The Year Of Birth Bass

[KK Jale]

[quote name='Jazzneck' timestamp='1456328003' post='2987917']
Well, that's me out then - 1949 - unless someone knows of one.
[/quote]

Sir, your only shot, as far as I know, is a '49 Bud Tutmarc-built Serenader Electric String Bass.

Aaaaand good luck with that


[URL=http://smg.photobucket.com/user/transalp1998/media/aaaJPEG_zpswkcumlpf.jpg.html][IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v348/transalp1998/aaaJPEG_zpswkcumlpf.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

[Bigwan]

[quote name='EmmettC' timestamp='1456330314' post='2987953']
I was born in 78, so a YOB would probably be a musicman, but I don't tend to play 4 string basses anymore either. I don't think there were many 5 strings, in a modern layout by 1978.
[/quote]

If you'd consider a 4 string I would highly recommend a nice Ibanez Musician, particularly the MC800. I had the loan of one recently and it sounded fantastic.

[Jazzneck]

[quote name='KK Jale' timestamp='1456338033' post='2988057']
Sir, your only shot, as far as I know, is a '49 Bud Tutmarc-built Serenader Electric String Bass.

Aaaaand good luck with that


[url="http://smg.photobucket.com/user/transalp1998/media/aaaJPEG_zpswkcumlpf.jpg.html"][/url]
[/quote]

Hmmm, might have a look at making a replica RI of that.

[joeystrange]

Vox is one I thought of but it looks like they started making basses in '61 too.
I wonder if there's a reason so many manufacturers started making basses that year?

[Maude]

A Danelectro Longhorn, either six string baritone or four string bass, would be my choice for a 1960 bass.

[EmmettC]

[quote name='Bigwan' timestamp='1456338428' post='2988064']


If you'd consider a 4 string I would highly recommend a nice Ibanez Musician, particularly the MC800. I had the loan of one recently and it sounded fantastic.
[/quote]

Funny enough I own an 81 Ibanez roadster, which seems to share some DNA with the musician. It's on my list of stuff to upgrade, I think a set of Dimarzios and a John East pre at some stage soon.

[BigRedX]

[quote name='Fozza' timestamp='1456324792' post='2987863']
I can't seem to post a link but if you google "six great extinct Gretsch basses" it will take you a post on the Gretsch blog which has pictures of their first bass model.

It was called the Bikini(!) and started production in 1961.

Back to the drawing board!
[/quote]

That Gretch bass is suitably weird enough for my liking. Pity it wasn't around in 1960.

[BigRedX]

[quote name='miles'tone' timestamp='1456330709' post='2987959']
Instead of a YOB, go for a BFL.
(bass for life)
[/quote]

I already have at least 2 BFLs in my black and red Gus G3s.

TBH it's as much an exercise to see what was being made in 1960 that I would actually want to be playing in 2016 as anything.

Edited February 25, 2016 by BigRedX

[BigRedX]

[quote name='Maude' timestamp='1456347541' post='2988200']
A Danelectro Longhorn, either six string baritone or four string bass, would be my choice for a 1960 bass.
[/quote]

That's what I'm leaning towards ATM - a 6-string if possible. Not stupidly expensive either from what I can see.

[Happy Jack]

Just reverting to the Hofner 500/10, I used to be a serious collector of vintage Hofner basses.

If sheer rarity is your thing, then the 500/10 will certainly tick your box. I spent five years scanning eBay right across Europe on a daily basis, and not one ever turned up.

http://www.vintagehofner.co.uk/gallery/bass/bas4.html

Even the best Hofner website (Steve Russell) has only got three photos of this bass - one is owned by the Marketing Director of Hofner, one is in Sweden, and one was snapped in Music Ground in Doncaster some years ago and may well actually be one of the other two!

[BigRedX]

Thanks HJ. I was hoping you'd appear with some info on the Hofners.

In which case the 500/10 sounds like just my thing. Not only will it satisfy my current interest in semi-acoustic/hollowbody basses, but it's also rarer than a rare thing!

Although IME it doesn't matter how rare an instrument is supposed to be at some point it will show up for sale on line. On several occasions in the past 15 or so years that I've been seriously buying basses several instruments that I never thought I'd ever see have turned up for sale and in a few instances the price was right to allow me to buy them.

And just in case I can't find one and decide to go for a 500/5 did you own one of those, and if so what did you think?

[cybertect]

FWIW 1960 500/5s are about.

This one described as 'circa 1960' sold on the well known auction site on Feb 6th

https://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/252268618987

[cybertect]

According to this chart on Hofner's web site, there were 204 500/10s made by Hofner in 1960 and also about 400 Senator basses made in the same year

Edit: the notes do suggest that these numbers may well be inaccurate, though

http://www.hofner.com/media/wysiwyg/Serial_Numbers/selmer_numbers.pdf

Edited February 25, 2016 by cybertect

[BigRedX]

Thanks for those links.

Looking around it appears that I can get a Danelectro or Hofner from 1960 for less than half the price of an equivalent age and condition Fender, so win all round!

Now to get out there and try some to see if they are actually worth having...

Edited February 26, 2016 by BigRedX

[matski]

Baldwin Vibraslim?
http://guitar-auctions.co.uk/portfolio-post/lot-188-baldwin-vibraslim-bass-guitar-made-in-england-circa-mid-to-late-1960/

Hagstrom?
http://www.vintageandrare.com/product/Hagstrom-Bass-1960-Red-Stain-39992

[neepheid]

[quote name='matski' timestamp='1456493899' post='2989604']
Baldwin Vibraslim?
[url="http://guitar-auctions.co.uk/portfolio-post/lot-188-baldwin-vibraslim-bass-guitar-made-in-england-circa-mid-to-late-1960/"]http://guitar-auctio...d-to-late-1960/[/url]

Hagstrom?
[url="http://www.vintageandrare.com/product/Hagstrom-Bass-1960-Red-Stain-39992"]http://www.vintagean...Red-Stain-39992[/url]
[/quote]

That Hagstrom is definitely not from 1960, it's an H-II-BN and they were made late 60s-early 70s. I'm pretty sure Hagstrom is another one of those "started making basses in 1961" lot.

[matski]

Rats! Foiled again!

[Happy Jack]

[quote name='cybertect' timestamp='1456431512' post='2989059']
According to this chart on Hofner's web site, there were 204 500/10s made by Hofner in 1960 and also about 400 Senator basses made in the same year

Edit: the notes do suggest that these numbers may well be inaccurate, though

[url="http://www.hofner.com/media/wysiwyg/Serial_Numbers/selmer_numbers.pdf"]http://www.hofner.co...mer_numbers.pdf[/url]
[/quote]

Yup. They surely are. Those numbers are the number imported by Selmer, not the production figures, which were presumably a fair bit higher. There is no real advantage to owning an imported Hofner as against a non-imported, other than the serial number is useful evidence of age.

Hofner were, in some ways, most UN-Germanic. Their record-keeping was shocking, they had no interest in serial numbers, they would have laughed at our obsession with consistency in design and components. As if that isn't bad enough, the firm has also been through two major ownership changes plus a complete relocation of the factory. Don't expect to find any definitive numbers about anything!

The Senator bass was re-badged by Selmer for import to the UK and Commonwealth - everywhere else it was known as the 500/3. That means that serial numbers are hopelessly underweight as to overall production of this single-pickup, semi-acoustic bass. Hofner made thousands of them.

The President bass was both re-badged and re-designed by Selmer from the original 500/5, which was simply a 500/3 but with two pickups. Selmer insisted on reducing the depth of the body by 1/2" to make it less bulky, and they replaced the original simple dot markers with 'triplets'.

The Verithin was so distinctive that even where it was marketed as the 500/7 it was still called a Verithin by the locals.

The 500/10 was marketed by Selmer as the Bass Guitar 6 and, as Cybertect says, about 200 were imported in 1960. After that, there is no information available. At all!

Imported where? Like I said, not just the UK. Selmer dealt with the entire Commonwealth plus British military bases overseas. In 2016 that last is pretty insignificant, but in 1960 it was anything but ... Britain had a military presence right across the world. It seems sensible to assume that at least half of these 200 came to the UK, but the rest could be literally anywhere on the planet.

If this stuff interests you, my own personal archive of (almost) all the Hofners I have owned is here: http://s1128.photobucket.com/user/h4ppyjack/library/Hofner%20vintage%20instruments

By far the best resource I've ever found is Steve Russell's excellent and now much expanded website: http://www.vintagehofner.co.uk/

You can also spend a hugely rewarding hour looking at this: http://s1128.photobucket.com/user/h4ppyjack/library/Other%20music%20related/Selmer%20Catalogue%201963

[graham1945]

[quote name='Jazzneck' timestamp='1456328003' post='2987917']
Well, that's me out then - 1949 - unless someone knows of one.
[/quote]

I'm 1945, so it looks like double basses for us then! 😂

[BigRedX]

[quote name='matski' timestamp='1456493899' post='2989604']
Baldwin Vibraslim?
[url="http://guitar-auctions.co.uk/portfolio-post/lot-188-baldwin-vibraslim-bass-guitar-made-in-england-circa-mid-to-late-1960/"]http://guitar-auctio...d-to-late-1960/[/url]
[/quote]

AFAICS from "The Burns Book" by Paul Day and "Pearls And Crazy Diamonds" by Per Gjörde the only Burns Basses made in 1960 were the Artist and the Sonic. Baldwin didn't take over Burns until 1965.

[BigRedX]

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1456502165' post='2989741']
If this stuff interests you, my own personal archive of (almost) all the Hofners I have owned is here: [url="http://s1128.photobucket.com/user/h4ppyjack/library/Hofner%20vintage%20instruments"]http://s1128.photobu...e%20instruments[/url]

By far the best resource I've ever found is Steve Russell's excellent and now much expanded website: [url="http://www.vintagehofner.co.uk/"]http://www.vintagehofner.co.uk/[/url]

You can also spend a hugely rewarding hour looking at this: [url="http://s1128.photobucket.com/user/h4ppyjack/library/Other%20music%20related/Selmer%20Catalogue%201963"]http://s1128.photobu...atalogue%201963[/url]
[/quote]

Thanks for those links HJ.

The Vintage Hofner site has a wealth of information even if it looks like it was built before 2000!

Has no-one bothered with a book for Hofner guitars and basses yet? As a Burns fan I have access to 2 excellent publications which between them cover pretty much everything I would want to know about the instruments of Jim Burns.

Also can anyone recommend a good on-line or printed resource for Danelectro information?

Thanks!

Edited February 29, 2016 by BigRedX

[Happy Jack]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1456748556' post='2991847']
The Vintage Hofner site has a wealth of information even if it looks like it was built before 2000!

Has no-one bothered with a book for Hofner guitars and basses yet?
[/quote]

Steve Russell's original site was one of the first home-grown enthusiasts' sites and, although it grew out of his love of vintage Hofners, it rapidly expanded to also become one of the best on-line resources for vintage British valve amps and a whole bunch of other stuff. 2000? Yup, sounds about right.

Books? Surely you jest? There's loads of stuff about Hofners out there, both books dedicated to the brand (I have half a dozen) and books dedicated to the music of the era (I have at least a dozen) which in turn have to include loads of information about Hofners because almost every rock star of the 60s and 70s started by playing Hofners.

If what you're after is a reference book / bible for all vintage Hofners, then the book you want is a rare hardback called [i][b]Hofner: Made In Germany[/b][/i] by Michael Naglav.

Next time you're down in London set aside half a day and come round to my studio ...

[BigRedX]

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1456753680' post='2991900']
Steve Russell's original site was one of the first home-grown enthusiasts' sites and, although it grew out of his love of vintage Hofners, it rapidly expanded to also become one of the best on-line resources for vintage British valve amps and a whole bunch of other stuff. 2000? Yup, sounds about right.

Books? Surely you jest? There's loads of stuff about Hofners out there, both books dedicated to the brand (I have half a dozen) and books dedicated to the music of the era (I have at least a dozen) which in turn have to include loads of information about Hofners because almost every rock star of the 60s and 70s started by playing Hofners.

If what you're after is a reference book / bible for all vintage Hofners, then the book you want is a rare hardback called [i][b]Hofner: Made In Germany[/b][/i] by Michael Naglav.

Next time you're down in London set aside half a day and come round to my studio ...
[/quote]

Thanks HJ!

Is that book in English? My German is a bit too primitive to understand a whole book on guitars.

And I may just take you up on that offer some time. Thanks again!

Edited February 29, 2016 by BigRedX

[BigRedX]

Having done some more research on 6-string basses, I now have GAS for this:



Gibson EB6. Depending on who you believe they might have been made in 1960.

[Happy Jack]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1456769601' post='2992085']

Is that book in English? My German is a bit too primitive to understand a whole book on guitars.

And I may just take you up on that offer some time. Thanks again!
[/quote]

That book is in both German and English translation. In truth, so much of it is strictly factual (photographs with legends etc.) that even schoolboy German would be pretty much sufficient.

Any time you're in London, give me a bell.