Hofner Icon Series Beatle Bass Guitar - Sunburst Review

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(More customer reviews)As a professional musician and university music professor, I have pretty high standards. Of course, I'm primarily a woodwind performer, and although I've fooled around with guitar since high school, this was my first electric bass guitar. Hofner's Icon model has cheaper wood and generally some cheaper parts than their professional level basses, but I love this instrument. The short scale is perfect for moving seamlessly between guitar and bass and makes technically demanding passages easier than on a standard scale bass. I've gotten to the point where I've taken the bass to parties and played a couple of paying gigs with it. The intonation is pretty good, although it is not up to the level of professional instruments. The main issue is that 1st fret notes are very sharp. The movable bridge is a little tricky to work with, too. I found that I just had to find a spot where there was a fairly decent blend of string height, string angle, and scale for the intonation. Generally, the switches and pickups seem to work pretty well, although the switches get just a little flaky when the temperature and humidity conditions change rapidly. I find that the strings that come with it work ok, but that flat wound strings really improve it, making it useful for rock and jazz playing. I did have to do some minor work on the frets, since two of them were set a little lower than the rest, but just a little adjustment eliminated fret buzz. It's no pre-CBS Fender, to be sure, but for less than $400, it looks good, sounds good, and is lightweight and easy to play.

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With authentic details inspired by the original, the Hofner Icon Series Vintage Bass makes the legendary violin bass available to the rest of us. Don't get the idea that this a just a 'nowhere man' look-alike. This quality instrument features a real spruce top and beautiful flamed maple back and sides. The semi-hollow body and set neck will give you the warm, round tone you expect from the violin bass. Rosewood fretboard, sunburst finish.

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World Tour Deluxe Hofner Beatle Bass Guitar Gig Bag Review

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(More customer reviews)If you have a violin shaped Beatle bass this is the most affordable bag for it. Most of the other bags specifically for this bass design are at least 3 times more expensive. The padding is thick enough as long as you you don't drop the bass on a hard surface. I was happy to find this bag and am happy with it.

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If you were Paul McCartney, you'd have one of these great World Tour Deluxe Hofner Beatle Bass Guitar Gig Bags. The Beatle Bass Gig Bags are top-of-the-line, professional quality bags designed and built for the rigors of the road. Twenty mm of high-density padding on all sides is covered with a water resistant, PVC-backed Cordura exterior material and fine scratch-proof Cordura interior. World Tour Deluxe Hofner Beatle Bass Guitar Gig Bag Features: Gusseted triple pocket storage Traditional handle, rear handle, and backpack-style transport attachment Interior neck, tuner and bridge patches to prevent tearing Heavy-duty 10mm zippers with oversize pulls Rubber base feet 5-year warranty Dimensions: Length Width-Upper Bout Width-Waist Width-Lower Bout Depth 45.5 11.25 12.5 13.34 3.5 AmericanMusical.com is an authorized dealer of World Tour products.

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Epiphone Viola Electric Bass Guitar, Vintage Sunburst Review

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(More customer reviews)For years, if you wanted to play the electric bass that Paul played in The Beatles, you had to fork over around $2,000.00 for a Hofner bass. Yes, they are made a lot better today than when Paul bought his first one for about $175.00 in 1961. But most folks can't afford that. A cost effective alternative in the same style has always been the Epiphone Viola bass.
For about a quarter of the cost of a new Hofner 500-1, you can have the look and sound close to that of the original, with some differences and caveats. The Hofner is a hollow body bass, which means that there is an open space inside the body of the guitar. This is one of the main contributors to it's original sound, which is more subdued, and mellow than more modern solid body basses, which have no chamber.
The Viola is also of the hollow body design. Though the electronics on the Viola are radically different from a Hofner, with the two humbucking pickups, a set of tape wrapped Hofner style strings, and amp modeling, you are right there back in Liverpool's Cavern Club.
I bought my Viola several years ago and am delighted with it's vintage styling and classic British Invasion sound. For those who are interested in it's stats:
* Top: Laminated flame maple
* Neck: Maple, set
* Chrome hardware
* 30.5" short scale
* 2 pickups: NYR & NYT mini humbuckers
* Nut width: 1.65"
* Fingerboard: Rosewood
* Inlay: Dots
* Finish: Vintage sunburst
My Viola bass was manufactured in Korea and is flawless in construction, fit and finish. In 2003, Epiphone, opened a factory in China to keep up with world demand.
Recently, Hofner has released two new lines of their Hofner Beatle bass. The Hofner Icon bass is a close approximation of the original, even though many have compared it more to the Viola bass. It sells for around $400.00.
The Hofner Contemporary bass is a close ( though not exact) replica of their main line of Beatle bass. It is a beautiful bass guitar and sells for around $800.00.
That still may be a little high for those who want the look and sound but can't afford a Hofner. I can highly recommend the Epiphone Viola Bass as a good sounding and easy playing alternative to the original!

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This veteran from the British Invasion is back, but without the vintage price tag!Mod looks and warm, bass tone come together as a result of its hollow laminated Maple body with a short-scale 30.5" neck, rosewood fingerboard and bridge, posh Flame Maple top. The Epiphone Viola Bass is voiced by two bass Mini-humbucker pickups and comes with Chrome hardware.

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Hofner Icon Series Beatle Bass; Sunburst Review

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(More customer reviews)Out of my 4 other basses, this is my favorite performance bass. It looks good on stage and sound unbelievable through an amp.
When I want to practice it's good to use if I don't have an amp since it's a hollow body. The minor down side is that it feels cheap and fragile, but it doesn't really bother me.
All in all, I love this bass!

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Hofner Icon Violin bass. Sunburst Finish. Based on original Hofner 500/1-With case.Value priced!

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New Pro Flame Maple Top Viola Violin Beatle Bass Guitar Review

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(More customer reviews)Came to me fast, no damage, and was not expecting to get an amp cable along with it. The guitar is very light, giving it somewhat cheap feeling. But seeing as how some of these models came be over a thousand dollars, I oversee that. All in all, I love this guitar and played many Beatles tunes on it.

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About this Bass.... Quality Crafted Musical Instrument. The warm bass tones of the British Invasion are here again! Viola bass features a flamed maple body, dual humbucking pickups with volume and tone controls,and a hard maple neck with a set construction. The 60's-style semi-hollowbody design provides tones similar to an upright bass and the adjustable rosewood bridge will give you complete control over your tonal depth. This bass has a short scale length for easy playability and control. With its vintage sunburst finish, this is the bass people remember from the era that created popular music. (SPECS) Body: Flamed Maple Top/Back (Mahogany Sides) Neck: Hard Maple Fretboard: Rosewood Finish: Gloss Inlay: Dot Bridge: Fully Adjustable, Floating Tuners: Sealed Die-Cast Pickups: Humbucking Bass Controls: 2 Volume, 1 Tone Neck Joint: Set Neck Joint Location: 16th Fret Radius: 16" Nut, Width: Plastic, 1.5" Tailpiece: Deluxe Trapeze Scale Length: 30.25" Total Length: 43"

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Hofner Icon Series Vintage Violin Bass, Transparent Black Review

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(More customer reviews)To qualify this, I have only been playing the bass for a few months at the time I'm writing this review...
I fell in like with the look of the Hofner Icon at the local Guitar Center and bought it. After a month of practice, lessons, and research, I happened upon a Hofner 500/1 vintage '63 reissue violin bass (hand made in Germany) at a hole-in-the wall music shop in downtown Chicago and fell in LOVE with it and it's amazing flatwound strings! I dropped nearly $2,000 and brought this beautiful instrument (such high quality that it should qualify as a piece of furniture) and returned my Icon with no regrets.
I may actually purchase another Icon soon and throw some flatwound strings (Hofners from North Coast Music) and use it for my travel bass when on vacation.
Here's what you need to know about the available Hofner basses:
ICON ($400ish)
-Made in China with Chinese electronics that can be quirky
-Fit and finish is adequate for the price point
-Regular roundwound strings with some fret buzz depending on setup
-Hollow body
-A pain in the butt getting a case sometimes! Go EBay or Amazon!
-Available in lefty (often with a case oddly)
CONTEMPORARY ($700ish)
-Made in China with German electronics
-Fit and finish adequate...slightly better than the Icon
-Has regular roundwound strings
-Hollow body BUT has a sound block inside giving it more sustain and a more modern, hence "contemporary" bass sound
-Has a neck bridge so you can slap on a McCartney-style Hofner strap!
-Available in lefty I believe?
-No case
GERMAN-MADE HOFNERS ($2,000 +)
-Hand-made in the Fatherland
-Fit and finish are amazing! Beautiful wood, stain, finish, feel
-Hofner (Pyramid) flatwound strings that give the most mellow "thump" and feel like butter!
-Comes with either a German vintage bullet case or flight case
-Available in lefty of course!

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With authentic details inspired by the original, the Hofner Icon Series Vintage Bass makes the legendary violin bass available to the rest of us. Don't get the idea that this a just a "nowhere man" look-alike. This quality instrument features a real spruce top and beautiful flamed maple back and sides. The semi-hollow body and set neck will give you the warm, round tone you expect from the violin bass. Rosewood fretboard, sunburst finish.The Icon Series Vintage Bass is featured in the video game Guitar Hero II for PlayStation 2.

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Hofner H65/50 Original Violin Bass Leather Strap Review

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(More customer reviews)Well crafted product for the Hofner violin bass.It was quite simple to attach this strap to my bass even though there were written instructions that came along with it. It is not only very functional but also adds greatly to the appearance of the instrument. I highly recommend this item!

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The Original Beatles Bass Strap. Made from quality dark brown leather with the vintage sixties design. Perfect for any Hofner Bass, but also fits other bass models.

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Musician's Gear Electric Bass Case Violin Shaped (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)This is a special case. I you didn't know that before. It's made for a hofner, which is great, but that's not the part that bothers me. It's that a hofner doesn't even fit in the case. You create a special case for a specific instrument and it doesn't even fit.
I mean you can MAKE it fit. But inside, there is a Styrofoam piece that causes the bass to stick up. So when you go the close it the strings get in the way so you can't close it. You basically have to have a friend sit on the top of it, while you lock it. It made me very nervous because I thought I was going to damage the bass in someway.
Anyways, one day I was fed up with it, and ripped it out, which made it fit, but now it's really loose inside the case. Which I'm afraid will damage it more.
All in all, not a good case.

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These hardshell cases combine all the necessary elements for a high-quality, reliable case that provides excellent protection for your electric bass. They are made with 5-ply cross-laminate woods that can stand up to a great deal of pressure. The exterior has a well-secured, tolex-type covering. The neck piece is screwed in for years of use. We line the interior with a soft foam that keeps the guitar well protected and firmly in place. These cases for viola shaped electric basses are a fantastic value at their low price. They come with a limited lifetime warranty..

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