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Post by brewmaster on Feb 24, 2017 11:10:57 GMT
As most members here will know, Paul bought his first Hofner Violin bass in Germany, then was given another by the company. The first bass was the model 500/1, purchased in 1961; while the second model, presented in 1963 was an updated version with several cosmetic and functional changes, the most significant being the placement of the pickups. The original bass had both pickups near the neck, which resulted in a smooth, deep tone; while the 1963 version separated the pickups, allowing more variation. Anyway, the 1961 bass was eventually stolen in 1968, and the upgrade became Paul's touring bass. Today those Hofners fetch fearsome prices, so a whole industry of Violin bass copies has developed, most of which are made in the same two factories in China or Korea. Tanglewood, Harvery Benton and Epiphone all offer decent replicas; and Hofner adds its own brand name to a line of these cheaper guitars. Nearly all copies are based on the 1963 model, but if you want to have the earlier version then the Hofner Ignition Cavern Bass is the one to select. Currently priced at about £280 new, it is expensive for a Chinese copy, but that's the music business.
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Post by ROCKY on Feb 24, 2017 14:27:34 GMT
Paul's Solid 7 restrung as a 3-string bass, before it disintegrated! PS: George looks so happy in this photo. ....and so young. I think that picture was taken at The Casbah in '59 or '60. George was like 16!! Yeah that was the guitar John & George stomped on, another time he was probably laughing!
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Post by ROCKY on Feb 24, 2017 14:35:24 GMT
Here's my leftie '63 Hofner 500/1. with pickguard & teacup knobs. The '61 Hofner 500/1 is marketed as the Cavern Bass. A left hand model of that is very hard to find now and can cost upwards of $3000USD > 1875 pds.
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Post by brewmaster on Feb 24, 2017 18:39:18 GMT
That;s a real treasure Rocky. You have a great collection.
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Post by brewmaster on Feb 25, 2017 11:52:08 GMT
Just a glance back at an earlier bass, discussed above... The Rosetti was, at one point, restrung as a three-string bass, using "borrowed" piano strings. How does this work? Guitar strings have a ball on the end, which retains it in the bridge. As far as I know, piano strings don't have this, so how would you attach them?
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henryj
For A Number Of Things
Posts: 792
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Post by henryj on Feb 25, 2017 12:39:38 GMT
For you gearheads, Paul used (uses?) flatwound strings, and, of course, uses a pick. Another forum somewhere on the internet said that he used the neck pickup on Beatle recordings. I would love to know for sure the exact settings he used.
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Post by ROCKY on Feb 25, 2017 21:56:36 GMT
Just a glance back at an earlier bass, discussed above... The Rosetti was, at one point, restrung as a three-string bass, using "borrowed" piano strings. How does this work? Guitar strings have a ball on the end, which retains it in the bridge. As far as I know, piano strings don't have this, so how would you attach them? Easy enough brew: Just like if they were gut strings on a banjo. You use needle nose pliers and bend them into a knot at the end.
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Post by ROCKY on Feb 25, 2017 22:02:57 GMT
For you gearheads, Paul used (uses?) flatwound strings, and, of course, uses a pick. Another forum somewhere on the internet said that he used the neck pickup on Beatle recordings. I would love to know for sure the exact settings he used. Hi henryj, see how my Hofner in the middle picture above is set.(Click on pic to enlarge). That's how he had his set on one of the pics I seen live from his last concert. I'm sure he fiddled around with it during recording different Beatle songs though.
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Post by ROCKY on Feb 25, 2017 22:21:23 GMT
Just a glance back at an earlier bass, discussed above... Ha-Ha Egmond thought because it didn't have a sound hole they could advertise it as a solid body guitar and have more people buy it. The one major flaw was it didn't have a truss rod either and after awhile the neck would bend making the guitar useless and a lot of guys did to them what John & George did to Paul's.
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Post by brewmaster on Feb 26, 2017 14:58:51 GMT
A concept subsequently adopted by the I-Phone!
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