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

[Scooter Johnson]

~DavesnothereCA said...
Thing is, I would need a 2nd Ignition Club, in order to effectively A/B compare other strings to those which I have on my only Hofner bass.

If go and do that, then there goes anything which I might save on the strings !

Still, there is some genuine truth and merit in the idea of having a 2nd identical model of bass for testing and comparing strings, because putting strings on and off a single bass repeatedly may break them off at the tuning pegs, or in the case of round core strings such as which I currently have on (LaBella Low Tension Flats), the wraps could become loose and ruin the sound, the next time I put them back on - seriously.

And for proper A/B-ing, you need to be able to just set one bass down and pick up the other, before you forget how the first one sounded.

I do have 3 Violin Basses (two Hofner Ignitions and a RogueVB100) I had tape wounds on the White Ignition not long ago... I liked them ok... (I have a set on my Jazz Bass..) They sound great on the Jazz but I just not right on the short scale Hofner... I then fell in love with the LBellas on the B-Bass... To see what the Hofner Contemporary strings sounded like I put a set on the Club... another great sound... I do not like round wound....

On my 2nd Ignition (Purple) I put the Hofner strings and they sounded just like the Labellas... But I snapped the G string and my backup set were Labellas ,,, still great-sounding...
I ended up putting a set of LaBellas on the Rogue...this time I used the heavier set (E string 100 gauge)
Truth is they are almost the same to my ear...

U just got the Club Bass a month ago and right away I used the Hofner strings ... They sound better on the Club ... My next bass will most likely be another club....

O also have a no-name acoustic bass that I put GHS flats on.... They just don't work well ... it may be the stings or maybe it's the bass,,, I don't play it much anyway

I have come to the conclusion that it's not just the strings... The Bass, the set-up and the ay you play are all just as important.

..... ...................ROGUE...............................HOFNER......................................Hofner

 

[Michael Eisenman]

A lot of talk about Pyramid Contemporary strings. Has anyone tried Pyramid Golds? Very pricy; is this what Hofner puts on their German basses?

 

[Doctor Intrepid]

~
When you say that "the Pyramid flats were good", do you mean the Hofner-branded sets which you described, or actual Pyramid-branded sets ?

And what was dreadful for you about the Contemporary flats ?

I'm just trying to decide whether I should try EITHER of the Hofner flat sets at all, as I so far like the LaBella Low Tension Flats which I put on recently.

After doing some more research today, it looks like the Contemporary flats (HCT1133B) shipped to Canada from Barry Clark (based upon his eBay listing) would save me a few bucks vs LaBellas, but any of the places which carry the other model of Hofner flats which Pyramid may make (H1133B), those places want more for those strings than what LaBellas cost me.
~

~
Thing is, I would need a 2nd Ignition Club, in order to effectively A/B compare other strings to those which I have on my only Hofner bass.

And if I go and do that, then there goes any money (and more) which I might save on the strings !

Still, there is some genuine truth and merit in the idea of having a 2nd identical model of bass for testing and comparing strings, because putting strings on and off a single bass repeatedly may break them off at the tuning pegs, or in the case of round core strings such as which I currently have on (LaBella Low Tension Flats), the wraps could become loose and ruin the sound, the next time I put them back on - seriously.

And for proper A/B-ing, you need to be able to just set one bass down and pick up the other, before you forget how the first one sounded.
~

The Hofners are definitely addictive. I have five and want more! I don't think that is a bad thing, though, as many other players have multiple of the same brand. If you can afford it do it! In an interview Billy Sheehan proposed it is good to play multiple basses with the same profile: it helps with muscle memory. Up to you, of course.

 

[BassJuju]

A lot of talk about Pyramid Contemporary strings. Has anyone tried Pyramid Golds? Very pricy; is this what Hofner puts on their German basses?

Yes, it is what they put on their German made Basses. I have to say, the tone is really nice. I can't tell you about the other Hofner branded strings. I will add that La Bella has always been one of my favorite brands. I had a set on my Epi Viola and they were awesome. I also have a set on several other Basses and their flats are excellent.

 

[shoulderpet]

~
When you say that "the Pyramid flats were good", do you mean the Hofner-branded sets which you described, or actual Pyramid-branded sets ?

And what was dreadful for you about the Contemporary flats ?

I'm just trying to decide whether I should try EITHER of the Hofner flat sets at all, as I so far like the LaBella Low Tension Flats which I put on recently.

After doing some more research today, it looks like the Contemporary flats (HCT1133B) shipped to Canada from Barry Clark (based upon his eBay listing) would save me a few bucks vs LaBellas, but any of the places which carry the other model of Hofner flats which Pyramid may make (H1133B), those places want more for those strings than what LaBellas cost me.
~

~
Thing is, I would need a 2nd Ignition Club, in order to effectively A/B compare other strings to those which I have on my only Hofner bass.

And if I go and do that, then there goes any money (and more) which I might save on the strings !

Still, there is some genuine truth and merit in the idea of having a 2nd identical model of bass for testing and comparing strings, because putting strings on and off a single bass repeatedly may break them off at the tuning pegs, or in the case of round core strings such as which I currently have on (LaBella Low Tension Flats), the wraps could become loose and ruin the sound, the next time I put them back on - seriously.

And for proper A/B-ing, you need to be able to just set one bass down and pick up the other, before you forget how the first one sounded.
~

Hi I have tried the Pyramid gold flatwounds and the Hofner contemporary flatwounds. The Pyramids were good but I ditched them because they felt a bit too stiff. Hofner contemporary flats were awful, they were the deadest sounding flats I've ever tried, barely any discernable pitch just a dull thud

 

[DavesnothereCA]

A lot of talk about Pyramid Contemporary strings....

~
Are you saying that Pyramid makes ALL of Hofner-branded strings, including the (HCT1133B) Contemporary flats ?

It would not surprise me (as I posted earlier), but I had not read a post before yours which put the two words together in that manner.
~

 

[DavesnothereCA]

[I asked shoulderpet :]
When you say that "the Pyramid flats were good", do you mean the Hofner-branded sets which you described, or actual Pyramid-branded sets ?

And what was dreadful for you about the Contemporary flats ?

Hi I have tried the Pyramid gold flatwounds and the Hofner contemporary flatwounds. The Pyramids [Gold] were good but I ditched them because they felt a bit too stiff.

Hofner Contemporary flats were awful, they were the deadest sounding flats I've ever tried, barely any discernible pitch, just a dull thud

~
OK, to recap, you tried the Pyramid branded 'Gold' model flatwounds, and the Hofner-branded (HCT1133B) Contemporary flats, but NOT the other Hofner-branded (H1133B) flats.

You found that the Hofner-branded (HCT1133B) Contemporary flats were too dead-sounding, and the Pyramid branded 'Gold' model flatwounds sounded OK but were too stiff or tight feeling.

From all of the recent posts here, I get the sense that each of the Hofner-branded flats, AND any of the Pyramid-branded flats, they all have issues for somebody or other, but the LaBella flats are more liked in both sound and feel, if a person does not have the misfortune of breaking one.

Am I close, folks ?

My latest gut feeling is to stay with LaBella flatwounds of one model or another, and at $38.95 USD including shipping, per set for most models (from Strings and Beyond to Canada or the lower US, IIRC), that's more than the GHS Brite Flats (which I have been using on my other basses) would cost, but not intolerable.

Besides, LaBella offers more choices of gauges, if we consider that their regular short scale sets (32.25" wound portion, as per LaBella website) will fit my Ignition Club bass (and I anticipate most other Hofners - PLEASE remember to measure the wound length portion of your bass, from the string ball to just past the nut, before ordering though.)

[Typo fixed, regarding LaBella wound length]
~

 

[DavesnothereCA]

....On my 2nd Ignition BB (Purple)....

~
I want a Club bass in that colour !

Were any such beasts built ?
~

 

[Michael Eisenman]

~
Are you saying that Pyramid makes ALL of Hofner-branded strings, including the (HCT1133B) Contemporary flats ?

It would not surprise me (as I posted earlier), but I had not read a post before yours which put the two words together in that manner.
~

I should have said "Hofner" Contemporary strings (made by Pyramid), assuming that all Hofner strings are made by Pyramid.

 

[shoulderpet]

From all of the recent posts here, I get the sense that each of the Hofner-branded flats, AND any of the Pyramid-branded flats, they all have issues for somebody or other, but the LaBella flats are more liked in both sound and feel, if a person does not have the misfortune of breaking one.

Am I close, folks ?

~

I would say that for most people Labella are the safest choice, they have a couple of gauges available and they are thumpy but have a decent amount of brightness to them if you want a brighter tone. I am using TI's because I love the low tension but Labella would be my choice if TI were not available

 

[DavesnothereCA]

I would say that for most people Labella are the safest choice, they have a couple of gauges available, and they are thumpy but have a decent amount of brightness to them if you want a brighter tone. I am using TI's because I love the low tension but Labella would be my choice if TI were not available

~
I would try the TIs if they were not so dear, as I have a lot of respect for their 'Jazz' flatwounds for 6-string guitars, first encountered thru some of my local friends around 1970, when IIRC the brand was called 'Dr. Tomastic'.

And if you count the regular short scale LaBella sets including their Low Tension Flexible Flats (42-56-75-100) which I have recently put onto my Ignition Club, they have more like a half dozen flatwound choices for Hofner players, in a wide range of gauges [Everyone remember to measure your bass(es) to confirm my observation that these should fit].

I find the LaBella flats which I have on to be a lot less bright and less middy than the DR round wounds which I removed, such that I could increase most bands in those areas of my EQ, and I regard that as a good change.

Bear in mind that I am accustomed to multiple decades of half round or ground round wounds such as GHS Brite Flats on my other basses, and instinctively am prob'ly adjusting my tone somewhat in that direction, no matter what other strings I try.
~

 

[DavesnothereCA]

Very nice!

~
....Thanks ! - It's my first Hofner, and the transition from my Ric 4001 has been fairly easy, feelwise, as both fingerboards are almost the same width at the nut...

....why I bothered to change basses after all of this time ? - The Hofner weighs about half of what the Ric does, literally.
~

So the weight was a motivation?

I'm guessing the tone is quite different too?

~
Yes, definitely.

See my last post #1311 [directly above] for more on that, regarding how some various string types have influenced my analysis.

The instruments themselves are different too, and in more ways than a person might think, because my 1974 FrankenRic (bought new that year) has had active EMGs on it since 1985, and they are positioned along the strings approximately where a Fender Jazz would have its pickups, making its natural voicing a lot like a JB, especially as the Ric electronics has also been removed/simplified, after a number of years of experiments with even more complex switching arrangements of up to 4 various pickups, including the originals, Fender P pups, DiMarzios, etc.
~

 

[shoulderpet]

~
I would try the TIs if they were not so dear, as I have a lot of respect for their 'Jazz' flatwounds for 6-string guitars, first encountered thru some of my local friends around 1970, when IIRC the brand was called 'Dr. Tomastic'.

And if you count the regular short scale LaBella sets including their Low Tension Flexible Flats (42-56-75-100) which I have recently put onto my Ignition Club, they have more like a half dozen flatwound choices for Hofner players, in a wide range of gauges [Everyone remember to measure your bass(es) to confirm my observation that these should fit].

I find the LaBella flats which I have on to be a lot less bright and less middy than the DR round wounds which I removed, such that I could increase most bands in those areas of my EQ, and I regard that as a good change.

Bear in mind that I am accustomed to multiple decades of half round or ground round wounds such as GHS Brite Flats on my other basses, and instinctively am prob'ly adjusting my tone somewhat in that direction, no matter what other strings I try.
~

Not sure how much TI's cost in the US but in the Uk they are not that much more than most flatwounds (most flatwounds here are around the £50 mark which is around the $65 mark) so price for me is a minor consideration.
To clarify regarding the Hofner contemporary flatwounds they were dead sounding but more than the actual tone the attack of the note bothered me, I know flatwounds have short sustain but the sustain on these was ridiculously short, the first set I received the E was faulty so I requested a replacement which was not faulty but the E just had no sustain at all.

Just to add in case anyone is looking for other flatwound options the following have strings in medium scale

Daddario Chromes (100-45)
Rotosound (90-40)
TI Jazz flats (labelled short scale actually medium)
GHS Flatwounds (short scale may possibly fit as 32.75" winding length)

 

[DavesnothereCA]

Not sure how much TI's cost in the US but in the Uk they are not that much more than most flatwounds (most flatwounds here are around the £50 mark which is around the $65 mark) so price for me is a minor consideration.
To clarify regarding the Hofner contemporary flatwounds they were dead sounding but more than the actual tone the attack of the note bothered me, I know flatwounds have short sustain but the sustain on these was ridiculously short, the first set I received the E was faulty so I requested a replacement which was not faulty but the E just had no sustain at all.

Just to add in case anyone is looking for other flatwound options the following have strings in medium scale

Daddario Chromes (100-45)
Rotosound (90-40)
TI Jazz flats (labelled short scale actually medium)
GHS Flatwounds (short scale may possibly fit as 32.75" winding length)

~
Thanks for the clarification about your set of Hofner Contemporary flats.

TI strings seem to cost a lot more than LaBella in USA (where many of us Canadians buy our bass strings), and UK prices may well increase after Brexit, depending upon what trade deals are made with the EU.

Regarding the other string choices, I cannot speak to all of them, but for the GHS strings, their short scale sets definitely will fit all Hofner short scale basses (based upon me measuring mine, details posted upthread), but their medium scale sets will be 34.75" of wrap, which will put some of the wrap around the pegs for the E and G string, severely risking breakage of the E, especially when we consider the small diameter of the pegs of Hofners.

Folks, AVOID any strings where the maker says that the wound/wrapped portion exceeds 34 inches !

Even on a typical Fender bass, I would hesitate to allow the wrapped portion of a string to go around a tuning peg.
~

 

[shoulderpet]

~
Thanks for the clarification about your set of Hofner Contemporary flats.

Regarding the other string choices, I cannot speak to all of them, but for the GHS strings, their short scale sets definitely will fit all Hofner short scale basses (based upon me measuring mine, details posted upthread), but their medium scale sets will be 34.75" of wrap, which will put some of the wrap around the pegs for the E and G string, severely risking breakage of the E, especially when we consider the small diameter of the pegs of Hofners.

AVOID any strings where the maker says that the wound/wrapped portion exceeds 34 inches !

Even on a typical Fender bass, I would hesitate to allow the wrapped portion of a string to go around a tuning peg.
~

You have to wrap some of the string around the tuner with TI's , for some reason there short scale is slightly longer than most companies medium scale offerings, luckily TI's are very flexible so this has never caused any issues but I do wish purely for aesthetics that they wound them very slightly shorter

 

[DavesnothereCA]

You have to wrap some of the string around the tuner with TI's , for some reason there short scale is slightly longer than most companies medium scale offerings, luckily TI's are very flexible so this has never caused any issues but I do wish purely for aesthetics that they wound them very slightly shorter

~
This is good info to know.

Thanks !
~

 

[mrufino1]

I had the contemporary flats. I won't use them now, so if one of you wants them just PM me and I'll send them to you. The a, d, and g did sound pretty good, but the e was deader then dead. I've used flats for a long time and tried a lot of different sets, but I keep going back to labella and I'll remember that from now on.

 

[mrufino1]

[I asked shoulderpet :]
When you say that "the Pyramid flats were good", do you mean the Hofner-branded sets which you described, or actual Pyramid-branded sets ?

And what was dreadful for you about the Contemporary flats ?


~
OK, to recap, you tried the Pyramid branded 'Gold' model flatwounds, and the Hofner-branded (HCT1133B) Contemporary flats, but NOT the other Hofner-branded (H1133B) flats.

You found that the Hofner-branded (HCT1133B) Contemporary flats were too dead-sounding, and the Pyramid branded 'Gold' model flatwounds sounded OK but were too stiff or tight feeling.

From all of the recent posts here, I get the sense that each of the Hofner-branded flats, AND any of the Pyramid-branded flats, they all have issues for somebody or other, but the LaBella flats are more liked in both sound and feel, if a person does not have the misfortune of breaking one.

Am I close, folks ?

My latest gut feeling is to stay with LaBella flatwounds of one model or another, and at $38.95 USD including shipping, per set for most models (from Strings and Beyond to Canada or the lower US, IIRC), that's more than the GHS Brite Flats (which I have been using on my other basses) would cost, but not intolerable.

Besides, LaBella offers more choices of gauges, if we consider that their regular short scale sets (32.25" wound portion, as per LaBella website) will fit my Ignition Club bass (and I anticipate most other Hofners - PLEASE remember to measure the wound length portion of your bass, from the string ball to just past the nut, before ordering though.)

[Typo fixed, regarding LaBella wound length]
~

just to clarify one thing in your post- ghs brite flats are half rounds I believe, not flatwounds. GHS does make flatwounds though (precision flatwounds is their name) and they are good, my second favorite I've tried after labella.

 

[Doctor Intrepid]

I think I have GHS flats on one of my Hofners. I'll have to check. I usually use rounds, and like the Hofner brand of those. I also have GHS rounds too, and I really liked the La Bella white nylons.

 

[DavesnothereCA]

just to clarify one thing in your post- ghs brite flats are half rounds I believe, not flatwounds. GHS does make flatwounds though (precision flatwounds is their name) and they are good, my second favorite I've tried after labella.

~
You are completely correct about GHS Brite Flats being a ground type of string (aka half round, which itself is actually a trademark of D'Addario for the same technique of manufacture).

I had mentioned this in other posts, but not in that one, because my reason for doing so this time was strictly a price comparison of LaBella with what I had used for many years on my other basses, particularly the Ric.

Unfortunately, the system here will not let me edit posts after 60 minutes. - Was it always that way ?

Anyway, going back to the 70s or 80s, Dean Markley used to offer a string called 'Ground Round Wounds', which I now swear were made for them by GHS, as the gauges, feel, and sound are identical to the long scale version of GHS Brite Flats which I bought to replace them on my Ric 4001 not long ago, after the DMs turned out to be NLA. - Only the silk colour has changed, from beige to whatever they are now.

BTW, I was thinking about trying the GHS Precision Flats, but passed because the gauges are poorly balanced in tension, and the numbers for that are clearly printed on the package and/or in the reference PDF doc which GHS offers on their website for all of their strings.

I wish that string makers in general would stop offering unbalanced tension string sets.

Problem is that many folks have grown accustomed to unbalanced sets after all these years, so makers are afraid to change their products, or at least not all at once.
~