Hofner builds a bass for the working man.

hozy · Post by **hozy** » Sun Dec 10, 2006 6:39 am

With the large pu surrounds it kind of reminds me of a 65 Beatle Bass that has the raised logo. A little paint on the switches would finish it off very nice.

eddied · Post by **eddied** » Sun Dec 10, 2006 6:56 am

I have an Icon and installed Pyramids. I agree that it does not resemble any traditional Hofner. the colors are way off. The pickguard has to go, totally agree, teacups are essential also. How would I yellow up the switch plate to age it? Suggestions?

beatlejon · Post by **beatlejon** » Sun Dec 10, 2006 7:14 am

Here...this looks just like a traditional Hofner...
http://personales.ya.com/ejmills/music_ ... s/eko2.jpg

Anyway...
I yellowed mine with a mixture or yellow and a very little bit of brown acrylic paint and mix it wih a little water. Then I brushed on very thin coats...I used a hair dryer in between coats. Then I finished it off with a couple coats of semi gloss clear coat....looks a HELL of alot better than that bright white.\popattach

lowendbob · Post by **lowendbob** » Sun Dec 10, 2006 12:56 pm

LOL, that's about the funkiest violin bass I have ever seen.

There ya go Dan. No mods needed, it's perfect just as it is

http://personales.ya.com/ejmills/music_pages/uk/images/eko2.jpg

lowendbob · Post by **lowendbob** » Sun Dec 10, 2006 2:05 pm

This looks pretty interesting.

http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-BEATLE-VIOLIN-BASS-FLAMED-MAPLE-TOP-SET-NECK-SALE_W0QQitemZ170058570140QQihZ007QQcategoryZ4713QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Looks like a Rogue with different finish.
I like.

qmoder · Post by **qmoder** » Mon Dec 11, 2006 2:46 am

Toot fruttie hawian punch.
Try kiwi shoe polish added with a bit yellow market on a clothe. Fender amber yellow spray can darken them too but its easy to get em too dark.
My buddy says his Icon is worth 349 but not a penny more.

qmoder · Post by **qmoder** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 8:02 pm

Just and observation. But you'd think that with the name Icon then this one would have the more traditional finish and the hollow body.
While the Contemporary would be have the more yellow and abrupt finish look with the center block.

rickfan63 · Post by **rickfan63** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 10:55 am

The Icon does have a hollow body. Only the Contemporary has the center block. But yes you're right with the Icon name, it should look more like the CT does. If only in the finish alone I think.

qmoder · Post by **qmoder** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 1:32 am

I finally looked over and played and an Icon last night. Its light weight and not a bad looking bass at all.
Its neck is slimmer than a Rogue. But it didn't feel quite as slim as a Turser to me though. The pickups appeared to be smaller. But that could be and optical illusion.
The bass is a bit longer and less wider in the mid section than a Turser or Rogue just like a real Hofner. The pickups also have smaller surrounds. So it could be that that they are really the same size pickups once you bare those actual measurements of the different instruments in mind.
He didn't have his Rogue with him and I of course didn't have mine either. So there was nothing to compare it too. He has a real Hofner as well. Its a Hofner Club bass but the tailpiece, control panel, knobs, and on and on are the same as on a Beatle bass.
One thing I did notice is that my Rogue and Turser are more comfortable to play setting down than the Icon. My leg fits right in the curve of the Violin shape on the Rogue and Turser. But the Icon digs into it on both sides as my leg won't fit in the curve.
No difference of course standing up. The bridge is not real ebony just stained ply. I did the same thing to my Rogue and Turser. You might say it takes one to know one there LOL..
All in all I'd give it a passing grade. No black stuff came off the fretboard on my hands. In fact the fretboard looked more like fake rose wood like the Turser than the real rose wood of the Rogue. But you can stain that too like I did the bridge and I did stain mine on my Turser. So no real loss there.
The tuners look real nice to me. The plastic on the heel looks nice too. Makes one wonder why the pickguard and control panel plastic is not that nice.
After all the heel plate is completely out of sight. Why make it look nice? Looks like it would be made out of the same whiter looking plastic of the more visible pickguard and control panel plastic.
The finish does not look bad. But its not a real looker like the Contemporary either. The amound of yellow and abrupt fade to black at the edges is not very Hofner like. The Contemporary also has the Hofner name in Gold on the headstock while this is in Silver. Wonder how good of a finish I could put on one?
It had a real nice thump thru his SWR amp. He even used a pick with it and fingers on his Ric bass and the little Hofner was deeper. The sound of it definitly receives a passing grade.
I played his Ric too and its heavier feel made you feel like you were holding a real strudy instrument. His Ric is Turquious like one 66 Strat and a real looker.
His band plays pretty loud but I didn't notice any funny noises coming out the Icon the way you described your ex Hofner to have Randy.
I'm still beginning to think more and more that yours had a bad pickup that needed potting or something to do with its pickups. What I mean by loud is that his SWR is a 450 watt amp.
The drummer is a hard hitter. The lead player uses a big old Marshall with at least six tens in it. The second guitarist was using a line six but he was turned up too.
He managed to get this one really cheap as it was a blem. But we could not find any blem. Maybe who ever bought it just decieded it wasn't Hofner enough to suit them.
My final opinion is I now share his view of this little bass. It is worth the 349. But no more than that.

rickfan63 · Post by **rickfan63** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 5:49 am

I'm going to buy the Brice clone. I've heard a lot of good things about it on the Dudepit from people who have one. And it's cheaper than the Icon, and it's not totally hollow either. The price on the used Icons on e-bay are getting out of hand IMHO. Not many CT basses on there though, even from the European stores.
Dan, those bar magnet pickups in my old Hofner weren't bad.... just not very good for a hollowbody bass like that. I'm sure the orginial staple pickups work better. I laugh when I see those bar magnet Hofners go for such high prices on e-bay. To me, $500-$600 for those things is reasonable, and no more than that.

rickfan63 · Post by **rickfan63** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 8:39 am

I just pulled the trigger on the Brice Beatle Bass on e-bay. At $279.94, not a bad deal. I will post a review when I get the bass. That's the first purchase I've made on e-bay.

lowendbob · Post by **lowendbob** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 1:06 pm

Congrats Randy. Looking forward to the review.

qmoder · Post by **qmoder** » Sun Dec 17, 2006 1:33 am

Congratulations Randy. I'm either gonna buy a real Hofner club bass some day or a clone of it in black. That would match my Duo Jet pretty good if I added a black guard.
I got my Rogue for 175 when it was on sale. I wouldn't dout that they go down that low again. Let us know how you like that Brice now.

lowendbob · Post by **lowendbob** » Sun Dec 17, 2006 5:50 am

I have a Hofner Club for sale, but it's not the black one.

I just bought another Rogue, but it's just not the same once you own a real Hofner german made.
I may consider the Contemporary when Gary get's some more in stock. Closest thing to the real deal minus the price tag.

rickfan63 · Post by **rickfan63** » Sun Dec 17, 2006 11:36 am

I will Dan! Bob, NCM's website says that the CT's will be in around Feburary. Dan, I've heard that the Eastwood Club Bass clone is pretty good. I've never played one myself, but I've heard they are pretty decent basses. There are a few Hofner Clubs on e-bay in black, the prices are not user friendly though. If enough CT's ever come into the US, you might see some used ones on e-bay at lower prices. But don't count on that for a while. Gary has told me that the demand on those are pretty high right now. I expect the Brice to be just fine. Perhaps I'll add a new Allparts Hofner tailpiece, bridge, and some teacups later. Right now I've got my sights set on a hard case for it.