1961 Hofner 500/1 violin bass .... This very cool vintage Hofner violin bass is the cat's pajamas! It has most of the desirable specs a la Paul McCartney's first "Cavern" Hofner bass, including the close-spaced diamond pickups dating only to the 1961 model year, longer tailpiece, "rugby" tuners and vertical logo. The only major spec point difference is the back of this bass is domed and McCartney's was supposedly a flat back.
Most strikingly, this Hofner was finished in natural blonde, with the pickguard and control panel in tortoise instead of the usual pearl. According to the experts less than a dozen vintage 500/1 basses were done in Blond instead of the usual Cremona sunburst, they were likely made as samples or custom orders.
This bass originates from the Netherlands, with the original vintage store sticker on back of headstock from The Hague (den Haag)! The Van Wouw serial number stamped into the top edge of the headstock dates it to 1961, as do the control panel codes and inside the top underneath is stamped "15 Mai 1961" (visible only with a light and mirror).
The bass is in excellent condition, all-original and very clean. Beautiful figuring to the maple on the one-piece back, with some flaming in the neck wood, they obviously used some very choice woods for this one. Thick dark brown slab Brazilian rosewood fretboard.
Plays and sounds amazing, the neck is on the thinner side and extremely easy to play, the diamond pickups really deliver well and are underrated. No cracks or repairs, just some light honest play wear.
Ships in a newer perfectly-fitting hardshell case as shown. USA shipping on this one only please.
