So I was doing a little window shopping today, during the course of which I came across this - a McCartney style bass that was on sale for a little over £50. Hmmm, thought I - bargain! Asked could I try it - yep, they let me. Played a couple of riffs and I knew I had to have it.
Cost? £62 - about $90 roughly.
I saw this bass last week, and commented that it was overpriced - I've let a few guitars go in that same shop for a fraction of what they were really worth. Said, "that's overpriced - you'll give me £30 for my bass, but you'll try and sell this for £99? Dream on!
Pictures to follow - soon as my camera's charged!
:D :D :D
Vic
"Sometimes the beauty of music can help us all find strength to deal with all the curves life can throw us." (D. Hodge.)
Congratulations on your find! Looking forward to pictures! :D
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-:¦:- ((¸¸.·´ -:¦:- Elecktrablue -:¦:-
"Don't wanna ride no shootin' star. Just wanna play on the rhythm guitar." Emmylou Harris, "Rhythm Guitar" from "The Ballad of Sally Rose"
Is it a Hofner or a violin style by another manufacturer?
Well we all shine on--like the moon and the stars and the sun.
-- John Lennon
Is it a Hofner or a violin style by another manufacturer?
It's a cheap-and-cheerful copy of the Hofner violin style, manufacturer's name is Shine - never heard of them before. My previous bass only had one p/u - this has two. Bridge p/u is a nice bright tone, neck p/u is a deep dirty rumble. Spent a few hours playing around with it last night. It's very light - tap it and it sounds hollow, or chambered. Feels almost ridiculously easy to play - nice low action with no buzzing, new strings, and in excellent condition for a used bass.
Off to take some pics.....
:D :D :D
Vic
"Sometimes the beauty of music can help us all find strength to deal with all the curves life can throw us." (D. Hodge.)
Congrats on the new bass Vic! I remembered last week that you are looking for a bass in the new year. The violin basses are very cool instruments. I was reading about them on December after watching some McCartney videos on YouTube and the Amy Winehouse DVD (Dale Davis is the bass player). The scale is shorter than the "normal" basses (for example, Precision or Jazz) so it should be easier to play. McCartney only tells great thing about his bass. After your comment, definitely I should give a try!
And yeah, looking forward to pictures!
:D
The scale is shorter than the "normal" basses (for example, Precision or Jazz) so it should be easier to play.
Yes, I noticed it looked a little shorter than the other basses on display - from the nut to the bridge, the length is just a touch over 30."
Anyway, as promised, PICTURES!!!
OK, time to dig out the Idiot's guide to playing bass guitar - this is a really lovely instrument, I better get good enough to do it justice!
:D :D :D
Vic
"Sometimes the beauty of music can help us all find strength to deal with all the curves life can throw us." (D. Hodge.)
Very cool Vic! 8)
Dan
"The only way I know that guarantees no mistakes is not to play and that's simply not an option". David Hodge
Nice find Vic!! Can you ship one over to me too??
...only thing I know how to do is to keep on keepin' on...
LARS kolberg http://www.facebook.com/sangerersomfolk
Nice find Vic!! Can you ship one over to me too??
I'll keep my eyes open for one, Lars!
You know, the more I play this bass, the more I'm impressed - I don't know what the Hofner violin basses cost, but I'd guess they started around £500. This one cost a fraction of that price, and plays like a dream - the intonation's perfect, the neck's smoother than a greasy fireman's pole, and there's a HUGE variey of tones to play with....
There's no P/U selector switch - there are two volume knobs, one for the bridge p/u, one for the neck p/u. So the possibilities for tone blending are almost limitless....the tone knob itself just alters the treble. On "0" it's all bass - on "10" it's very trebly and bright.
Now, bear in mind, I've never played a really good bass guitar - closest I've got to one was when Dan and Laura were over here, and Dan borrowed (I think....) a Precision bass. Didn't really get to play it for more than a couple of mins, though - and I was out of practise. But this feels like it should have cost a lot more - I really do feel like I've lucked out. It's very comfortable to play sitting down - the violin shape means the cut-out sits neatly on the knee. It's very light, too - doesn't feel like I'm pumping iron when I pick it up. Not sure about the strap peg being behind the neck - I think I'll have to get a straplock for that. It's a little neck-heavy - the headstock wants to go down all the time, but as I play with the palm of my hand resting on the body of the bass, it's not really a problem.
One thing I found with my old (precision-shaped) bass was that I needed to wear the strap very low - much lower than I wear a guitar. I found it easier to play with my right (picking) arm almost fully extended - the strap I've put on this bass is nowhere near as long, but I don't seem to need the same length on the strap now - possibly because this one's nowhere near as heavy?
A big bonus - with the body being hollow, or at least chambered, it sounds pretty good unplugged - sounds almost as good as an acoustic bass. Easy to slap'n'pop, too - just pick a little harder!
Yep, I'm really having a lot of fun with this so far - I know it was only a cheap bass, but I really do feel I've dropped on a real bargain here. Almost like I've bent down to pick up a 2p coin and it's miraculously changed into a £2 coin.....
I'll try and post some soundclips in the AM. Please bear in mind I don't have a bass amp, I'll have to play it through my cube 30X - shouldn't hurt it playing at a fairly low volume, around #2 or so.
:D :D :D
Vic
"Sometimes the beauty of music can help us all find strength to deal with all the curves life can throw us." (D. Hodge.)
OUCH - I just looked up Hofner basses on MF. Start at about $350 - that's about £240 for a cheap one, or about 4 times what I paid. Then I found this..... http://bass-guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Hofner-5001-Vintage-63-Violin-Bass-Guitar?sku=511772 ......
:D :D :D
Vic
"Sometimes the beauty of music can help us all find strength to deal with all the curves life can throw us." (D. Hodge.)
It looks like the love child of a bass and violin with mandolin ancestors. Not that it's a bad thing. Nice find.
"In what, twisted universe does mastering Eddie Van Halen's two handed arpeggio technique count as ABSOLUTELY NOTHING?!" - Dr Gregory House
Congrats, Vic! Looks very sharp. I hope you get to enjoy it a lot.
Roy
"I wonder if a composer ever intentionally composed a piece that was physically impossible to play and stuck it away to be found years later after his death, knowing it would forever drive perfectionist musicians crazy." - George Carlin
That, indeed, is a very fine looking instrument.
It looks like it has character.
It looks like someones attempt at electrifying a viola.
You will definitely have to post a video on the BV board . . . what song?
Hey, give us a few licks of Smoke on the Water! :D . . . to start off with.
KR2
It's the rock that gives the stream its music . . . and the stream that gives the rock its roll.
OUCH - I just looked up Hofner basses on MF. Start at about $350 - that's about £240 for a cheap one, or about 4 times what I paid. Then I found this..... http://bass-guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Hofner-5001-Vintage-63-Violin-Bass-Guitar?sku=511772 ......
Yeah, there are several prices for the real Hofner. The "vintage" are around 2000€ and the cheapest around 300€.
But, to me, your bass is more similar to the Epiphone Viola bass.
Very cool! :D
Yes, Nuno, VERY similar to that Epi viola bass - even down to the shape of the tailpiece! I'm going to have to find money for a cheap bass amp - there's a Stagg 20W amp going for about £50, which isn't too bad.
Smoke On The Water, Ken? Hmm, think I can manage that. Might just put a few of those old bass riffs together I've used on "Spot The Bass Riff" in Games & Trivia, though....
:D :D :D
Vic
"Sometimes the beauty of music can help us all find strength to deal with all the curves life can throw us." (D. Hodge.)
