The ultimate violin bass?

[JimmyM]

You would choose a floating bridge when a standard one is an option? I'm curious as to why.

You didn't ask me, but the reasons I would choose the floating bridge as well are twofold:

1. I am not interested in having increased sustain on a hollowbody violin bass.

2. Don't know if that's short scale or long scale, but both of mine are short scale, and while they don't intonate perfectly on all 4 strings, they're pretty close on the strings that aren't perfectly intonated, and the way notes tend to drop slightly in pitch after you strike the string, close enough is plenty good.

3. I have a Kahler fixed bridge on my 5 string, and setting intonation and action is a giant pain in the ass.

Do like the wood on that bass, but while I'm an EMG endorser and love their actives, there is no way I could ever have them on a violin bass. Just doesn't seem right.

 

[Wiremessiah]

You didn't ask me, but the reasons I would choose the floating bridge as well are twofold:

1. I am not interested in having increased sustain on a hollowbody violin bass.

2. Don't know if that's short scale or long scale, but both of mine are short scale, and while they don't intonate perfectly on all 4 strings, they're pretty close on the strings that aren't perfectly intonated, and the way notes tend to drop slightly in pitch after you strike the string, close enough is plenty good.

3. I have a Kahler fixed bridge on my 5 string, and setting intonation and action is a giant pain in the ass.

Do like the wood on that bass, but while I'm an EMG endorser and love their actives, there is no way I could ever have them on a violin bass. Just doesn't seem right.

I am able to intonate my hofner perfectly. It requires moving the bridge under tension, though, which can scratch the finish, but if you are careful, it's negligible. I didn't know a floating bridge decreases sustain. I don't understand why it would. But with TI jazz flats, I have plenty of sustain, as much as any solidbody. Yeah, the emgs are out of place along with the bridge. The back of the bass as is looks so much better than the front.

There is actually an active hofner bass out there, the 500/1B "bass boost", although I have never heard it. I saw a video I think of a guy with one but the quality was terrible, and couldn't tell what it really sounded like.

 

[Wiremessiah]

Good thing you're not looking a Double Bass!

A single one is good enough for me.

 

[Dynacord]

I kind of like this take on the concept:
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[Kirk Bryant]

WOW !!! Now that is the first time I've ever looked at a single cut and said to myself, " that is just perfect". Went to his site and more Wow! Me want.
3K for the basics plus ala carte' to all the bells and whistles for about 5K.

 

[Dynacord]

WOW !!! Now that is the first time I've ever looked at a single cut and said to myself, " that is just perfect". Went to his site and more Wow! Me want.
3K for the basics plus ala carte' to all the bells and whistles for about 5K.

And that one is made from a single piece of 2,000 year old bog wood (neck and body are carved from one contiguous piece).

 

[MAJOR METAL]

This Aria is very "violinish"

View attachment 1092179

I saw one of those on ebay almost 11 years ago, I've never seen another since.

 

[MAJOR METAL]

Michael Dolan built this for me 10 years ago

 

[Kirk Bryant]

These Ritters are probably twice as much as the Dabec.

 

[Basvarken]

Don't forget this Gibson from 1953 ;-)

 

[Nine lives]

I always thought the LeCompte design was an interesting take on the violin bass ...

 

[BassHappy]

I most certainly would have preferred a rosewood bridge on mine, but I used a Line Six Variax electronics transplant and the bridge was part of the package. 24 different basses modeled and blown into the electronics makes it a pretty versatile instrument..

 

[HaphAsSard]

I wish hofner would come out with a bass that had one staple pickup

Just turn off the one you don't like.

Well by one I mean one in the middle not neck or bridge.

Also a pickup that is deactivated still exhibits magnetic pull and effects how a string vibrates.

Get a Cavern.
Ignition version:

Contemporary (never noticed the two different middle positions):

Then disconnect the neck pickup and either degut it or get a spare cover and ring to replace it. Or, have a wooden cover made. No, it wouldn't look as clean as if it were born with just one PU, unfortunately.
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Beauty.... I didn't pay anywhere near that for my violin bass...View attachment 1092051

Glad I get the chance to like it twice!

 

[chilliwilli]

Get a Cavern.
Ignition version:

Contemporary (never noticed the two different middle positions):

Then disconnect the neck pickup and either degut it or get a spare cover and ring to replace it. Or, have a wooden cover made. No, it wouldn't look as clean as if it were born with just one PU, unfortunately.
_______


Glad I get the chance to like it twice!

Good idea, but what does it mean when they say "cavern" pickups with contemporary one and typical ignition pickups in "cavern position" on the cheaper one?

Does that just mean two neck pups on contemporary and that they just moved the bridge pickup further up on the ignition?

 

[HaphAsSard]

Good idea, but what does it mean when they say "cavern" pickups with contemporary one and typical ignition pickups in "cavern position" on the cheaper one?

Does that just mean two neck pups on contemporary and that they just moved the bridge pickup further up on the ignition?

That the two pickups on either version of Hoffie Beetle basses are wound to different resistances I have no idea; what I get from the article is that the Ignition Cavern is the same as its non-Cavern counterpart as far as components, only with one of them (the bridge pickup, whether it is hotter than the neck one or not) moved to the front; the Contemporary Cavern has upgraded ("Cavern", whatever it means) pickups with respect to the CT non-Cavern, and also, obviously, placed closer together.

 

[Korladis]

I always thought the LeCompte design was an interesting take on the violin bass ...

View attachment 1092483

Definitely my favorite take on it.

 

[MAJOR METAL]

This Aria is very "violinish"

View attachment 1092179

PS do you own this bass?

 

[MAJOR METAL]

Beauty.... I didn't pay anywhere near that for my violin bass...View attachment 1092051

Where did you get that? Looks like it's in great condition for it's age. I owned 3 of those under different names, one of them being an Apollo. I had my custom violin bass made off that design.

 

[Stempelloos]

Get a Cavern.
Ignition version:

Contemporary (never noticed the two different middle positions):

Then disconnect the neck pickup and either degut it or get a spare cover and ring to replace it. Or, have a wooden cover made. No, it wouldn't look as clean as if it were born with just one PU, unfortunately.
_______


Glad I get the chance to like it twice!

Why disconnect a pickup when you can switch it off?
Anyway, I like my Cavern better with both pickups switched on, although it has it's charm on a single humbucker. I'd switch the neck on solo (not rhythm) on it's own, to make it a bit louder.

Good idea, but what does it mean when they say "cavern" pickups with contemporary one and typical ignition pickups in "cavern position" on the cheaper one?

Does that just mean two neck pups on contemporary and that they just moved the bridge pickup further up on the ignition?

"H510 "Cavern" type. Used in 1961 on the 500/1 Violin bass of that year."


Cavern Pickups are "Diamond logo twin coil pickups without exposed pole pieces",
they sound slightly different than the more common staple pickups.
twice

 

[lbbc]

Where did you get that? Looks like it's in great condition for it's age. I owned 3 of those under different names, one of them being an Apollo. I had my custom violin bass made off that design.

I bought this here on TB...It is in very good shape.... Especially with a proper set up