John's Hofner Bass

qmoder · Post by **qmoder** » Tue Feb 14, 2006 5:38 pm

I've got one made in the sixties very simular to that. It was sold by sears as silvertone. But it is reported to have been made by Tedisco in Japan. Probably true as nothing was ever made by sears just marketed under their trademark.

randyz · Post by **randyz** » Wed Feb 15, 2006 3:32 am

Jon: The bass pictured in my book has a neck and headstock exactly like your picture, but the body is shaped exactly like a Hofner and there are no F-holes. It has a Hofner-style tailpiece (but simpler) and the control panel looks like the Hofner (but it's a little too large). The finish looks just like an early 1960's Hofner. I'm wondering whether John really owned this thing. I'm wondering how Christie's could have misidentified a supposed Beatle instrument. It seems like such an instrument would get extra attention with such a famous owner.

levykev · Post by **levykev** » Wed Feb 15, 2006 9:52 am

please post a photo...

randyz · Post by **randyz** » Wed Feb 15, 2006 10:09 am

Kevin: That means figuring out how the scanner function on my printer works. I might attempt that after I get home tonight...

levykev · Post by **levykev** » Wed Feb 15, 2006 10:24 am

cool randy... as you can tell i'm a bass player, and i'm just chomping at the bit to see the photo. thanks.

randyz · Post by **randyz** » Wed Feb 15, 2006 2:07 pm

Let's see if this this comes out right:

leftybass · Post by **leftybass** » Wed Feb 15, 2006 2:55 pm

Nope, not a Hofner. Maybe a Greco copy?

bassduke49 · Post by **bassduke49** » Wed Feb 15, 2006 4:37 pm

Body, pickups, control panel and tailpiece are all like many Japanese "Hofner" copies, but the neck and headstock appear to be like the Aria Diamond illustrated in that Japanese publication. This is definitely NOT a Höfner, and the author of this book didn't do his homework. Sorry.

randyz · Post by **randyz** » Thu Feb 16, 2006 3:25 am

Paul: Absolutely. The photo is credited to Christie's auction house, like many others in the book. I recognize all of the other celebrity-owned guitars in the book. I can't imagine how they may have gotten this one so wrong. Why would John have a bass like this?

rickinroma · Post by **rickinroma** » Thu Feb 16, 2006 3:34 am

quite different, huh?

chingnchime · Post by **chingnchime** » Wed Mar 08, 2006 1:45 pm

That can't be a Hofner! I thought every Hofner Beatle bass came w/ a 1966 set list taped to it. Mine did.....(thinking)...OH MY GOD!!!!!!!!!!!

randyz · Post by **randyz** » Wed Mar 08, 2006 3:16 pm

Steve: Yep, mine did too! As far as John's alleged bass is concerned, I think Christie's made a mistake. It was probably Ringo's Hofner Bass. He played all the tricky bass lines, while Paul handled all the cowbell bits. Paul always played a wicked cowbell. George Martin liked a lot of cowbell...

chingnchime · Post by **chingnchime** » Wed Mar 08, 2006 3:46 pm

Definitely more cowbell. Maybe even a bullbell...

brammy · Post by **brammy** » Wed Mar 08, 2006 9:43 pm

>>>Maybe a Greco copy?

Maybe a Ronco copy?

My 2 cents is this... unless you are really trying to copy Paul's look (Beatle tribute band etc), the one to get is a Hofner CLUB bass. Basically the same thing but with a Les-ish Paul styled body. Very COol looking and they've been re-issued.

http://www.pittsburghguitars.com/hofner.html

My birthdays is only about 6 months away if anyone was wondering about a thoughtful gift.

shamustwin · Post by **shamustwin** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 11:15 am

Exactly Kent. you buy a Hofner Violin, Macca comes to people's minds.
I wanted the Hofner sound and feel and inability to tune

(it actually intonates just fine) so I got a Club, and a black one which even further separates it from it's Beatle connection.
Had the black edition not been available, I had thought about getting one and having it refinished in, I dunno, AZ?