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Hofner-(not just Beatle Basses)-Group Part 2
- Thread starter Bryan R. Tyler
- Start date
I don't know about the ones pictured, but I've seen a red sunburst one with blade pickups on stage in Paradiso. The player, bassist of the Cowboy Junkies, said that it was all original like that, Canadian import. Forgot about the year, probably late sixties, early seventies.
- Feb 26, 2011
- 143
- 112
- 51
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Pyramid Strings
the pic on top is a re-issue (might even be a Contemporary, which is Hofner's mid-range line). the bottom pic is late 60s to a 70s model. You'd have to look at it under a microscope and with Dark Helmet's fine-tooth comb meant for the desert to get the exact year of them.
but, I can say they're both real Hofner basses, though.
Thank you so much!
So the full name would be:
Hofner Violin Bass late 60's Sunburst?
Hofner Violin Bass Reissue?
The top one would be Hofner HCT 500/1 Contemporary Series or it may be listed as parts of that name or maybe have the word violin in there somewhere.
The bottom one is a Hofner 500/1
- Feb 26, 2011
- 143
- 112
- 51
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Pyramid Strings
it's hard to tell if that top picture is of a Contemporary or a German-made re-issue. A) both look a lot like at a glance and B) the pic is too blurry to see if anything is on the truss rod cover or not (denoting if it was a Contemporary).
the bottom pic is definitely a late-60s to 70s model. again, you'd need a team from NASA to go over it with a fine-toothed comb to get an exact date on it.
the bottom pic is definitely a late-60s to 70s model. again, you'd need a team from NASA to go over it with a fine-toothed comb to get an exact date on it.
It also has the teacup knob controlplate which could either mean German production or a Contemporary with the easy mod of replacing the controls with the German made version. The picture is not good enough to make a determination.
There were some red German models constructed, so I agree that the red one could be a German one or an HCT. I am leaning German.
Mid 90's German made 500/1v63 in Blue and Red. They were a very limited run.
TD
TD
After seeing the better pictures I feel that it is German because the tuners have the more oval knobs compared to the squared off knobs of the contemporary and there is no script on the trussrod cover.
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With all of the recent talk about the CT series, I decided to do a little exploring and found this beauty. It's a HCT with a 61 conversion with the tea cups German tailpiece and tuners. I loike that Hofner is offering some of these reissue models in the HCT series.
Hofner HCT500/1-CV Cavern Beatle Bass Custom 61 Conversion Tea Cups German Tailpiece & Keys | Barry Clark Music | Reverb
Hofner HCT500/1-CV Cavern Beatle Bass Custom 61 Conversion Tea Cups German Tailpiece & Keys | Barry Clark Music | Reverb
I really like the Cavern pickup spacing but I'd rather have it with humbuckers on an Ignition Club Bass. I have the Cavern spacing with those single coils on my HCT President 500/5 and they sound OK but I prefer the humbuckers on my Ignition Club Bass.
I have never heard these pickups, but do like the sound of staples. I think one thing I would try and do if this has the 500K pots is to change out to 250K.
That's not a bad idea but it's more the single coil noise when using either pickup alone that I object to.
