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Unknown Hofner Club Bass

Hey guys,

I'm a huge fan of Hofner Club Basses, and I found this one at what seems to be a reasonable price, but the owner has no idea what exact model it is. He just says it's from the 90s. Can anyone work this one out?

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Any help would be much appreciated.
 
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Not sure about the zero fret, or the centre block. I will ask. Is there a simple way of determining whether there is a centre block? (I'd normally just reach through the f-holes to check, but obviously not possible here).
 
If it's the icon, than it's fully hollow without a zero fret. If it has the zero fret than it's the contemporary. Regardless of price, I personally prefer the icon. I like that it's fully hollow and weighs almost nothing. It's hard to tell from that first picture but it looks like there's a zero fret.
 
Apparently it has a zero fret, and he thinks it has a centre block, so from what you guys have said, it's probably a contemporary. Which means it's worth more, right? Although I would prefer a fully hollow model, really.

Only thing confusing me is the logo. It looks more like the logo off an Icon. Also, I'm very weary of counterfeit.
 
There are no Contemporary models from the 90's. Hofner didn't start producing them until 2005. The CT Club didn't come out until 2009. It looks like a CT with the writing rubbed off the TRC and new 'German' control knobs added (The Icon Club has wider pickup surrounds). Either that or someone decided to put a CT control panel (and rubbed TRC) onto a German Club, which wouldn't make any sense. I think the seller is trying to BS you, esp. if he asked for German Club prices.
 
There are no Contemporary models from the 90's. Hofner didn't start producing them until 2005. The CT Club didn't come out until 2009. It looks like a CT with the writing rubbed off the TRC and new 'German' control knobs added (The Icon Club has wider pickup surrounds). Either that or someone decided to put a CT control panel (and rubbed TRC) onto a German Club, which wouldn't make any sense. I think the seller is trying to BS you, esp. if he asked for German Club prices.

This is as I suspected. Very bizarre.

I thought the CT models had blank truss rod covers, though?

He isn't trying to charge German prices - the asking price is £300, which is half the price of a brand new HCT Club (if that's what it is). Very reasonable, provided it's legit.

Anyway, I have contacted him asking if he can retrieve the serial from underneath the control panel. Will post again when I have some answers.

He seemed to know nothing about it. It's quite possible it isn't actually from the '90s.

EDIT: It looks very similar to this: http://www.talkbass.com/threads/hofner-contemporary-ct-club-bass-sunburst.872153/
 
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CTs normally have "Contemporary Series" written on the TRC. Many people will either swap them out for blanks, or rub off the writing (there are multiple sources online that detail ways to do this). And if it is a CT, it's certainly not from the 90's; it can't be more than seven years old.

It's probably just a regular CT Club, with a few small mods to make it look more German. I don't see anything that would suggest otherwise.
 
If it's like the dating system used for the German-made basses, it would translate to the fifth bass made on May 9th, 2010. And 500/2 is the model number for the Club bass. The violin-shaped 'Beatle' bass is the 500/1. There's also a 500/3, 500/4, etc.
 
It's a CT series for certain. It's one of the first to come out as evident by the shape of the tuner buttons. They changed them to a more vintage accurate type later on. This is definitely an early Hofner CT Club. The only CT Hofner basses that don't have Contemporary Series on the TRC is the CT Cavern Bass. This guy knows better, it's not from the 90s. It's a great looking bass and I bet a great player.



Chris
 
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My CT Club Bass is much nicer than the MIG instrument I've owned since 2003. On mine I installed D'Addario Half-Rounds
and I paid a local tech to set it all up. Very nice. The MIG axe has prettier wood, but the MIC CT axe is the player. I think these little
Hofner basses are off the radar; they consistently amaze the unwashed.