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Hofner neck reset horror story.

godofthunder59

godofthunder59

Life is short, buy the bass.
Feb 19, 2006
9,059
38,435
Rochester NY USA
Disclosures
Endorsing Cataldo Basses, Whirlwind products, Thunderbucker pickups
#1
Last year I took my beloved 65-66 Hofner in for a neck reset. I have owned this bass since 1972. I took it to a very well respected Luthier in town and he promised to have it good as new in a few weeks. The day came to pick it up, I was very excited. When I got to the shop and pulled it out of the case I was shocked by what I saw. First the neck angel was wrong, binding was cracked and compressed, a large unfinished shim on one side of the neck joint, cracked heel, a gap you could put a paper clip in and touch up work that looked like it was done by a five year old. I expressed that I was not satisfied and he said I can try again, no way was I going to let him touch my baby again. I had to pay $375 just to get it back. I was so heartsick about it That I put it away and didn't look at it for a year. View attachment 1107184 View attachment 1107187 In the past few months I did some research and was going to send it to Brian Gallop in Michigan. The shipping alone would cost a pretty penny and to undo the damage around $600. I was choking on that a bit as I had recently left my job to work for myself and play more music. So I did some more asking around and Ben Brutons name kept coming up. I decided to let Ben work on it and I couldn't be more pleased! The work looks great and with the correct neck angel the bass plays and sounds better than it ever has! I am very happy to have my baby back! View attachment 1107193 View attachment 1107194
 
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#4
The trick with set-neck Höfners is to take them to a violin maker. They know how to deal with this type of neck joint, held by just hide glue like all violin/viol family instruments - no dovetail or mortise-and-tenon there. Hide glue is very strong - it holds upright bass necks in place, with string tension of over 300lbs. (long-scale bass string tension is about 200lbs.) A good violin maker can fix old hack jobs, and hide any past damage - they do it every day. I'll never take an old Höfner to a guitar luthier for a neck reset.
 
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#8
I am totally with @JimmyM. How can a wel known and respected luthier have that reputation when he allows work like that to leave his bench?

And not to derail the thread @godofthunder59 but I been trying to find the thread that showed your Jim Lea bass under construction. You couldn't direct me to that thread somehow could you? Loved that bass.
 
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#10
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#12
godofthunder59 said:
Last year I took my beloved 65-66 Hofner in for a neck reset. I have owned this bass since 1972. I took it to a very well respected Luthier in town and he promised to have it good as new in a few weeks. The day came to pick it up, I was very excited. When I got to the shop and pulled it out of the case I was shocked by what I saw. First the neck angel was wrong, binding was cracked and compressed, a large unfinished shim on one side of the neck joint, cracked heel, a gap you could put a paper clip in and touch up work that looked like it was done by a five year old. I expressed that I was not satisfied and he said I can try again, no way was I going to let him touch my baby again. I had to pay $375 just to get it back. I was so heartsick about it That I put it away and didn't look at it for a year. View attachment 1107184 View attachment 1107187 In the past few months I did some research and was going to send it to Brian Gallop in Michigan. The shipping alone would cost a pretty penny and to undo the damage around $600. I was choking on that a bit as I had recently left my job to work for myself and play more music. So I did some more asking around and Ben Brutons name kept coming up. I decided to let Ben work on it and I couldn't be more pleased! The work looks great and with the correct neck angel the bass plays and sounds better than it ever has! I am very happy to have my baby back! View attachment 1107193 View attachment 1107194
Click to expand...


Is this the first time you have had it reset? I was just wondering because i had my 67 reset about 9 years ago, and was wondering what the average ballpark time between resets is, if there is one. I went to a cello specialist who did mine right. Id like to see the front of you bass to compare it to mine. I have the raised headstock logo, blade pickups, and it looks like a thinner neck than yours.
 
#14
Killed_by_Death said:
I'm glad you found a neck angel, but isn't there still a pretty obvious crack in the finish?




You can delete it yourself. Look for these at the bottom of your post:
Click to expand...
Killed_by_Death said:
I'm glad you found a neck angel, but isn't there still a pretty obvious crack in the finish?




You can delete it yourself. Look for these at the bottom of your post:
Click to expand...
Sorry still can't find it the little menu to the left doesn't offer delete.
 
#15
lukatch said:
The trick with set-neck Höfners is to take them to a violin maker. They know how to deal with this type of neck joint, held by just hide glue like all violin/viol family instruments - no dovetail or mortise-and-tenon there. Hide glue is very strong - it holds upright bass necks in place, with string tension of over 300lbs. (long-scale bass string tension is about 200lbs.) A good violin maker can fix old hack jobs, and hide any past damage - they do it every day. I'll never take an old Höfner to a guitar luthier for a neck reset.
Click to expand...

+1 I think the first guy knew he was in over his head and did his best. I also think the same way about Rics not everyone can work on them.
 
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#17
Give the guy a break. He's a visual artist, that was his interpretation of a neck reset. Some other examples of his work:

80194065-7138-4A78-A37D-1DD9E1B697B8-6897-00000A79B9BB2E27.jpeg
3ED02C2C-E203-4C5C-8BEF-74DF2F990D06-6897-00000A79F9D34A4E.jpeg
1B9A59C2-D3F8-402B-B69D-A2C8B5CD31F6-6897-00000A7A0ACC89D2.jpeg
 
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#18
A good acoustic guitar luthier would have done a better job than that first one. Hell, I could have did a better job with a neck reset than the first one. That's horrible work. And worst off, you had to pay to get it back.

Nevertheless, It's a lot better with the last repair. Very nice job.
 

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