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

#1,221
I have a question that I'm hoping this group can help out with. I've posted it in one other thread and even e-mailed a contact from the Hofner website with no reply.

I'm being presented with a 2014 Sullivan Show bass that is priced at $2,000. In doing some research, it would appear that those were Ignition basses that came with a few extras Over the standard Ignition basses. The seller is saying that it's a German made bass and I'm skeptical at this point. Does anyone know if there were any Sullivan Show German Basses made?
 
#1,223
BassJuju said:
I have a question that I'm hoping this group can help out with. I've posted it in one other thread and even e-mailed a contact from the Hofner website with no reply.

I'm being presented with a 2014 Sullivan Show bass that is priced at $2,000. In doing some research, it would appear that those were Ignition basses that came with a few extras Over the standard Ignition basses. The seller is saying that it's a German made bass and I'm skeptical at this point. Does anyone know if there were any Sullivan Show German Basses made?
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Yeah, if you can get some pics I can tell you whether it is German or an Ignition. Get pics of the neck joint and the back of the head stock.
 
#1,224
BassJuju said:
I have a question that I'm hoping this group can help out with. I've posted it in one other thread and even e-mailed a contact from the Hofner website with no reply.

I'm being presented with a 2014 Sullivan Show bass that is priced at $2,000. In doing some research, it would appear that those were Ignition basses that came with a few extras Over the standard Ignition basses. The seller is saying that it's a German made bass and I'm skeptical at this point. Does anyone know if there were any Sullivan Show German Basses made?
Click to expand...

I did a search and found a few pictures of an Ed S, Show bass that were made from German models, But I too thought all were Igniions with a silkscreened pickguard and logo on the back f the headstock. These 62s were called "Hofner Limited Edition 1962 Ed Sullivan Show Electric Basses" but yes most were Ignition models and this year Sweetwater sold one for around $400+ (see Link)

You don't see the 62 basses on sale much ...they didn't make many !!! but my guess is if they have one for you ... it would sell for $2000 or more.....

CHECK THIS OUT
Hofner Limited Edition 1962 Ed Sullivan Show Electric Beatle Violin Bass 2014 Sunburst

J04013.jpg


https://www.sweetwater.com/store/de...ion-ed-sullivan-ignition-violin-bass-sunburst
 
#1,225
On a different subject.... Today was New Gear day for me .... I picked up a Black Ignition Club Bass to ad to my Hofner Bass collection ...... Here it is next to my White Ignition B-Bass .... The Black and White of Hofner Basses !!!

I will put on some Hofner Flats and remove the plastic from the pickguard and pickups tomorrow !!! It showed up around 5pm today!

Even with the cheap round wound stock strings, it sounds great!!!


upload_2019-11-14_1-37-43.png
 
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#1,226
Scooter Johnson said:
On a different subject.... Today was New Gear day for me .... I picked up a Black Ignition Club Bass to ad to my Hofner Bass collection ...... Here it is next to my White Ignition B-Bass .... The Black and White of Hofner Basses !!!

I will put on some Hofner Flats and remove the plastic from the pickguard and pickups tomorrow !!! It showed up around 5pm today!

Even with the cheap round wound stock strings, it sounds great!!!


View attachment 3594883
Click to expand...

If you like the sound of the round wounds, Hofner makes rounds for that bass.
 
#1,227
Scooter Johnson said:
I did a search and found a few pictures of an Ed S, Show bass that were made from German models, But I too thought all were Igniions with a silkscreened pickguard and logo on the back f the headstock. These 62s were called "Hofner Limited Edition 1962 Ed Sullivan Show Electric Basses" but yes most were Ignition models and this year Sweetwater sold one for around $400+ (see Link)

You don't see the 62 basses on sale much ...they didn't make many !!! but my guess is if they have one for you ... it would sell for $2000 or more.....

CHECK THIS OUT
Hofner Limited Edition 1962 Ed Sullivan Show Electric Beatle Violin Bass 2014 Sunburst

View attachment 3594873

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/de...ion-ed-sullivan-ignition-violin-bass-sunburst
Click to expand...

that looks a lot like the photo I saw before they started to ship it. I couldn't find that when I was searching the webternets and now I fear you've made my life much more complicated. :woot::D While waiting for the incredibly slow shipping process to take place I purchased a 1970 500/1 that is truly in stunning condition. Now, in true TalkBass fashion, I want both. :laugh:
More to come...
 
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#1,229
funkymonk13 said:
Anyone know what happened to the hofner "Gold" series? I remember seeing a bunch of them in a ton of cool colors and now they're nowhere to be seen. Don't even see any used ones.

Anyone own one Of these?
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I don't own one. You can still find some on Reverb and at Bass Direct. Hofner does limited runs all the time of their basses. You can see what is on offer at their website and then look for dealers here and there. Other useful vendors include Marnic Instruments and Thomann.
 
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#1,230
BassJuju said:
that looks a lot like the photo I saw before they started to ship it. I couldn't find that when I was searching the webternets and now I fear you've made my life much more complicated. :woot::D While waiting for the incredibly slow shipping process to take place I purchased a 1970 500/1 that is truly in stunning condition. Now, in true TalkBass fashion, I want both. :laugh:
More to come...
Click to expand...
Sorry about that .... But wait until you have both then decide..... I hate to say this but there is always the chance that you were told that the ED S. model was German made but you might get the Ignition one insed ....
Gad, I hope that is not the case ....

Let us know what happens and pos pics of both !!!
 
#1,232
Scooter Johnson said:
Sorry about that .... But wait until you have both then decide..... I hate to say this but there is always the chance that you were told that the ED S. model was German made but you might get the Ignition one insed ....
Gad, I hope that is not the case ....

Let us know what happens and pos pics of both !!!
Click to expand...

Seriously, you know there is no need to apologizes, I was just playing around. My thinking was I'm not going to pay that much for ignition bass, but now that I know a German model potentially exists, well...

I'm definitely keeping the 1970... here are a few photos I took yesterday.

5F7E244A-206C-4E78-A72A-EBBFE33DD67F.jpeg


7F6E96DA-FB0D-4F08-B5C7-B9653C86A27D.jpeg


00463097-60D3-44FB-9DA6-37B748FAF279.jpeg


480C06EB-5434-4B6F-8D77-C3284E557513.jpeg


E80DDF02-6B28-4EC1-8213-9F9FF3346A0C.jpeg
 
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#1,233
BassJuju said:
Seriously, you know there is no need to apologizes, I was just playing around. My thinking was I'm not going to pay that much for ignition bass, but now that I know a German model potentially exists, well...

I'm definitely keeping the 1970... here are a few photos I took yesterday.

View attachment 3595461

View attachment 3595462

View attachment 3595460

View attachment 3595463

View attachment 3595464
Click to expand...
Wow!!!!!!!!!!!!

But I do see that little mark above the neck pick up.... bettersend it off to me .... and get a newer bass... :)

it really looks wonderful ......I bet it sounds like a mellow dream !!! loos like it has flats on it too.... I'm so jelly !!!
 
#1,234
#1,236
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#1,238
Doctor Intrepid said:
Love it! It is German made for sure.
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Aside from the Made in Germany sticker, other indications of the instrument's Teutonic origins are the zero fret, the staple pickups with surrounds that mount to the top of the instrument (the only holes are for internal screws and wires), the white switches, the teacup knobs, the two-on-a-strip tuners, the pickguard mounting method, the control panel angle, the body shape (and the fact that it's fully hollow, no center block), the striped nut, the dog leash strap attachment, and the Pyramid flats. (Some of these things overlap with the Contemporary models, but there's not been a CT Ed Sullivan model to my knowledge.)
 
#1,239
fermata said:
Aside from the Made in Germany sticker, other indications of the instrument's Teutonic origins are the zero fret, the staple pickups with surrounds that mount to the top of the instrument (the only holes are for internal screws and wires), the white switches, the teacup knobs, the two-on-a-strip tuners, the pickguard mounting method, the control panel angle, the body shape (and the fact that it's fully hollow, no center block), the striped nut, the dog leash strap attachment, and the Pyramid flats. (Some of these things overlap with the Contemporary models, but there's not been a CT Ed Sullivan model to my knowledge.)
Click to expand...

That is some amazing info! I really appreciate you sharing that. I'm curious about the strings most all. The instrument sounds amazing and the strings are really nice. I assumed they were La Bella Beatle Bass flats, but they felt decidedly different. So, pyramid flats, huh? Are the silks the giveaway in this case?
 
#1,240
BassJuju said:
That is some amazing info! I really appreciate you sharing that. I'm curious about the strings most all. The instrument sounds amazing and the strings are really nice. I assumed they were La Bella Beatle Bass flats, but they felt decidedly different. So, pyramid flats, huh? Are the silks the giveaway in this case?
Click to expand...
Yeah, Pyramids have green silks, and they're what Hofner puts on their German-made basses.

Oh, and more items to add to the earlier list of distinguishing features: the bridge, the angled neck (with space between it and the top of the body), the tailpiece (specifically the string anchor portion), the truss rod cover, and the output jack. In short, almost everything!

If you look at photos of an Ignition, you'll see how all these things compare.

Most of the things that distinguish it as a German-made (except the Made in Germany sticker, switches, knobs, tuners, and strap attachment--which may be unique to the Sullivan model) are present on the Contemporary models, too; a likely reason for the center block in CT basses is to prevent them from being passed off as German-made, since those are fully hollow. But at a glance, CTs look a lot like Germans; Ignitions don't look much like either on close inspection.

Anyway, it's a lovely bass! As is your 70s one. How would you describe the difference in sound?
 
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