Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

It seems that this bass will be my Rouge with subtle differences. I think i'm gonna pass. Now I'm thinking about a wine red Yamaha BB.

Well, Gary, well said. I think your last sentence bears examination. Hofner is marketing this thing; some contract builder in Korea is making it.

What would be the difference between an Asian violin copy and an Asian Club Bass copy? Both are copies, although theoretically they would bear Hofner nameplates.

I love Club basses; prefer their looks to the violin basses. If Hofner marketed an Asian-made $350.00 Club Bass, I'd be on it like a hobo on a ham sandwich!!!

How much revenue does the Hofner copy market take away each year from Hofner? Does anyone have any idea? Personally, I wouldn't want one, but maybe this is Hofner's way of taking a bite out of the ripoffs and taking back some market share. Like I said, it's not for me, but I have to admit that it is a pretty good business move.

Why not? It worked for Fender and Gibson, who were lax in protecting their own trade dress.

Seems like the market could absorb another hundred thousand cheapie LPs and Strats without prices dropping over about $30.00...

I agree Paul, for some reason I'm more comfortable with the Club copy. Perhaps because it does not have quite the "Icon" status.

I have to admit a $350 Club would have me on a ham sandwich diet.

This will also take a bite out of the Epiphone / Agile / Rogue market of copies that people are buying to get a entry-level Hofner. How many people in Beatle tribute bands are actually playing Hofners? Lots of them use one of these copies, now they can afford a Hofner, albeit not "the" Hofner. AND they won't have to worry about playing a bass that is worth 2-3K. Money in Hofner's pocket instead of Epi / Rogue, etc.

I suspect Steve's right about the marketing aspect--for Hofner, it's a new revenue line, making money for them from a market segment they haven't been playing in previously. For the manufacturer, it's a simple matter of adding one more decal to the line, a couple different trim pieces, perhaps a new laminate top piece.

As it turns out, looks lots of folks have been discussing this around here for a while...some additional insight and pics here...

http://www.rickresource.com/cgi-bin/discus/show.cgi?tpc=6169&post=247592#POST247592

I'm tempted to get a chinese Hofner too!

I'd never get a Rickenbacker if it was chinese-made, but the Hofner is a different story. The German-made is beautiful, but it is one dimensional and $2K and up is a ton to pay for the lack of diversity.

The unique sound and the Hofner name is nice to have for under $400. If one is a Beatle fan, anyway

"How many people in Beatle tribute bands are actually playing Hofners? "

I know of at least one.

The Milwaukee-based "Britins" play mostly "real" Beatle equipment. Bassist uses a Hofner 500/1 V63, but he's a "righty" and the George guy is a "leftie." Flopping pictures of them feels more comfortable to my eye. "George" had quite a time getting leftie Gretch Country Gentleman and Tennessean, and a Rick 360/12. He even has a "Rocky" Strat, but the word "Rocky" reads right!

Anyway, the bassist now has a Sgt. Pepper/MMT-painted Rick bass. Last summer I helped them set up a show and checked out the bass. It was a "battered old blue one," originally belonging to the "John" fellow. Get this: it was a May '73 Azureglo with checker binding, but late-style position markers. I told him that if it had been in good shape and original finish, he could move it for a couple of grand these days. Sad. Well, at least it's getting played.

I just got mine. The one thing I like is that the neck is fitted right to the body, you don't have the gap where Paul loops his strap thru.

Yes I noticied that right away that they had the strap post in the same place as the other clones. I have a Tedisco made back in the mid sixties and marketed by Sears under their Silvertone name. It was my first bass. I just needed a cheap bass just like Paul did when he started out.
But they grow on you. I have a Rogue now and a Turser. The Turser is a black one. My two other basses are a Turser copy of the Hofner 500/6 verithin and an EBO.
I will eventually wind up with one of the Icon's probably. But I just bought the Tennessee Rose so no Icon for a while. I hear that production can keep up they are selling them so fast. The figures have exceeded three thousand already.

I saw a Turser up at Levin's in DC the other day that flat took my breath away--a plain top with ivory, almost aged-looking pg, switch plate, etc. Beautifully instrument. I'm convinced these are all the same basic instrument, most likely from the same place.

Bill

I saw the Jay Turser at a music store in San Jose, CA a week ago. I restrung a Rogue with Roto Flats for a friend of mine and still have the Rogue at my house.

While both are pretty instruments, the Turser really looks nice and the violin finish is patterned much closer to the Hofner.

So..... has anyone received their Chinese Hofner yet? How does it play and sound??