Paul and the Höfner Beatle Bass

[harley]

The Eastwood looks interesting and, truth be told, the Icons I've played have been fairly inconsistent. For every one that sounds good there's another that soundsd just terrible. It looks like there are two dealers in the Denver area but I don't know if either one of them has anything in stock. I may have to go looking.

[ilan]

Sorry for not visiting this forum more often...

Anyway, when I had my first chance to examine closely the '63, there were pieces of rolled black gaffer tape stuck in the switches keeping them in the neck-pickup-only position. At first I didn't know what they were made of, Paul told me that his tech made those from rolled gaffer tape. The control plate, by the way, is held in place with four screws, one in each corner, instead of the original 2. The bass has an upside-down righty unit, so when a switch looks to us in the "up" position, it's actually down. The volume knobs work and are not stuck into place.

The second time I saw the bass was when I met Keith Smith - here's the vid:



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJy3yAWD234

[godber]

Fascinating stuff Ilan, thanks for posting this.

Interesting that Paul still uses the Rickenbacker in the studio.

[brammy]

[Zurdo]

hi all,
I have a '66 Hofner Beatle bass which a band member and I purchased new back in 1966 and it has been and still is a fabulous little bass.

regarding the issue of whether McCartney uses it because it is "light", I like it because it is one hell of a medium-scale bass, a lot better instrument than a Gibson EB-2 or Epiphone Rivoli, easier to play and as far as tuning goes, it has played in tune for 44 years, so I don't understand the complaints I hear, all instruments need neck, bridge, and intonation adjustments at some point. What I like the most about it is the zero-fret, just like Gretsch, Mosrite, Kent, and other guitars. Maybe that's why they are comfortable to play. The only complaint I ever had was the cheap case which desintegrated after 40 years. I bought an "Icon" case which does the job fine.

Also, you can't compare a Hofner to a Rickenbacker bass, they are two different classes of instruments, the Rickenbacker being "the mother" of all Bass guitars as proven by Chris Squire of the group YES. The Hofner sound is more like a Standup Jazz bass.

As to the "mute" that McCartney used, it looks to me like a piece of foam. I have tried different materials for muting sustain and what works best is the skin on the palm of my hand, it makes the Hofner sound like a Standup bass.

Zurdo

[ricmic]

Zurdo, did your Hofner come with the staple style pups, or did it have the blade style? Mark

[Zurdo]

Zurdo, did your Hofner come with the staple style pups, or did it have the blade style? Mark

hi Mark,

the pickups you see in the picture are the originals, "Staple" I think, I haven't seen a "Blade" pickup, sorry.
(mine have 4 adjusting screws and 4 flat, protruding "magnets")

another observation I read here: the Treble (Bridge) pickup does not produce a lot of volume but it has never produced a lot volume by itself since we bought it in 1966. It's almost as if it is designed to work when both pickups are ON, then you can hear a distinct sound. Note that at some point in 1967 our bassist showed up with a Hofner "Club" Bass (shaped like a Gibson Les Paul but identical pickups, Controls, and neck as the 500/1), and it had the same identical issue with the Treble pickup.

Zurdo

[jps]

the pickups you see in the picture are the originals, "Staple" I think, I haven't seen a "Blade" pickup, sorry.
Zurdo

Check this and this out.

[Zurdo]

yes, they are like the picture below.

[ricmic]

I had a 67 with blade hbs. It, along with my last Ric, were stolen in 1987. I have wanted another one ever since. I'll get one sooner or later. I just realy like those basses. Mark

[Zurdo]

sorry to hear about your loss; you need to get one of the originals, the 'Icon' has smaller Staple-style pickups by 1/8" front to back, and they are longer by almost 1/8" side to side. It does not sound the same as a vintage Hofner. I tried one at a guitar store and it lacked something, couldn't put my finger on it, but one thing I do remember, it did not vibrate "acoustically" as hard against my chest as the '66 does, that was the first thing I felt (or didn't). Recently, there was a '67 being sold here in Florida, a little different than mine, for example the tuning keys, and the logo was different too.

[jps]

Maybe the Icons have a center block; I had a 500/1V63 for a while, that was a great bass, and I do know it is a true hollowbody bass, like the originals.

[Zurdo]

I just saw the Beatle bass being sold and it does have "Blade" pickups, the seller says it is a '66 but I doubt it, it looks like a '67 thru '69. It also has some decals on the back of the headstock under the finish, which mine does not have.

[lennon211]

Maybe the Icons have a center block; I had a 500/1V63 for a while, that was a great bass, and I do know it is a true hollowbody bass, like the originals.

The Icons have a completely different construction from what I've seen, but they are hollow. The Contemporary series have the reissue staple pickups but have the solid center block. Still a very nice bass and very well made with a good sound (I have one, so I'm a little partial.) The RI '62's and '63's have the all German construction and hardware and are a hollowbody.

[Zurdo]

The Icons have a completely different construction from what I've seen, but they are hollow. The Contemporary series have the reissue staple pickups but have the solid center block. Still a very nice bass and very well made with a good sound (I have one, so I'm a little partial.) The RI '62's and '63's have the all German construction and hardware and are a hollowbody.

♫ ...there's too much confucious...I can get no really...♫