“Violin” Basses

Violin basses are broadly defined as bass guitars that resemble a violin or other traditional string instrument in shape. First introduced by German maker Hofner in 1955, these instruments were propelled into the spotlight by Paul McCartney who used his Hofner 500/1 model throughout Beatlemania and continues to do so today. The iconic status achieved by the 500/1 through its association with the Beatles spurred many other brands to make their own spin on the violin bass concept in the ’60s including Vox as well as budget Japanese brands like Kent. Today, Hofner still makes a variety of its signature 500/1, while other makers like Epiphone have launched their own modern iterations of this classic design.

Here we offer a ten year pictorial history (1955 – 1965) of the Hofner 500/1. Enjoy!

1956 HOFNER MODEL 500/1 BASS GUITAR

When it made its public debut at the 1956 Frankfurt Music Fair, the 500/1 had its pickups widely spaced apart in the neck and bridge positions. Also, the 1956 catalogue in which the bass first appears shows a bass with that same pickup configuration. It therefore seems reasonable to assume that the very first 500/1 basses made had their pickups in the neck and bridge positions.

1956/57 HOFNER 500/1 BASS GUITAR

(“RONNIE WATT & THE CHEKKERS”)

This particular guitar is historically very important. It was one of the very first bass guitars,if not the actual first, to be purchased in the UK (by Ronnie Watt of “Ronnie Watt & the Chekkers” in 1957). Also……it is almost certainly the first 500/1 ever seen and examined by Paul McCartney (when he was on tour in Scotland with the Silver Beetles and Johnny Gentle in May 1960

c1957-58 HOFNER 500/1 BASS GUITAR

The plastic headstock fascia with vertical Hofner logo replaced the inlayed ebony fascia

1959 HOFNER MODEL 500/1 BASS GUITAR

A beautiful example of a 1959 bass, with rectangular control console, black-bar pickups, vertical headstock logo, and black body binding. Note that the all-plastic pickups are now slightly closer together than on the earlier examples

1960 HOFNER MODEL 500/1 BASS GUITAR

This bass has the Hofner rectangular control console, and it must have have been one of the last fitted with the black bar pickups before the toasters were introduced. Being a 1960 bass, it has a neck truss-rod

Late 1961 HOFNER MODEL 500/1 VIOLIN BASS GUITAR

This bass still has the closely spaced “Cavern” Type 3 pickups with no exposed polepieces. However, by this stage, Hofner were moving on to the headstock with the small Hofner transfer logo, and the back of the bass is domed.

1962 HOFNER MODEL 500/1 BASS GUITAR

During 1962, Hofner seem to have discontinued the Type 3 “Cavern” pickup and fitted the 500/1 basses with the Type 510B “Diamond Logo” pickup. They also moved the “treble” pickup down to a new location adjacent to the bridge at this stage. This is an example of this fairly rare version.

1963 HOFNER 500/1 BASS GUITAR

**This bass has a two-piece solid carved spruce top, date stamped on 20th June 1961. This was probably from the last batch of solid tops, before Hofner used entirely laminated tops.**

**Rugby-Ball type tuners, which are more typical to those basses made in 1961 having a vertical Hofner logo headstock fascia. This bass has a black fascia with gold Hofner decal logo.**

**The pot code indicates that the potentiometers were manufactured during the first week of 1963. That would suggest that this bass was assembled in early/mid 1963**

A very interesting bass, which has a combination of features from different periods between 1961 and 1963. Although I believe it to be fully original, it should not be taken as a definitive example of a 1963 bass! It has a solid spruce carved body top (dated June 1961), with a bowed back. “Rugby Ball” tuners are fitted to a headstock with a black, gold decal logo fascia. Type 3 “Cavern” pickups are fitted but the pot code is “13”, indicating a potentiometer manufacture date of the first week in 1963.

c1963 HOFNER MODEL 500/1 BASS GUITAR

a ’63 bass with a vine leaf headstock inlay!! It is almost certainly original, and it is the only one that I have seen.

c1965/66 HOFNER MODEL 500/1 BASS GUITAR

Bound fingerboard, plastic raised logo on headstock, large surrounds to the “staple” pickups, and a very short tailpiece are the features of 500/1’s made between 1965 and 1967