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Looking for a Beatles-style Violin Bass...

rabidgoodra27

rabidgoodra27

Jan 26, 2021
9
5
#1
Right now, the only bass I own is my Ibanez GSR205 (which I absolutely adore). However, I'm really into the Beatles right now, and the Soundgear doesn't quite give me that 60s sound I'm looking for. Out of the basses Paul McCartney used, my favorite sound is the Hofner he was so famous for. I've been looking around at a lot of different ones: Hofners, Rogues, Epiphones, and many others... Do any of y'all seasoned bassists have any personal recommendations for getting that sound without breaking the bank?
(Also, sorry if this is the wrong place for this.)
 
#2
wveb833vs1.jpg





Rondo Music has a semi-hollow Douglas violin bass for less than $200.00 but I don't think it really sounds much like a fully hollow Hofner.


I'd say the same about the Epiphone.
 
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#4
rabidgoodra27 said:
Right now, the only bass I own is my Ibanez GSR205 (which I absolutely adore). However, I'm really into the Beatles right now, and the Soundgear doesn't quite give me that 60s sound I'm looking for. Out of the basses Paul McCartney used, my favorite sound is the Hofner he was so famous for. I've been looking around at a lot of different ones: Hofners, Rogues, Epiphones, and many others... Do any of y'all seasoned bassists have any personal recommendations for getting that sound without breaking the bank?
(Also, sorry if this is the wrong place for this.)
Click to expand...

Side note,
I played a new years gig once where they switched out bassist for continuous music. I had to use a Hofner because the other band was a Beatles Tribute group. Having played just about every other bass on the planet I found that Beatle Bass very difficult to play finger style. It’s meant to be played with a pick. I have a older Godin Acoustibass and I found that with the right tone settings and Thomastick Jazz Bass Flats it will get you the Horner vibe on a instrument that’s got a more negotiable scale. Reverb usually has one or two available. Just my take. This may be to pricey.
 
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#5
Thomann has a house brand called Harley Benton. I have an ES-335 copy that is amazing. My buddy has jazz copy that heavy, but excellent. And another friend has at least 5 HB guitars, he loves them. I have my eye on this short scale fretless version. They have a fretted model, too.

Harley Benton Beatbass FL VS Vintage Series – Thomann UK

SmartSelect_20210213-085754_Chrome.jpg
 
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#6
rabidgoodra27 said:
Right now, the only bass I own is my Ibanez GSR205 (which I absolutely adore). However, I'm really into the Beatles right now, and the Soundgear doesn't quite give me that 60s sound I'm looking for. Out of the basses Paul McCartney used, my favorite sound is the Hofner he was so famous for. I've been looking around at a lot of different ones: Hofners, Rogues, Epiphones, and many others... Do any of y'all seasoned bassists have any personal recommendations for getting that sound without breaking the bank?
(Also, sorry if this is the wrong place for this.)
Click to expand...
The Epiphone Viola, the Douglas WVEB-833, the Jay Turser JTB-2B (as well as the Höfner HCT-500/1 Contemporary) are all semi-hollow (= with a centre wood block inside the body), unlike the fully-hollow original. The Höfner Ignition 500/1 is hollow, as are the Harley Benton Beatbass VS and the so far unmentioned Rogue VB-100. (Or so I seem to have gathered from past posts.)
Semi: more versatile; empty: more faithful to the original's tone. Your pick.

EDIT - hey, a thread about the Rogue was bumped up yesterday:
REVIEW : The Hofner Ignition and the Rogue VB100
 
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#8
morgansterne said:
I had a hofner icon beatle bass -- the cheaper ones, i think they switched names later.
The switch system is not only stupid, but my switches broke - twice. I sold it after the second breakdown.
I did like the sound though. I had no problem playing it fingerstyle.
Click to expand...
Unfortunately though for people looking to get the Macca tone the switch system is a bit part of that early Macca tone, he always played his Hofner with the bass slider in the On position which rolls off most of the high end and a fair bit of the upper mids as well
 
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#12
My son has a Jay Turser, great little bass. We A/B'd against the low end Hofners, and its a better bass for the money. Where they cheap out is the wiring, I think if you dropped a genuine Hofner control plate in, you'd have something comparable to a mid-range Hofner for a fraction of the price. The German made Hofners are nice, but insanely Overpriced for a bass you'd be hard pressed to hear the difference in a blind sound test.
 
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#13
5StringBlues said:
View attachment 4165821




Rondo Music has a semi-hollow Douglas violin bass for less than $200.00 but I don't think it really sounds much like a fully hollow Hofner.


I'd say the same about the Epiphone.
Click to expand...
It is the Epiphone just rebranded so that's why they sound the same.

I do think they are both completely hollow though. Some of the newer Hofner basses are semi hollow.
Plus I don't think Rondo has these in stock anymore.
 
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#14
I own an Epiphone Viola bass. it’s a really nice bass. Looks good, light as a feather, plays well, sounds good. But it doesn’t sound like a Hofner IMO.

If you don’t want to spring for a Hofner 500/1 (i.e Beatle Bass) get one of their Ignition series violin basses instead. Those are very close to the real deal. And you can always upgrade them with better electronics and parts if you like:

 
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#16
Doctor Intrepid said:
Don't settle for second best. Get a Hofner Ignition. They are great; especially for the price. I've played others and they are not as good.
Click to expand...
Agreed! I have the Ed Sullivan limited edition version of the Ignition and it is a great bass. Especially with Dunlop flats on it. D'Addario black nylons work real well on it too. The only thing I changed on mine was the bridge, which I swapped out for the HCT version, which is more like, the German. I have a Hofner CT, which is also very good, but not exactly like the hollow version due to the chambered body, but very nice nonetheless. I also have a black Brice copy from Rondo Music which is closer to the Epi Viola that I picked up cheap. It feels and sounds a little different than either Hofner, but both the build quality and sound is good. And the controls work the same as the Hofners. I use flats on all 3.
 
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#18
The Hofner to me is the easiest bass to clone my 60's era Greco is the best I've ever played and you can basically pick whichever model you like and add flats. I currently have a CT and in a blind test, it would be difficult to tell the difference in any model.
 
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#20
5StringBlues said:
Rondo Music has a semi-hollow Douglas violin bass for less than $200.00 but I don't think it really sounds much like a fully hollow Hofner. I'd say the same about the Epiphone.
Click to expand...
A Rondo Douglas violin bass in natural lives here.
DouglasVB.jpg


Fingerstyle with factory strings it sounds EXACTLY like the bass in the song below if you run it flat into a full range cabinet(no EQ, volume and tone wide open, DI->mixer->QSC2402->ACME B2).
 
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