1966 Hofner 500/1 Beatle Bass Vintage Violin Bass Sunburst w/ Blade Pickups, Case
$4,799.99
$4,799.99
Shipping calculated at checkout.
Up for sale, a 1966 Hofner 500/1 Violin “Beatle Bass” in excellent condition and in perfect working order, complete with a vintage hardshell case. Indelibly linked with Paul McCartney and the Beatles, this genuine vintage 500/1 captures the round, pillowy thump and definition inherent to the iconic Beatles sound, with a fully hollow body and notably early blade pickups, which became standard for the model in ‘67.
There's a distinctive pluck, percussive cut, and hollow thud that this bass delivers even unplugged, with a broad sonic range between the two pickups. The bridge pickup has more nasally upper-midrange cut and sweet growl, and the neck position has a warm, broad thump. Controls include individual Volume knobs for each pickup as well as a two-way Rhythm/Solo tone switch which adds a tic-tac cut and punchy presence in the “Solo” position. Featherweight at 4lbs 14oz, this Hofner 500/1 Violin bass has been professionally setup here at Mike & Mike’s Guitar Bar with strings, easy-playing action, and accurate intonation.
Neck Specs:
-Wood: Maple
-Shape: Round C, measuring .855” 1st fret, .935” 12th fret
-Fretboard: Rosewood, dot inlay
-Frets: Slender, no wear
-Scale Length: 30”
-Nut: 1 9/16”, zero fret (bone, replacement)
-Tuners: Sealed-back
-Serialization: “Made in Germany” decal
Body Specs:
-Wood: Spruce, Flame maple
-Pickups: Blade single coil x2
-Harness: Preh pots date to the 38th week of ‘66
-Hardware: Ebony bridge, trapeze tailpiece (nickel-plated)
-Plastics: Three-ply pearloid pickguard with “Hofner” script, control plate, teacup knobs
The three-tone Sunburst gloss finish is an unusual cosmetic variant, as most Hofners of the era have a more subdued burst gradient. The finish highlights the dimensional flame figuring on the back with the usual vertical checking on top exhibited by nearly all 500/1s. Very well-kept, there are just a few small dings on the body, while the gloss on the neck profile is flawless save for one tiny nick behind fret 3 that is not distracting to the palm while fretting.
A vintage black tolex hardshell case is included.
There's a distinctive pluck, percussive cut, and hollow thud that this bass delivers even unplugged, with a broad sonic range between the two pickups. The bridge pickup has more nasally upper-midrange cut and sweet growl, and the neck position has a warm, broad thump. Controls include individual Volume knobs for each pickup as well as a two-way Rhythm/Solo tone switch which adds a tic-tac cut and punchy presence in the “Solo” position. Featherweight at 4lbs 14oz, this Hofner 500/1 Violin bass has been professionally setup here at Mike & Mike’s Guitar Bar with strings, easy-playing action, and accurate intonation.
Neck Specs:
-Wood: Maple
-Shape: Round C, measuring .855” 1st fret, .935” 12th fret
-Fretboard: Rosewood, dot inlay
-Frets: Slender, no wear
-Scale Length: 30”
-Nut: 1 9/16”, zero fret (bone, replacement)
-Tuners: Sealed-back
-Serialization: “Made in Germany” decal
Body Specs:
-Wood: Spruce, Flame maple
-Pickups: Blade single coil x2
-Harness: Preh pots date to the 38th week of ‘66
-Hardware: Ebony bridge, trapeze tailpiece (nickel-plated)
-Plastics: Three-ply pearloid pickguard with “Hofner” script, control plate, teacup knobs
The three-tone Sunburst gloss finish is an unusual cosmetic variant, as most Hofners of the era have a more subdued burst gradient. The finish highlights the dimensional flame figuring on the back with the usual vertical checking on top exhibited by nearly all 500/1s. Very well-kept, there are just a few small dings on the body, while the gloss on the neck profile is flawless save for one tiny nick behind fret 3 that is not distracting to the palm while fretting.
A vintage black tolex hardshell case is included.
