The only reason they're even still being made is because The Beatles used them. You would develop your play style differently, and moving onto more "normal" basses will definitely be a learning curve. Limited Edition of 64 only. https://www.bax-shop.co.uk/left-handed-bass-guitar/ibanez-sr300ebl-wk-weathered-black-lh-electric-bass-guitar. The hardware is not to the same quality standards as the rest of the instrument. Drop me PM. Upload or insert images from URL. Because of the particular construction of the Violin Bass, they sound like nothing else. A set-up and new flats it was a joy to play. But, they are delicate and not made for hard-style play. If you're looking to play a whole bunch of clever slap licks, then this isn't the bass for you. When I played on a Hofner for the first time it felt oddly light to me. Available in Ignition, Contemporary and German built versions it remains a popular bass for those wanting that distinctive vintage sound. We use cookies on our websites for a number of purposes, including analytics and performance, functionality and advertising. I play through a Vox T100 as well. But then flea-bay raised it's ugly head and I bought a HCT, still made in China but German hardware. What weve got here is a pair of passive custom-made Hofner Ignition Staple Nickel Mini Humbuckers. However, it has an asymmetrical C-shape neck profile with a 42mm nut width. There are also two small screws attaching the tailpiece to the body but they dont look very substantial. We may link to products if we deem helpful to the reader. Now, if youre interested in the Hofner Violin bass, maybe you need to check higher-priced options. Would it be appropriate for playing a wide range of stuff? The new Schaller S Lock buttons (with the Allen screw, instead of the cross-head) have a slightly larger gauge screw than the original OEM buttons. Thats because the hardware is not truly gig-ready. However they can do a lot of genres such as any 50s a lot of 60s genres pop, blues, country, some classic rock, Motown, and of course most beetles stuff. The neck button is obviously not going to be an issue but I am wondering if the button at the bottom is an integral part of the tailpiece anchorage? I really love mine. Its finish level is very good, and it has a white binding all over the bass that makes it feel smoother and classier. Its body looks authentic, classic, and sturdy. Paul McCartney (second from the right) with his second (1963) Hfner bass in 1965. And when you open the case, people always say, "oooh!". If you find that a full-scale bass is too large and/or heavy for you, if you are a smaller person, or you've never played any string instrument before, then it might be good to start with the Hofner. Hoping somebody will read this. It also has a nice vintage decoration, which includes a violin sunburst finish, a white plastic pickguard, plus a white binding. Most bass guitars have either a single or a double-cutaway body. Electric, acoustic, upright, and otherwise. He continued to regularly use the violin bass until 1965 when he switched to a Rickenbacker 4001S; afterwards, he would rotate between the two. Are you looking for some extra info on bass pickups? No, they aren't the most versatile basses around. It might not be the most flexible, modern, or rocker bass out there. Instead, the Ignition is an affordable Paul McCartney kind of bass. It was a fairly simple production decision to put the Violin Bass neck into a Club body and create a new product. I like my Contemporary more, too. Speaking of which, the bass switch doesnt do a whole lot. Lets start by the latter and go for a quality classic set. Copyright All The Good Names Are Taken Ltd On another note the Viola was my first bass and I have made great progress in the two years and change that I have played so I have to give it credit in the fact that it lead me here, but o personally wouldn't have bought that bass for myself (it was a gift). Your link has been automatically embedded. The body had been in production since 1954 but only as a guitar. The neck, the body, and the strings have a great setup right out of the box. The sound is generally "warmer" and heavy on mid tones. They have improved since the days of The Beatles (especially the past 20 years) I think the CT and Icon are cheap crap compared to the full German models. The most interesting thing about the Ignition Series bass is that this is a semi-hollow instrument. I'd be inclined to get a hard case for it tho', as they're a wee bit fragile. The two things I would do to get this bass ready for the stage is a new bridge and a new set of tuners. They may not be for you. This is more complicated than a simple yes or no answer. Then, next four beats, play in B minor (at first try the minor Wow! Its main bass was designed by Walter Hfner as a variation of the classical upright double-bass. Versatility wisewell it's a Hofner sounding, semi acousticbass so obviously it's not anywhere near as versatile as other completelysolid body bases. Okay, so, this is a light, unique, a classical looking little bass. It offers a fair amount of clarity nonetheless. The screws are there to hold the tailpiece anchor in position -the load of the anchor is on the end of the instrument, not the screws themselves. Didn't look as bad as a cutaway which was the wrong way. If you want a more versatile and traditional-sounding bass at the same price range, you should check out Squier Vintage Modified or Squier Classic Vibe basses (not Squier Affinity) or an Ibanez Soundgear bass. They also look nice, but they are definitely flimsy. I will take some tension off the strings but not so much that I mess up the intonation: I actually payed a luthier to set this one up as I have struggled with floating bridges in the past. They wont hold your intonation during your live gigs either. I understand why he thought it would. I like my tones to be natural as can be. That being said, they are not the greatest for many types of music. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. (And gowd damn she's purdy!). TL;DR - Play it, ponder it, purchase it or pass on it. But, I also know that some songs out there cry out for a certain tone. I've got an Ignition Club bass, which is identical to the violin bass other than the shape. These pieces wont hold down-tunes. I believe it sounds the best with flatwound strings and a clean amp tone. Setups are recommended for most new guitars but I think they make an especially big difference with the Hofner. This is not John McLaughlin who is polarizing, instead people polarizing themself and each other nowadays. You could always take the a lot of tension off the strings as a precaution. The Hofner Ignition Violin Bass comes in vintage sunburst. Powered by Invision Community. As the label says it has a more contemporary sound. They're ace basses for not much money. I had to enlarge the hole a tadge to get the thread to start to bite. It commonly features a thin maple body, a spruce top and a maple neck. I can play anything from 60's pop and 70's / 80's rock right through to Iron Maiden sort of stuff etc Absolutely love mine ! Community resources, and extensive FAQ for players new and old. The fretboard is traditionally made of rosewood, though more contemporary models have utilized other, similar tonewoods. I read that the luthier who designed it wanted to create something to celebrate the experience of fatherhood. They all differ depending on construction, pickups etc. I must add the strings spacing is very tight and cramped compared to other bass guitars. Any good? They're nice and easy to mod, if you want that "authentic" Macca look - teacup knobs and a quick repaint of the selector switches and you're getting close to Fab-ness, if that's the direction you want to go in. That was what I was hoping. It's extremely versatile tonally, not too heavy and looks the business. I play a Rickenbacker 4003 which is a heavy bass and a few Ibanez 5-strings, also heavy. Personally I would say the versatility is poor if you consider the broad spectrum of music. But the style I play mostly begs for the Hofner sound. Plus, they feature the custom Hofner violin shape. Has anybody tried putting alternative strap buttons on their Ignition Violin bass? It looks, feels and plays absolutely fantastic. Nowadays, you can still hear the 500/1 series of bass guitars in reggae, world music, house, and any genre requiring a deep driving bass guitar. If it was good enough for Paul McCarney, its also good enough for the rest of us. Good Hofner sound no sound block like some of the newer models. That means they have a semi-hollow body made with flamed maple on the back and sides plus spruce on the top. Fenders even then seemed to be about 100. Pretty much as James said, but I think I'd definitely slacken the strings a bit to be safe. I enjoy playing my violin bass, they are great fun and just different. Have him put La Bella flatwound strings on it. These range anywhere from $200 to $1,500. The Hfner 500 features a two-piece bridge system, consisting of an adjustable ebony bridge, and a metal tailpiece. On the body, weve got a standard rosewood bridge with a nickel trapeze tailpiece holding the gear in place. However, they dont have the classical f-shaped hollow like semi-hollow and hollow guitars do. Im just getting into bass after a few guitar and I was looking at this one: http://www.gear4music.com/Guitar-and-Bass/Hofner-Ignition-Left-Handed-Violin-Bass-Sunburst/J7I. To be honest, Hofner basses had faded over the past decades. But not so much that the bridge loses it position, you'll have a whole lot of annoying intonation work to do else. It was able to get a decent range of tones and made me want to play whereas other basses I had tried left me feeling bored so to speak. "North Coast Music: Hofner Bass Specification Table", "The Beatles, when they played Crosley Field", "Only known color photos of the Beatles' 1966 US tour go under the hammer for the first time | Daily Mail Online", Detailed information on guitars used by The Beatles, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hfner_500/1&oldid=1096179948, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, 500/1 Cavern Bass (no longer available from Hfner), 500/1 Vintage '61 Cavern Bass (2011 model - based on Paul McCartney's original specs). For its price, you cant expect anything better regarding playability. They do sound really good and are very affordable. The bass was first shown to the public at the Frankfurt Music Fair in the spring of 1956. It has a hollow body which gives it kind of a woody tone but doesn't give you much sustain. I'm sure mileage will vary on fret level quality andnever heard anyone else having that issue, but it happened. So, despite being one of the lightest and smallest bass guitars available, it easily provides a massive deepness. Earlier models, as well as certain reissues featured the two pickups spaced closely together, up against the heel of the neck, providing a fairly uniform tone, though most recent basses feature a more conventional "bridge/neck" pickup placement. A cheaper budget option. Anyone got one? Agree 100%. Now, playing the Ignition series bass feels like a breeze. On 19/10/2021 at 16:07, Bassist loves Jamerson said: Copyright All The Good Names Are Taken Ltd, http://www.projectguitarparts.co.uk/Pages/hofnerparts.html. The finish on the neck has a great influence on how smooth the fingerboard feels. My main bass is a Precision - the Horner serves really well as something quite different to that. Better than them being loose, so all good. All I could really afford was about 30 so for about 30, I found this Hofner violin bass. The Hfner 500 is also notable for its distinctive control layout, featuring two rotary knobs, as well as three sliding knobs, controlling tone and pickup selection. Unfortunately, the feeling of this bass is not quite out there. Theres a single word to define the sound of this violin bass guitar, which is finesse. Unplugged, youd get a little semi-acoustic resonant sound. Lets dig into our review and see why I just said that. HI series B-Bass (Ignition), made in Indonesia, from 2010. A friend I play with weekly has a violin bass w/flatwounds, and with those humbucker pups, it has a deep, powerful sound for a short scale bass. These switches are there to push bass, treble, or rhythm sound settings or presets. Bassist considers McCartneys violin bass one of the most beautiful instruments ever to reach the stage. only one of mine has broken, the plastic grip has cracked and is turning without moving the string. Make it all Imaj7 and V7 It is built using a fairly traditional style, similar to that of an acoustic guitar. Some of these links are affiliate links meaning we may earn commissions on purchases. [7] He switched back to the Rickenbacker for the recording of Abbey Road and he even used it with Wings and his solo career. Has anyone here bought a guitar from Laurence Wexer in New York. The Ignition Series model follows the original design very closely, though. The company started in Frankfurt, Germany, back in 1956, and it has worked non-stop ever since without a single ownership change. Learn to Play: The Bass Techniques of Paul McCartney | Reverb News, 1932 or 1933 Gibson L-10 (refinished and changed parts), Stainless Steel vs. Nickel frets - vintage archtop demo. Overall, these models keep the same short-scale size (30), a super lightweight construction, flat-wound strings, and a unique vintage flavor. It is versatile but within a range that's different than other basses. Also a bass that makes you want to pick it up and is alluring to look at for you. 500/1 Vintage '63 (no longer in production), 500/1 125th Anniversary 'Black Violin Bass', 5000/1 Deluxe Bass (no longer in production), 500/1 KV 60th Anniversary model with graphics designed by Klaus Voormann, Icon series B-Bass, made in China (name changed to Ignition for legal reasons in 2010). I disagree with the people who say it is not versatile. "I remember going along there, and there was this bass which was quite cheap. Lots of reviews online. I should probably also mention it's super light, and a short scale, so if you're not used to that sort of thing, I'd DEFINITELY recommend playing it before buying it. The Ignition Series is part of the German brands shelves, albeit they are built-in China with lower-quality materials and following lower-quality specs. The 500/2 Club bass today is still built in exactly the same way as in 1964 and uses the same components.

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