Primary Use: In the 5 years I have owned this bass I have only used it in my studio. I have recroded many things with Amp/DI
Amplifier Used: SWR Workingmans 12+ different pre's/DI's
Vintage: 1970
Number of Strings: 4
Double bass strings compatible
Tuned in: 4th
Bowable: Yes
Thumb Reference: D
Playable Seated: Yes
Balance While Playing: (10/10)
Transportability: (10/10)
Overall Rating: (10/10)
First, this is a very rare instrument as I have never been able to find any info in all my Internet searches in the 5 years I have owned this Bass. It has a headstock, neck, bridge & tailpiece from a Hofner acoustic upright bass (I believe) and a small solid wood body with an adjustable endpin. It is strung with fairly heavy upright strings. (The same strings that were on it when I bought it 5 years ago!) It definitely has the "feel" of a "real" upright and not like the many EUB out there that tend to be more like a "big fretless" bass (NS Designs, etc). It takes some physical work just like a real upright does!! It has piezo pickups under the bridge and volume and tone pots. (The tone has never worked although that has never bothered me as I use pre amps/eq anyway. I'm sure it's just a loose cable or something similar.)
About 2 years ago I had it in a bass shop here in Manhattan (David Gage) and they did some work on it and fitted a David Gage "Realist" pickup which is in "addition" to the original pickup so you can use either/or blend the (2) together for a lot of variations in sound.I adapted a trombone stand to use with this Bass and it works great, freestanding.
The tone is darker compared with newer EUB's and is IMHO very close to the real thing. Obviously the amount of "air" that is being moved inside the body of an Acoustic Bass can never be reproduced with a solid body instrument but I think this Hofner comes very close. It also has a removable metal "waist rest" that can be used when the Bass is free standing which makes it feel a lot more like the real thing, this gives the feeling of a bigger body without the physical size of one although I don't use this as I have the bass permanently on the trombone stand which is self supporting. It came with a soft 'pleather gig bag and I did bring it home on the back seat of a New York City cab. (Just fit by inches!!)
A fine instrument both vintage and collectable that is also a great working alternative to lugging around an acoustic upright!!
