Hofner 1964 500/1 Violin Bass w/Case, Excellent

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This Hofner 1964 500/1 Violin Bass in sunburst is in excellent condition.  It comes with a letter from Martin Harrison, luthier to the stars, who restored Paul McCartney's original 1961 Hofner 500/1 bass after it was recovered following 50 years of being missing.  The bass is listed on the Hofner Registry under the Selmer UK Distributed registry.

It has a German spruce top with flame maple back and sides, a maple neck, and a bound rosewood fretboard with dot inlays and 22 frets. The pickups are Hofner "Staple" humbuckers, and the bridge, tuners, pots and wiring are all original.

The finish is original and in excellent condition with some scratches and dings. The multi-ply body binding is pulling away from the body at the top by the waist, and there is light finish checking on the back of the headstock. The body has had one repair. Please see the pics.

It weighs 4 lbs 11 oz. It comes with a printout of a certificate of authenticity from a previous dealer, and a generic case that is not original and rates good.

Walter Hofner designed the 500/1 Violin Bass in 1955, and it debuted at the Frankfurt Music Fair in 1956. It was meant as an easy-playing electric alternative for upright bass players, with a hollow body, a short 30" scale and very light weight. Paul McCartney bought one in Hamburg in 1961 because he couldn't afford a Fender, and it was a left-handed model that had to be special-ordered. The 500/1 wasn't even imported to the UK until about 1963, and demand took off after that. By early 1964 McCartney was playing his newer 1963 bass almost exclusively, and he still has it. This one was built in 1964, the same year the Beatles landed in America, so it's from the exact era that made these basses famous!

SPECIFICATIONS

• Weight: 4 lbs 11 oz
• Color: sunburst
• Body Material: German Spruce top, Flame Maple back and sides
• Body Condition: excellent
• Body Original?: yes
• Body Repairs: one
• Body Binding: Multi-ply body binding with black purfling
• Body Binding Condition: good, pulling away from the body at the top/waist - see pics
• Body Finish Original?: yes
• Body Finish Condition: excellent overall, some scratches and dings
• Body Length: 18-1/8"
• Lower Bout: 11-3/16"
• Waist: 6-11/16"
• Upper Bout: 9"
• Body Depth/Thickness: 2-5/16"
• Overall Length: 42-11/16"
• Pickguard Color: Mother of Pearl
• Pickguard Original?: yes
• Pickguard Condition: excellent
  
• Strap Buttons: yes
• Scale Length: 30"
• Has Truss Rod: yes
• Truss Rod Condition: very good, room for future adjustment
• Neck Material: Maple
• Neck Profile: rounded C
• Neck Thickness At 1st Fret: .892"
• Neck Thickness At 12th Fret: 1.037"
• Action 1st String At 12th Fret: 3/32"
• Action 4th String At 12th Fret: 3/32"
• Neck Condition: very good, finish checking at glue joints on back of headstock - see pics
• Neck Repairs: none
• Neck Finish Original?: yes
• Fretboard Material: bound rosewood
• Fretboard Condition: excellent
• Fretboard Repairs: none
• Fretboard Radius: near flat 20+"
• Fret Condition: very good
• Fret Repairs: none
• Fret Count: 22
• Inlay: mother-of-pearl dot
• Nut Material: solid black/white plastic formulation
• Nut Repairs: none
• Nut Width: 1-9/16"
• Bridge Brand: Hofner 2 piece floating ebony
• Bridge Original?: yes
• String Spacing At Bridge: 1-3/4"
• Bridge Condition: excellent
• Tuner Brand And Model: Individual open-axis single nickel 
• Tuners Original?: yes
• Changes To Headstock For Tuners?: none
• Tuner Condition: excellent
• Tuner Screws Original?: yes
• Truss Rod Cover: yes
• Case Brand: generic
• Case Original?: no
  
• Case Smells?: none
• Pickup Brand: Hofner "Staple" humbucker
• Pickup Count: 2
• Pickups Original?: yes
• Pickup Condition: excellent
  
• Pickup Cover Color: nickel
• Knob Color: cream and gold
• Knob Count: 2
• Knobs Original?: yes
• Knob Condition: excellent
• Control Cavity Cover: pearloid control panel
• Control Cavity Cover Original?: yes
• Control Cavity Condition: excellent
• Potentiometer Count: 2
• Potentiometers Original?: yes
• Potentiometer Condition: excellent
• Solders Original?: yes
• Wiring Original?: yes
• Switch Condition: excellent
• Switch Original?: yes
• Output Jack Original?: yes
• Documentation: See description
• Smells?: none
  

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