Hofner / 500/1 / 1970 / Sunburst / Bass
Full 'violin-shaped' hollow-body . This near mint and totally original mid-seventies Hofner 500/1 "Violin" bass weighs just 4.00 lbs and has a two-inch thick, ten and three-quarters inch wide, 'violin' shaped full hollow-body with a two-piece spruce top. Flat' two-piece book-matched laminated maple back and triple-bound laminated maple sides. Thirty-inch scale one-piece maple neck with a nut width of 1 9/16 inches and a really fat profile. Rosewood fretboard with a 'zero' plus twenty-two original 'medium' frets and mother-of-pearl dot position markers. Individual 'Kolb' closed-back tuners with squared-off white plastic oval buttons. Black laminated headstock face with 'flat' Hofner script peghead logo in gold. Two Hofner black plastic bodied single coil "Bar-blade" (shark-fin) pickups with individual height adjustments and outputs of 5.63k and 5.85k. Two 'rotary' volume controls and three two-way 'slider' switches for "Rhythm/Solo", "Bass" and "Treble". Hofner black plastic control knobs with ribbed sides and metal tops, all on a 'wide' rectangular mother-of-pearl base with black edging. The original potentiometers are made by 'Preh' and are all stamped "714". Original three-ply 'mother-of-pearl' pickguard. 'Floating' four-saddle ebony bridge with ebony base with four 'friction-fit' moveable saddles. Hofner specific nickel 'trapeze' style tailpiece with "Made in West Germany" stamped on the end. Apart from a few tiny and insignificant marks on the back of the neck this fantastic bass in is truly near mint (9.25) condition. Housed in a modern rectangular three-latch black hardshell case with black plush lining (9.25).
This is a superb example of a mid seventes "Beatle" Bass… Walter Hofner conceived of the idea of a short scale violin shaped hollow electric bass guitar in 1955 and introduced the finished product at the Frankfurt trade show in 1956. It was most certainly based on the Gibson EB-1 which was commonly called the Gibson Electric Bass. The measurements are very similar, the Gibson having an 18 7/8 inch long body (Hofner 18 inches); the Gibson body width 11 1/4 inches (Hofner 10 3/4 inches); the Gibson body thickness 2 inches (Hofner 1 3/4 inches); the Gibson scale length 30 1/2 inches (Hofner 30 inches). That famous bass was introduced in 1953 and also featured a 'violin-shaped' body - but was made of solid mahogany and featured a telescopic end-pin for playing bass upright style.
This 1970 example features the two Hofner black plastic bodied single coil "Bar-blade" (shark-fin) pickups, which were introduce in late 1967. They were 'upgraded' versions of the 'Staple-Top' pickups, which when notes were bent, volume was not lost.
"Founded in Schonbach in 1887 by master luthier Karl Hofner, the company became the largest manufacturer of stringed and fretted instruments in Germany. Craft skills and business initiative laid the foundation for a reputation that, even before World War I, extended far beyond the borders of Germany. His two sons, Josef and Walter, joined their father's company in 1919 and 1921 respectively. They successfully expanded Hofner's worldwide market, enabling them to survive the years of recovery, which marked the phase after World War II and the related resettlement from the "Sudetenland" to Bavaria. In 1950, new production facilities were built in Bubenreuth.
To date, more than two million stringed and fretted instruments - from student to master models - have been produced, 75% of which have been exported worldwide, emphasising the outstanding position enjoyed by Karl Hofner GmbH in the world market.The product range of Hofner is extensive and not only confined to stringed instruments and classical guitars. In 1955, Walter Hofner, a creative businessman as well as a violin and guitar maker, invented an electrically amplified semi-acoustic bass. The distinctive 500/1 bass was launched at the 1956 Frankfurt Music Fair and subsequently rose to fame under a different name. In 1961, Paul McCartney bought his first Hofner bass in a shop in Hamburg and used it on many of the Beatles' most famous songs. Paul still plays his "Beatle Bass" live on stage today."
Fretted Americana , USA 
We specialize in acquiring and offering the finest specimens of American vintage electric guitars with particular attention to those in their complete, original state. We are the only dealer to embrace a written code of ethics (in Terms & Conditions). We encourage you to read it.
HOW WE WORK
We want to inspire and win your trust and confidence. You don't want to have any negative surprises upon receipt of an instrument that you've invested yourself as well as your money into. Nor do you want any untoward surprises should you decide to sell it in the future.
To that end, every guitar that we offer is catalogued to a degree and depth of detail that is fast becoming the standard in the trade. When we declare an instrument to be completely original, it is. If it is not, we tell you exactly in what manner it has been altered.
We photograph each guitar at many angles to provide you with the broadest, clearest sense of its appearance. We will, upon request, provide you with images of all electronic components, inside and out.
Each guitar we acquire is skillfully and painstakingly dissected by David Brass, who is a trained luthier as well as a dealer and collector. All parts, no matter how small, are meticulously examined. We have an enviable reference library of wide breadth and scope that we refer to when necessary for crucial facts. The instrument is put under a black-light: original finish or refin? Even the most skillfully masked ding is uncovered. David then fastidiously reassembles the instrument. It is then cleaned with the finest products available for wood and metal.
An inspection certificate of authenticity signed by David is provided with every guitar you purchase.
We keep our inventory relatively small and highly select. We choose our guitars with extreme care so we can offer you the finest examples of the finest rare guitars in the world.
We are client focused to an extraordinary degree. If you expect or would like to be surprised by courteous, professional client service, we will pleased to accommodate that desire.
It is our fervent wish to establish a long-term relationship with you.
CODE OF ETHICS
We wish to establish an ongoing relationship with you based upon your trust in our knowledge and judgment.
To that end:
We meticulously inspect in detail every guitar that we offer. We check the finish, all of the electrical components, serial numbers, etc. With over thirty years of experience collecting and handling vintage guitars and our enormous reference library, we bring to bear all that is known about guitar manufacturers, models, and annual production.
We provide full, detailed descriptions and specs to each guitar.
We openly disclose any and all flaws we discover in writing. If the instrument is not completely “straight,” we will tell you so and why.
We endeavor to conduct ourselves to the highest standard of professional behavior.
We will deal fairly and ethically; no surprises, flim-flam, dubious business practices or shenanigans.
We value your sense of privacy and uphold the highest standards of discretion and respect
We allow a full 48 hour honeymoon period when you buy a guitar from us. If you are not 100% satisfied with it we will refund the purchase price in full, less shipping, upon return of the guitar in the same condition as sold. Please call us before returning the instrument.
Please inspect your new guitar immediately upon receiving it. If any guitar we offer is found to be not as described, we will happily refund the full purchase price, less shipping, upon return of the guitar in the same condition as sold. Please call us before returning the instrument.
