How To Use The Control Switches On A Hofner Ignition Bass

Much has been said about Hofner basses in this site before. Notwithstanding, we've never reviewed a single model of this reputed brand. Alas, today'south article is reviewing the violin-similar Hofner Ignition Bass Guitar, a unique instrument that looks and sounds like archetype rock & curlicue.

What nosotros've got in our hands is a "viola" bass, which is a unique design commanded by the Hofner make. It might not exist the most flexible, mod, or rocker bass out there. Instead, the Ignition is an affordable Paul McCartney kind of bass.

To be honest, Hofner basses had faded over the past decades. Notwithstanding, contempo times have seen a renaissance of the brand's violin basses. With notable heroes like the late Amy Winehouse and Paul Young's bassist player Dale Davis taking Hofner as their flag, the company's virtues are becoming apparent all again.

That said, it's fourth dimension to revisit a archetype instrument. In particular, the Ignition bass is Hofner's upkeep solution.

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The Beatles' Paul McCartney played on a short-scale Hofner 500/1 Violin Bass Guitar during most of his Beatles career.

Beingness an affordable version of "The Beatles' Bass," we demand to see if the Ignition deserves whatever recognition.

Contents

1 About the Hofner brand and the 500/1 bass
2 Hofner Ignition Series Violin Bass Guitar Review
3 Built quality
4 Sound quality
5 Experience Quality
6 Downside & set-upward
- 6.1 Alternatives
7 Hofner Ignition Bass Specs
8 In summary
- 8.1 Final Say

About the Hofner brand and the 500/ane bass

Hofner solely produces the 500/1 Violin Bass on their iv-strings' section. Better known every bit the "Paul McCartney bass," it represents a classical era in the rock & roll industry, which is part of the reason most of these models are and then expensive.

Over various decades, they have produced the same musical instrument with various degrees of quality, budgets, and success.

The company started in Frankfurt, Deutschland, dorsum in 1956, and information technology has worked not-stop ever since without a single ownership change. In fact, it remains a family company, much like Sennheiser.

Its primary bass was designed by Walter Höfner as a variation of the classical upright double-bass. In the process, though, its creator managed so much more than what he originally intended.

That original Violin Bass jumped into worldwide fame when Paul McCartney started playing the bass during The Beatles' concerts in the early '60s. He still plays the aforementioned kind of models.

Today, the 500/1 has a wide number of models, from the affordable Ignition bass to handmade High german-built special and re-problems of their vintage classics.

Overall, these models proceed the same curt-scale size (30''), a super lightweight construction, flat-wound strings, and a unique vintage flavour. Plus, they feature the custom Hofner violin shape.

The sound of a Hofner Violin Bass

Because of the particular construction of the Violin Bass, they sound like nothing else.

First off, the flat-wound strings produce a deep and penetrating punch, much like the audio of a double bass. The deeps sound like slightly overdriven '60s popular and stone music. Moreover, the deep thud Hofner basses offer was also a groovy choice for '80s trip the light fantastic-music basslines.

Nowadays, you can still hear the 500/1 series of bass guitars in reggae, globe music, business firm, and whatever genre requiring a deep driving bass guitar.

Then, despite being one of the lightest and smallest bass guitars available, it hands provides a massive deepness. Like so, it's quite a versatile little instrument.

2 hofner ignition bass review
Most notable musicians who have used Hofner bass guitars include Paul McCartney and George Harrison (Iron Maiden). On top of that, many iconic guitar players have used the Hofner Gild Serial of semi-hollow electrical guitars for their shows, which includes Jimmy Hendrix, Eric Clapton, and David Gilmour.

Hofner Ignition Serial Violin Bass Guitar Review

The Ignition belongs at the entry-level segment of Hogner bass guitars, but information technology would be unwise for you to approximate this bass guitar by its price tag.

Overview

In essence, the Hofner 500/one Violin Bass has a place in the hearts of music collectors, vintage seekers, and rock history lovers.

Bassist considers McCartney's violin bass one of the well-nigh beautiful instruments ever to accomplish the phase. It'due south elegant, it's sleek, it's unique, and information technology delivers a commanding sound.

The Ignition Series is office of the German language brand'south shelves, admitting they are built-in Prc with lower-quality materials and post-obit lower-quality specs.

Still, it packs the same super retro looks and deserves a spot in any best upkeep basses list. It's likewise a dandy bass for beginners.

Let's dig into our review and see why I just said that…

The most interesting thing about the Ignition Serial bass is that this is a semi-hollow instrument. That'due south a unique feature in bass guitars, and information technology means in that location'southward a portion of their torso that's hollow, so the audio resonates from within the body before it even goes out to the amp.

However, they don't accept the classical f-shaped hollow like semi-hollow and hollow guitars practise. Then, this feature won't allow yous play the bass unplugged, but it does add a whole lot of air one time you amplify it.

Congenital quality

For a bass made in China and not in Germany, the quality and the craftsmanship are very surprising. It could even say the Ignition bass is fabricated with the same kind of precision and care you lot would look from a German language-built musical gear.

On a starting time wait, information technology looks like a petty flimsy bass. Simply don't worry, though, this bass needs no extra measures and no extreme intendance. At to the lowest degree nada more than any other. I have to say, though, that its semi-hollow torso is non fabricated for onstage aerobics.

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Semi-hollow bass guitar and electric guitar designs are a Hofner signature feature.

Let's see…

Body & Neck

This is a vintage-inspired bass guitar that sports the same Violin body as the original 500/1 Hogner bass.

The Ignition Series model follows the original design very closely, though. That means they have a semi-hollow body made with flamed maple on the back and sides plus spruce on the summit.

It also has a nice vintage decoration, which includes a violin sunburst terminate, a white plastic pickguard, plus a white binding.

The scale length is quite small. It's simply xxx'' end to end. In comparing, your typical bass guitar is 34'', so the Ignition is significantly smaller and lighter.

Every bit I said, for a China-built bass, the Ignition has plenty of attending to detail. Its body looks accurate, classic, and sturdy.

Neck

Right out of the box, the neck's setup is quite perfect.

Just like the torso, this is a brusque and calorie-free neck that feels very smooth and suits small bassist players.

Expected on budget basses, we've got a bolt-on neck. In particular, the neck is made with beech and maple, whereas the fretboard is made with rosewood. Then, we've got 22 smooth medium jumbo frets with simple dot inlays.

I must add the cord's spacing is very tight and cramped compared to other bass guitars. Yet, it has an asymmetrical C-shape cervix profile with a 42mm nut width.

Lastly, the neck's radius is 12'', so y'all could consider this every bit a flat neck.

Finish

The Hofner Ignition Violin Bass comes in vintage sunburst. The sunburst model has a three-ply white Pearloid scratchplate plus classic one-time-schoolhouse knobs. The set of tuning pegs, bridge, and saddles also follow the same vintage aesthetics.

Its finish level is very practiced, and information technology has a white binding all over the bass that makes information technology experience smoother and classier.

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The finish on the cervix has a corking influence on how smooth the fingerboard feels.

Sound quality

There'southward a single give-and-take to define the sound of this violin bass guitar, which is "finesse." Unplugged, you'd go a little semi-audio-visual resonant sound. Once you plug it in, the bass becomes vibrant and with plenty of graphic symbol.

Let'southward see…

Electronics

What we've got here is a pair of passive custom-fabricated Hofner Ignition Staple Nickel Mini Humbuckers.

They are plugged into a rather flexible control layout that consists of two individual volume knobs plus three dim switches. These switches are there to push bass, treble, or rhythm sound settings or presets.

Audio

Much like semi-hollow guitars, the Ignition feels similar an instrument that breathes thank you to its semi-hollow compartment. It has a natural stone that's quite pleasing, plus an organic, woody sound that hinges on the mids.

The Ignition series bass does deliver the kind of sound y'all're looking for on a vintage bass: warm, gritty, archetype, and deep. Information technology's also rich in the mids merely subdued in the highs.

The overall tone is mellow, albeit y'all could punch information technology with a couple of bass pedals.

As well, the iii dim switches provide a surprising amount of versatility, although you wouldn't use a Hofner bass to play anything outside jazz, blues, classic rock, pop, dance, reggae, and similar genres.

I'd say the tones you tin get from the Ignition bass are quite familiar. This is office of the Beatles' bass family, and the audio is exactly what you lot'd expect.

However, the bridge pickup doesn't take the same kind of power and chunk of a J Pickup, simply it doesn't actually demand it. Furthermore, the Hofner Ignition offers a tight tone on the cervix, much tighter than regular single-coils.

Lastly, the treble is far from the biting attack of your typical J Bass. Information technology offers a fair amount of clarity notwithstanding.

The commitment of this bass won't break any windows, equally the violin bass is non most that. Speaking of which, the bass switch doesn't do a whole lot.

Instead, you could identify your attention into the rhythm/solo switch that provides volume boosts for a surprising amount of versatility during your playing sessions.

5 hofner ignition bass guitar review and specs
Are you looking for some actress info on bass pickups?

Feel Quality

Okay, so, this is a low-cal, unique, a classical looking little bass. Nothing to dislike every bit of yet.

Unfortunately, the feeling of this bass is not quite out there. That's considering the hardware is not truly gig-ready.

Hardware

The hardware is non to the same quality standards as the rest of the instrument. Whereas the nickel humbuckers are fantastic at delivering the kind of warm and resonant tones Hofner is known and loved for, the rest of the hardware is not upward to playing live.

On the trunk, we've got a standard rosewood bridge with a nickel trapeze tailpiece holding the gear in place. Information technology looks archetype, and it does a fine task of keeping the intonation. Yet, you can't take this bass too far from its condolement zone.

On the other side, we've got open-gear nickel tuners with Pearloid buttons. They also look nice, but they are definitely flimsy. These pieces won't concur down-tunes. They won't hold your intonation during your alive gigs either.

Playability

At present, playing the Ignition series bass feels like a breeze. It's light, counterbalanced, and quite small.

It's suited for beginners, children, and players with small hands alike. For its price, yous tin can't look anything meliorate regarding playability. A great reason to choose this bass guitar.

It doesn't have any contour on the body, though, which many players would find odd. About bass guitars have either a single or a double-cutaway body.

But because of its lightweight and slim body, it's quite easy to play. Plus, the neck is short, and the space betwixt the strings and the frets is also very small, so information technology could help y'all play faster and easily, once you get used to information technology. Withal, if you accept sausage fingers, this is definitely not the bass for you.

Finally, it has low action strings with a pretty nice fret treatment plus a nice 12'' neck radius. That means you don't demand to press the strings besides hard to press the strings. Plus, your hand could probably wrap the whole cervix as it'due south pretty short.

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The violin-similar trunk of the Hofner Ignition bass perchance makes it the slimmest and lighter bass in the market place

Downside & set-upward

Far from perfect simply however nifty for the cost, the Hofner Ignition Bass could utilise some well-placed upgrades.

The cervix, the torso, and the strings take a bang-up setup right out of the box. The two things I would practice to get this bass ready for the stage is a new span and a new prepare of tuners.

Permit'due south start by the latter and get for a quality classic set.

At present, this bass packs a pair of mini-humbucker, just these pickups are on the entry-level side. If you lot want to accept the quality of this bass upward a notch, it would be wise to swap these units for quality bass mini-humbuckers.

However, you would have to look further within the Seymour Duncan page equally mini buckers are not a common item on Amazon.

Alternatives

Now, if you're interested in the Hofner Violin bass, possibly you demand to check higher-priced options.

Unfortunately, though, it's quite hard finding these basses on Amazon, although I can link yous to peculiarly pop model for how it brings the sound of the violin bass up to date

Now, if you're looking for something outside of the Hofner make, we tin link you to other mid-level basses similar the Epiphone Thunderbird Iv .

If you lot're looking for vintage basses (with an old-school sound and aesthetics) I can as well recommend a bass from the Squier Classic Vibe series. In item, the Squier Classic Vibe '50s Precision might exist what y'all're looking for with its single gritty pickup, pinewood body, and quality hardware.

Alternatively, you could check the Squier Archetype Vibe Vintage Modified series as they combine the best vintage features and aesthetics with modern electronics and other extras.

Hofner Ignition Bass Specs

- Design: Hofner 500/1 Violin Bass torso
- Tonewoods: basswood trunk, maple neck, maple (or rosewood) fingerboard
- Neck: Hofner Violin Bass asymmetrical bolt-on cervix
- Scale: thirty'' small scale
- Fingerboard: 21 medium jumbo frets

Radius: 12'' neck radius

Pickup configuration: Hofner Ignition Staple Nickel Mini Humbucker (cervix) & Hofner Ignition Staple Nickel Humbucker (span)

- Controls: Individual volume knobs & three dim switches (bass boost, treble boost, solo/rhythm toggle).
- Tuners: Dice-bandage tuners

Bridge: Rosewood span & trapeze tailpiece

In summary

Who could like the Hofner Ignition Violin bass?

Overall, playing this bass is a very enjoyable experience. The Ignition is an affordable pick for those players looking for a vintage and unique experience.

More so, Beatles' fans (and there are plenty out there) could have a blast with this inexpensive model without breaking the bank, then information technology could brand a cracking secondary bass guitar for cult followers, collectors, and stone history lovers alike.

I'm too commending this as an interesting beginner's bass. Even when it doesn't feel or looks similar your regular Fender bass (or like a Squier P), it could push an apprentice thespian into an original path, an original voice, and an original playstyle.

Final Say

For the price of this bass, you can't really go wrong.

I admit I wouldn't go for this one equally I adopt fat, rocker basses like the Ibanez SR250 on that price range. But if you lot're looking to play some reggae, pop, experimental, culling, or similar music, the Ignition is a great choice.

If it was skillful enough for Paul McCarney, information technology'south likewise adept enough for the rest of united states.

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