❌SOLD❌ Hofner Gold Label 500/1 Violin Bass Natural, 2014

The Hofner Gold Label series, introduced at NAMM in 2013, features the highest quality German components, with custom colours and pickup combinations. You can even get a 3-pickup violin bass!

This example of the Hofner Gold Label Series 500/1 Violin Bass is one of two, built with this wood selection – a carved solid Spruce top with a five-piece back of Flame Maple, Sapele Pommele (the two large quilted sections) and Indian Rosewood. The neck is solid Flame Maple, with Indian Rosewood for the fingerboard and Ebony for the bridge. The neck uses a Zero fret, making the action virtually the same at the first fret as at all the other frets.

The zero fret concept dates back quite some time and was originally a feature of high end guitars. However, in the 1960s, companies producing large quantities of low price instruments discovered that it could dramatically reduce setup time and cost as the nut is only used to control string spacing side to side, not string height at the first fret.  

For hardware, the tuning gears are ‘Rugby’ style – the name taken from the shape of the buttons, which might resemble a rugby ball. The rest of the hardware is traditional Violin Bass, with two widely spaced pickups , volume and tone controls, and three switches.

The Hofner Gold Label 500/1 Bass is similar to the Hofner 1962 Reissue, also known as the Mersey model after the basses used by a number of bands breaking out of the Mersey area in the early 1960’s.

This example dates to 2014 and was built by Hofner in Germany, It is in very good, clean condition with no appreciable wear.  The gloss finish is in great shape.   Flatwound strings are installed, which dramatically reduces fret wear.  

This bass has all the feel, sound and tone of the original basses with a new custom look.

The original Hofner hard shell case is included.