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Up for sale, a 1967 Hofner 500/1 Violin “Beatle Bass” in excellent condition and in perfect working order, complete with a 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 first-year blade pickups.
There's a distinctive pluck, percussive cut, and hollow thud that this bass delivers even unplugged, with a broad sonic range between the two "blade" pickups. There's more nasally upper midrange cut and sweet growl from the bridge pickup and a girthy, broad thump from the neck position. 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 presence in the “Solo” position. Featherweight at 4lbs 14oz, this fully hollow instrument has been professionally setup here at Mike & Mike's Guitar Bar with comfortable action and accurate intonation.
Neck Specs:
-Wood: Maple
-Shape: Medium C, measuring .845” 1st fret, .935" 12th fret
-Fretboard: Rosewood, dot inlay
-Frets: Slender, light wear on frets 1-3, beneath A and D to fret 6
-Scale Length: 30”
-Nut: 1 1/2”, zero fret
-Tuners: Open-gear, pearloid buttons
-Serialization: “Made in Germany,” serial sticker on back of peghead
Body Specs:
-Wood: Spruce, Flame maple
-Pickups: Blade single coil x2
-Harness: CTS pots date to 16th week of 1979
-Hardware: Ebony bridge, trapeze tailpiece (nickel-plated)
-Plastics: Control plate, teacup knobs, pearloid pickguard (replacement, unmounted)
The original two-tone Sunburst gloss finish frames light bookmatched flame figuring on the two-piece back. There is light pick wear framing the treble pickup bezel, buckle rash on the upper bout, and a few additional minor dings and finish scuffs on the body as a whole. There are also two pairs of very closely spaced pickguard mounting holes on top (one perfectly matches the modern included pickguard, currently not installed). The maple neck retains its smooth gloss on the profile, with one shallow ding central to the carve behind fret 4.
A modern form-fit black hardshell case is included, along with a modern white pearloid pickguard that matches the mounting holes on the body.
There's a distinctive pluck, percussive cut, and hollow thud that this bass delivers even unplugged, with a broad sonic range between the two "blade" pickups. There's more nasally upper midrange cut and sweet growl from the bridge pickup and a girthy, broad thump from the neck position. 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 presence in the “Solo” position. Featherweight at 4lbs 14oz, this fully hollow instrument has been professionally setup here at Mike & Mike's Guitar Bar with comfortable action and accurate intonation.
Neck Specs:
-Wood: Maple
-Shape: Medium C, measuring .845” 1st fret, .935" 12th fret
-Fretboard: Rosewood, dot inlay
-Frets: Slender, light wear on frets 1-3, beneath A and D to fret 6
-Scale Length: 30”
-Nut: 1 1/2”, zero fret
-Tuners: Open-gear, pearloid buttons
-Serialization: “Made in Germany,” serial sticker on back of peghead
Body Specs:
-Wood: Spruce, Flame maple
-Pickups: Blade single coil x2
-Harness: CTS pots date to 16th week of 1979
-Hardware: Ebony bridge, trapeze tailpiece (nickel-plated)
-Plastics: Control plate, teacup knobs, pearloid pickguard (replacement, unmounted)
The original two-tone Sunburst gloss finish frames light bookmatched flame figuring on the two-piece back. There is light pick wear framing the treble pickup bezel, buckle rash on the upper bout, and a few additional minor dings and finish scuffs on the body as a whole. There are also two pairs of very closely spaced pickguard mounting holes on top (one perfectly matches the modern included pickguard, currently not installed). The maple neck retains its smooth gloss on the profile, with one shallow ding central to the carve behind fret 4.
A modern form-fit black hardshell case is included, along with a modern white pearloid pickguard that matches the mounting holes on the body.
