my German '66

My luthier solved a 20 year old neck bow making a truss rod extension bushing from scratch
on his metal lathe. It's straight now!

He also dropped the action nice and low very carefully sanding down the back of the floating bridge. He also got the intonation better than it has ever been.

You can see the natural checking in the finish from weather extremes playing clubs during the winter.


2wnquk7.jpg
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Kestrel, Pentatonic and sneha1965
#53
I love playing my German club bass. I am a big P bass fan, but initially started playing my Hofner club after having neck surgery. I needed something light but have been impressed with its tone and playability.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Kestrel
#55
Back in the '60s, a number of bassists played Hofners, including members of the Beach Boys. I do have to agree somewhat with the earlier comment that the association with Paul McCartney causes some people to shy away from them, either though that seems a little stupid. I have two German Hofners, a '73 and a more recent one, and I think the tone can be great for certain applications, but may not work as well for every style of music. And, as I said, the short scale isn't everybody's thing.
 
#57
Peacefrog35 said:
Thomann has them. I was actually thinking cone who asked them to special order cone from hofner last year and they added them to their inventory. Just make sure your cavern has the the spacing that's further apart. Some of the early cavern reissues had the pups very close together. The later ones having spacing a bit further apart and are very consistent including the contemporary caverns too.
Click to expand...

Actually my CT is regular spacing. I want to find a cavern guard so I use that as a basis on moving my bridge pup to cavern spacing.

Edit: somehow my phone correct "I" to "Ivan"
 
Last edited:
#58
RedHotFuzz said:
I could dig one of these if not for the old AM radio-esque control panel that I just can't seem to overlook. :( Perhaps I'll try a Lakland Hollowbody 30 someday.
Click to expand...

I did not like the Hofner control panel at first but once I learned how it worked I think it suits the bass perfectly. True, while the control panel is not really intuitive (see video below) and the tonal options are somewhat limited (mostly controlled by volume for each pickup) after using it awhile I have no trouble getting the tones I want out of the bass. It's a simple bass with simple controls. I like it.

 
Last edited:
#59
ICM said:
Actually my CT is regular spacing. I want to find a cavern guard so Ivan use that as a basis on moving my bridge pup to cavern spacing.
Click to expand...
Ivan,

You misunderstood me. Sorry. What I meant is the older Cavern reissues had a tighter spacing. I mean smaller spacing than current Cavern basses. The spacing they use now is a little further apart now and is more standardized and not all over the place like it used to be.
for example. My reissue cavern is a late 90s. The spacing is really tight.
HofnerCavernR007.jpg


second is my Cavern in the above pics in the thread, the spacing is further apart. The new reissues and CT Caverns have the same spacing(it's been standardized) and is now consistent on all the Cavern basses.

UnionJack_zpse49d6624.jpg


So if you want a Cavern guard order from Thomann. IT looks like they are out of them, but they can get them again. They didn't carry them at all until I asked. The PG in the above pic is what I got from them.
 
#60
Ahh okay, I gotcha. What I plan to do is find a celluloid cavern guard, with the further spacing like the modern standardized ones on your CT, then put the pickup ring in it and then use it as template for drilling the new holes for the pickup ring. Unfortunately the humidity ROYALLY shaged up my paintjob, and as you can see it's already getting worn, so I've gotta remove it and try it again, I plan to give it an official repaint when I move the pickups:
.
iPhone Upload 1 352.JPG







Here is a mockup I made in microsoft paint ( don't have photoshop)...it took me three and a half hours to get my desired effect but this is what it should look like when finished.
Hofner MMT rendering.jpg
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back