SpikeBass Posted May 4, 2017 Share Posted May 4, 2017 Many thanks to Niels for sending the Bass well protected. 1964 Hofner Violin Bass in need of some TLC, neck reset, and electrics, well I'v tested the electrics and it is the P-ups that are gone and will need rewinding. It goes off to the Doctor Terry Chapman to have neck done and also missing trim replaced and the bridge repaired. The Mojo is amazing. I am looking for a replacement headstock logo and maybe eventually a scratchplate however I never use one, even on my HCT ... As you can see I have already polished up the wood a little bit and I will polish it further just to remove the cloudyness from the finish, I want to keep it original so I wont be redoing the finish, mojo is very good. Will update the photos when I get it back from surgery [attachment=244610:IMG_20170503_131935_1.jpg][attachment=244611:IMG_20170503_131941.jpg][attachment=244612:IMG_20170503_132010.jpg] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoonBassAlpha Posted May 4, 2017 Share Posted May 4, 2017 My mate's similar vintage Verithin had both pickups go open, must be a thing with this design. Got them rewound for him, good as gold now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpondonBassed Posted May 4, 2017 Share Posted May 4, 2017 Looks very nice for its age. I am only two years older than it but I look totally knackered. I'm locked in for the follow up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrunoBass Posted May 4, 2017 Share Posted May 4, 2017 That's beautiful. My dad played in a band in Stafford circa 1963-64 and had one of these. He ordered it from Hofner in Germany via his local music shop - 40 guineas including a hard case. God I wish he'd kept it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpikeBass Posted May 4, 2017 Author Share Posted May 4, 2017 [quote name='SpondonBassed' timestamp='1493898844' post='3291610'] Looks very nice for its age. I am only two years older than it but I look totally knackered. I'm locked in for the follow up. [/quote] We are the same age then, June 1962, original (not reissue) bent neck but plays like a dream and have all my own teeth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpondonBassed Posted May 4, 2017 Share Posted May 4, 2017 Hahahahaha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue Posted May 5, 2017 Share Posted May 5, 2017 (edited) I'm a huge fan of the German made Hofner bass guitar. Fell in love with them in 1964 for obvious reasons. I own a Limited Edition made in Germany Hofner Club Bass with Cavern Club PU spacing. The bass pictured is really cool. My concern is the year 1964. I thought that was when they started adding the binding around the neck? Blue Edited May 5, 2017 by blue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpikeBass Posted May 5, 2017 Author Share Posted May 5, 2017 That is correct, the neck does have binding, it is not clear in the photos.The year is almost certainly 1964. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yank Posted May 5, 2017 Share Posted May 5, 2017 That is a way cool project. It must be dripping with mojo! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue Posted May 5, 2017 Share Posted May 5, 2017 (edited) [quote name='SpikeBass' timestamp='1493962767' post='3292120'] That is correct, the neck does have binding, it is not clear in the photos.The year is almost certainly 1964. [/quote] Understood, mine obviously has the neck binding. I prefer the pre 1964 models without the bound neck. It's still a very admirable treasure. I'm jealous Blue Edited May 5, 2017 by blue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wylie Posted May 5, 2017 Share Posted May 5, 2017 Admirable treasure indeed. Can anyone my age (67) forget first seeing the Hofner bass in Paul McCartney's hands on the Beatles' February 1964 appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show? (And more than a few of us said, "What's [i]that[/i]?") Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted May 5, 2017 Share Posted May 5, 2017 (edited) [quote name='Wylie' timestamp='1494000147' post='3292537'] Admirable treasure indeed. Can anyone my age (67) forget first seeing the Hofner bass in Paul McCartney's hands on the Beatles' February 1964 appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show? (And more than a few of us said, "What's [i]that[/i]?") [/quote] At that age (I, too, am 67...) I'd seen very few basses at all, so wasn't troubled in the slightest. Now if he'd been playing a live adult puma... Nice bass, of course; well worth restoring to its best. Keen to see more as the project progresses; thanks for sharing. Edited May 5, 2017 by Dad3353 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue Posted May 5, 2017 Share Posted May 5, 2017 [quote name='Wylie' timestamp='1494000147' post='3292537'] Admirable treasure indeed. Can anyone my age (67) forget first seeing the Hofner bass in Paul McCartney's hands on the Beatles' February 1964 appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show? (And more than a few of us said, "What's [i]that[/i]?") [/quote] It was February 9th, my Mom brought a Japanese knock off of The Hofner the following week. Blue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yank Posted May 6, 2017 Share Posted May 6, 2017 Blue, you're mom was a treasure! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrunoBass Posted May 6, 2017 Share Posted May 6, 2017 [quote name='Wylie' timestamp='1494000147' post='3292537'] Admirable treasure indeed. Can anyone my age (67) forget first seeing the Hofner bass in Paul McCartney's hands on the Beatles' February 1964 appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show? [/quote] 1962 for British fans 😊 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue Posted May 6, 2017 Share Posted May 6, 2017 (edited) [quote name='Yank' timestamp='1494065061' post='3292931'] Blue, you're mom was a treasure! [/quote] Thanks Yank, Yeah, she definitely was. She always supported my involvement in music. She was a big Beatle fan even though she was from the " big band" generation. Blue Edited May 6, 2017 by blue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wylie Posted May 7, 2017 Share Posted May 7, 2017 [quote name='PaulGibsonBass' timestamp='1494085457' post='3293158'] 1962 for British fans [/quote] My typical American response--as if it only happened over here! ... duh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpondonBassed Posted May 7, 2017 Share Posted May 7, 2017 [quote name='Wylie' timestamp='1494166301' post='3293723'] My typical American response--as if it only happened over here! ... duh. [/quote] Hahahahahaha. You have a point none the less. The Beatles would not be as we know them had they not "broken" America. If the stand against segregation had earned them a touring ban in the 'States like with Ray Davies and the Kinks for example. Although banned for different reasons it caused a sharp kink in Ray and the band's commercial success. It also helped artistically it seems - "From an artistic standpoint , it may have been the best thing to ever happen to them. It forced Ray Davies to mature, become more introspective and observational (not to mention sober). The Kinks went on to record some of the greatest albums of the 1960's but in America they remained little more than a cult band until the mid-1970's." [url="https://www.quora.com/Why-were-the-Kinks-banned-from-entering-the-US-from-1965-69"]https://www.quora.co...US-from-1965-69[/url] What if...? Hindsight's a bugger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpikeBass Posted May 8, 2017 Author Share Posted May 8, 2017 A small update... Terry says he wants to take time with it, he wants to keep a lot of the mojo intact. and has managed to source some original plastic for the missing bits where the neck fits but he said he does not want to start replacing trim that has started to detach as it seems it has been glued back with an epoxy and could cause further damage if he tried to remove it, however he will fill the crack with a home made paste coloured to match, may be about 6 weeks to complete. The luthier is Terry Chapman [url="https://www.tjcguitars.com/"]https://www.tjcguitars.com/[/url] cannot recommend him enough, he has done a lot of guitars for me and others through the studio. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrunoBass Posted May 10, 2017 Share Posted May 10, 2017 [quote name='Wylie' timestamp='1494166301' post='3293723'] My typical American response--as if it only happened over here! ... duh. [/quote] The tone of your response suggests the lighthearted nature of my comment has gone right over your head. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue Posted May 10, 2017 Share Posted May 10, 2017 Took my German made Hofner Limited Edition Club Bass to rehearsal last night. I had been gigging with my G&L ASAT bass for the last couple of months. I had forgotten about how unique and one of a kind deep,woody thump sound these basses produce. Decided I'll use it for our Summerfest show. This year we got a weekend slot opening for Peter Frampton. Blue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpondonBassed Posted May 11, 2017 Share Posted May 11, 2017 [quote name='blue' timestamp='1494457857' post='3296243'] Took my German made Hofner Limited Edition Club Bass to rehearsal last night. I had been gigging with my G&L ASAT bass for the last couple of months. I had forgotten about how unique and one of a kind deep,woody thump sound these basses produce. Decided I'll use it for our Summerfest show. This year we got a weekend slot opening for Peter Frampton. Blue [/quote] It can't hurt to have a bit of variety I suppose. It should certainly please the fans who are taking any sort of notice of what's going on on stage. Have you encountered any problems with feedback indoors? Sir Paul reckoned it was quite a problem for the hollow-bodied Hoff in tight venues. I have a theory that it is was of the challenges that made his playing slightly better than it might have been otherwise. Frampton? Nice. I hope on the day he isn't too heavy on the vocorder. There is a real danger that that is all he will be remembered for. I'm thinking you can't do much better than a weekend slot opening for the likes of Peter though. Well done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpikeBass Posted May 11, 2017 Author Share Posted May 11, 2017 Sounds like a good gig. The Hofner will do you proud. I used to use my 1978 P-Bass but that thing was so heavy, sounded great but wearing it for 2 hours was killing me, so to now have a Hofner that weighs in about the same as a pint of beer is wonderful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpikeBass Posted May 11, 2017 Author Share Posted May 11, 2017 So, the previous person to attempt to repair this Hofner has glued the neck on with a resin and as such will be very difficult to remove now and may cause damage to the finish, or worse. Not the best news in the world. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpondonBassed Posted May 11, 2017 Share Posted May 11, 2017 [quote name='SpikeBass' timestamp='1494506406' post='3296582'] So, the previous person to attempt to repair this Hofner has glued the neck on with a resin and as such will be very difficult to remove now and may cause damage to the finish, or worse. Not the best news in the world. [/quote] Cripes. Now we need to know how much "difficult" costs I suppose. Can a partial restoration be completed around the neck join as it is now? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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