Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

What strings do you use on your Hofner bass? There was a thread on here a while back about Hofner making a bass for the common man. I got a Contemporary after Gary at Northcoast finally got some new ones in. The strings on it are not bad (at least not to me). But I was wondering if any body used any nylon taped flatwounds on theirs? If so what brand are they, where can they be found, do they fit or have to be trimmed, and do they fit the stock nut properly. The Contemporary's nut is like the German one with 3 plies and a zero fret like a standard Hofner.
I ordered aTransparent Black Icon now too. I know that a lot of people complained about the finish on the Icon. I finally got to play a friends. It was a nice playing bass. Its neck was thinner than the Contemporary. I think that the Comtemporary is based on a 63 Hofner and the Icon is based on a 62. The Transparent Black looks good on them in the pic's. I had to order some Icon cases thru American Musical. Nobody else had any.
If anybody wants to buy a Violin bass I have about four to sell now LOL..

Me personally, I use Thomastik-Infeld JF 324s. They're excellent low-tension strings. As a secondary string I use the Hofner or Pyramid set (same mfg.). I also found some new old stock Maxima/Rickenbackers that I use occasionally. Some folks like the LaBella set too, which is a higher tension set. The only black nylon set I'm aware of is the Rotosound TruBass set, which is the highest tension set. Also big gauges, with an E string somewhere around .107-.109. The few times I installed them for people, I did indeed have to file the nut slots. Length-wise, with the long tailpiece you can use short scale. With medium or long tailpieces, you need medium scale strings. The Contemp, Icon, and V62 and V63 and Cavern reissues all should have the long tailpiece, therefore short scale strings.

If you want that Beatle-y thud sound and don't want to mess with filing the nut, do get the Thomastik JF344s. I guess the JF324s will do just fine, too!

They've got the excellent retro sound on the semi-hollow Hofner body. They work great on the Ricky 4003 as well.

I just put some TI JF324's on my Hofner Club and I love 'em! I wish I could go back and record our album with these strings instead of the strings I had on there before. The LaBella Deep Talkers were OK, but theTI's are much warmer and more mellow, in addition to being much easier on my fingers (and the trussrod). I just like the TI sound better - the LaBellas had a lot more 'tongggg' which I never really liked that much. I also liked the Pyramids that the bass was shipped with, and they recorded really well, but my friend got a set of Pyramids with a bum E-string recently, and I didn't want to chance the money on a pain in the neck. The only problem with the JF324's is that they're made for 32-inch scales, (JF344's are for 34-inch scale, JF364 for 36, etc) so you end up wrapping some of the string around your peghead, rather than the wound leads as you would with most strings.

The stock factory string Hofner uses on the upper end German basses (i.e. Club, V62, V63, Deluxe and Caverns) is, and always was Pyramid Gold Flatwounds (640s) in a short-scale. To my understanding, the reason Pyramid Flats aren't factory installed on the budget ICON, and Contemporary Series from China is cost. Upgrading these basses to the better quality of Pyramid Flats is a prudent move (IMO).

Macca himself once said in reply on which bass strings he uses "Long shiny ones"

He is not a gear head.

La Bella make a black nylon tapewound set specifically for "Beatle bass" - set no. 760N. Low E string is a .115, so you may well have to file the nut. Shouldn't be a problem so long as you have the zero fret. I use them all the time on my Epiphone Viola bass, and like them a lot.

blazer wrote:Macca himself once said in reply on which bass strings he uses "Long shiny ones"

He is not a gear head.

Either that or he was smart enough to know that he would have given the company millions and millions of dollars of free publicity.

Thanks guys. I hate to file the nut. I have heard that the standard flat wounds with out the tape makes your fingers hurt for some reason. If that's just a myth I may just order the pyramids from Gary unless there is a better source that you use. I think that they would be just a be a put them on the bass and play with no mods required type of flatwounds.
I imagine that Paul was aware of the idea that he might be endorsing some name brand. He seems to be the most business savy of a musician who has ever lived.

qmoder wrote:Thanks guys. I hate to file the nut. I have heard that the standard flat wounds with out the tape makes your fingers hurt for some reason. If that's just a myth I may just order the pyramids from Gary unless there is a better source that you use. I think that they would be just a be a put them on the bass and play with no mods required type of flatwounds.
I imagine that Paul was aware of the idea that he might be endorsing some name brand. He seems to be the most business savy of a musician who has ever lived.

Just a myth, I use flats all the time, have them on all my basses except one.

It has been posted on NCM's web site that the German Hofners will be going up in price about 15% next month due to the weak dollar.

Since all america seems to be buying Icon's and Contempories that might not be a good idea on Hofner's part just yet.

Pyramid Gold Flatwounds

I beg to differ on McCartney. I think he knows exactly what he likes and wants.

I know that this is an old thread, so I'll be brief. I use SIT Power Flats(50-105), which are actually groundwounds on my Brice Hofner copy. The tone of that bass now is as nice as it has ever been. Full and deep, but not overly boomy. Since I put these strings on, I find myself playing this bass more and more.

Thomastik Jazz Roundwound JR324 E is only .093 No problem with Icon or CT bass No need to modify the nut