Hofner Club CT. First gig. So far so good. But jury is still out as to whether it sounds better then my Icon. The CT definetly plays better and is better made, but the Icon just may be a better sound for my 60's band. As mentioned before in this thread, it would b great to have the CT quality with the hollow body goodness of the Icon.
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Lets make this the last Hofner Icon vs Contemporary Thread
- Thread starter Ferniff
- Start date
Hofner Club CT. First gig. So far so good. But jury is still out as to whether it sounds better then my Icon. The CT definetly plays better and is better made, but the Icon just may be a better sound for my 60's band. As mentioned before in this thread, it would b great to have the CT quality with the hollow body goodness of the Icon.
Same here.
I like the "cavern" config on my Epiphone Rumblekat and use the"middle" position pickup quite a bit so for a while I've been considering installing a third pickup on my Ignition Club in the middle position. Since I never use the bridge pickup on the Club I'd simply disconnect the bridge pickup and connect the new middle pickup.
Grabbed this Ed Sullivan Show edition off CL recently. Absolutely nails that McCartney thump. I use a pick and it came with LaBella Beatle Bass Flats. Both pickups on and roll off the bridge just a tad and...BOOM!
@mongo2 I like the bridge pick up actually. I just think hofners sound better when both pups are close to each other and I doubt we will ever get a "jazz bass" type of configuration with hofner clubs or a single pup one in the sweet spot, so I'm holding out for cavern.
I have a Hofner Ignition now and it sounds great, Me and my brothers play a lot of beatles. Recently I’ve been wanting to buy the hofner HCT 500/1 contemporary because of the under the neck strap system. Dont get me wrong here, the ignition sounds great but theres something on the contemporary (looks) that makes me want to buy it. Ill be buying it thru thomann as theirs is cheap. Anyone has cheaper alternative that thomann?
Check eBay and reverb for some used and pre owned options! You’ll save some cash and get the same bass. Good luck, the CT’s are really cool!
D
Höfner have been really clever when deciding on models for their Icon/Ignition and CT series. They've made sure they are not competing with themselves. There's precisely ZERO overlap between these two series. People can argue about the Icon vs CT series until they're blue in the face but they're really talking about completely different instruments.
The mid-level CT series also have no overlap with the German Höfners. The only instruments that can really be compared head-to-head are the cheapo Icons and the German Höfners and the German ones are about 10 leagues above the Icons. Anyone who says otherwise can't possible have played both. The German Höfners sound and feel very classy (if a bit quirky) and have amazing build quality. The Icons sound and feel like cheap (but decent) instruments IMO.
Just to highlight a couple of the differences between the series (I got some of this info from a Höfner distributor, not Höfner directly so please me if I'm wrong on anything here):
Icon/Ignition:
-Hollowbodies
-Most parts are not compatible with German Höfners. Size/dimensions not the same as German Höfners.
-Pickups not the same as German Höfners.
-Made in Indonesia (I think it used to be China?) by a factory that also build cheap instruments for other companies. More comparable to a Rogue/Harley Benton/etc. than a "real" Höfner but probably a bit better QC than some of the "bottom-or-the-barrel" options out there.
-Personally I think they feel and sound like a cheap instrument. Not bad but not amazing either. You get what you pay for here but nothing more IMO.
CT:
-Models that are available in the other series are made as SEMI-hollowbodies with a wood block in the CT series. However, there are some true hollowbodies in the Contemporary series too, like the President. The clever part is that these true hollowbody models aren't available in either Icon or German series so a direct comparision isn't possible with the other series. This way Höfner avoids competing with themselves.
-Parts are compatible with German Höfners.
-Pickups are made in Germany by Höfner.
-The basses are made in Höfner's own Chinese fatory. This factory is set up by Höfner and have workers that are trained by Höfner in Germany. Everything is done 100% to Höfner's specs. In other words, these basses are actually made BY Höfner and not FOR Höfner (like the Icon/Ignition series).
-Personally I think the CTs are punching above their weight. Very good value if this is the kind of bass you're looking for.
German Höfners:
-Well, they're works of art. They're quirky as hell and not everyone's cup of tea but they're really good instruments. Excellent craftsmanship, top quality. Comparing them with the Icon/Ignition series is like comparing McDonalds to Kobe beef. Overpriced? Absolutely! But if this is what you're looking for you won't find anything better.
The mid-level CT series also have no overlap with the German Höfners. The only instruments that can really be compared head-to-head are the cheapo Icons and the German Höfners and the German ones are about 10 leagues above the Icons. Anyone who says otherwise can't possible have played both. The German Höfners sound and feel very classy (if a bit quirky) and have amazing build quality. The Icons sound and feel like cheap (but decent) instruments IMO.
Just to highlight a couple of the differences between the series (I got some of this info from a Höfner distributor, not Höfner directly so please me if I'm wrong on anything here):
Icon/Ignition:
-Hollowbodies
-Most parts are not compatible with German Höfners. Size/dimensions not the same as German Höfners.
-Pickups not the same as German Höfners.
-Made in Indonesia (I think it used to be China?) by a factory that also build cheap instruments for other companies. More comparable to a Rogue/Harley Benton/etc. than a "real" Höfner but probably a bit better QC than some of the "bottom-or-the-barrel" options out there.
-Personally I think they feel and sound like a cheap instrument. Not bad but not amazing either. You get what you pay for here but nothing more IMO.
CT:
-Models that are available in the other series are made as SEMI-hollowbodies with a wood block in the CT series. However, there are some true hollowbodies in the Contemporary series too, like the President. The clever part is that these true hollowbody models aren't available in either Icon or German series so a direct comparision isn't possible with the other series. This way Höfner avoids competing with themselves.
-Parts are compatible with German Höfners.
-Pickups are made in Germany by Höfner.
-The basses are made in Höfner's own Chinese fatory. This factory is set up by Höfner and have workers that are trained by Höfner in Germany. Everything is done 100% to Höfner's specs. In other words, these basses are actually made BY Höfner and not FOR Höfner (like the Icon/Ignition series).
-Personally I think the CTs are punching above their weight. Very good value if this is the kind of bass you're looking for.
German Höfners:
-Well, they're works of art. They're quirky as hell and not everyone's cup of tea but they're really good instruments. Excellent craftsmanship, top quality. Comparing them with the Icon/Ignition series is like comparing McDonalds to Kobe beef. Overpriced? Absolutely! But if this is what you're looking for you won't find anything better.
I thought I would bump this thread, since I just went through this same process.
Short version: unless you are 100% looking for that old school early Beatles bass sound, or money is a serious consideration (both totally legitimate concerns), just go with the contemporary.
Long version: I could only find an ignition violin bass to play in person (which I liked more than I expected) and, since I wanted a club bass, and after reading all the ignition vs. contemporary threads, I decided I needed to order both. They ended up coming on different days and, to be honest, as soon as I opened the contemporary, it was pretty much over...
The contemporary is just a beautiful instrument, and the aesthetics and build quality can keep up with instruments costing much more. It was both lighter and louder acoustically than expected. I even liked the factory roundwound strings.
The ignition is actually a very fun instrument to play and great value for money. The core is good, but everything on it just feels so cheap, especially compared to the contemporary. If I didn’t have them right next to each other it may not have bothered me so much, but pretty much everything about the ignition feels super cheap, and everything about the contemporary feels nice. The body is deeper, the tailpiece feels substantial and well made, the bridge is nicely made out of ebony instead of cheap dry rosewood, the pickups are full size and apparently the same as the staple pickups that go in the German models, the plastics (still one of the shortcomings of the contemporary IMHO) are much nicer, the neck has binding, a zero fret with the iconic Höfner striped nut, the tuners are much nicer (especially the keys), the Höfner logo is a nice gold instead of pale cheap looking white silver, and it’s actually made by Höfner rather than outsourced.
I’m sure there are plenty of things I’ve forgotten or didn’t notice. And I would imagine the German models are even nicer...but I bet the difference is nowhere near as significant as between the ignition and the contemporary, and the price difference is huge.
There are a few things I prefer about the ignition: I’m probably in the minority here, but it’s got a big chunky round neck that I just love. I don’t particularly care about the weight or extra acoustic volume, but it does do that hollow thump (or even thud). It is a joy to play for such a cheap piece of crap!
Anyway, they are two instruments that essentially do the same thing at very different price points, but beyond that there’s really no comparison. The contemporary does a passable version of what the ignition does best, and so much more. Yes, I would prefer if it were fully hollow, but I’m (mostly) over it.
For the Macca fans, I would actually argue that the contemporary is better suited Beatles songs (and beyond). It has the look, but with added stability and versatility. Remember, he had the Ric by rubber soul, and the Höfner probably didn’t show up again until the rooftop concert.
Anyway, to make a long story short, I finally returned the ignition, put flats on the contemporary and started installing some German parts, and then wrote this thing. I hope someone finds it useful.
Sorry for the length!
Cheers,
Gary
Short version: unless you are 100% looking for that old school early Beatles bass sound, or money is a serious consideration (both totally legitimate concerns), just go with the contemporary.
Long version: I could only find an ignition violin bass to play in person (which I liked more than I expected) and, since I wanted a club bass, and after reading all the ignition vs. contemporary threads, I decided I needed to order both. They ended up coming on different days and, to be honest, as soon as I opened the contemporary, it was pretty much over...
The contemporary is just a beautiful instrument, and the aesthetics and build quality can keep up with instruments costing much more. It was both lighter and louder acoustically than expected. I even liked the factory roundwound strings.
The ignition is actually a very fun instrument to play and great value for money. The core is good, but everything on it just feels so cheap, especially compared to the contemporary. If I didn’t have them right next to each other it may not have bothered me so much, but pretty much everything about the ignition feels super cheap, and everything about the contemporary feels nice. The body is deeper, the tailpiece feels substantial and well made, the bridge is nicely made out of ebony instead of cheap dry rosewood, the pickups are full size and apparently the same as the staple pickups that go in the German models, the plastics (still one of the shortcomings of the contemporary IMHO) are much nicer, the neck has binding, a zero fret with the iconic Höfner striped nut, the tuners are much nicer (especially the keys), the Höfner logo is a nice gold instead of pale cheap looking white silver, and it’s actually made by Höfner rather than outsourced.
I’m sure there are plenty of things I’ve forgotten or didn’t notice. And I would imagine the German models are even nicer...but I bet the difference is nowhere near as significant as between the ignition and the contemporary, and the price difference is huge.
There are a few things I prefer about the ignition: I’m probably in the minority here, but it’s got a big chunky round neck that I just love. I don’t particularly care about the weight or extra acoustic volume, but it does do that hollow thump (or even thud). It is a joy to play for such a cheap piece of crap!
Anyway, they are two instruments that essentially do the same thing at very different price points, but beyond that there’s really no comparison. The contemporary does a passable version of what the ignition does best, and so much more. Yes, I would prefer if it were fully hollow, but I’m (mostly) over it.
For the Macca fans, I would actually argue that the contemporary is better suited Beatles songs (and beyond). It has the look, but with added stability and versatility. Remember, he had the Ric by rubber soul, and the Höfner probably didn’t show up again until the rooftop concert.
Anyway, to make a long story short, I finally returned the ignition, put flats on the contemporary and started installing some German parts, and then wrote this thing. I hope someone finds it useful.
Sorry for the length!
Cheers,
Gary
Is the contemporary still being made? Seems to have disappeared off most of the sites i'm used to seeing it on?
Also, has anyone played one of the newer ignition models ie. the one with the Hofner logo on the body (which makes it look even more cheep and crappy IMO
). Is the logo removable? How does it compare to the older ignition?
Also, has anyone played one of the newer ignition models ie. the one with the Hofner logo on the body (which makes it look even more cheep and crappy IMO
). Is the logo removable? How does it compare to the older ignition?
Is the contemporary still being made? Seems to have disappeared off most of the sites i'm used to seeing it on?
Also, has anyone played one of the newer ignition models ie. the one with the Hofner logo on the body (which makes it look even more cheep and crappy IMO
I’m pretty sure they’re still being made, but supplies are constrained due to the pandemic. I’m glad I bought when I did...I kept watching the expected arrival date at Thomann get pushed back.
The ignition I played had the Höfner logo on the body. I’m pretty sure it was just a sticker that could easily be removed. I had mixed thoughts about it at first, but kinda liked it in person. By the way, the ignition I ordered didn’t have any text on the truss rod cover. Nice touch!
I assume you’re after a violin bass, but here’s a contemporary club bass in stock in the UK:
Hofner HCT 500/2 SB Club Bass Sunburst four string short scale, (30") bass :: For sale, UK, On offer, Warwick, Bass Direct, London. Manchester, Birmingham
It’s an older model with a nice, dark real rosewood fretboard and pretty vintage vibe. I was very tempted to try to make a deal on it, but decided I like the one I got too much to risk it. Jatoba and all...
Gary
Just bought a Contemporary Club. It is absolutely beautiful and sounds great, even with the stock Hofner strings on it. The build quality is surprisingly good for a bass under a $1000. I owned an Ignition for a short minute, and the CT is noticeably better quality. Not that the Ignition was a piece of crap or anything...
