New Hofner 500/5 Stu Sutcliffe "President Bass"

[jeff]

Just saw a few folks on Ebay with these!!!!! They are Chinese made CT models. Retailing at about $699 minus a case right now. Hofner claims the cases will be available toward the later part of the year. Not an exact copy of what Sutcliffe played, but reasonably close. Headstock being the most obvious in difference. Also white binding on the side of the neck. Tailpiece also looks a little shorter than the original. Still very COOL!!!! If memory serves, Sutcliffe's bass was a model 333. This CT version does not have the sound block for sustain in it like the 500/1 Beatle Bass CT version does. I've been told that a few folks have swapped out the factory installed round-wound strings for flat wounds, and it really has quite a deep, rich tone. Might just have to snarf on one of these when the cases become available with them!!!!!!

[woodyng]

That's a beauty! I really like the look of the new reissue Kay bass as well,but I don't do short scale.

[jps]

I'd buy one if it was made in Germany.

[antipodean]

I'd buy one if it was made in Germany.

...but then it would cost $3,000....

[brammy]

I think they've over-guessed their market.... who is going to buy one of these?.... a pre-61 Beatles recreation band? Probably.....
a few others with Beatle-guitar collections? Probably.... who else?.... especially at around $700 when better instruments are available
for a lot less.

Aside from that.... looks great!

[mgauction]

I'll try one of these out. I had one of the Kay K-160 (Howlin Wolf)reissues and it was pretty toneless. Would like to give it a go first. I'm a sucker for hollow & semi-hallow basses.

[winston]

The bass player in my band back in the day used to play one. Based on my memory and the few records that we cut, the original basses actually sounded pretty good. I wonder how these measure up?

[ilan]

The originals sounded awesome. IMHO the Chinese made Hofner 500/1 are nothing like the originals in sound and feel (and looks), so I don't hold my breath for this model either.

Personally I don't mind the incorrect headstock or the neck binding, but the short tailpiece just looks wrong and unproportional.

[sloop_john_b]

As I mentioned on that other forum, I had the opportunity to give one of these a spin recently. Let me say that I went into the experience expecting to buy it and had cash ready,but the experience ended in flat-out disappointment. It is just huge and unwieldy. I expected it to be really fun to play and it just wasn't. I didn't even end up plugging it in. Don't get me wrong, I like big guitars - ES-175's and Gretschs and the like - but the big basses like this didn't catch on for a reason. YMMV.

[iiipopes]

I would be more inclined to purchase a Senator bass with one staple pickup at the neck, and there's one right now on ebay for a princely sum.

[ilan]

Yes, that was a very nice one in original condition and was sold for $1,300. My dream Hofner is a blonde Senator bass.

[Ivan3000]

Thats actually pretty cool.

[treewalker]

For being made in Asia, what do you want, it's a pretty decent price. The few I've seen on line don't have the German issue style control panel though, like the one in the this pic.

[RobRick]

I am tempted to get one of these, but am not quite convinced. I already have a Gretsch Broadkaster I am trying to sell, as i use my Hofner Icon basses more. And I have a Kay reissue that is a really great bass. So I will hold off for a while.

[Peacefrog35]

How much are you selling the Gretsch bass for? I missed the boat on that one and the local GC had just sold theirs when I went to check it out.