Hofner builds a bass for the working man.

[RobRick]

I have that bass, and its pretty nice.
I'm considering modding it to look like a cavern. I would raise the treble pup higher, and cut a new pickguard, but nothing will beat a legit 500/1

I'm not out to beat a 500/1. I'm out to play bass and entertain people!

[DavyR]

A Icon is not a Contemporary and both are VERY FAR from a real 500/1. I've played real 500/1 Hofners since the early 1970s and found the Icon to be a piece of junk. The Contemporary is ok but STILL not a 500/1.

I play an Icon. I've played a 500/1. Are they the same? No. Who in their right mind would compare a $300 bass to a $2000 bass and come to that conclusion? Having said that. I disagree that the Icon and CT are VERY FAR from a 500/1. At least not in tone. In price? Yeah, you are correct.

My Icon with flats sounds pretty much like a hollow body bass from the 60s. That's all I need it to sound like. If I played an Icon one night and a 500/1 the next, no one in the audience would notice, or care. And their opinion matters most to me when I perform.

I'm not out to beat a 500/1. I'm out to play bass and entertain people!

Even 500/1 basses have varied somewhat from year to year, decade to decade, as do RICs and many guitars/basses.
The Icon neck is heavy, pulls down and is out of balance with the body. The neck doesn't feel right to me especially after playing a 500/1. The pickups aren't very good sounding either. However, if you want to thump around with flats on it, play live thru a powerful bass amp and don't care too much about the instument that you're playing, go for it.

[RobRick]

A Icon is not a Contemporary and both are VERY FAR from a real 500/1. I've played real 500/1 Hofners since the early 1970s and found the Icon to be a piece of junk. The Contemporary is ok but STILL not a 500/1.

I play an Icon. I've played a 500/1. Are they the same? No. Who in their right mind would compare a $300 bass to a $2000 bass and come to that conclusion? Having said that. I disagree that the Icon and CT are VERY FAR from a 500/1. At least not in tone. In price? Yeah, you are correct.

My Icon with flats sounds pretty much like a hollow body bass from the 60s. That's all I need it to sound like. If I played an Icon one night and a 500/1 the next, no one in the audience would notice, or care. And their opinion matters most to me when I perform.

I'm not out to beat a 500/1. I'm out to play bass and entertain people!

Even 500/1 basses have varied somewhat from year to year, decade to decade, as do RICs and many guitars/basses.
The Icon neck is heavy, pulls down and is out of balance with the body. The neck doesn't feel right to me especially after playing a 500/1. The pickups aren't very good sounding either. However, if you want to thump around with flats on it, play live thru a powerful bass amp and don't care too much about the instument that you're playing, go for it.

OK, I will!

[Tony Baloney]

My son has one of these Hofner Icons...as well as a pretty nice American Fender Jazz bass and a Rickenbacker 4003. The hofner is put together nicely, place fine, and sounds great. He uses it in jazz band and to add some spice to the show....
He picked it up used, in spotless condition for $170.00....it ain't a bad thing.

I've played epi knock offs and rogue knock offs...the hofner icon series is clearly a better built guitar...but that's just my opinion and my wife can tell you how often i get it wrong...

[RobRick]

Yeah, I agree. The Hofner Icon bass series are great instruments for the price.

[vynesmusic]

It somehow seems disingenuous to make such a close copy of a 500/1 in order to live off it's fame and reputation. It smacks of Italian Harley's back in the 70's, four cylinder Dodge Daytona's back in the 80's, and most recently the Pontiac GTO. Add the huge number of copied instruments & amps in general and I start wringing my hands and mumbling to myself, "When I was a boy..."


Just my opinion, I could be wrong, usually am. At least Hofner is making this knock off rather than the rampaging hordes.

I hadda laugh, because you are so right....the Dodge Daytona...sheeesh....

I went into a local store here in the Land Sherman Forgot, and there was an actual, real German Hofner bass for sale for $2000+......being an old Chicago bar band guy, I walked right up, pulled it down and went over to a Fender single 15 inch bass amp and began to play....I thought the guys in that place were gonna seize up---they musta paid alot for that bass.....anyhow, wow......what a nice bass....I played the "Taxman' bass part, and there was the true authentic THUMP that you hear on that track.....I have a 1964 P-Bass that I bought new in 1965, and the only other basses I like are the Ricks.....the Hofner had that McCartney thump, very percussive, like a bass drum that could be pitch-controlled.....don't know about the Chinese/Korean version, but someday I'll own one.....

[Chris82]

I bought a Contemporary Violin Bass last year and only had it for about six months. It was a fine piece on it's own but didn't feel like a German Hofner. I missed that full hollow body and the "thump" of the low E string. The CT series would be good for someone who wants the look and general tone of a 500/1, but it just wasn't close enough for me.

[RobRick]

I bought a Contemporary Violin Bass last year and only had it for about six months. It was a fine piece on it's own but didn't feel like a German Hofner. I missed that full hollow body and the "thump" of the low E string. The CT series would be good for someone who wants the look and general tone of a 500/1, but it just wasn't close enough for me.

Yeah, that is what I have read. If you want hollow body "thump" get a 500/1 or an Icon.

[Melma]

Icon's are great for the price of the thing. I forced my nephew to buy one so he could join my band (bearing in mind that he couldn't play until this time) and it sounds alright. The sound definitely isn't for everyone, but I've snuck it in on recordings and it's worked out pretty well.

But ... I hate the severity of the sunburst. So damned bright looking!

[RobRick]

Icon's are great for the price of the thing. I forced my nephew to buy one so he could join my band (bearing in mind that he couldn't play until this time) and it sounds alright. The sound definitely isn't for everyone, but I've snuck it in on recordings and it's worked out pretty well.

But ... I hate the severity of the sunburst. So damned bright looking!

Yeah, but it is a $300 instrument, so I kind of accept that finish! It is kinda extreme. Strange, the Icon Club bass I bought has a much more subtle and richer burst. Why can't they do that on the violin basses?

[Ivan3000]

I hate the burst on my hofner, its just nasty black into yellow. I like the old subtle bursts.

[rickfan63]

I recently got a chance to try a Hofner CT 500/1 bass at a Sam Ash store with a buddy of mine who was checking out 5 stringers. I owned a German 500/1 back in the early 80's and I must say I was very impressed at the quality and sound of the CT for a Chinese bass. Even though it was strung with rounds, it still had a good deep tone to it, and was actually a better sounding bass than the German version I owned IMHO. The German one just felt too fragile to me for a bass being totally hollow. I still prefer my Brice copy with LaBella Beatle flats to that particular bass. Those old bar magnet pups were awful too IMHO. But the CT with the German staple pups was very very nice. I'd love to try one with the LaBella flats on it! I walked away wishing I had had the cash on me to buy that one. I hope I can pick one at some point. Even my buddy, who won't touch a 4 string with a 10ft pole, commented on how nice the CT sounded.

[bosco64]

Sorry for the lousy cell phone pic but this is my Icon that's strung up with LaBella Beatle flats...not a bad little bass for the money but compared to a Geman 500/1, it's like night and day...

[RobRick]

Sorry for the lousy cell phone pic but this is my Icon that's strung up with LaBella Beatle flats...not a bad little bass for the money but compared to a Geman 500/1, it's like night and day...

308798_2264854273521_1613450131_2214674_711460951_n.jpg

It should be night and day if one costs $300 and the other $1800. But it is not enough of a difference for me to spring for a 500/1. When I play my Icon within the context of my band, frankly no one would notice the difference. I have the same strings, love them!

[robertpinter]

Hello , and thank you for excepting me into your forum. On the topic of the hofner icon, I myself have one and must say they are not that bad , the one that I have is one of the first models in the u.s.a ! The newer ones that I see today are of cheaper construction and the finish is sup-par ! As a guitar builder and repairman for over forty years I did up-grade my icon with the german tailpice , bridge, and hofner nut stock all from north coast music ! the original bridge and tailpiece was to light weight and did not carry the sustain into the body very well. The nut stock that came with the bass was made of plastic and is hollow on the inside . I love the pickups and they sound great ! I played jay turser and rogue, but found that they do not have that hofner sound and the body shape is not accurate to the hofner ! I like the sound and feel of labella flat wound .093-.096 strings . It was cheaper to up-grade my bass than buy the german model or the contemporary! I have over the years worked on vintage hofners , some were great and most were built not that good. of course you have to take care of any instument but the icon that I have found is well built