Hofner again...

[ilan]

I think at this point this thread can be moved to "Projects, Mods & Repairs"...

[drbassman]

I think at this point this thread can be moved to "Projects, Mods & Repairs"...

We'd like to see the progress.

[ilan]

So I took the pickup today to the local pickup guru. I'll know tomorrow if it's a simple fix or if it needs a rewind.

Next I took the bass to my upright bass luthier. He noticed an interesting thing. The body has a "bass bar" under the top like a violin-family instrument, running the length of the body, but for some unknown reason it's under the treble side, not the bass side. The bass bar has started to delaminate and will be glued back without opening the body, it can be done with a special clamp through the f-hole - we are lucky the f holes are wide - and he will use the output jack hole to inject the glue.

He removed the neck and showed me that it was removed before. It was an amateur job... whoever did it made small nail holes in the pocket walls to "help the glue". My luthier said that carpenters do things like that. The neck was glued with plastic adhesive... but he said not to worry, he can deal with it.

Here is the pocket right after the neck was removed. the small pieces of missing veneer are from the amateur reset. Those will be fixed too.

[Highlander]

 

[Dave W]

I had no idea they used a bass bar in an electric, and no idea why it would be on the treble side.

The neck reset should be fairly easy for him.

[patman]

Even dis-assembled, that is a beautiful, graceful instrument. Obviously designed by people who cared.

[Dave W]

... Obviously designed by people who cared.

Yes, by 17th century Italians from Cremona. 

[drbassman]

The neck reset is an easier fix than the veneer repair would be.  Looks pretty straight forward.  Just be sure things line up properly before you glue!  Might need a new base for the bridge too.  A new bridge is a cheap fix.

[ilan]

The original bridge is shaved beyond restoration. At its max height it's still 4mm below the Hofner specs for min height. I ordered a replacement and the luthier will make sure its a perfect fit to the top curve, like you would on an upright.

[Dave W]

I imagine the neck reset and bridge fitting will cost you almost as much as the bass. You got a bargain at £300, though, and when he's done it should be good as new or better.

[uwe]

Buying a Höfner and keeping it means that you'll have to do these investments sooner or later. Look at the neck body contact, that just can't last forever.

[ilan]

Update: the delaminated bass bar was glued back. It was detached from under the top at both ends. We discussed installing a soundpost. I did some googling and found that Gretsch has used soundposts on some arch tops, to suppress feedback by getting the top and back moving in unison.

The nice piece of flamed maple he used to protect the top under the clamps is a leftover from a violin side.

Tomorrow he will glue the neck into place.

[ilan]

The neck is glued back in place. Next the luthier will shape the bridge base to fit the top curve like they do with violin family bridges.

[patman]

being a hillbilly, I always did that with double sided tape and sand paper applied to the bass top....how does a real luthier do it?

[ilan]

@patman: From what I've seen they use chalk until they see a perfectly uniform footprint of the bridge feet. I was told this can take up to 3 days with upright basses.