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

[Michael Eisenman]

I recently picked up this one off which Hofner gave the model # 500/1-58-0 58’ Reissue and I’ve never seen a Hofner with faux binding. Anyone else here seen that? This one was built by Thomas Stuhlein early this year.

Very nice effect. Look very carefully at the purfling (the thin black line). Is it real or drawn? It’s easiest to see at the corners of the C-bouts. On violin-family stringed instruments it helps protect the edges from cracks (or prevents dings at the edges from propagating into the face), adds strength to the instrument, and contributes to its aesthetic appeal (likely the primary purpose here).

 

[Doctor Intrepid]

Yep sure is.

Thought it might be. Thank you for taking that temptation off the market! It looks beautiful. How does it play and sound?

 

[HofnerVox]

Very nice effect. Look very carefully at the purfling (the thin black line). Is it real or drawn? It’s easiest to see at the corners of the C-bouts. On violin-family stringed instruments it helps protect the edges from cracks (or prevents dings at the edges from propagating into the face), adds strength to the instrument, and contributes to its aesthetic appeal (likely the primary purpose here).

Here’s a couple close ups…to me these look drawn on. Unless it’s wood binding. Standard black binding has the white between the thin black line and edge. This is obviously wood in that area instead of white. Wish I could just ask Thomas what he did here on this.

 

[HofnerVox]

Thought it might be. Thank you for taking that temptation off the market! It looks beautiful. How does it play and sound?

Feels and sounds great…I just got it yesterday so I haven’t dug to hard on yet but what I have played I love it. Yeah I kept looking at it myself for months because I always wanted a V59 but this one from Bass Direct had a super redish finish from the pictures they took which kinda threw me off of it.

But when they posted this picture on Instagram I was right on it’s a perfect color! More accurate to the era. So I pulled the trigger.

 

[Michael Eisenman]

Here’s a couple close ups…to me these look drawn on. Unless it’s wood binding. Standard black binding has the white between the thin black line and edge. This is obviously wood in that area instead of white. Wish I could just ask Thomas what he did here on this.
View attachment 5278216 View attachment 5278217

I dunno. Zoom in closely and look at the mismatch in the lines at the corner. Kinda looks like inset purfling to me. Not that it matters in the end; it looks great. Maybe you could try contacting Höfner for an answer from Thomas.

 

[HofnerVox]

I dunno. Zoom in closely and look at the mismatch in the lines at the corner. Kinda looks like inset purfling to me. Not that it matters in the end; it looks great. Maybe you could try contacting Höfner for an answer from Thomas.

yeah that one corner definitely looks off. Yeah I’ll email Carsten over at Hofner and see if he get some answers on the technique used.

 

[Shawn Luckman]

Either way it's a great looking bass & I hope, it brings you a lot of playing/owning pleasure in the years to come.

 

[Shawn Luckman]

Spending a lot more playing time now again with my '64 500/1 so much so that I hardly pick,any of my other basses up at all now just the same as I felt when I first got this bass back in 1988.
The pencil thin neck on this bass still feels great in my hand after all these years & I guess,that and the, overall sound of this bass which never ceases to put a smile on my face made me want to play only this bass for 10 years solid when I bought it.
And of course that lovely light weight makes playing it is so effortless and again that was something else I had, forgotten about and honestly as I feel now I could be really happy with just this one bass. It probably has it's flaws just like it's owner but after 35 years you learn to live with them.

 

[HofnerVox]

From Hofner regarding my question about this unique binding choice for a 500/1.

“In this case we used a black binding and a maple/black purfling which was oversprayed with our sunburst varnish. Something special for a special limited run!”

 

[Stinkoman20xx]

So over the years I owned one German 5000/1 super with blades and probably 8 different ignition/icon models. I have found with good strings and setup I can get 90% of the 5000/1 tone with the Ignitions, but still find them "lacking" with the articulation and how hot the German one sounded (at least from memory). I seen some people switching out control panels and wondering if anybody has done this if it was worth the $150 or so it cost to upgrade or Just keep it as is?

 

[Doctor Intrepid]

So over the years I owned one German 5000/1 super with blades and probably 8 different ignition/icon models. I have found with good strings and setup I can get 90% of the 5000/1 tone with the Ignitions, but still find them "lacking" with the articulation and how hot the German one sounded (at least from memory). I seen some people switching out control panels and wondering if anybody has done this if it was worth the $150 or so it cost to upgrade or Just keep it as is?

I have never done it myself, but folks that do it are usually happy with the decision.

 

[Stinkoman20xx]

Anybody have any experiences with these? Yes I know they are cheap copies, but for the price might be fun to experiment with. https://www.amazon.com/Alnicov-Elec...02677421&sprefix=hofner+pickups,aps,92&sr=8-3

 

[Stempelloos]

I've seen those too, but didn't check them out.
(There's an Allparts minihumbucker to add as a third pickup in combination with a rewound Höfner blade pickup and an Italian toaster humbucker on a sixties Italian German branded hollowbody, once I've swapped it from an EB3 copy. So I didn't see any need to buy a Chinese toaster.)

The Höfner site says "Toaster pickup. Single coil. Two conductor wiring. Nickel."
Hofner Quality

The Thomann site calls it a "humbucker pickup for bassguitar".
https://www.thomann.de/nl/hoefner_h518b_toaster_bass_pickup.htm

I'm sure the Chinese are able to produce an acceptable pickup for a low price.
But it might sound different than the original.

 

[Deleted member 394181]

Anybody have any experiences with these? Yes I know they are cheap copies, but for the price might be fun to experiment with. https://www.amazon.com/Alnicov-Electric-Vintage-Diamond-Humbucker/dp/B08HYWWNMB/ref=sr_1_3?crid=2M6Q07KGUYSEA&keywords=hofner+bass+pickups&qid=1702677421&sprefix=hofner+pickups,aps,92&sr=8-3

Could be a set up problem. They sound real vintage, but theres a definite sweet spot when they just sound really good. I like them. I can get a good variety even on this Bass.

 

[blacktocomm]

I have a short scale Verythin reissue from a few years back. When I first received it the frets were like sloppy railroad tracks. Buzzing literally everywhere. Once I had them leveled and polished it became a very nice player. Sounds great with the TI flats I have on it. Very comfortable neck and a beauty to look at.

 

[SJLee]

My Club.

 

[Doctor Intrepid]

Could be a set up problem. They sound real vintage, but theres a definite sweet spot when they just sound really good. I like them. I can get a good variety even on this Bass.
View attachment 5285324

Are those Hofner pickups of the knock offs?

 

[markjazzbassist]

My Club.

more pics please. Was it refinished? I love club basses!!

 

[shoop]

Hi all! New here. This is my festive HCT

 

[SJLee]

more pics please. Was it refinished? I love club basses!!

That’s the original finish. I’ll post more pics when I return home.