Late 1960's Hofner Violin Bass | Guitar of the Day - Clark Sims

[@TylerJohnstonGuitar]

Can’t help but think of The Beatles with this one. This is an instrument that almost everybody has seen once in their lives, but only a handful of lucky ones get the pleasure of playing.

[@metallsnubben]

Don't know if it was from that era but I tried one in a local music store (that has since shut down at that) - so much goddamn fun. Lightweight, easy to play, loud just acoustically

[@TylerJohnstonGuitar]

@@metallsnubben Yeah man I’m not a bass player by any means but I’d pick one of those up if I saw one hanging on a wall.

[@FlatDerrick]

You must be American and/or under about 35. They were everywhere in Europe from the 70s-90s, the only bass most dealers felt they had to have in stock that wasn't a P or J. Went out of fashion a fair bit when acoustic e basses came in as a lot of owners only really used them as a 'sofa guitar'.

[@TylerJohnstonGuitar]

@@FlatDerrick Nailed it lol. 23 year old American.

[@c.syde65]

@@TylerJohnstonGuitar Probably because it isn't one of the best bass guitars in existence and most likely would have faded into obscurity, had Paul McCartney not played one. But I would still choose the Höfner 500/1 Violin over other bass guitars simply because it reminds me of a small cello. Although the neck reminds me of a small double bass. I've noticed how a lot of people seem to like the Höfner 500/1 Violin because it's the bass guitar most associated with Paul McCartney. Whereas a lot of people seem to like the Rickenbacker 4001S, Fender Jazz, or Fender Precision because of the sound, and not because of the musicians the bass guitars are commonly associated with.

[@thelawyerfrommars]

That was the best rendition of Come Together that I've ever heard. Lovely!

[@Owendoesalbumreviews]

Family friend/bass collector recently gifted me an old Hofner bass just like this one and I am so excited to start playing it! Very lightweight and sounds great too I love it already

[@MartinThompson-e8k]

What strings are you using on it

[@joalco3]

Brandon (and Clark and Jen of course) is so perfect for this channel. Such good energy and always so knowledgeful!

[@jimbucket2996]

You sure are right but you could just say anyone but lemmo.

[@joalco3]

@@jimbucket2996Why ruin the positive sentiment? Lemmo wasn't in the video boss.. Besides your comment doesnt make any sense there are plenty of other people on this channel besides these 4

[@mtacoustic1]

While in college back in '74, I was haunting the local music store and encountered a guy trying to sell his '70-ish Hofner bass to the store. The store only offered him $15 for it. I offered and got the bass for a hard earned $25. Very cool bass in really nice shape- and it even had a German music store sticker on it. Still have it- a great buy worth maybe 100 times what I paid for it!

[@davidpotsdam]

no it was worth the $25 see my post

[@mtacoustic1]

@@davidpotsdam Yep; I was wrong. A quick check of original Beatles era vintage Hofner bass values are 200 times what I paid for it. Play-ability is a personal thing; collect-ability is a hard value.

[@BOBBRADLEYCHANNEL]

Just a bump on this old video to say, Paul got his “cavern bass “ back! After being stolen for over 50 years. It’s mostly likely the first left handed Hofner bass and was his gigging bass in the early days. Super important instrument to fans of the early Beatles.

[@crapadopalese]

8:57 - listen to that amazing fret buzz. That's the sound of real quality.

[@richieluckenbill1590]

Would sound and play better with flatwounds and higher action. This is definitely NOT the Paul McCartney tone!

[@dbmusic2504]

I have a Hofner ignition bass, which is an affordable replica of this one. Beautiful instrument and sound, super light-weight. Highly recommend for those who cannot afford vintage!

[@vgs44]

What was the price

[@jonnust6236]

​@@vgs44they are $450 new

[@NormanPeterson]

Love my Hofner Ignition!! Well worth the affordable price!!

[@markhenley5131]

Clark you are the best !!! Wow that's the most exciting bass session I've heard in ages . I have the same bass and have had it since 1993 and would never ever sell it .

[@richm7410]

The McCartney Bass with the two pickups close to each other, is the one that went missing in 1969 and still has not surfaced. Hofner speaks about it on their website. They would like to get it back to Paul. Clark you really rock that thing. Paul would be proud of you. Great video and history lesson.

[@johnbarry1965]

Some guy has said today that it was stolen out of a van in 1972, when he was a roadie with Wings.

[@iutubsacs]

They found it bro!

[@arthernandez5514]

McCartney also used a fixed setting on the pickups of his Hofner: rhythm to SOLO, Bass to ON and Treble to OFF

[@chuckdriver8269]

Fantastic playing Clark! 🎸🇺🇸

[@labajadaman]

I had one years ago that I believe was a 1965. It had the staple pickups, neck binding, raised logo, and the control plate was slightly larger than the earlier sixties basses. Very similar to the one you are featuring, but with staple pickups. Played and sounded great. Regrettably I sold it (for about 5x what I bought it for). I wish I had held on to that thing! Anyway, I later picked up a Chinese one that is okay, but I finally got ahold of a German made 1964 reissue. I love it and don’t plan on ever letting it go!

[@beatlemike9]

A must have Bass....with Flat Wound Strings!!

[@stratkiller86]

Paul used Pyramid brand, but La Bella makes a good "Beatle Bass" set at half the price. I use them on my CT hofner bass

[@beatlemike9]

I'm using Hofner ones, don't know how they compare?

[@Dibbs6]

Absolutely in 63' McCartney's had staple pickups. No binding on neck, tuners on the back of headstock one piece. All these ones were really rad.

[@williamknell864]

SIR DUKE!!! Nice. The funkiness sounds cool on this old featherweight.

[@metallsnubben]

I really dig the rectangular controls plate, it's somehow ostentatious with the pearloid while looking a little "prototype-like" cause... it's a straight up rectangle

[@profile2047]

I specifically agree with your exact feelings on that. Really cool.

[@markunsworth2364]

Enjoyed the bass playing totally

[@sethberenberg7777]

McCartney’s first Hofner had the “diamond” pickups. No visible pole pieces, but an engraved “diamond” shape on the nickel covers with the Hofner logo inside the diamond. It was a ‘60 model. Same control layout as the ‘62 version, but a different Hofner logo on the headstock. It was a vertical logo. This bass was used until he received the ‘62 from Hofner, and was last seen on the “Revolution” promotional video. It was refinished sometime in the mid-60’s to a more reddish sunburst and the pickup surrounds were reinforced at this time. Im sure the Revolution promo video is easily accessible on KZbin. It is said to have been stolen around this time and never recovered by Paul.

[@tombeyerlein3813]

I believe it appeared last during the Let It Be sessions and was stolen then, in January 1969.

[@mjolnircarlssen4211]

Incredible player, and really got a great sound out of the bass. Loved it.

[@edwarddelavilla3475]

The best settings for these is with both pickups on and you dial back the neck pickup depending on how much low low end you want going to your compressor prior to preamp. Then bringing the bass down a little on your preamp to let the mid/top end come out a bit over the mix while retaining a very tight clean low end for your kick drum to have enough room to coexist against the bass frequencies. If you want full bottom end, set the bass neck pickup all the way on for songs where the bass dominates the low end in the mix. If you want the kick to dominate the bottom of the mix, lower the neck pickup volume slightly and call it a day. I strongly advocate to use a MXR compressor pedal with a bass like this… not only does it bring out the thumpies that hit your chest… but it saves you about 45min of compressor setting messing and volume automation… it gives you a instantly clean even bass recording that just automatically sits in the mix perfectly as is. Doing this before hitting the tubes in your preamp allows for even distortion/break-up which allows you to get the most character/tone out of each take.

[@Johnny-s7y]

I have a 63 Horner 500/1 bass, love it.

[@stephenhyder4659]

Great tone.

[@peterlewis3715]

I have a Hofner. I like it. The amp you use makes a big difference in the sound. Hofners are DEFINITELY light and easy to play. The sound of a Hofner is great but a second type of bass may be necessary if you need to play various styles of music. Hofner sounds like a Hofner, Rickenbacker sounds like Rick, Fender sounds like Fender etc.. and, again, the amp sounds like whatever amp you use. A HOFNER with a VOX amp sounds legendary.

[@bobnodzo535]

This is a great bass I have a 67 myself and it provides plenty of bottom end. It’s a rock and roll and jazz bass. It’s not intended to be a funk bass since it’s based from an upright bass.

[@Studio17480]

Blade pickups + rounded heel. This is an early 67 bass, identifiable by the rounded neck heel. In late 67 they went to a smooth heel.

[@VoxMax1200]

I love this a Hofner bass with Shaller blade pickups. All you need is great bass amp like Fender Bassman or good old Acoustic head...no one can come close to you with tone!

[@scottmathsonproductions]

Wonderful playing, especially that last song!

[@_patricknance_1922]

I’m trying to recall that last song but I can’t put my finger on it … please let me know

[@ericbgordon1575]

No complaints here that Clark thumped out "Come Together" first. 'Twas my first Beatles song on my first Beatles album, *Abby Road.* I was kinda pleased to learn that "Come Together" was also Tona Turner's first Beatles song.

[@deqwannash2345]

Clark Sims it's rocking it

[@RLIAU]

Love it love it love it

[@RexfromIslaNublar]

6:42 Mad playing skills

[@jasonezzell6901]

This was a good one Clark. Still think you should have been introduced as "Paul McClarkney" though.

[@user-gl5ld9vm7i]

Talent.

[@bb1111116]

Informative video. Around 1972 I bought a Hofner violin bass in a pawn shop (trading in a Gibson EB-3 bass). In my band in the early 70s I played the Hofner. In 2000 I recorded an album using it. Why? It’s short scale, light and I like its more penetrating sound. I still have it. The Hofner needs to be set up correctly and to sound clean it has to be played a certain way. (See Paul McCartney.) What about the P bass? I used one in a studio recording around the time I got the Hofner. The recording engineer wanted it. Nice deep sound. But I didn’t enjoy playing it because I prefer a short scale. If I had to play a Fender I’d want either the VI bass (used by Lennon and Harrison) or another short scale.

[@Allan-et5ig]

Cool playing, Clakr. A real good mix of technique with attitude (harder attack in this case). A surprising choice but you know what you hear in your head and the Hofner was that sound?!

[@c.syde65]

3:08 - To be honest the only difference I noticed was the different position of the pickups as of 1962. I didn't notice any other changes.

[@MartinThompson-e8k]

I’m tired of over thinking and my procrastination of just heading to Guitar Center ! Add this one to thee wall!!

[@craigjason4]

Great video thanks guys

[@mikemcconville2495]

That guy rocks that bass

[@deqwannash2345]

Wow I love the 60's guitarist bass

[@los9952]

God, I love me some flat wounds!!!

[@nigelpalmer1]

Clark McCartney !! Yay man

[@elchappio305]

Robbie Shakespeare played one of these too

[@michaelvaladez6570]

Would have liked to see him play it pretty funny he's one big dude..but he would have killed it upon playing it..seen him in concert.

[@ricardojmestre]

Yep, this one and the steinberger too

[@TheElrondo]

It's nice to see and hear one from time to time. I'm from Germany and had one in the 70s. But to be honest, i didn't like it too much because it had almost no sustain and sounded a kind of dead. Me and buddies were happy when we could afford Fenders back then.

[@Snapjustice]

Money can't buy me love, but it can buy me a höfner violin bass which is a close second

[@minstrelofMir]

mine with its electrics done in sept 63 has binding on its neck,,but the thing missed is a razed logo on the head in 64 mine although the binding has not got a razed logo ;-) it was sold early 64 selmer export date still in the 300"S ,,by the end of 64 it was over 2000 that i have seen ;-) ynwa

[@liamgillespie3407]

Paul had a ‘61 and ‘63, Kevin Parker of Tame Impala favors this bass for recording as well.

[@profile2047]

But if one wanted Something close to Paul’s 63. They’d have to buy a 62. They’re history is kind of fun. Thanks for the info.

[@wesleyAlan9179]

Awesome 🤟

[@ultimatebasses]

What a cool Thumpin' Thursday bass!

[@VoxMax-dl3yx]

Shaller's blade pickups are the best in my opinion

[@DerpRulesAll]

It definitely works better with the plectrum.

[@lawrenceadams1649]

I have one from 57

[@derbyd10]

I had one and traded it to Bennie Cintiolli in a deal for my first pedal steel in 74

[@RRStout]

McCartney had a 1961. He bought it when they were in Germany playing the Hamburg circuit. Pete Best was the drummer at the time and Stuart Sutcliffe was the bass player. Stu left the band to pursue a career in art and Paul moved to the position of bass player. Then, he bought another one in 1963.

[@denniskramer9657]

as i know.Paul had to play Stu's Hofner President, huge thing, until he got his Hofner violin bass..

[@RRStout]

@@denniskramer9657 yes, that is true. He played Stu's bass for a short time. Then he bought the '61 Hofner violin bass.

[@joeblankenship377]

It's just kinda okay sounding, right? I wonder how a different set of pickups would sound in it.

[@rickfields1618]

Great playing but a bit of fret buzz going on.I have a China made Hofner bass from 2012…it has same problem just needs a setup …but it’s a wonderful bass sound and I love the lightness of those basses❤️

[@crabfat1494]

I'm surprised that you didn't use the best thing to date this instrument.....the raised Hofner logo on the headstock, as opposed to the transfer logo.

[@stevenirons8564]

This is note for note recreation of what Macca played on Abbey Road - just so you know......

[@TheFlowNetwork]

Interesting...I've never seen a bass player use their fretting hand thumb to play the low string, wrapped over the neck, like some guitar players do. I only recognized one Beatles song in this demo and ironically, Paul used his Rickenbacker 4001 bass on "Come Together". "I Saw Her Standing There" would have been a better choice to showcase the classic sound of this bass. Also, I don't think the Funk bass lines did the Hofner any favors. It sounded a bit too thin and "buzzy" for Funk...in my opinion.

[@cruelycruel1032]

dope

[@crapple009]

Raised script logo from '65 to '70, I believe.

[@davidwelsh829]

✔️ Donde esta Lemmo? Well thumped Clark

[@aminahmed2220]

What a fantastic video Brandon and Clark and jen tom petty used a hofner 500/1

[@nunoharris]

Hi Whats the brand of strings that are in the baas ? Thanks

[@rylieriley]

Hofner Basses are cool. Mine is bright pink, because, ya' know, I'm weird. I think I see some Rics and Gretsches hanging in the background. Now all you need is a Ludwig drum kit and you'll have the ingredients for a Beatles cover band. 😄

[@TheDeedeeFiles]

Nice

[@f1s2hg3]

I hear Paul Mc Cartney ???? Great Bass!

[@ericloudermilk5690]

Larry Graham… WATCH OUT!!!!!!!!!!😳 This man is “Bad and Nasty”!!! (and I mean bad in the VERY BEST way.) Clark Sims ladies and gentlemen!

[@benjaminsoto4578]

Clark McCartney 🤘🏻haha what a trip

[@jacksmith2911]

Anyone know which Fender Rumble Amp that is?

[@1966human]

I like the sound of hollow body guitars

[@deqwannash2345]

I would love about the bass

[@markmarant8440]

That didn't sound angry and I'm a hofner fan

[@_-_Michael_-_]

You get so much wrong here that I don’t even have time now to write all down 😂

[@danthedem]

Paul had 2 violin basses (the first with the 2 pickups closer to the neck, the second with the staple pickups in the traditional placement).

[@joannamarietrinidad2334]

damn, francis nganu visited rareguitars

[@thethingsyasee...5112]

The serial number is in the body under the control panel I think..not 1oo% on that tho..

[@chriss3838]

That is correct on the reissue basses,but not on the vintage examples. No serial numbers on those. I have one from mid 1964. Absolutely no serial other than a headstock stamp put there by the importer out of London, Selmer.

[@minstrelofMir]

mine has a potcode of 393 ;-)

[@joemasse4568]

Looks like a 67 first year with the blade pickups

[@sheridansullivan5783]

1st reaction to "Did he have toasters?" was "WHO CARES! PLAY THE DAMN THING!" 2nd was, lol @ ask a black dude what kinda pickups Paul McCartney had on his guitar

[@Ceko]

I heard Paul McCartney played this bass because they didn’t have a lot of money to spend in the beginning. So it was quite cheap? The Beatles helped to drive the price up though 😂

[@shippenman5977]

Thump it

[@deqwannash2345]

Set the guitarist bass on fire 🔥

[@Aderin.]

Is that francis ngannou

[@tsiggy]

dude's swinging hard

[@paolozak3014]

Cool playing but u didn’t get it with the control plate

[@stellapuppy6086]

0:03 spotted a Godzilla toy

[@tyronejoihnson7046]

Brother Clark does it better than Paul. #respect

[@delboyoelmundo4718]

This is $$$$$$$$

[@jimbonacum8917]

While these are interesting curiosities I doubt that there would be much interest in them if Sir Paul didn't play one. Now for all of those who love these I mean no offense. And who am I to criticize Paul McCartney? But if I ever had the chance to meet him I would ask him his opinion on the P bass. He obviously has an affinity for his Hofner but he also played a Rickenbacker 4001 with Wings. And I believe he recorded a bit using a Jazz Bass. But it seems odd that one of the greatest bass players of all time never used a P bass. I do remember reading something once about how Fender had sent the Beatles several amps and instruments in the hopes of snagging an endorsement. They were very impressed by this generous gift. But Paul said that he felt a bit uncomfortable playing a Fender bass because he felt that they were the type of instruments that "professional musicians" played. Well whatever his reason, he certainly creates some wonderful music with his Hofner.

[@davidpotsdam]

I was playing a P Bass and traded for Hofner ,played 1 night broke neck on way home by dropping it . I was used to the p .anyway I brought the bass back and got my P Bass back. Hofner is NADA compared to P BASS just ,Ask clark!!! !!!!! !11

[@joseeduardobrazdasilva117]

No, no... the bass sound Hofner is better than the Pbass...

[@davidpotsdam]

I'd go with different@@joseeduardobrazdasilva117

[@BR0TH0RITY]

That thing sounds like thunder!

[@DoctorIntrepid]

It's is likely a 67 given the raised logo.

[@chriss3838]

Raised logo started in 1964 and ended in 1967. It's likely a 1967 due to the blade pick ups that started in 1967 and the control plate switches and plate changed after 1969.

[@danielmiddleton842]

Paul Bass was stolen during the let it be session and has never been found

[@MrKenstar2]

Great bass player, murders come together

[@davitofarito]

Be nice to hear it with tape wound strings.

[@jcout25]

i just don't care for how these sound/feel...they look awesome though! I play my dad's every time I go visit and that bass just wasn't meant for me.

[@hifijohn]

Unless you're in some type of Beatles tribute band there is no reason to have this bass, its terrible sounding.

[@arthernandez5514]

It had the so called "cavern" pickups -flat, silver, no screws

[@KnellofPartingDay]

Put some muscle on Brandon