The Last Bass Outpost
Gear Discussion Forums => Other Bass Brands => Topic started by: drbassman on October 27, 2011, 05:00:36 AM
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OK, I've really been enjoying my GC Gretsch bass and I was missing my old Hoffy Club. Then I was looking at the new President reissue bass at the Hofner site. I gotta say, it's a beauty and the price point is very good. I know it's a bit crazy (nothing out of character for me) but I'm seriously thinking of selling some more gear and getting another Club and maybe even the Prez.
Gonna call the HOG today and see what I can do.
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Yeah I like the president, go Bill!
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Yeah I like the president, go Bill!
Kurt is on speed dial today! I'm thinking the Prez instead of the jumbo LP.
I have a confession to make. I did just sell the White Falcon (made in Japan) and have enough to buy a new German-made Club. So............
Also have a bunch of parts up on eBay and a couple more basses to unload on down the road.
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Ah the circle of life.
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I played the President and she's gorgeous. A German version will follow next year.
The Contemporary Series Verythin is nice too!
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Ah the circle of life.
What a great way to look at it!!! ;D
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I played the President and she's gorgeous. A German version will follow next year.
The Contemporary Series Verythin is nice too!
I kinda figured! I might be able to make due with the oriental version if it sounds as good as the GC Broadkaster.
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I did it. I pulled the trigger. Waiting to hear about delivery time.................. :P
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cograts
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cograts
Thanks. I'll share once I know more. Waiting for delivery estimates........
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Cool! I've never owned a Hofner, thought about it but it's never happened, probably won't. Looking forwards to pictures!
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I had a really nice Club a few years back and got GAS for a Ric and sold it. Had the Ric for a year or so and got tired of it. SOld the Ric and bought who knows what, I can't keep track!!!!
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What a great way to look at it!!! ;D
Have you noticed how the bass clef circles in on itself, black-hole event-horizon like... ;D
Rather surprised you sold the Falcon though... Scott did sum it up rather poetically though... 8)
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Have you noticed how the bass clef circles in on itself, black-hole event-horizon like... ;D
Rather surprised you sold the Falcon though... Scott did sum it up rather poetically though... 8)
Yeah, being a bass player/collector is a black hole experience for sure!!! ;D After living with the WF for awhile, I realized it was just too big and way too gaudy for me to really appreciate and play. So, I threw it up on eBay on a lark and pow, someone bought right away. So, that got me thinking about replacing a bass I missed and the Club was top of the list. So, we're off to the races!
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ETA for the basses: Club in 4 weeks and President sometime thereafter. Whoohoo!
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ETA for the basses: Club in 4 weeks and President sometime thereafter. Whoohoo!
Ah, the definition of a GOOD double-dipper! :toast:
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Ah, the definition of a GOOD double-dipper! :toast:
The hard part is the waiting! Thnakfully I've got the GC bass to keep me occupied! ;D
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Love my old club bass. always felt better than the beatle bass with the larger body. Lots of crackly mojo on mine.... he is a picture to get you more excited...
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i will add however that the new construction on the Contemp basses is very noticable when playing and IMHO it sounds and plays much better than the vintage ones. Feels so much less frail than the old ones and the pickup has more umph.... I was restringing when i took the picture.
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Wow Jim, very nice basses! I know the German basses are a bit pricey, but I love the craftsmanship and it's a good deal going from a Japanese Gretsch to a German Hofner. I'll have a chance to evaluate the CT series when I get the President. I was always pretty happy with my prior Club's tone. Yes, they are light and feel fragile, but that's probably more perception that reality after holding and playing solid body basses that weigh 7 lbs. or more.
The Club I ordered is a special edition with Cavern spaced pups (both closer to the heel), the Diamond pups and a hand applied shellac finish. Gonna look like an old violin!!!! The Hofner rep said the bass is actually on the bench right now. they have the body and neck all ready to go, they just have to rout, install the electronics and hardware. Not sure about final finishing. 4 weeks and counting.
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I love my old Beatle bass, transition model '65-'66. I would agree that the new German made ones are better than my vintage bass. But I love mine even with the poorly reset neck. My dad drove me out to the RIT ( Rochester Institute of Tech.) Apartments in '73 in his '73 black Thunderbird. It was a crappy winter evening and we really should have stayed home but I was so hot for this bass lol We walked in to this hippy apartment, flat black walls, black draps,black lights and dayglo......................and a fish tank. We walked in to the living room and there it was placed on the couch for me to view. I don't think I was ever more excited or happy in my life. My dad after asking many times "are you sure this is what you want?" Opened up his wallet and and handed over the then large sum of $125.00. I was one happy camper with that bass riding home in the back seat. Bill congrats on your new Hofner, sounds like a beauty!(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v102/godofthunder59/100_2238.jpg)
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Thanks Scott. Ain't it grand what our parents did for us back in the day when they really didn't have a lot of money in the first place!?! My Dad did almost the exact same thing. When I told him I was going to be the bass player in our little band, he took me down to the local music store and I pick out a new 63 CAR jazz bass (cuz the Beach Boys played Fenders) and an Ampeg B-15 amp. It had to have cost him $500. Was I ever in heaven too! Sure wish I had the brains to have kept both of them, but marriage and bills got the better of me. I should have ditched the wife and kept the equipment! She didn't last all that long anyway and I'm sure the stuff is still around!! ;D
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Oh well at least we can buy replacements for stuff we foolishly sold! You should have see the look on my dads face when we went to the HOG for a case and they told him $100! :o In the end he paid for that as well.
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Adjusted for inflation, our folks paid more for those guitars and basses than you would today. More of a bite out of their income. My dad paid $99 in 1959 for my first guitar, a Melody Maker. That's $772 in today's dollars. Granted, the new ones aren't exactly the same as the old, but the street price on a new one is now $489.
I'm not sure what this means other than that we can be grateful for what our parents bought and grateful for the relatively lower prices today. Maybe it also means that certain persons with severe GAS can use it to justify buying more. ;D
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In the summer of -63 I had my first job. Worked at a power plant that was being built way up north in the mountains. Learnt to drink hard liquor. I was fifteen.
Did the same the following summer, with the difference that I put my money in a better place. And that's a Hofner violin bass. Cost me quite exactly $100.00. Which was an almost identical sum to what I earned in a month.
In the summer of -65 I got my first steady job. For my first pay I bought a suit, white shirt, black shoes, and a tie. What was I thinking? Where was I heading? Well, I'm glad my path changed, and I feel I'm younger than that now. ;D
Wish I'd kept that bass. And the Club bass I bought after the violin one. Plus, of course, the Epiphone Rivoli I bought thereafter. And.... :bored:
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Adjusted for inflation, our folks paid more for those guitars and basses than you would today. More of a bite out of their income. My dad paid $99 in 1959 for my first guitar, a Melody Maker. That's $772 in today's dollars. Granted, the new ones aren't exactly the same as the old, but the street price on a new one is now $489.
I'm not sure what this means other than that we can be grateful for what our parents bought and grateful for the relatively lower prices today. Maybe it also means that certain persons with severe GAS can use it to justify buying more. ;D
Agreed. My folks bought my Ripper for me at quite a price - it was a Christmas present - acutally most of my Christmas that year if I remember correctly :) Looking back on it I realize now that we, me and brothers, always had a really good Christmas and my folks never gave that much to each other. Was pretty much the same the rest of the year as well.
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Thinking of that first Melody Maker, I still have the hand drawn lesson sheets from my first guitar teacher. One of them has a note written at the bottom "remember the students of today are the stars of tomorrow." Guess I didn't apply myself enough!
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My start was a piano... a freebie from a friend of my mum; all we had to pay was delivery which was about £5 ($15?) back in the late sixties... had a couple of dead keys but that was the primary start for me... Started double bass at school about '68 and took an interest in drums too but didn't get my first electric (an EB2 copy with a single pup by the neck, floating bridge and a bolt-on neck) until I started work... I had no financial "free" help with any of my own musical purchases... dad had a strict policy of "if you want something, you have to work for it..." He did act as a guarantor for my RD when I bought that on hp over 9 months though but the PC and the Hiwatt purchases were almost all hard-work cash or short term loans...
Like Dave mentioned about about applying yourself, I gave it 18 months once I had a trade behind me but went back to the "real world" in '83...
The only part I have of the EB copy is the name-plate off the neck... Like Stjofön, I wish I had kept this bass, but I remember Scott talking about that first Hofner and regretting letting her go, and replacing years later... I have had a watch on e8ay for a few years and only seen one come up, but I would never dream of parting with what the beast went for, considering it was soo bad, in reality, that it would only have been a wall-hanger...
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same here. i had to buy my own gear. first bass was a 60's pawn shop univox something or other.
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Well, I was probably a little spoiled to say the least, but both my parents grew up quite poor (dad - coal miner family; mom - orphanage for 6 years after grandma died) and I know this was their way of somehow trying to erase some of the memories. I do admire you guys who had to do it all yourself. My parents wouldn't let me work, except in the summers. They insisted I only attend school during the rest of the year and get the best grades possible. They were obsessed with education.
I paid them back by following their insistance on higher education, earning 3 college degrees, being totally independent and not moving back in with them to live in their basement! Their dream was to go to college, which neither of them did, but they worked hard and made it without college or help from anyone. Amazing people from an amazing generation. Their influence on my life is indelible.
What a nice walk down memory lane guys, thanks!
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I haven't had to wish for my first bass back - by more good fortune than anything, I still have it.
My dad taught Ag Engineering at WSU for more than 30 years - my mom just finished high school, but was a very active learner throughout her life. They were incredibly supportive of all four kids' interests, although dad found it was easier to identify with his three sons than with his daughter. Mom hung tight with my sister, who is now the most independent sibling and is a relief veterinarian based south of Seattle and who works in Washington, Oregon and Idaho.
When I was 17 (1967) I had been playing upright bass in orchestra for 5 years, starting in Jr. High. I wanted to try this electric bass thing, and my parents found someone in Spokane who had a Precision bass, Bassman head and 2x15 cabinet for sale. They bought them for me, and my best guess at the price (based only on very dim memory) is $300.
The P-bass is a '63 version, originally white, and my best guess is that it was Olympia White. But the paint was all chipped up, which I have always disliked. I took it to a local auto body ship and had it repainted Ford gold metallic, which is its current color. I remember that in 1972 the band was playing for the Jr. Miss Pagent, which was held in Pullman. I got up on Saturday AM and grabbed the P to practice, only to discover that the truss rod had snapped and the neck was badly bowed. In my '66 GTO I made a screaming fast run to Hoffman music in Spokane, and got there just in time to have their repair guy replace the neck before he left at noon. The pageant was on Monday night, so this was "just in time."
For a few years in college I played that with a local big band made up of the band and orchestra teachers in town; it was a white dinner jacket group, and it was fun to play with the guys who had taught me. Carrying that 2x15 cab up the back stage stairs at the Moscow (ID) Elks club was a real chore.
In 1973 I finished my bachelor's degree and moved out into the world, leaving the bass gear behind - not to retrieve it until 1996, when my parents moved from the big country house into the smaller house in town. (I would be back from 1974-1979 living in one of the outbuildings on the property after a couple of jobs went south on me; I entered grad school but didn't get back into music at that time. At least it wasn't the basement.....)
One speaker in that 2x15 had obviously been worked too hard and had a weak cone that started fuzzing every time I pushed the volume. For the big band it wasn't a problem, as I didn't need much volume. I later found the cab had one Fender JBl D130F and one mystery speaker. A couple of years ago I pulled the JBL out of the cab and sold the with the other speaker for $100. I sold the D130F separately for about $130. I kept the blackface Bassman, had it re-capped and a grounded power cord added.
Here's the P in its current incarnation:
(http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j306/apowell1/Electric%20Basses/P-bass.jpg)
Here's the inside of the 2x15 cab as I got it:
(http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j306/apowell1/Electric%20Basses/Bassmanwithspeakersfrom60s.jpg)
The Bassman and cab are seen in the background of this shot:
(http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j306/apowell1/Electric%20Basses/Photo_112107_004.jpg)
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Yeah, that generation who heard radio for the first time. Saw cars. Aeroplanes. War. Electricity. Television. Not to mention movies! Modern bathrooms! Modern kitchens! Getting rid of the fear for TBC!!! Moonlanding! They went through that, without goin insane. And that's really miracoulous, I think. How the world changed, in front of their eyes, and they were the first ones to watch it happening. And I guess you've noticed that I haven't mentioned the birth of the electric guitar. Or the miracle of the electric bass!!! :o
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My dad was born in Helltown, PA in 1919 (now an area near Irwin, PA). He told me that when he was a kid, he saw horse drawn carriages moving up and down the streets in town. My mom was born in Doe Run, MO (near Farmington MO) in 1921 to a family that was quite poor.
During their lifetimes, we went from horse drawn carriages to interstate highways, microwave ovens, computers, and a man walking on the moon.
No other generation in the history of humankind witnessed such a radical change in technology, environment and living conditions. Dad passed away in 1997 of pancreatic cancer - mom's body wore out in 2008. They were a remarkable pair of people whose lives completely changed in ways they couldn't have guessed when they were kids.
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My mom bought me my first guitar for Christmas 1965. After that, I decided I wanted to play bass and the rest as they say is history. I've owned many Hofner 500/1 basses over the past four decades and loved each one of them. A few years ago while I was in Germany on business I had the rare opportunity to visit and tour Hofner's factory in Hagenau.
Here's a photo of me in 1968 with my first Hofner 500/1 (a 65 or 66).
(http://i498.photobucket.com/albums/rr347/Thornton_Davis/Northmount69.jpg)
Here's my current 500/1
(http://i498.photobucket.com/albums/rr347/Thornton_Davis/front_close_right_A.jpg)
These are in my blood.
TD
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Very cool pics and stories in this thread, and perfect timing for me - a friend just scanned a photo from our high school yearbook - my parents always supported my musical interests, especially my dad. I'm playing my first Fender, a Fender Japan P reissue, probably bought around 1984, one of the JV serial numbers. It was black with tort pickguard, I later had another P pup put in.
(http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/5135/harryfirstpbass.jpg)
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Great stories guys! You and I have some things in common Al. My Dad grew up in the coal mining region of Scranton, PA. Went into the Army at 17 and ended up at Pearl Harbor when it was attacked by the Japanese.
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That way the controls of the violin bass is the same as the ones I used to use. Is there really any other way to do it, if you wanna have a bullet and a bit rumble in the sound? Anyone who's used to setting the controls any other way? For what purpose?
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I can tell you first-hand that McCartney has the controls on his '63 exactly like that, with little pieces of gaffer tape rolled up and stuck in the spaces of the switches to secure them permanently in that position.
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this has turned into a great thread. one of my favorites ever. I remember my dad having to drive me to gigs before i could get a drivers license or afford a car. Used to squeeze my svt cab into the back seat of his car (monte carlo and then duster) for block party gigs.. Started gigging at 16 and you had to be 17 to get a license in NYC and then you had to afford a car.... that was 2 plus years laterbefore i could buy my first car - 1972 Ford Capri - $1200 thenmagain i paid 172 for my first new Fender p bass and the case was 40 extra...
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OK, this thread is going well, so let's keep it up! I loved the pictures. So, here I am with my 63 jazz playing Beach Boys, surf, Orbison, Chuck Berry. Pre-Beatles invasion. Here she is.......
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/drbassman/Fender%20Pics/63jazzbass2.jpg)
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Ooops, found another one. Man I miss that bass!!!
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/drbassman/Fender%20Pics/63jazzbass1.jpg)
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Kenny I did let her go but got her back ! I'll post the story tomorrow I'm tired.
My start was a piano... a freebie from a friend of my mum; all we had to pay was delivery which was about £5 ($15?) back in the late sixties... had a couple of dead keys but that was the primary start for me... Started double bass at school about '68 and took an interest in drums too but didn't get my first electric (an EB2 copy with a single pup by the neck, floating bridge and a bolt-on neck) until I started work... I had no financial "free" help with any of my own musical purchases... dad had a strict policy of "if you want something, you have to work for it..." He did act as a guarantor for my RD when I bought that on hp over 9 months though but the PC and the Hiwatt purchases were almost all hard-work cash or short term loans...
Like Dave mentioned about about applying yourself, I gave it 18 months once I had a trade behind me but went back to the "real world" in '83...
The only part I have of the EB copy is the name-plate off the neck... Like Stjofön, I wish I had kept this bass, but I remember Scott talking about that first Hofner and regretting letting her go, and replacing years later... I have had a watch on e8ay for a few years and only seen one come up, but I would never dream of parting with what the beast went for, considering it was soo bad, in reality, that it would only have been a wall-hanger...
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Pre Beatle ! Wow that's cool, I remember a qoute from (I think)Mike Love that went something like "when The Beatles hit we were uncool over night" man that must have been a tough pill to swallow
OK, this thread is going well, so let's keep it up! I loved the pictures. So, here I am with my 63 jazz playing Beach Boys, surf, Orbison, Chuck Berry. Pre-Beatles invasion. Here she is.......
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/drbassman/Fender%20Pics/63jazzbass2.jpg)
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I remember reading an interview with Paul Revere in which he commented about how the Beatles changed popular music with the Sgt. Peppers album. If you recall, Paul Revere and the Raiders were a pretty popular band in the mid-60's.
He was talking about how his group was still rocking along pretty well, until "...then the Beatles brought out Sgt Peppers, and the rest of us looked at each other and said 'What the hell do we do now'??"
I think it was right about that time that I talked my folks into buying that old P and amp for me.
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Dear Dr! Is that pic really pre Beatles invasion? You guys got quite long hair, that's what I'm thinking of.
And Dr, do you happen to have a set list from those days? Would love to see one, just to compare with a set list of my own band from the days. Including familiar stuff like The Rivieras fine version of Let's have a party http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYz6F7Tb3bs
Or this one, though I bet it's completely new to your ears: Pistoleros by our own North Sweden group, The Shanes. Four miners kids able to do music I really loved, and love. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9fP2i9KVQc&feature=related
Or Gunfight saloon http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECy0H1mvLrE&NR=1 The Shanes first singles all had namnes connected to the wildest of west: The West! The ripper, Gunrider, Tin star. Such song titles. All instrumental!
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Pre Beatle ! Wow that's cool, I remember a qoute from (I think)Mike Love that went something like "when The Beatles hit we were uncool over night" man that must have been a tough pill to swallow
Yeah, we transitioned pretty quickly too! It was a bit sad and exciting at the same time! It was a blast being a band in the early 60's, no matter what we played.
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I remember reading an interview with Paul Revere in which he commented about how the Beatles changed popular music with the Sgt. Peppers album. If you recall, Paul Revere and the Raiders were a pretty popular band in the mid-60's.
He was talking about how his group was still rocking along pretty well, until "...then the Beatles brought out Sgt Peppers, and the rest of us looked at each other and said 'What the hell do we do now'??"
I think it was right about that time that I talked my folks into buying that old P and amp for me.
Yep, we played all of the Paul Revere tunes. They remained very popular with the crowds, even with the British invasion.
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Dear Dr! Is that pic really pre Beatles invasion? You guys got quite long hair, that's what I'm thinking of.
And Dr, do you happen to have a set list from those days? Would love to see one, just to compare with a set list of my own band from the days. Including familiar stuff like The Rivieras fine version of Let's have a party
Well, you are correct in that picture was after the invasion started and was a transition time for us. Probably taken in late 63, early 64. We started playing British tunes as soon as the Beatles hit the radio stations in mid-63, grew our hair out, made lots of changes. Shortly after that pic was taken, we ditched the "uniforms" and went more Stones looking in our appearance. It was a great time.
In retrospect, my jazz might have been a 62 since we had been playing for sometime before the mid-63 invasion. Memory is a terrible thing to lose!
Wow, song list, that's a tough one, but from memory I can just about recreate the most common tunes we did. I'll have to work on that when I have more time!!! We played everything British and a few American groups: Stones, Beatles, Dave Clark 5, Zombies, John Mayall, Kinks, Yardbirds, Cream, The Who, Spencer Davis, Zep, Lovin' Spoonful, Animals, Paul Revere, you name it! We did probably 2-4 tunes from each group, had at least 4 sets.
Funny thing, we called ourselves "The Guardsmen" back in 62 or so before that name was picked up by a national group called "The Royal Guardsmen" who did "Snoopy vs. the Red Baron" in 1966. We thought it was a good name and so did they!
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All right, dear Dr! Now you're talking! But if we leave the British invasion aside, and directs our minds to the time before that, then how did the set lists look?
Another thing: You say you did 4 sets a night. I've never played more than 3 sets/night, about 45 minutes each. So how long were the sets for you. And when did the gig start, and to what time. Here it was from 9-10 pm until 1 am, though I remember from a tour in Denmark that we started around midnight and left stage somewhere close to 5 am. But Denmark is a special thing, in many areas. Lovely country! (Is this gonna be a comparative studie between Northern Europe and US gig scenes? We'll see!) ???
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I remember a qoute from (I think)Mike Love that went something like "when The Beatles hit we were uncool over night" man that must have been a tough pill to swallow
That's funny. I'll bet a LOT of guys felt that way, but it's not surprising coming from him. While Brian used The Beatles as a catalyst to raise his game (which ended up being the challenge that Paul and John needed to raise their game, Mike Love just complained about things...
As a nod to the great feelings and memories in this thread, I won't post my favorite video about Mike Love. ;)
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As a nod to the great feelings and memories in this thread, I won't post my favorite video about Mike Love. ;)
Bad vibrations at the RRHOF?
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18Ua3pPr2gY
:mrgreen:
Please do not watch this if the "F" word is something you are offended by. There are lots of those in this video.
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Hey Bill I still have that album, Snoopy and the Royal Guardsmen! What a great disc it mixed three of my favorite things! Music, airplanes and Snoopy (I loved the Peanuts comic strip as a kid)
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All right, dear Dr! Now you're talking! But if we leave the British invasion aside, and directs our minds to the time before that, then how did the set lists look?
Another thing: You say you did 4 sets a night. I've never played more than 3 sets/night, about 45 minutes each. So how long were the sets for you. And when did the gig start, and to what time. Here it was from 9-10 pm until 1 am, though I remember from a tour in Denmark that we started around midnight and left stage somewhere close to 5 am. But Denmark is a special thing, in many areas. Lovely country! (Is this gonna be a comparative studie between Northern Europe and US gig scenes? We'll see!) ???
Well, we had 4 sets but usually only used 3 of them each gig. It gave us an opportunity to have variety. We actully belonged to the local musicians guild, so we too played 45 minute sets and took 15 minute breaks. We stayed away from the traditional bar scene and did more events and young people's clubs. We had loads of gigs and played all over Ohio. Heck, we played at county fairs, political campaigns, state wide and national conventions, summer outdoor concerts, YMCAs, high schools and lots of college events, frats and sororities. Our manager was pretty good for us.
Our pre-British song list included 409, Surfer Girl, gone Surfing, Walk Don't Run, to name few. I'll post more after I get some sleep!
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That's funny. I'll bet a LOT of guys felt that way, but it's not surprising coming from him. While Brian used The Beatles as a catalyst to raise his game (which ended up being the challenge that Paul and John needed to raise their game, Mike Love just complained about things...
As a nod to the great feelings and memories in this thread, I won't post my favorite video about Mike Love. ;)
Yeah, mike was not up to the challenge! I hate whinners. :o. Funny video George! Guess Mike has a sort of fan club in reverse.
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Hey Bill I still have that album, Snoopy and the Royal Guardsmen! What a great disc it mixed three of my favorite things! Music, airplanes and Snoopy (I loved the Peanuts comic strip as a kid)
I love Peanuts too. I was bummed when they lifted our name, but we broke up in 1966 anyway.
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Kenny this is the saga of my Beatle bass. I got the Hofner in '73 by '75 I was looking for a solid body bass I just couldn't get what I wanted out of the Hofner. I worked the entire summer of '75 washing dishes at a local resturant and saved up $365.00 to get a new EB3. I took lessons at Benson's Music on Hudson Ave in Rochester NY. The owner Mike talked me in to a new Gibson G3. Lets just say me and the G-3 didn't get along (my amp didn't help a Traynor YBA-1 with a single 18) so within six months I traded it for a Moserite and that was a less than smart move. At this point I was very frustrated with my basses and amp situation. One day I walked into the HOG and there was a Ibanez Destroyer and I just feel in love with it. So I traded my Hofner, Moserite and had to cough up $80 bucks! I was very happy with the Destroyer but I regretted trading the Hofner away. I made the deal in late '75 or early '76 I can't remember. It sat in the display case for a few weeks and was gone. :sad: In around 1980 I was recording at a small studio in Rochester and there was a Hofner case in the corner I asked the owner if I could take a look and when I opened the case there was my old Hofner! He would not sell it back to me but promised to call me if he ever changed his mind. In around '82 I saw a add for a Hofner in the paper and wouldn't you know it was my old one the guy from the studio was selling it, he never called me but what are you going to do ? I was super excited at the prospect of getting the bass back but I was going to school and broke, there was no way I could afford it. As it happened my friend Mike Nelson of the Fade Aways was looking for a Hofner So I arranged the deal for him with the understanding if he ever sold I would be his first call. Not the best solution but Mike is a stand up guy and I knew if he ever sold he would get a hold of me. That day came sometime in 1989, Mike called and wanted to sell the Hofner, after all those years I only paid $200 to get it back! Now Mike asks me "hey let me know if you ever want to sell the Hofner" LOL Sorry Mike I ain't selling.
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Wow, great story Scott! It has quite a history. If I had a clue where my old J bass was, I'd be curious, but doubt I'd want to part with the money necessary to retrieve it! You are a lucky guy.
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Great story, Scott! At times I wonder where my own Hofner violin bass went, 45 years ago, but I know it would never be any question of me buying it back. Would be to expensive. But the Club bass, that's the one I really miss. Sure, it was the same bass as the violin, any way you look at it, but there was something to it, that I can't put my finger on.... Maybe it's the fact that they weren't to often seen, those days? ??? I can't remember any other bass I really, really miss. Well, maybe a quite ugly Kay from the 50's that I had for a while, as some kind of reserve if anything would happen. It's the one to the lefter on the first pic that shows when opening the page. http://www.google.se/imgres?q=kay+bass&hl=sv&sa=X&biw=1249&bih=559&tbm=isch&prmd=imvnso&tbnid=_rNhfGYgl4lvZM:&imgrefurl=http://www.junkguitars.com/pictures.html&docid=ZktgsZjWQEPfbM&imgurl=http://www.junkguitars.com/junk4.JPG&w=355&h=485&ei=NvWzTrf4Fejd4QSDtaDeAw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=235&vpy=102&dur=666&hovh=262&hovw=192&tx=114&ty=131&sig=115668535989798121112&page=1&tbnh=107&tbnw=78&start=0&ndsp=31&ved=1t:429,r:1,s:0
Some bad choises, you could say!
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That is a classic story... I knew you got one again a number of years later but that she was the original...!!! stunning... 8)
I'm deviating slightly here; it's me guys, so... the PC Custom... 1975... when I went to buy my Grenn EB2 copy it was an Autumn/Fall evening after work and the shop window faced east the sun was that bright orangey colour you get and reflected into the shop window from a big pane of glass and there was this cherry red Thunderbird with an odd flying V style headstock and all the gold hardware glinting in the sun just caught my eye... damn near tore my eyes out... the owner of the shop was the bass player in a Who tribute band... they played complete albums in their shows... Tommy...! Quadrophenia...! I never knew if this was his bass, just that she was not new; never saw the case that time... all I had was £60 ($100 approx then) and he wanted £220 for the Custom... oh well...
About a year later I was back in the same shop in my then home town of Hounslow (Heathrow is in the same borough) and looking for a new bass... he had this beautiful white Gibson EB2 and this was up for £200... I was short by £25 so a small bit of dealing with dad I got a short term loan and went back to buy her... she was gone... I was devastated... "Yeah well, Bruce Foxton popped in and bought it,you might be interested in this though, third hand now, I'll do you a deal for £180, with a fitted case, bit leary though..."
The PC Custom was back... I could not believe it... £20 cheaper too...!
When he opened the case... "I did warn you... ;D"
The mock snow-leopard lining was a bit of a poke-in-the-eye but the bass just looked perfect when sitting in it...
I had just bought an MEM 2x15 and a Sound City 120 recently and when I played that Thunderbird through them I was truly smitten...
I saw Foxton play the Gibbie on TOTP at a later date... I'd still like to get one one day...
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My Dad (who passed away last month) bought me my first Hofner in 1975, it was my first bass. A year later I sold it to my teacher because I wanted a solid body that didn't look like a violin. I still keep its original teacup knobs. A couple months ago I found that teacher after 36 years (isn't Google great?), he's a professional violinist and lives in the US, he still has that bass and is still playing it! He promised me first dibs on the bass if he ever sells.
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So sorry for your loss, Ilan... shalom...
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So sorry for your loss, Ilan... shalom...
Ilan I am sorry to hear of your Dads passing.
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Me too Ilan, peace and blessings to you and your family.
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me too Ilan...my Dad is 87...I imagine I will be there soon...
Hope all is well...hope everyone is at peace.
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Thanks guys. Funny thing is my Dad never forgot that Hofner, only a couple months ago, while in hospital, he said he regrets selling it. It was a very special bass, he said, we should have kept it. He was a very special man, kind and intelligent.
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Sad for your loss, Ilan. I know how it feels. Lost my dad the summer of 97. He was asleep when I arrived that day, after my older brother had phoned me. A couple of hours before he left for good, he opened his eyes, turned his head towards me, and smiled. Then he turned the other way, smiled at my younger brother (the one I've mentioned earlier on, who's had cancer five times, still never brings it up if noone else does, just goes on in the most positive way), closed his eyes and was gone at midnight.
My mother left six years later. As late as last week I got the notion I should call them up. Felt really glad for a very fast second. Then I remembered. So do us all a favour. Sit down and talk to your parents. Ask questions about them, their relatives and friends, and the way they grew up. Write down the information you get. Which is what I did, when I realized I couldn't talk to my father no more. So my ma gave me answers to everything I wanted to know. Now I can bring the stories to my own kids. Stories of poverty, pride, TBC, and very hard times. It sure has helped me to feel thankful for almost every day I live. ;)
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my dad compiled a book for me about his life before and during the WW2. i talk to him alot about the old days but the book had many family photos and stories i didn't know. it's priceless to me. thank goodness he is still here at age 87 and still playing tennis when he can.
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I heartily endorse the notions above.
If your parents are around, record some oral history - ask them to tell of their life when they were kids - ask them to talk about whatever stands out to them, and probe for big life events.
My dad passed at age 78, my mom at 86. No more chances to ask questions now.
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I got a lot of oral history from my Dad and someday I gotta write it down.
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My folks passed about 14 years ago, Mom at 65, Dad at 70. I wish I had written so much down, no one left to ask.
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My folks passed about 14 years ago, Mom at 65, Dad at 70. I wish I had written so much down, no one left to ask.
My situation was about the same - mom 65, dad 72, about 10 years ago. I've learned a bit more from my mom's sister, but on my dad's side there's no one left.
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Bill when is your bass coming in ? this thread has turned into a bummer. Only the arrival of your new Club can turn it around.
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Should be about 3 more weeks if Kurt's info is correct! I'm loaded up and ready to git her!
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Bill when is your bass coming in ? this thread has turned into a bummer. Only the arrival of your new Club can turn it around.
I have to admit being a little bummed out thinking about stories I didn't get to ask my folks about. But I have my memories! I have a lot of music-gear-related memories with my dad that I wouldn't trade for anything - even if I may have traded the gear!
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I have to admit being a little bummed out thinking about stories I didn't get to ask my folks about. But I have my memories! I have a lot of music-gear-related memories with my dad that I wouldn't trade for anything - even if I may have traded the gear!
Amen! Lots of great memories!
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Got word today that my Club bass is crossing the Atlantic this week! Hope they are right! 8)
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Cool !
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Still waiting patiently........ :-\
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Let me guess, Bruce said two weeks ;)
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Let me guess, Bruce said two weeks ;)
Kurt got an email from the dopey Hofner rep with 30 excuses and a comment that it will be another month. BS! But, I'll wait, I've got the time. Meanwhile, I'll continue my RIC trolling.......... :P
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Lookie what I picked up today! ;D Unbelievable spruce top and flame sides, back and neck. Really nice wood!!! Beautiful hand applied violin style finish. Sounds just like a Hofner should. Took forever, but it sure came out nice!
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/drbassman/Basses/DSCN0857.jpg)
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/drbassman/Basses/DSCN0856.jpg)
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/drbassman/Basses/DSCN0858.jpg)
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/drbassman/Basses/DSCN0859.jpg)
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You, sir, have excellent taste in toys!
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Very pretty!
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That's sharp - congrats! Is that their first club bass offering with the cavern pickup layout?
Been a long time since I've handled a Hoffie, but I remember liking it. That and a Dano Longhorn are two that I'd still love to get my mits on one day.
Love the bass sound in this clip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgyHqJ4U1UE#t=20
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This is probably heresy, but the Allen Woody signature Epi owed ALOT to the Club Bass.
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You, sir, have excellent taste in toys!
Thanks! I sold the gaudy White Falcon to buy this. A great swap IMHO.
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Very pretty!
They really did a great job picking the wood for this bass. Top notch.
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Just beautiful! Man you should have called me and stopped by!
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Just beautiful! Man you should have called me and stopped by!
I was gonna stop by but I had to get back to work for meetings. I was at the HOG maybe 5 minutes! I checked the bass, payed and ran out the door! I'll be back. :)
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Having terrible Hoffie GAS now. Repeat mantra............. I have a '65I have a '65I have a '65I have a '65
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That's sharp - congrats! Is that their first club bass offering with the cavern pickup layout?
Been a long time since I've handled a Hoffie, but I remember liking it. That and a Dano Longhorn are two that I'd still love to get my mits on one day.
Love the bass sound in this clip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgyHqJ4U1UE#t=20
Cool clip, thanks! I had a Club for a couple years and sold it on a whim for a quick profit. I regretted that, so this made up for that stupid idea. When I ordered the bass, I had the choice of pickup spacing, so I chose cavern. I also had the choice of pickups, so I asked for the Diamonds. Really cool look IMHO.
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Having terrible Hoffie GAS now. Repeat mantra............. I have a '65I have a '65I have a '65I have a '65
Hoffie GAS is way more expensive GAS than Klira GAS!!!
Just keep repeating, "I don't need another hollow body!" "I don't need another hollow body!"
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This is probably heresy, but the Allen Woody signature Epi owed ALOT to the Club Bass.
It's not heresy to point that out. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery! I noticed that when I had a Woody of my own. I think the Woody is a great low cost alternative. It's a hell of a bass for the money. I've been tempted to grab another one.
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I watched that video clip again and the tone/clarity he's getting out of that bass is amazing. Hofner's aren't the greatest basses when it comes to clean clear sound. Muddy is part of their charm and I think the Pyramid strings add to the mud. I think you could clear up some of the the mud by putting TI rounds or flats on it. I'm anxious to see how the bass sounds through my Mesa rig on Monday at practice. I'd love to work the bass into our set list. The weight and short scale are super for me!
I did revise the factory set up. They had the action set pretty high for me, so I lowered the bridge, literally down to its lowest setting. It's perfect now and I'm not getting any major string clatter. Didn't have to adjust the rod. The Pyramids are higher tension than I'm used to, but they are still pretty comfy to play. Also had to lower the treble pup to clean things up. It needs to go a little lower, but they have a foam pad under it and I can't go any lower for now. I'm gonna pop the pup out and remove all or some of the foam so I can go a little lower and eliminate some of the pup distortion I'm creating with the lower action.
The neck is perfect in my hand. It's a little fat, but the width makes up for that. A very easy bass to play if you have short fingers.
I'll let you all know how she does. Through the Fender TV amp, she's typical Hofner. Thump, thump, thump! ;D
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Nice. I always liked the look of these better than the violin basses.
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Nice. I always liked the look of these better than the violin basses.
Yeah, the Les Paul look is classic and has more eye appeal for me. The sound is the same!
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This is probably heresy, but the Allen Woody signature Epi owed ALOT to the Club Bass.
Sure! I was lucky enuff to chat with Woody many years back when Govt.Mule and my band were appearing on the same TV show. I had my Hofner with me, and he dug it, he was into Hofners big time.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v383/iamthebassman/suncity006-1.jpg)
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I honestly like the look of the Violin bass better.................................so classic so Beatle!
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sweet bass. my club is much more mojoed, sounds great. love the cavern spacing... ENJOY!!!!
(http://i890.photobucket.com/albums/ac102/desantisjn/other%20brands%20-/hofnerclub.jpg)
(http://i890.photobucket.com/albums/ac102/desantisjn/other%20brands%20-/hofnerclubbackb1.jpg)
i always preferred the club body to my old beatle bass. i have a contemp BB now and it sounds really nice buti prefer the bigger body.
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Sure! I was lucky enuff to chat with Woody many years back when Govt.Mule and my band were appearing on the same TV show. I had my Hofner with me, and he dug it, he was into Hofners big time.
Very cool. I've never really met any rock legends. Woody was a cool dude.
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I honestly like the look of the Violin bass better.................................so classic so Beatle!
There's one in every forum! ;D
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Very nice! Just like Fang used to play in Paul Revere and the Raiders.
sweet bass. my club is much more mojoed, sounds great. love the cavern spacing... ENJOY!!!!
(http://i890.photobucket.com/albums/ac102/desantisjn/other%20brands%20-/hofnerclub.jpg)
(http://i890.photobucket.com/albums/ac102/desantisjn/other%20brands%20-/hofnerclubbackb1.jpg)
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Gotta admit the sound of the bass in the video is superb...
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Gotta admit the sound of the bass in the video is superb...
Yeah, I want that kind of tone from mine. We'll see how she does with a Mesa rig.
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Googled Medeski Martin & Wood...pretty awesome...
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Googled Medeski Martin & Wood...pretty awesome...
I like their album "Combustication". A bit more psychedelic/experimental than the Scofield track above, but there's some good grooves and plenty of the Hofner to be heard...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bzhGBZqy3E
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Well, I was pleasantly surprised last night! I played the Club for 2.5 hours of practice and it performed much better than I expected. It was a little muddy at first, but the Bass/Treble switches really make a difference. By turning the bass off and the treble on, it cleaned things up considerably. It cut through quite nicely and the guys liked its tone. I didn't have any feedback issues, which I was concerned with at the volumes we play. I'm going to play it for a major part of Saturday night's gig. It's so light and the 30" scale is a breeze to navigate. A nice bass to play for sure!!! ;D
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Recent wedding.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v383/iamthebassman/577472_10151024404071628_1906442193_n.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v383/iamthebassman/208832_10151024397611628_653995084_n.jpg)
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I'm thinkin' that I need to nominate Leftybass and Fraulein Rommel as "Best-Dressed On Stage" among this group!
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Great pictures lefty! I took my camaera to our gig Staurday night and gave it to my wife. I asked her to take a couple pictures of the gorup and of me playing my Hofner. I got 2 pictures, both blurry and taken from a mile away. I'll never ask her to do that again!!!
Anyway, the bass sounded great in the live setting. I played for over an hour. Rich full sound and several other musicians in the room remarked how nice it sounded. I love it.
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Have you seen Macca with the Union Jack violin? Contemporary series. 600 pounds, 60 made, all sold out.
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(http://www.soundaffectsmusic.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/u/n/unionjackhofner.jpg)
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And not a single lefty!
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Wow, didn't see those basses! Guess you can paint a Beatle bass any color and it will sell!