Do all violin basses have neck joints like this?

[Annoying Twit]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Hofner-500-1-Violin-Beatle-Bass-/261553561262?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item3ce5ce9eae

The neck joint doesn't look very strong to me.

[icastle]

Pretty much so.

If you stick to the violin bass style and use a run through neck you lose the semi acoustic tone and you can't really use a bolt on because there's nothing solid enough to bolt through.

Most classical guitars and all violins\cellos\double basses have a fixed neck joint and don't suffer too badly from it.

[ash]

Looks like my kind of project! Mid 60s judging by the raised logo and tuners. I won't be surprised if that makes a few £££.

[BigRedX]

Wood and wood glues are incredibly strong. If both sides of the joint are properly cleaned, free of finish and shimmed/packed as required I can't see why that shouldn't be a straight-forward fix for someone who knows what they are doing.

[Dad3353]

A long shot, but I've asked if it could be sent to France; I'll bid if that's so. This looks like a very nice project; I've several Hofners, but no violin bass (as yet...). As to the strength of these joints... How strong does it have to be..? Yes, all the Hofners are made this way. They often could use a neck reset , every 50 years or so, typically, and it's an easy enough job for a competent luthier. Once set, it'll hold up at any normal use, but if you're using the instrument as a meat cleaver, it'll not be the first part to be damaged. It's been pretty standard for at least a couple of centuries, and is perfectly adequate.

[Happy Jack]

[quote name='Annoying Twit' timestamp='1407270340' post='2519092']
[url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Hofner-500-1-Violin-Beatle-Bass-/261553561262?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item3ce5ce9eae"]http://www.ebay.co.u...=item3ce5ce9eae[/url]

The neck joint doesn't look very strong to me.


[/quote]

That looks like an early 1965 bass to me, in which case the neck joint lasted very nearly 50 years. How strong did you want it?



The most common misconception about old Hofners is that there must be something wrong with them because the necks break.

Actually they don't.

All hollow-body and semi-acoustic Hofners (and Framus's for that matter) were made using traditional techniques and materials, exactly as if they were cellos or violins. That meant using natural animal glue to stick them together.

Animal glue is, as you would expect, very strong. Wouldn't be much use otherwise.

But it's organic, and over time it dries out and eventually turns to powder. The neck doesn't "break", it simply comes unglued and the neck gently folds away from the neck pocket.

If you re-glue the neck in exactly the same way as originally, it will then last another 50 years and play beautifully.

If you sink a 3" brass woodscrew through the heel of the neck and out the other side into the body (a very common 'fix' a few years back) then you will discover that (i) you've got the neck angle wrong and the bass has suddenly become unplayable, and (ii) a valuable vintage instrument just turned into firewood.

[Dad3353]

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1407327889' post='2519451']...If you sink a 3" brass woodscrew through the heel of the neck and out the other side into the body (a very common 'fix' a few years back)...[/quote]

[attachment=168552:Shud.jpg]

Please, make it stop..! Make it go away..! Pity..! I can't bear it..!

[icastle]

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1407321149' post='2519384']
They often could use a neck reset , every 50 years or so, typically, and it's an easy enough job for a competent luthier. [/quote]

And very easy to do at the moment on this particular example.

[MB1]

MB1.
"Looks like were gonna need another neck reset?"

[Annoying Twit]

Thanks for the technical answers (and the banter).

Edit: I've just realised what caused my confusion. Some time ago I looked at violin bass kits. There were a few of them around, but all of the ones I saw had much more substantial neck joints. E.g.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Semi-Hollow-Body-DIY-Electric-Bass-Guitar-Builder-Kit-with-Flamed-Maple-Veneer-/111257338528?_trksid=p2054897.l5663

Edited August 6, 2014 by Annoying Twit