Hofner builds a bass for the working man.

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Thu Dec 07, 2006 6:58 am

The roundwounds felt skinny to me and buzzed a fair amount. Was not a neck problem, and could very well have been my own bass newbieness and developing technique. But the tapewound flats are quite nice, and only buzz (and minimally) when inattention allows me to misplace a finger.

qmoder · Post by **qmoder** » Thu Dec 07, 2006 7:26 am

Sometimes buzz is cured by a heavier string. Its also possible that the tapewounds don't vibrate as wildly.
Paul, Probably came off rude, it was'nt meant to be. You gotta admit it was funny though LOL.. "Oh by the Mr. Butcher could help me lift me my model Battleship of approximately 128 tons or so on to your scale"? LOL LOL..
I did say first what you did know a lot about before and then not what you obviously didn't. Maybe I should have said what you do know about last.
Anyway I respect your knowledge very much of guitars and respect your opinion on them just a much as its greater than mine. I do however know a tad more about model ships than you though having build so many.
To get back to the subject. My point though was valid however it is a good way to weigh your guitar if you don't have any good scales to use for that purpose.
So if it has happened to have been weighed yet could you please tell me its weight. Thank you in advance I know its bit of trouble.

qmoder · Post by **qmoder** » Thu Dec 07, 2006 7:31 am

Oh Paul Boyer. The reason why we weight them is some guys would put their waterlines in the wrong place. In other words cheat. I always weigh mine too so that I could make sure that I was within the limits.
I even used a gram scale to weigh parts such as the gun, pump, and motors before I put them in. So that I usually had a pretty good idea of if it was close to spec or not even before the final process was done.
But sometimes in ships such as Destroyers the weigh could get real close.

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Thu Dec 07, 2006 7:46 am

Dan you missed the tongue-in-cheek nature of my post, and went all literal on me. And then you lectured me. Yeah, it was rude.

You don't think I honestly believed that a model ship COULD weigh that much, or that a butcher's scale could hold that much?

I defer to your knowledge of model ships with no resistance. But would you please lighten up and try to see some humor in my pretending to be an idiot? It was to make a point and to draw you out. I was seeking explanation, not minimization.

I promise I'll be the first to admit it, when I actually ARE one.

qmoder · Post by **qmoder** » Thu Dec 07, 2006 10:31 am

Thanks I guess. But this all started just because I ask politely what his Icon weigh and pointed out some ideas of how to weigh it if he didn't have a scale.
When you chimed it you more or less said that it didn't matter what it weigh. But it did to some body and you knew that. Then you made the remark about the ship's weight as though I was a nut of some of unknown origin.
If you meant in jest thats fine. But not every one knows that. I tried to defer to your knowledge on guitars to be nice while I gave the true scale weigh.
All I wanted to know was what the bass weigh if he had time and didn't mind doing it. I weigh all of my guitars because people especially on different forums would say well how heavy is your Les Paul or whatever.
Then I got to thinking that the weigh does matter to me too. For instance I draw the line at eight pounds and half pounds for a Strat. That and no higher.
So we both should just forget about the whole thing and lighten up a bit and talk about cheap Hofners. You have given me some good info in the past and I hope I have to you too. So lets just forget it happened and move on.
That Icon does look pretty good. Has anybody else's had black stuff come off of the frets onto your hands when you played yours? Perhaps that was a one time incident.

Scastles · Post by **Scastles** » Thu Dec 07, 2006 10:44 am

Dan, I was wondering where you heard or read about the black residue? You also mentioned in a previous post on this thread about some of the necks on the Icon being warped. Where did you hear or read about this as well? I haven't heard about this, but it certainly doesn't mean it isn't plausible.
I've got an Icon on the way, and would appreciate knowing about possible defects.

rickfan63 · Post by **rickfan63** » Thu Dec 07, 2006 3:08 pm

The Icon being hollow should weigh no more than the German basses as far as I know. I just can't see spending $450 (case included) for a plywood bass IMHO though.

Scastles · Post by **Scastles** » Thu Dec 07, 2006 3:18 pm

Plywood? Bit extreme don't you think?

qmoder · Post by **qmoder** » Fri Dec 08, 2006 9:37 pm

Stan, I heard it on some other on line forums. I didn't know if the Ric forum likes other forums to be quoted by name or not. Some forums are a bit sticky about who you quote.
I can tell you that the Icon with the black stuff was from Northcoast. However I don't think that the person who ordered it returned it.
I wouldn't be surprized they were made of plywood either. The Turser's, Rogue's, and Epiphones are all plywood. Nice upper veneer but still plywood. The various lightness is just a matter of the thickness of the plywood.
Paul, as you said its all comes down to a matter of looks. About your post that ruffled my feathers. Its sometimes hard to guage what another person acutally means on a computer forum. Where as face to face the look on another person's face can easily be seen as to where they are funning you are not.
I got a local friend who just got a Icon blem tonight. He said that he couldn't even find the blem on it. The plastic wrap was still in place on the pickups even. He wasn't really in love with the finish color. But then no one is. He didn't get to play it much yet as he had a gig to go to and no time. I'll get more input on it later.
Folks seem to be having a hard time even getting a hold of one of these though. None are in stores. Even most of the on line sites have none in stock. That might not settle down until after Christmas.
Gary has even sold all of the Contemporary models that he ordered and he is supposed to have gotten the entire U.S. allotment of them. Both models seem to be going like Hotcakes right off the assembly line.
I have seen some pic's of another person's new Icon on line. It doesn't look as bad as the first few that I have seen. Perhaps the early boners were a bunch of first few production model problems like the Vox AC30CC's had to begin with and have straightened out.

rickfan63 · Post by **rickfan63** » Sat Dec 09, 2006 8:21 am

Check out NCM's web site on the Icon. It states that it is made of spruce plywood in the front, and maple plywood in the back. Not extreme at all really IMHO. I've seen a few Icons on Ebay recently.

congerz83 · Post by **congerz83** » Sat Dec 09, 2006 10:39 am

Why is this even being discussed. Peace On Earth.

lowendbob · Post by **lowendbob** » Sat Dec 09, 2006 5:28 pm

I have seen some pic's of another person's new Icon on line. It doesn't look as bad as the first few that I have seen".

Dan, can your provide a pic or link to the Icon you where talking about?
I would like to see the finish.

qmoder · Post by **qmoder** » Sat Dec 09, 2006 11:03 pm

My buddy played with his tonight at a gig right outa the box. It doesn't look like a real Paulie bass or anything. But its not too bad at all and its pretty light too.
Stayed tuned.

beatlejon · Post by **beatlejon** » Sun Dec 10, 2006 5:33 am

It doesn't look like a Paulie bass?? It is a HOFNER...not a copy. I dont know about you guys, but, I love mine. The shape is perfect, action is perfect, and sounds great!!!!! The biggest complaint I have is the pickguard....the bass looks 100 times better without the pickguard.