Paul and the Höfner Beatle Bass

[jps]

That's an Acoustic guitar made by Semie Mosely for Acoustic Control Corp.

[Zurdo]

yes, and the only left-handed one, made for, and given to Jimi, they were called The Black Widow. I wonder where it is, today, it sure has not surfaced

[DavyR]

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

I too have very low output from the bridge pickup of my '65 Hofner bass and no output from the bridge pickup of my 1970 Hofner bass. Not sure what the deal is. Sometimes I think it's one of the caps in their crazy circut that goes bad. The only sure way to test the pickup would be to disconnect it at one end and run an Ohm meter across it. I have noticed low Ohms on the bridge pickup when I connect an Ohm meter across the output jack and play around with different switch conbinations. I seem to be tough on pickups! LOL!

[Zurdo]

I too have very low output from the bridge pickup of my '65 Hofner bass and no output from the bridge pickup of my 1970 Hofner bass. Not sure what the deal is. Sometimes I think it's one of the caps in their crazy circut that goes bad. The only sure way to test the pickup would be to disconnect it at one end and run an Ohm meter across it. I have noticed low Ohms on the bridge pickup when I connect an Ohm meter across the output jack and play around with different switch conbinations. I seem to be tough on pickups! LOL!

in my experience with 2 Hofner basses, the Bridge/Treble pickup always had low output, and particularly with my 500/1, since it was new. But if you have no output at all in your 1970, you might have a dead pickup, typical of Hofner they say, or a disconnected pickup wire which is easy to check visually by carefully raising the control panel. I had an incident with mine where I lost the Bass/Neck pickup; When I raised the control panel, the wire had broken off. A quick solder job and it has been fine since.

There are many people who rewind Hofner pickups, anything from $80.00 to $150.00. (assuming yours needs it).
Zurdo

[jps]

in my experience with 2 Hofner basses, the Bridge/Treble pickup always had low output, and particularly with my 500/1, since it was new.
Zurdo

Interesting. The 2007 500/1V63 I used to own had a very healthy output from both pickups, perhaps Höfner has since fixed the problem with the current pickups/electronics.

[Zurdo]

yes they might have fixed the confusing controls too

but one thing is very curious: the pickups are smaller. go ahead and measure them, you'll see. So don't try to install a 2007 pickup in a 1960's Hofner bass, they don't fit lengthwise or widthwise. You can make them fit, but not using the original screw holes.

[jps]

yes they might have fixed the confusing controls too

Um, nope!

[jps]

but one thing is very curious: the pickups are smaller. go ahead and measure them, you'll see. So don't try to install a 2007 pickup in a 1960's Hofner bass, they don't fit lengthwise or widthwise. You can make them fit, but not using the original screw holes.

I don't have the bass anymore, it is living in Sydney with another forumite.

[DavyR]

Thanks Zurdo and JPS!
So we don't get confused you might want to read the earlier posts of this thread. Remember that the "Treble On" switch does cut low frequencies from the bridge pickup, because it engages an in line cap, so it WILL have a lower volume output in THAT position. But, I'm referring to having both pickup switches in the off position and turning the volume pots up/down to test.

[jps]

I learned real fast how the switches really work; with both pickup switches in the "OFF" position the output was evenly matched on my V63 when I rolled one volume down or the other to compare the two pickups.

[ilan]

Last time I looked under a Hofner control panel, and that was a long time ago, the "BASS ON" is really "bridge pickup disconnected", and the "TREBLE ON" disconnects the neck pickup. That's why when both switches are in the OFF position, you hear both pickups.

[jps]

Last time I looked under a Hofner control panel, and that was a long time ago, the "BASS ON" is really "bridge pickup disconnected", and the "TREBLE ON" disconnects the neck pickup. That's why when both switches are in the OFF position, you hear both pickups.

+1, Spock may have a hard time with the logic of Höfner on this.

[DavyR]

Last time I looked under a Hofner control panel, and that was a long time ago, the "BASS ON" is really "bridge pickup disconnected", and the "TREBLE ON" disconnects the neck pickup. That's why when both switches are in the OFF position, you hear both pickups.

Correct BUT they also engage caps. Bridge pup on removes low freqs for that pup and neck pup on removes high freqs for that pup.

[iamthebassman]

...a lot better instrument than a Gibson EB-2

In my case I absolutely disagree. My '68 Gibson EB-2 is a much nicer/better instrument than my early 90s Hofner V63.

[Zurdo]

so in Hofner-land, ON means OFF ?

I sold my '65 EB-2 to a guy in Norway, I think he was ABBA's standby bassist at one point. I put a DiMarzio Model 1 pickup to eliminate the muddiness. It was a very hard bass to play.