I think they are the same - tha is to say the Icon series became Ignition. So it depends on when it was made.
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Just placed an order for… (Hofner content)
- Thread starter BassGreaser
- Start date
I think they are the same - tha is to say the Icon series became Ignition. So it depends on when it was made.
No need to apologize!You were really just saying what I'm thinking. The cheaper ones do feel a bit cheap (although I wouldn't personally go as far as "toys"
).
I was just trying to point out the differences between the different Höfner series.
I actually get the impression that a LOT of people think of Höfners as cheap "toys". Probably because most people's experience with this type of bass is either Höfner's own entry level Icon/Ignition series or even cheaper Höfner clones. There's a very good reason for this of course. Even though the German Höfners are superb quality instruments they are still "niche instruments". Most bass players will never want to spend $3000 on a Höfner unless they specifically want THAT tone/feel. Buying a cheap Höfner clone (or an Ignition) as a "fun" third or fourth bass in you collection makes a lot more sense to most bass players. As it should. As good as the German Höfners are, they are not suitable for all players or all styles of music.
I also think Höfners may get a bad reputation because many older German Höfners are in rather poor condition by now. They do have one rather significant flaw. The pickups in older Höfners tend to go bad. I think it's an issue with the insulation they used for the wires in the pickup coils. Luckily Höfner still offer a very good selection of original replacement parts for their vintage models. This means that most vintage Höfners can be restored to original specs, using NEW original parts. Pickups can simply be re-wound too of course.
And just to be clear: I'm not saying the Icon/Ignition series are useless. They're decent instruments for the price. But comparing an Icon/Ignition with a luthier made German Höfner is the equivalent of comparing a Squier Affinity with a Masterbuilt Fender Custom Shop instrument.
I want to share this, and I will grant that the artists here are friends. I was hired (I’ll use “hired” loosely because I work for free for my friends) to fix some tracks for my friend who was producing an indie album. A “Nashville session guy” recorded the original tracks on an URB, and my friend was unhappy with the result. A the time, I had 50+ basses to choose from (including an upright), and the cheap Hofner won the session.
This thread needs to die, because I don’t need to spend a bunch of dollars on a German Hofner. Y’all are enablers.
Here’s a track from that album. This is the $300 version of a Hofner.
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Short review is.. this combination sounds good!
I’ll be taking the Hofner to a blues jam Tuesday night to see how it does in live setting.
I’ll be taking the Hofner to a blues jam Tuesday night to see how it does in live setting.
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Sharp!
And I do love my cheap Chines Hofner Club. It makes an easy on-stage dance partner and with round wounds on it gives more than thump.
I bet that baby is smooth to play!
And I do love my cheap Chines Hofner Club. It makes an easy on-stage dance partner and with round wounds on it gives more than thump.
I bet that baby is smooth to play!
How did you get an HCT 500/1 with an unbound fretboard??
Talking about quality control? lets see, Having owned a german violin bass in the past and the HCT China made variant in the past I have to say both of them were good quality but the German one won, it was just finished better and sounded better but of course the HCT does have a centre block which colourises the sound, I had a desire to get back to the woody sound and the classic thump so I bought a club bass, opening the case for the first time was a delight, craftsmanship was impeccable and the fret work was the best I've ever seen, in fact the set up was so good all I had to do was tune it and it was ready to go, gorgeous low action and intonated straight out of the case and play like a dream, every other bass I have owned in the past required a set up and intonated properly before I could use them, now I may have just got lucky or their quality control is staggeringly good but being handmade I expect their quality control is that good.
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Sorry just seeing your post.. this is Hofner’s “artist” model which is made in German but has a thin poly finish instead of lacquer
