Hofner 500/1 Beatle Bass Green Line
As an esteemed dealer we are excited to offer the finest in quality from Hofner direct from Germany.
This is a mint condition store model with reasonable offers being accepted.
Message us or make an offer.
Hollow flamed maple body with spruce top.
Three-piece maple neck with reinforcement and fingerboard made of walnut.
Nut width 42mm, scale length 762mm. Höfner Green Line finish.
Includes Höfner Vintage strap and case.
'What's the deal with Green Line ?'
About 25 years ago, Hofner decided to take a forward-looking approach and launched the Green Line series. In the beginning they wanted to show that Hofner is convinced that they can build equal or even better instruments out of domestic woods than out of the “traditional” exotic tonewoods like rosewood or ebony. What started back then with 2 classical guitar models, developed over many years into a serious philosophy, which has been an integral part of the product range since then. Höfner Green Line is still evolving after 25 years, constantly being refined and improved, and even today they are still gathering valuable information as Hofner deals with this topic. Even after this long period of time, they continue to discover new and exciting woods for their acoustic, as well as electric instruments. In close cooperation with our German and Austrian wood suppliers and sawmills, Hofner creates beautiful and breathtaking sounding instruments in a wide variety of price ranges.
The Violin Bass
The 500/1 Violin Bass was first shown to the public at the Frankfurt Muiskmesse in 1956. It has been in continuous production ever since. Designed by Walter Höfner as an alternative to the upright double bass it fulfilled this aim and much more. It leapt to worldwide fame when Paul McCartney was seen playing one with The Beatles in the early 1960s. Today the 500/1 is offered in a number of models from the budget Ignition version through to the handmade German built re-issues and specials. Its short scale (30in) and ultra lightweight has found favour with many professionals over the years.
Unique Sound
The sound of a Violin Bass is unlike any other bass. When used with flatwound strings it produces a distinctive deep and penetrating thud not unlike an upright double bass. This sound can be used to emulate those pop sounds of the 1960s or slightly overdriven in a modern rock band to provide a deep driving bass. It is also commonly used today in studios for recording bass lines for dance music. It has also seen increasing use in reggae bands where a deep driving bass is always wanted. Despite being one of the smallest basses available it easily produces massive bass lines and is remarkably versatile.
