The Last Bass Outpost
Gear Discussion Forums => Other Bass Brands => Topic started by: drbassman on April 10, 2008, 03:46:44 PM
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I was at the shop today and the guys told me that they had Hofner Club Icons and CTs coming in so I put my name in for one. Should be interesting to see the Clubs in the lower priced construction. Either way, I'll walk away with one if they are at least respectable.
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Do you still have your German-made Club?
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I sold it last year to buy my Gretsch Thunder Jet bass. I really prefer the Gretsch, it's got more mass without being too heavy. I like the slightly wider neck and the chambered body sounds as good as the Hofner. I play the T J at gigs all the time. It usually goes along with a TB to each one.
I do miss that hollow plunky sound of the Club, so I thought I'd give one of low end ones a try.
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I've seen the Chinese Contemporary Club and it's really nice! I haven't played it, but I did have the Cont. violin at home for some weeks and it's nice!
There's also a CS Club coming!
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I've seen the Chinese Contemporary Club and it's really nice! I haven't played it, but I did have the Cont. violin at home for some weeks and it's nice!
There's also a CS Club coming!
What's the difference between the 2?
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If you mean the difference between the Contemporary Club Bass and the Contemporary violin: Both made in China woth some German parts (pick ups and more). The violin one is voilin shaped and the club is more Les Paul shaped. A slightly bogger body, so maybe more bass? I haven't heard the club amplified.
And now I see a strange coincidence: Contemporary Series = CS./ Custom Shop - CS :) Confusing!!
I meant that Höfner now also has a Custom Shop with very expensive German made custom coloured Club Basses,
Between ContSrs and CustShp are the normal German made Höfners.
In Holland:
Cont Series: 650 euros
German Hofners: 2.000 euros
Custom Shop: Not yet available but I guess 3000+?
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I assumed the Icon was all Chinese and the CT has more German parts. Am I correct?
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I haven't seen the Icon in real life, but I heard it's just a cheap thing. The Cont. Series has German pick ups and is really well made!
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I've played an Icon violin bass. It was as good as other clones at the lower end of the market, i.e. decent but not great. It didn't look or sound quite like the originals, but that's to be expected.
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The Cont series sounds good. They are very like originals, but they have a wooden block in the body. I compared it to a real one and it was close. The guy who was married to this original liked the Chinese one too.
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I still have my '65-'66. It is a fun bass to play, I've got the intonation darn close. It does not get much use but I jammed with it a tearago with some friend who have a American roots rock gig and it sounded great ! My usual distortion/sustain was replaced by swelling feed back the bass really sings ! I'm curious to check out you club when it arrives Bill !
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Yep, it's supposed to be in this week at the HOG, so we'll see. Now I've got to sell something to pay for it!!!
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A Club guitar came in and I am so tempted to buy it, what a nice 6 stringer! Still waiting on the bass.
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I received a mail from Höfner after I asked some questions for this bass magazine I'm writing for. The Custom Shop is US only! Höfner Germany ships bare bodies to the states. The Custom Shop there will finish them and put the hardware on, as ordered by the customer.
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That's strange. I wasn't aware they had any facility in the US, and I would be surprised if it's actually company-owned. More likely some kind of contract arrangement.
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Just proves nothing is impossible in the business world.
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Hello to all,
FYI, here's the difference between the Icon B-Bass and the Contemporary HCT500/1 Violin bass.
Icon B-Bass is 100% made in China. Available in Trans Black, Sunburst and new custom colours. The Icon is also available in as the Club bass and Club guitar.
HCT500/1 is also made in China, but has German made reissue type 511 Staple pickups and surrounds installed in it. Everything else is Chinese made. This bass is very similar to a German made 500/1. There is NO Contemporary Club Bass! There is a CT guitar, but no bass. Available in sold black and brownburst.
As mentioned by Chris P in a presious posting, the HCT500/1 does have a solid block of wood mounted in the body of the bass positioned between the top and back of the instrument. The block eliminates the "hollowness" that's always associated with semi-acoustic basses, makng the bass sound more like a solid body bass.
I personally own a HCT500/1 (pictured below), and have been very impressed with it and i'm an good ole boy when it comes to Hofners.
TD
(http://www3.sympatico.ca/casselman/CT-Bass-1_A.jpg)
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Thanks!
But I have the 2008 brochure with a brand new Contemporary Series Club bass! And I saw it at the Messe! (It isn't on the site though...)
Price in euros is the same as the violin: 650 euros. Available in black and sunburst. Modell numers: HCT-CB-SB or HCT-CB-BK.
The Icon series isn't in this brochure. Didn't knew it had a Club too!
I can scan the brochure if you like?
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Chris, you must have seen a prototype. But there is currently no production Contemporary Series Club Bass available.
Here's a statement from Nate Lemy of Hofner Canada regarding this topic that i've copied off the Hofner Hounds website. This was posted just a couple of days ago by Nate.
"There is no Contemporary Club bass on the price list - perhaps one day it will be added. The thing to remember is that even though Hofner is a "big" brand (lots of history, cool gear, love, fans, etc) it's a small company, so it's really hard to respond immediately to every inquiry or qualify every comment regarding delivery times."
TD
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Hi there! I totally believe your story. But I talked to a Höfner CEO about it. I'll mail him again for an explanation. Could it be it's Europe only for a whil? The Custom Shop is US-only, so it could be?
In the meanwhile: Here are some bad pictures from the 2008 Messe-brochure with model numbers, prices, pics, ..
(http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k165/chrispdekker/IMG_5264.jpg)
(http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k165/chrispdekker/IMG_5265.jpg)
(http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k165/chrispdekker/IMG_5266.jpg)
(http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k165/chrispdekker/IMG_5267.jpg)
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Interesting. Looks like the home office has neglected to tell the Canadian division.
The corporate communication channels must be clogged up.
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The block eliminates the "hollowness" that's always associated with semi-acoustic basses, making the bass sound more like a solid body bass.
TD
Thornton, having played all three basses (Icon, Cont. and German), can you give a description of how the two lower priced models compare to the German 500/1? Does the Contemporary sound so different that it wouldn't 'work' for someone who wanted that Beatle Bass sound? I'm drawn to the supposed better quality of the Contemporary, but it would be less attractive if it didn't sound like a Beatle Bass to me.
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I compared the Contemporary Series violin to a real one. Not a 60s model, but a German 80s model with both pick ups near the neck.
The CS is very Beatle-ish. Instantly recognizable. Slightly heavier than the real deal, but I hardly can't use the word 'heavier'. Less light? It still weighs like nothing.
The same with sustain. It has a bit more sustain, but that could be due to the newer strings to.
It's well made, it sounds good and for that price tag its great!
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Thornton, having played all three basses (Icon, Cont. and German), can you give a description of how the two lower priced models compare to the German 500/1? Does the Contemporary sound so different that it wouldn't 'work' for someone who wanted that Beatle Bass sound? I'm drawn to the supposed better quality of the Contemporary, but it would be less attractive if it didn't sound like a Beatle Bass to me.
OldManC, fyi both Icon and Contemporary Series of basses come with cheaply made poor quality Chinese made ROUNDWOUND strings on them from the factory. The first thing that I did with my HCT500/1 was to replace them with another set of roundwounds. I had a new set of short scale D'Addario's XL-160S that I was keeping for a rainy day and decided to put them on. They work well on this bass.
As I mentioned above, the HCT500/1 has a block of wood sandwiched between the top and the back of the bass that runs the full length of the body. The result is that it does three things in my opinion;
- adds structural strength to the instrument
- adds sustain to the instrument (giving it more of a solid body sound)
- eliminates the hollow body sound associated with semi-acoustic ibasses
I have to mention to you that I don't gig with my HCT500/1. It's what I call a recreational bass for me. I don't take it to the studio or anywhere else for that matter. I bought it because I wanted to have a new well made Hofner violin bass that I didn't have to invest $2000 + in, only just to have it sit around the house. I've been there and done that a couple of times before. I gig and record with Musicman Stringray 5's only. The Icon B-Bass was not a bass that I wanted to own, so I bought the CT.
I'm running out of time right now, but l'll come back later on today and give you my feelings on the 3 versions Hofner is offering.
TD
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Interesting. Looks like the home office has neglected to tell the Canadian division.
The corporate communication channels must be clogged up.
Perhaps I can help a bit, since I am "the Canadian Division".
- Hofner in Europe has a catalogue, a pricelist, a website, a plant and so forth.
- Hofner in North America is distributed by CMI. CMI has a SEPARATE pricelist, NO website, a distribution centre, a custom shop as mentioned above, and so forth.
Not everything in the European catalogue is available in North America.
The CT Club bass is not on the CMI pricelist. Yet.
I guess there is a bit of confusion about this because the interweb doesn't differentiate between posts from Europe, the US, or elsewhere.
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Okay! Thanks for explaining. I guess it's just a question of time then. before you'll have it at the other side of the ocean!
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Sure thing. Also,
Contemporary = CT not CS
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Thanks for the clarification, Nate.
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FYI, Nate and I have been friends for a number of years, we live in the same city and chat many times every year. This morning I asked him to take a look at this page and comment back to me on the CT Club bass being included in the Hofner product catalog. I didn't expect that he would join the board and post the information that he did, but i'm glad that he did. So Nate, as i've said many times to you in the past, thanks.
TD
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Thornton and nate: And please stay with us to share info, rock 'n roll stories and more!
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Still waiting for the Club.
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That's bad, especially cos we're talking 'bout it all the time here:(
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Thanks to both Thornton and Nate for your responses. And I look forward to your continued input!
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I don't think Nate and I will be going anywhere. We're happy to share our knowledge with everyone. I will tell you guys that Nate is a expert on Hofner guitars. Especially, big body jazz Hofner's. But his knowledge of German made guitars is extensive and he's a great resource for information.
You were asking about the differences between the Chinese made Icon Series and the Contemporary Series compared to German made models.
These are my opinions, so take them for what you will.
Icon B-Bass, 100% made in China available in a horrible 3-tone sunburst and a nice transparent black finish. This is a instrument that's designed to appeal to the student and the first time bass buyer. Comes standard with a set of not so good Chinese made roundwound strings. It compares to the other Chinese made violin basses in the market like Rogue, Johnson, Turser, ect.
The pickups are a poor copy of the staple pickup with large surrounds like those found on Hofners made after 1965. The pickguard is made from a very bright white plastic material and the control panel plate is also made from the same material. The control panel switches are black and not really very attractive IMO.
These are nice and sound very similar to their German counterpart. The neck has dot position markers located on the side for reference by the player something the German made Hofner's don't have. The Contemporary Series basses also has these reference markers on the neck.
Contemporary Series Bass, are 90% made in China. They're available in a beautiful brownburst or solid black finish. These are fitted with German made type 511 "Staple" pickups with small surrounds. These are the pickups installed in German made basses. Everything else is Chinese made. I must say that the quality of the reproduction components used on the Contemporary Series (CT) basses are excellent. The body shape of the CT HCT500/1 is also identical in shape to that of the German made 500/1v62 and v63 basses. The neck is 3 piece and identical in shape to a 500/1v63, thin and fast. Of course, as mentioned before the CT has a center block mounted in the body. It runs the length of the body between the top and the back of the bass. The purpose is to add sustain and give it more of a modern sound like that of a solid body instrument. Needless to say, the CT doesn't sound like it's German made 500/1v63 counterpart. These also leave the factory with those same cheap Chinese made roundwound strings found on the Icon-B-Bass. I think the CT bass would appeal to anyone wanting a Hofner violin bass but don't want to or can't afford a German made 500/1, especially at the price point these are selling for. The quality of the build, components and finish are excellent and I think will impress anyone picking one up to play it.
TD
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That's bad, especially cos we're talking 'bout it all the time here:(
Thanks for all of the info. I got all these different Hofners figured out at last. Sure hope the Club comes in soon.
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Haven't posted to this thread in a long time, but I've had my Club for a couple years now and love playing it. I love the thumpy sound of the stock strings, but the sound is a bit undefined and the rest of my band tends to drown me out.
So, just for kicks, I removed the stock strings and put DA half-rounds on (my new favorite strings) and it sounds good! This probbaly Hofner sacrilege, but all's fair in rock and roll. The half rounds are considered a mellow string still but noticeably brighter than flats. The nice thing about them is they are not brash like regular rounds and easy on your fingers. The real test will come at practice next week. So, far, they sound great and just enough more distinct to make rocking with the band more effective.
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I don't think it's sacrilege at all. Try it and see if it works in the band.
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Makes sense to me. I put Labella flats on my Gretsch 5123 and got lost in the mix the same way. Put the original rounds back on and I can hear myself better. Old rounds aren't bad.
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I just bought Dadarrio Half rounds for both my basses...hope I like 'em...
I had GHS flats on both, and while I liked the sound with fingers and with pick, slap was out of the question. Now slap is no longer a big part of my life, but every now and again, I like it. I don't want to do without the technique...
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I played Half Rounds for years before I switched to Chrome Flats about 10 years ago. I went to Half Rounds after destroying my frets with Rotos. They provided good definition and much less zing than rounds. A good solution to land between rounds and flats. That being said, I don't see myself giving up flats anytime soon ,but if I did, it would be back to Half Rounds. Rounds are pretty much out of the picture for me and I don't see myself going back to them at all .
Rick
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Played the Club all weekend with the half rounds and it sounds great. I really do prefer the increased mids and highs of these strings. I love the sound of a hollow body with flats, but in the average rock band, you just get lost in a sea of thump. A little definition goes a long way.
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Everything has its place and time. Flats on a Hoffie can do well for recording, or at a gig for certain kinds of music at moderate volume.
I've never had a problem with rounds and fret wear, however that's with nickel rounds. I have never used Rotos or any other stainless rounds. I've seen what they can do to frets. Not my sound anyway.
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Gonna try the Club at practice Thursday night with the Mesa Prodigy amp. ;D
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I haven't played my '65-'66 live in a while. What I loved about it is you can get this beautiful blooming sustain out of it buy controlling the feedback. At the moment have serious GAS for a Cavern 500/1 bass.
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Yeah, at volume, the bass really sounds great and the sustain/near feedback is really fun to play with. I'm really looking forward to practice with it.
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played a job Saturday in a huge ballroom at horseshoe casino in cinti...Half rounds were good...deep rich bottom end, ok highs but not obnoxious...slap sound was subtle and tasteful...
They seem high tension, but the bass played real good with them on...
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played a job Saturday in a huge ballroom at horseshoe casino in cinti...Half rounds were good...deep rich bottom end, ok highs but not obnoxious...slap sound was subtle and tasteful...
They seem high tension, but the bass played real good with them on...
That sounds promising. I didn't notice the tension, seems fine to me. I'm taking my Club with half rounds to practice tomorrow night. I'm hoping for good things when paired with the Mesa Prodigy rig.
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They feel stiff, but that doesn't necessarily mean they're putting high tension on the neck. I remember them as being moderate tension; then again, it's been years.
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I noticed on my upright, that I had to move the bridge saddles back to play in tune with the side dots...I assumed this was because the neck pulled forward a hair from higher string tension.
The Precision seemed fine.
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No intonation issues on the Club or a TB they are on.