Hofner "Ignition" Violin Bass

[Col Mustard]

I just ordered one of these for the lady who is a sometimes member of my group.
Logistically, we can't take her everywhere, but when we can, we do.

She's been singing with us since like 1974, off and on. Lately, more and more.
She adds a lot, great vocalist, and she plays a little guitar and loves to play bass.

She usually uses one of mine, and doesn't complain about how heavy they are or how big
the neck is or how far apart the frets are. She just shoulders it and works with it.

I admire that. I've been tempted to just give her one of my basses, because she's been
working really hard at her technique and making real progress. But I saw a band at a
festival that made me really like the look of the Beatle bass in the hands of a female
bassist. This is the band, called The Boxcar Lillies:

They play similar venues to what we do, festivals, coffeehouses, concert series, Gazebos, schools and house concerts.
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/bass/hofner-ignition-series-vintage-violin-bass?rNtt=hofner ignition&index=1

Much as I respect Sir Paul, and as much as I've been listening with fascination to what he's been doing since the early sixties, I could never see myself playing one of these basses.
Maybe I'm just a Fender guy... I still have the first bass I ever bought, because I bought the
best. And it's still the best. But I think Libby would grab one of these happily and use it to
great advantage. It's a lot lighter than one of mine, and has a 30" scale. (75cm)

Anyway, we'll see. The reviews are good, and I couldn't pass up the price.
I know there are a whole lot of online things about how to mod yer Hofner bass.
*grins

Anybody own one, or have some experience with them?

 

[JohnnyGoo]

Ive not owned the Hofner Ignition Bass but ive owned 2 Epiphone Viola Basses and both were top notch quality and they both sounded great. I put the La Bella deep talking Beatle Bass strings on them.

 

[eSGEe]

I had a Douglas bass that was very similar and am currently rebuilding a Teisco for a friend.......

Same as above but at the moment no electrics ........

Nice tones....but for me they where to light--- if a bass isnt over 11 lbs.......it isnt REALLY a bass --buwahahahahaaa--

 

[Col Mustard]

How hard is it to replace electronics? Are the parts attached to that plate with the switches, and
come out easy? ...and go back in easy?

 

[eSGEe]

yes all is attached to the plate....EASY for a hollow body! -- my issue is the PUPS--- I cant find the same ones and they are an odd size a standard mini hum style bass pup will not fit...

 

[Col Mustard]

Libby received her bass today and is over the moon about it.
I'm on the way to Mystic to play the Sea Music Festival this weekend, but I'll
get some photos when we practice next.

I had found the bass on sale at M/F and ordered it... but they are backordered until the end
of the month, so I cancelled that order and called my friend Alan Finkbeiner at Sweetwater.

He arranged for the bass to get setup by their crew and shipped to Libby at home, arriving
on the morning of the second day after I talked to him. That's great service, and Libby says
the bass plays like a dream. The case is extra.

I wondered if satisfaction would occur, because I've read posts by people who ordered
something from Sweetwater and found fault with every possible thing, as if no one really
inspected or set up the instrument. That's a bite in the arse.

So I'll be looking carefully at Libby's new bass, and making sure. I can recommend Alan
at Sweetwater, because I've had great experiences getting stuff from there. If I ask Alan to
make sure of something for me, it gets done. That kind of service beats other retailers
IMHO. It pained me to read of others having bad experiences, and makes me wary.

 

[JohnnyGoo]

I always have got top notch service from Sweetwater Music.If i buy new i buy from them.

 

[Mr Grumpy]

Very smart basses. &, they have some successful history...

 

[Col Mustard]

jah, you betcha...

Libby has really embraced the Hofner... she refers to it as "adorable..."
which is not my usual feeling about a bass, but she gets her own take on it
as a matter of course.

On her, this bass looks great IMHO.
On me, not so much, but I can't deny how interested I've been in listening to it and
mixing it, and playing it myself sometimes.


The tone is a lot different from the Fender basses I'm used to playing, but the Hofner has its own
mojo and can NOT be dismissed. We got the La Bella flat wound strings for it, and that gives it
an excellent round tone through my Roland CB60XT. The Hofner weighs about 5 pounds...
half of what my Warmoth Fretless Jazz does. *shrugs... Libby's really happy about that too.

Here we are at a tribute concert for one of our local heroes... we had put together a scratch
band for the one song we were doing that evening. One of the guys had to come over and
check out Libby's bass. Here he is, going: "OMG, is that a Hofner?" Love it...
That's Rod Capps, he's an excellent bass player himself, as well as guitarist, Viola player
and harmony singer.

 

[Tony M.]

I have dealt with Sweetwater a number of times.
I have zero complaints and keep going back there.

 

[Col Mustard]

Agreed. Free shipping and no sales tax helps them stay competitive with other more
musclebound musical marketeers. But I began this thread several months ago, and Libby has
been happily using her bass constantly in practice and performance. No problems or
complaints. I personally find it hard to remember what the switches are for, but that's just
because I am used to my Fender's controls.

>It doesn't get much simpler than a Precision bass, for controls. Maybe Nikki Sixx and his
Gibson bass with one knob on it. But of course, he travels with a whole sound crew to manage
his signal, so he doesn't need any knobs, really. Also his style is more like a bulldozer than mine
and you don't need fine adjustments in tone for that.

Anyway, I give the Hofner a great review. It seems very stable, tuning wise.
We've performed with it outside in the heat, and inside in A/C cooled rooms, and inside in hot stuffy rooms, and
now the seasons changing, which throws many guitars into tantrum territory. But not the Hofner.

Light weight, and perfect balance... deep tone and a firm presence. Well made with no flaws.
The controls give several good alternatives to the tone, and if I took the time to read the manual,
I would understand them quickly and retain it. The neck feels so different from the Fender types that my style has evolved on,
I find it fascinating. Sometimes I'm like, "Oh, let me try this on the
Hofner!..."

And she likes it a lot, it's better for her style than using my Fender. There you have it...
Highly recommended.