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Hofner-(not just Beatle Basses)-Group Part 2

#2,441
dlmarquez said:
A question for all of you Hofner afficionados, is the fretless hofner violin bass a regular factory item or is it just a once-in-a-while or special order item? I remember seeing Ralf Gauck playing a fretless series 5000 a few years back and of course he/it sounded spectacular. Also I have seen a couple for sale. I would very much like to get a fretless CT series but I have no idea if such a bass even exists.
Click to expand...
I don't think the fretless Hofners are a regular production model. They come up for sale sometimes nonetheless. I have a fretless model myself from 2006. It is a lined fretless. I'll post a pic. It was my main bass for a couple of years, but I use my 68 more now. The 68 has a brighter tone, which is what I want.
 
#2,442
20231104_090856.jpg
 
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#2,454
TAKUMARU said:
Hi,
I need help from hofner experts.
about this.
View attachment 5251195
Click to expand...

That is a strange one simply because the parts do not fit together. The neck is not the neck that was usually used on the 500/2 and those pickups are not standard to the 500/2 either. So I think there are three possibilities:

1. It was made by Hofner initially back in the 60s. They were overwhelmed with orders due to the popularity of The Beatles and they often struggled to keep up. That is one reason the 500/2 was made. The could could not keep up with the demand for 500/1 bodies. So sometimes things were thrown together and sent out the door.

2. It is a custom shop bass. Folks can order custom shop basses from Hofner. This could be the result of that option. The pickups make me think that is a real possibility, but the neck not so much. I don't think that neck is an option for custom orders.

3. It is a Hofner parts bass put together by someone else along the way. Hofners are not as modular as Fenders, so we don't see Franken-Hofners very often, but I have seen them. So it could be a Hofner that has been altered over time. All of the parts do look legitimate.

My two cents anyway.
 
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#2,456
TAKUMARU said:
Hi,
I need help from hofner experts.
about this.
View attachment 5251195
Click to expand...

the linked thread that finish looks original but the picture in this thread it looks refinished, did you get it refinished? looks like a 5000/1 (super beatle) neck/headstock i WISH they made those on most clubs, i love that headstock.

how does it sound? how are the pickups?
 
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#2,457
DrSteve said:
They did take parts from one bass line for another if they came up short.
Looks like this neck and pickups are from a 1960 500/5.

1960 Hofner 500/5 Bass Guitar

Actually, some of the 1960 500/1s also use these pickups.

Barry Frost's 1960 Hofner 500/1 Bass Guitar

Guess the early 500/2s did too.

So could be Factory, or Update Hofner Mods.
Click to expand...

The toaster pickups were no longer used by the time the 500/2 went into production. They were using the blade pickups I believe. There may have been some 500/2s with Staple pickups, but not the toaster pickups. 1960 were the last production year for the toaster pickups before the reissues.
 
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#2,458
Doctor Intrepid said:
The toaster pickups were no longer used by the time the 500/2 went into production. They were using the blade pickups I believe. There may have been some 500/2s with Staple pickups, but not the toaster pickups. 1960 were the last production year for the toaster pickups before the reissues.
Click to expand...

1965 and 1966 models had the staple pickups, my 1965 500/2 has staples.
 
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#2,459
Guys, thank you for your speculations.
Let me up some pics on this forum, too.

・Headstock looks the same as 500/5's.
94EF9498-301C-427C-B067-6227516E79B1.jpeg


・With toaster pickups.
302ABFC7-6475-4CCB-B20F-08E1D69ECAD6.jpeg


・Neck finish and body binding are both BLACK. (This is most strange point I think)
44D9C4A3-D758-4D82-9031-608AE1FD66F7.jpeg


・Pickup position is differnt from normal.
R is my another 500/2 Cavern limited (recently model). It has rear PU closer to front, but front PU position is same as a nomal maybe.
Could it be reusing Club-50 body??
IMG_5277.jpeg


・According to this website, "300" means 30th week of 1960.
IMG_5257.jpeg
 
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#2,460
markjazzbassist said:
the linked thread that finish looks original but the picture in this thread it looks refinished, did you get it refinished? looks like a 5000/1 (super beatle) neck/headstock i WISH they made those on most clubs, i love that headstock.
Click to expand...
No, It just seems different by pictures.

markjazzbassist said:
how does it sound? how are the pickups?
Click to expand...
It needs some set up & new strings, but It's amazing I think!
Sounds more deep and thump.
Sorry for that I have no chance to compare with Staple PUs.
 
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