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Playing jazz on a Hofner violin bass

R

Rob Mac

Dec 24, 2008
28
0
#1
I don't do slapping, popping, tapping, etc, just old-fashioned walkin-style jazz. I would like to play an upright, but at 50 years old, am too stuck in my ways. I play a fretless Fender/Squire VM through a Bass Buddy into a PA.

Anyway, I thought it about time I got a fretted instrument, thought briefly about an acoustic bass for that upright sound, but there are too many negative comments regarding those instruments. I don't really expect an upright sound from anything other than an upright, but something that would get me roughly in that area is what I am looking for.

So, how about the Hofner violin bass? It has a reputation for getting close to the sound I'm after, especially if plucked near the neck. I can only afford the Contemporary Series (Chinese-made, with German pickups). The short scale wouldn't worry me, although sourcing high-quality flatwounds for short scale might be difficult.

Any thoughts?
 
#9
UncleBalsamic said:
What about a Rob Allen for a double bass sound?
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I think the OP mentioned he's in the Chinese-import Hofner pricerange...which puts all the Rob Allen's outside of his budget. Otherwise yeah, that would be my first choice.

But my take on the whole concept is this:

"Jazz" on electric bass guitar is already a bit of an anachronism, and so it really doesn't matter what instrument you play.

Just find a bass you're comfortable with and that allows you to express yourself, and it'll wind up being as appropriate as anything could possible be.
 
#12
I was pleasantly surprised at how "upright" my D'Armond Starfire II sounds with tape wound strings. I also have a Hofner from the mid 60's and the D'Armond sounds much closer to an upright than the hofner. I won't tell you what i got mine for when a big box music store was blowing them out, but it turned out to be a great investment as the price of these seem to be going up because of their good reputation.

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#18
James Hart said:
same here... but I imagine it's the hands, mind and soul that are biggest contributors to his sound :bassist:
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100 per cent correct, James. A great player will sound great no matter what he is playng through. Sadly, I am not in that league!:bawl:

I play with a plectrum (Steve Swallow is one of my influences there) and the narrow spacing of the Hofner would suit that technique, I imagine.

I tried ordering the bass from a couple of places today, and although they had the bass in stock they didn't have the dedicated gig bag or hard case that goes with it. One guy is checking out with Hofner if they still make them. I guess any case would do, but a dedicated case might be worth waiting for.
 
#20
Hofner has a quick decay like an upright, so the volume envelope is similar. I played a carvin "acoustic" bass (shallow body, not loud acoustically) and it had the upright tone pegged (it was a fretless). I think the key to it's sound and the Rob Allens (though I haven't played them) is a piezo bridge with tapewound strings. The nylon tape gives a muffled tone over the bridge that you don't hear with mag p'ups.
 

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