Opinion on Höfner Basses?

[Ostie]

I don’t like the violin body, so I bought an Ignition Club. Thy do have a signature tone that kind of emulates an upright, especially when strung with flats. Sometimes I stick a piece of foam under the strings just in front of the bridge and that makes it even more upright-ish.

 

[Eddie LeBlanc]

Nope. But that is just my $0.02.

I've had three German made ones over the years. All were violin 500/1 models. They were alright but limited in tone and therefore use for me. And the Tiny Neck needed countless adjustment, routinely. And you can't put on more current designed strings, period.

Plus the bridge is a terrible design and is quite hard to get proper intonation on.

Unless you are in a Beatles cover band, I see no reason to spend the $$$ on, when there is so much better out there to choose from these days, that can be less costly (especially comparing with the German made Hofners) and good quality.

But to each his own. BTW, most of the recordings that Paul did in the studio was with the Ric. And on a long scale.

 

[g-dude]

I have a Höfner CT Viola bass (so with the center block) and the “cavern club” pickup spacing that is neck+middle vs neck+bridge.

Frankly, I don’t know what people complain about. It does vintage P bass tone better and easier than any of my P basses do - it’s all about the right touch, and then you get the thump.

With a pick, you can get a nice woody tone, and play with your pick angle to explore different nuances.

I have no issues with sustain. Non center block versions may be different.

There’s really only one song I can think of where the spacing is too tight - “Black is Black” be Los Bravos. The spacing is great in some ways, but my hand does cramp up. Everything else seems to work fine.

 

[iiipopes]

Sir Macca has a good one. It works for him. And with Sir Macca being the inspiration for me to play bass, as well as being a Beatles fan with a Rick bass, 12-string and short scale, I have tried many times over the decades to like a Hofner. But all the Beatle Basses I have played, and I mean "real" 500/1's, vintage and modern, over the last 45+ years, have unfixable neck dive, unstable bridge, weird controls for most of us who are used to "conventional" volume and tone controls, and a tone like dropping a stone on a piece of wet cardboard requiring much compression to be usable. But let me tell you how I really feel.... YMMV.

 

[BassJuju]

Love the shape, but the neck is so small as to be uncomfortable for me. If something smaller than a jazz bass neck sounds appealing to you, then you should buy one. I tried the cheap ones, the mid priced ones, and the real German Hofners. Only the German Hofners are the real tone. The others are fine in their own way, but no the same as the German's.

Best of luck.

 

[Gorn]

I have the same opinion of Rickenbackers. I like how they sound. I don’t like how they look or feel.

 

[Freekmagnet]

I had an old German Hofner 500/1 for a while. It sounded awesome and was definitely a quality instrument. I would’ve kept it, but I’m not really a short scale guy.

 

[Chrisk-K]

Sir Paul was the reason why I wanted to play the bass. But Hofner is not for me. If Paul had had more money when the Beatles started, he would have not bought a Hofner.

 

[Dabndug]

Possibly the least versatile bass I have, and the only one with a totally unique tonal palette. I cannot reproduce that Hofner sound with anything else (apart from a decent Hofner copy or clone).

The string spacing and ergonomics are very different to what most of us are used to, but that's part of the fun. The 500/2 Club bass is a little easier to live with then the 500/1, but the iconic Beatle look is worth a little discomfort!

 

[Killing Floor]

Jaco didn’t need a violin bass.

but you do

 

[Pimpernel Smith]

If you purchase either the CT version or the German version, I'd recommend that you also get the Hofner branded leather strap which is specially made to slip under the fretboard. It eliminates neck dive. For about $800.00 the CT version is a great value, and very well made. I've owned all the types over 50 years, and I think the CT is excellent. I love the sound of Hofner basses. Of course, they sound best with flatwound strings from Pyramid, or LaBella.

 

[Bullitt5135]

There are a couple very limited edition Hofners now available through Andy Babiuk’s Fab Gear shop.

 

[morgansterne]

I had an ignition series. (See my avatar pic.) The switching system that's on the control panel failed . . . twice. And the idea is dumb to begin with. Also, I always needed to have both pickups on. Either one alone did not give me a workable tone for what i was doing.

I'd look for another similar style bass with traditional volume/tone knobs. I think the epiphone viola is worth trying.

 

[Rolling Thunder]

I would like to try one, but the McCartney association is too much for me. I almost feel like people would ask me to play a Beatles song "just because".

 

[PennyroyalWe]

I second the club bass recommendation. Same tone, more comfortable (and IMO cooler) shape.

 

[HaphAsSard]

And you can't put on more current designed strings, period.

How so, question mark?

most of the recordings that Paul did in the studio was with the Ric.

Oh, really? with the Beatles? most of them?

 

[Koshchei]

I was thinking of buying a Hofner Violin bass because of that unique sound. but I was wondering if there were any major disadvantages or advantages in buying one. and I also just wanted to know anybody else's opinion on if they are good or not

Yes and No. They're very thumpy and uncomfortable. But if you like The Beatles...

 

[dbsfgyd1]

I was thinking of buying a Hofner Violin bass because of that unique sound. but I was wondering if there were any major disadvantages or advantages in buying one. and I also just wanted to know anybody else's opinion on if they are good or not

If you are buying one, make sure you are buying it for the art you can get from it, that you can’t get out of what you currently have. I wouldn’t recommend buying a bass strictly on looks.

 

[REV]

I have the Club bass. Great tone, no problem with neck dive. I like the fact that this bass requires me to play differently. I have to play fewer notes with a softer attack.

 

[Element Zero]

I may be the only musician on the planet who never was or will be a Beatles fan....

I pretty much only like only their early bubble gum pop stuff, Sgt Pepper, and a few tunes from The White Album. I’ve never understood the fascination either.