Hohner Professional JJ- info?

[Sambrook]

Just found this on eBay -

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/165765029439?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=nzbr_P_0TwG&sssrc=2349624&ssuid=SYHO0yd2SXe&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

 

It's being sold by a member on here, and I've messaged him. Meanwhile, does anyone have any useful info they'd care to share? I really like the look of it...

 

 

[Lfalex v1.1]

Looks like the same preamp as the Active Hohner Jack and B2A.

 

Vol/Vol, Bass & Treble stack.

Active/ (true) passive switch- it'll work with a flat battery in passive mode.  There should be a trim pot accessible through a hole in the cavity cover that can be used to adjust the output of the EQ section to match the passive mode if needed. 

 

Should sound pretty good.  My B2A5 does quite a good "super-jazz" impersonation- it has J/J pickups, too. 

Edited November 7, 2022 by Lfalex v1.1

[Bassassin]

Mid 80s to 90s, made by Cort in Korea if it's an early one. Shame the serial's not visible as it should be dateable from that.

 

Very pretty bass & looks in excellent condition for its presumed age. The Hohner Pro range were generally extremely well-made & playable instruments, +1 to @Lfalex v1.1's comments about the pre, I have a B2A with a similar setup.

[RussFM]

I had a sunburst one. Played really nicely, I really liked the flat fingerboard radius. But I sold it to fund my habit of not keeping nice basses for long enough.

[Sambrook]

Thanks chaps. The serial number might be appearing soon...

[Bassassin]

4 hours ago, Sambrook said:

Thanks chaps. The serial number might be appearing soon...

 

Just had a PM chat with @eubassix, looks like it's 1992, which looks about right!

[lemmywinks]

I have the body from one on my fretless, took the pre and pickups out as they sounded a bit lifeless to me. Very attractive veneers though and look a lot more boutique than the price tag would suggest.

 

Here's mine with a Mighty Mite neck, Duncan Designed pickups, piezo bridge and Bartolini preamp:

 

 

 

This is the preamp:

[Yoshka123]

I've just bought a Hohner Pro JJ from 1988 and it looks like the pre amp and switch are faulty.

 

These pics that you have posted lemmywinks will help me loads!

 

Thanks!

[pn_day]

I have a Hohner Jack with the jazz style pickups. I found that the pickups themselves were fine - but ripped out the Hohner pre-amp and replaced with a passive VBT with push/pull for series mode and it is much better.

 

So if you do get the Hohner Pro JJ, try the original pickups before swapping them out - they might work for you.

Phil

[lemmywinks]

8 hours ago, Yoshka123 said:

I've just bought a Hohner Pro JJ from 1988 and it looks like the pre amp and switch are faulty.

 

These pics that you have posted lemmywinks will help me loads!

 

Thanks!

 

 

Can just send you the preamp if you want, I have always either used the bass passive or with a Bartolini buffer pre when I had a piezo bridge installed so have no use for it.

 

 

[Yoshka123]

5 hours ago, lemmywinks said:

 

 

Can just send you the preamp if you want, I have always either used the bass passive or with a Bartolini buffer pre when I had a piezo bridge installed so have no use for it.

Thank you very much. That is appreciated.

 

I'm just about to put new strings on it so I'll be able to see what it sounds like passive.

 

The bass was in a state when I bought it. The strings were so rusty it was unplayable and the PP3 battery was flat.

 

It looks and feels like it has had an interesting life though. Worth a bit of effort...?

5 hours ago, lemmywinks said:

 

 

 

[Yoshka123]

11 hours ago, pn_day said:

I have a Hohner Jack with the jazz style pickups. I found that the pickups themselves were fine - but ripped out the Hohner pre-amp and replaced with a passive VBT with push/pull for series mode and it is much better.

 

So if you do get the Hohner Pro JJ, try the original pickups before swapping them out - they might work for you.

Phil

Thanks Phil!

 

11 hours ago, pn_day said:

I have a Hohner Jack with the jazz style pickups. I found that the pickups themselves were fine - but ripped out the Hohner pre-amp and replaced with a passive VBT with push/pull for series mode and it is much better.

 

So if you do get the Hohner Pro JJ, try the original pickups before swapping them out - they might work for you.

Phil

 

[Rayman]

Best active jazz sound I ever had was from a Hohner B Bass. Big fan of Hohner stuff, very well made indeed. David (Eubassix) had a jj for sale..... I was very tempted, just can't justify it at the moment.

[lemmywinks]

Conversely I didn't like the preamp or the EMG Select pickups and run mine passive with Duncan Design pups in there. There's a JJ Pro with a duff preamp on eBay at the moment ending tommorrow, failed to sell for the start bid twice (£125 then £100) so there might be a bargain to be had.

 

Btw if anybody needs the dual concentric knob from one of these I have one in my parts drawer you can have.

[itu]

If I remember correctly, I bought a used '76 4001 in 1986 for £400, and a new headless Hohner Jack was more expensive. The ones I tried then were very good sounding basses.

[ag42]

On 25/01/2024 at 17:32, Rayman said:

Best active jazz sound I ever had was from a Hohner B Bass. Big fan of Hohner stuff, very well made indeed. David (Eubassix) had a jj for sale..... I was very tempted, just can't justify it at the moment.

 

I totally agree with the good sound and the well built basses! They're so solid I've been collecting over the years, so have 2 The Jacks (one converted to fretless, the other with a John East preamp and it's a highly recommended mod), a B-Bass V with real EMG pickups and preamp, 2 J-Bass Pros (fretted and fretless) and an L75 guitar...I kinda like them... 😁