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

[JimFog]

Ok.......

Lots of talk about Hofners as a good choice for Reggae, but not many recorded examples out there.

Messing around with Garageband, I decided to do a little comparison. Here's my black Club Icon, w/La Bella Flats and my 50's Classic P, with TI Flats. Hofner is with both pickups and "solo" on, bridge p'up rolled back a bit. P has the tone rolled back a lot. Straight into a Presonus Inspire interface and using a stock Garageband "Studio DI" sound, with the compression turned off. Only difference is, I had to boost the P bass input some, as it's level is a lot lower than the Icon....which is VERY hot.

(PS.....being a recording dunce, I couldn't hear the drums that well while tracking, so I'm a wee bit pushy. Maybe some ganja will help next time?)

Hofner Club Icon -

http://www.jimfogarty.com/tunes/reggae Hofner.mp3

Fender 50's Classic P Bass -

http://www.jimfogarty.com/tunes/reggae pbass.mp3

Enjoy??

- Jim

 

[sgtpepper]

Alright, so I've been looking for a cheap icon/ignition. I found this on an "eBay like" website in Mexico. The price in USD is around $415.00. I was very happy when I found it but... Look at the pictures, just a copy. Please make all the comments you have. I have some and please add/correct with yours.

Invalid Link Removed

Headstock logo: wrong color, wrong size, wrong position.
Tuners: Obviously wrong.
Truss rod cover: WRONG.
Bone Nut: Wrong material, wrong position.
Neck binding: Looks like if it was a Contemporary.
Pickups: No dots/magnets.
Pickguard: Wrong shape on the bottom, wrong support position.
Control knobs: Looks like Contemporary.

Please, any help would be appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[music fun]

Alright, so I've been looking for a cheap icon/ignition. I found this on an "eBay like" website in Mexico. The price in USD is around $415.00. I was very happy when I found it but... Look at the pictures, just a copy. Please make all the comments you have. I have some and please add/correct with yours.

Invalid Link Removed

Headstock logo: wrong color, wrong size, wrong position.
Tuners: Obviously wrong.
Truss rod cover: WRONG.
Bone Nut: Wrong material, wrong position.
Neck binding: Looks like if it was a Contemporary.
Pickups: No dots/magnets.
Pickguard: Wrong shape on the bottom, wrong support position.
Control knobs: Looks like Contemporary.

Please, any help would be appreciated.

Thanks.

Also note the visible screw head in the pick guard. It's in the wrong spot, but in any case reveals this instrument as, at best, an Icon. But it's probably an off-brand copy. Worth $5,600? How about one twentieth of that?

eBay is a vicious place, full of vultures preying on the unsuspecting. Next item...

 

[music fun]

Hello, there.

I'm just a lurker round here. Always been a Höfner enthusiast though I don't own one, but I'd definitely like to.

Does any of you know why is it so hard to find a brand new/used Höfner Icon Beatle bass nowadays? There's nothing! I'd really like to get one.

If any of you is interested in selling one and willing to ship to Mexico City please let me know.

Thank you and congrats on all those beautiful instruments.

Try Norman's Rare Guitars in Tarzana, CA. Find them online. Two weeks ago they had a few of them. I bought one, and another member here bought one after me. No idea if they still have any.

I've whined and moaned all over talk bass about the lack of availability of these. Hofner changed their US distributor over the past month and it has really shaken up supply. Nobody has a solid answer to explain it.

eBay has one right now:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Hofner-B-Ba...1?pt=Guitar&hash=item231d7441c9#ht_674wt_1219

Good luck.

 

[mongo2]

Ok.......

Lots of talk about Hofners as a good choice for Reggae, but not many recorded examples out there.

Messing around with Garageband, I decided to do a little comparison. Here's my black Club Icon, w/La Bella Flats and my 50's Classic P, with TI Flats. Hofner is with both pickups and "solo" on, bridge p'up rolled back a bit. P has the tone rolled back a lot. Straight into a Presonus Inspire interface and using a stock Garageband "Studio DI" sound, with the compression turned off. Only difference is, I had to boost the P bass input some, as it's level is a lot lower than the Icon....which is VERY hot.

(PS.....being a recording dunce, I couldn't hear the drums that well while tracking, so I'm a wee bit pushy. Maybe some ganja will help next time?)

Hofner Club Icon -

http://www.jimfogarty.com/tunes/reggae Hofner.mp3

Fender 50's Classic P Bass -

http://www.jimfogarty.com/tunes/reggae pbass.mp3

Enjoy??

Thanks for the comparison, I definitely prefer the tone of the Hofner Icon Club over that of the Precision. I think I'd like the Hofner even better with just the neck pickup solo'd, do you have a sample of that?

 

[jasper383]

Here's a Hofner that's not McCartney, not reggae, and not flats. The Killers "Joy Ride". Sounds great, imo:

 

[sgtpepper]

Also note the visible screw head in the pick guard. It's in the wrong spot, but in any case reveals this instrument as, at best, an Icon. But it's probably an off-brand copy. Worth $5,600? How about one twentieth of that?

eBay is a vicious place, full of vultures preying on the unsuspecting. Next item...

Yes, I was very disappointed with this one. I will wait for another one to show up.

Try Norman's Rare Guitars in Tarzana, CA. Find them online. Two weeks ago they had a few of them. I bought one, and another member here bought one after me. No idea if they still have any.

I've whined and moaned all over talk bass about the lack of availability of these. Hofner changed their US distributor over the past month and it has really shaken up supply. Nobody has a solid answer to explain it.

eBay has one right now:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Hofner-B-Ba...1?pt=Guitar&hash=item231d7441c9#ht_674wt_1219

Good luck.

I will try Norman's but I hope the shipping costs are not very high. And the ebay guy doesn't make outside USA shippings.

Thank you both for your response.

 

[JimFog]

Thanks for the comparison, I definitely prefer the tone of the Hofner Icon Club over that of the Precision. I think I'd like the Hofner even better with just the neck pickup solo'd, do you have a sample of that?

I don't, sorry. Honestly, I didn't think it added much. If anything, it was a bit more mid-heavy, but no deeper or bigger.

Just for kicks, I did do the P and a J (w/rounds), both with foam mutes, both with the tone rolled way back, as well.......

P, flats and mute:

http://www.jimfogarty.com/tunes/reggaepmute.mp3

J, rounds and mute:

http://www.jimfogarty.com/tunes/reggaejmute.mp3

Even with rounds, I can see why a J is popular. With flats and mute it would kill. It also, along with the Hofner, has that THING.

 

[Rob Martinez]

I will never understand why bass players want to occupy the higher ends of the tonal spectrum. That is what guitars and vocals are for. It's called BASS for a reason.

I have owned a few Fender basses and sold them. To me they were very neutral sounding and did not have much presence. My Hofner Club bass has tons of presence and sounds amazing. My 2 cents.

 

[JimFog]

I will never understand why bass players want to occupy the higher ends of the tonal spectrum. That is what guitars and vocals are for. It's called BASS for a reason.

I have owned a few Fender basses and sold them. To me they were very neutral sounding and did not have much presence. My Hofner Club bass has tons of presence and sounds amazing. My 2 cents.

Different tools for different jobs.

I'm curious, did you find these particular Fenders to be treble-y?

One thing I found, live.....the Hofner can actually have TOO much super-low "boom" at times. Working with a rock, country or blues band, it's all about the lower mids, IMO, and I tend to have to dial those in, and drop the lows, on the Club (and J, to be fair).......not so much on the P.

That being said, philosophically, I'm with you.

 

[Rob Martinez]

Different tools for different jobs.

I'm curious, did you find these particular Fenders to be treble-y?

One thing I found, live.....the Hofner can actually have TOO much super-low "boom" at times. Working with a rock, country or blues band, it's all about the lower mids, IMO, and I tend to have to dial those in, and drop the lows, on the Club (and J, to be fair).......not so much on the P.

That being said, philosophically, I'm with you.

I agree. And I am a FAN of bass players like Entwistle or Tom Petersson of Cheap Trick, who have blistering, sizzling high end tones. But that WORKS in the context of the bands they were/are in.

Since I have been playing hollow body basses (Hofners) I find most solid body basses to be a bit anemic. I know this will be very controversial, since Fender is the "holy grail" of basses, but I found them to be a bit anemic. Yes, Hofners can "bloom" and "boom" so I too agree, I have to reign in the lows, but I do let our guitar player occupy more of the mids than I do. What I have learned is that a tone that sounds great on its own does not necessarily work in a band situation. Our guitar player has learned the same. I am more apt to add some treble and cut all mids.

 

[Jazzbassguy]

Try Norman's Rare Guitars in Tarzana, CA. Find them online. Two weeks ago they had a few of them. I bought one, and another member here bought one after me. No idea if they still have any.

I've whined and moaned all over talk bass about the lack of availability of these. Hofner changed their US distributor over the past month and it has really shaken up supply. Nobody has a solid answer to explain it.

eBay has one right now:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Hofner-B-Ba...1?pt=Guitar&hash=item231d7441c9#ht_674wt_1219

Good luck.

Saw this brand new Icon at GC a couple of days ago for $369. So they're still out there..

 

[ecapdeville]

Alright, so I've been looking for a cheap icon/ignition. I found this on an "eBay like" website in Mexico. The price in USD is around $415.00. I was very happy when I found it but... Look at the pictures, just a copy. Please make all the comments you have. I have some and please add/correct with yours.

Invalid Link Removed

Más pirata no se puede!

There is other option

Invalid Link Removed

658 us dlls

Maybe is not a bad idea to buy the bass overseas, I wonder if you dont have family or a friend who lives in USA... Could be a cheaper option...

Viva México!

 

[boynamedsuse]

I agree. And I am a FAN of bass players like Entwistle or Tom Petersson of Cheap Trick, who have blistering, sizzling high end tones. But that WORKS in the context of the bands they were/are in.

Since I have been playing hollow body basses (Hofners) I find most solid body basses to be a bit anemic. I know this will be very controversial, since Fender is the "holy grail" of basses, but I found them to be a bit anemic. Yes, Hofners can "bloom" and "boom" so I too agree, I have to reign in the lows, but I do let our guitar player occupy more of the mids than I do. What I have learned is that a tone that sounds great on its own does not necessarily work in a band situation. Our guitar player has learned the same. I am more apt to add some treble and cut all mids.

I also find my Fender Mustang to be a bit anemic compared to my Contemporary Club bass. Stated another way, the Mustang sounds more like a bass guitar (emphasis on guitar) than a bass.

 

[dunic]

So I got a Hofner Galaxie shortscale bass (orange) and thought I should share my first experiences with this bass:

- its very lightweight with no neckdive
- around 16mm string spacing, small but workable
- the orange/red colour reacts different to daylight and artificial lighting
- the small tuners look fragile but are actually ok
- jack input sticks out the wrong way, when playing this bass seated an angled plug is recommended
- more then enough sustain
- inlays on the fingerboard and binding on the neck!
- requires shortscale strings and has small tuningpegholes
- body feels plasticy but apparently is basswood

I'm really liking this bass so far. Considering the pricerange I think this is one of the nicest shortscale basses you can find. And I think the tones are usable.

Also made a little demo vid:
http://youtu.be/OxjQk61sGv0

cheers!

 

[Avalon]

I'm GASing for the Galaxie, but man, the wife is going to give me that look. :scowl:

I just bought a sweet Gretsch 2202 Jr-Jet within the last month. I love it and it's a keeper, but man.... you guys had to post thoses vids...

 

[music fun]

I got my Ignition about three weeks ago, with the standard round wound strings. I liked the action and the intonation, but not the sound or feel of the strings. For one thing, they were too light for my taste: there was too much give when I struck. I also wanted a fatter sound.

One more thing: there was a buzz at the 12th fret of the G string, implying that the 13th fret was high.

I put LaBella flats on, the 50 - 100 set, and I like the heavier, more solid feel. I can play faster and more precisely than before.

But I noticed that the action seems higher now, and does the neck seem a little bowed? And is the intonation a little off? I took it to a respected stringed instrument shop and they confirmed the neck needed to be straightened. So I'm paying $75 for a tune up: neck, intonation, action.

He then used a straightedge to show that the 13th fret is indeed high. So he's also going to file and re-crown at least that fret, and check the rest. Finally, he checked the nut and said it looked a little higher than needed. All in, he's estimating $125 for the whole job.

I love the way this thing sounds, feels, and looks. For the price, it's like a dream. I hope when I get it back next week, it'll play perfectly, down to the first fret. By then I'll be in for about $500 for the bass, hard case, shipping, flats, tune-up, and fretwork. Oh well. Not bad, though.

My point in posting this is that I know there are a lot of Icon/Ignition lovers here. They are things of beauty. But let's not kid ourselves that they come from the factory ready for smooth, buzz-free playing on all frets. I suppose that's why people buy $1,000 basses (and up).

I'll report back on the tune-up when I get it next week.

 

[music fun]

The fine folks who sold me an Ignition this month threw in a Hofner strap. It's the one that's meant to go with the 500/1, or possibly also the CT (?). It's meant to wrap under the "fingerboard extension," according the English and German instructions (Halsuberstand hindurch schlingen). Of course, the Ignition doesn't have this space.

Can I use this strap at all with the Ignition, or should I just look for a standard two-hole bass strap?

 

[ferrante9]

This group " The Black Lips" their Bassist plays the ICON live and in the studio. He told me that the reason why is because they are cheap and sound great.

This is at this year's coachella.

 

[ferrante9]

Yes, I was very disappointed with this one. I will wait for another one to show up.



I will try Norman's but I hope the shipping costs are not very high. And the ebay guy doesn't make outside USA shippings.

Thank you both for your response.

I went to Norman's on friday, and they told me that the one that I got was their last one. I am not sure, but the guy sounded shady. He was going to just sell me the bass with no box no nothing.....I had to ask him " where is the box?" the he finally decided to go in the back to get it.

Shady