The ShadowMusic Web Community

Anyone after a violin bass ?

Ebay (link below) has a new Vintage Violin Bass plus case (guitar shape, not rectangular) for £269, including post.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-Violi ... 1031442665

Luigi

Vintage - a copy, and not a high quality one at that.

Hofner's own Ignition series is not much more expensive.

On The subject of Hofner copies
Has anyone tried this make?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Electric-Viol ... 1117423%26

Jay

Hi Jay,

Never seen this one.
As far as I can see from the pictures, it looks very similar to the Epiphone Viola bass, which is slightly larger (wider) than the Hofner.
The hardware and headstock look like Epiphone bits or copies.
Generally my personal view is that there is little difference in sound between the Vintage, Epiphone and Hofners. I have all 3 and once strung with Hofner Beatles flatwounds (which are about £60), there's little to choose between them.
The Epiphone is my favourite. Mine is nearly 20 years old, with no deterioration and it's a great 60's bass for the money.
I sometimes can't believe how lucky we are as there are many low priced good quality basses out there, especially the recent additions to the Squier range.
Just as an afterthought the Hofner Union Jack version, played by Paul McCartney at the Olympics was originally £699 and is now selling for around £2500.
But don't forget we're Shads fans and the only time a violin bass has been featured on a Shads related number was the Beatles "Cry Me a Shadow".

Regards, Luigi

Sorry Luigi, that track was actually called "Cry FOR A Shadow".

Does anyone else, like me, see the irony in Epiphone, a company owned by Gibson, producing a copy of a Hofner bass, that was originally a copy of a Gibson?

Here's my violin bass.......

Sorry Ecca a mistranslation from my Italian Beatles book.
The most amazing violin bass I've ever seen. Any chance of a sound file, would love to hear it ?

Regards, Luigi

I'll see what I can do.
I built it in 1977. mahogany body, through neck, beech fingerboard (!)
Modelled on a Gibson EB1 but I fancied a fretless with the same scale as a Precision.

Hi Ecca
I have just noticed that on your violin bass you have the strings wound
the opposite way round the machine heads?

regards
Jay

Ecca..That's superb. I'd love to have a twang on that!