c.1965 Univox? Hofner-copy Electric Bass

Can't remember if I posted this fellow before, but this is a semihollow electric bass "based" on the German Hofner violin-style basses that a certain Beatle made famous. This one's in fairly unplayed condition with really good frets and fretboard, smooth and easy playability (since my cleaning/setup/etc.) and that typical rounder, tubbier more-like-an-acoustic bass sound. The short 30" scale helps that, too. I used this bass the whole time I was recording Destroyers of Venus, which you can download for free at my site.

It's lightweight so it doesn't kill you playing for hours at a time, has a comfortable fretboard with great access to those upper frets, sports a mahogany neck (I believe) with more-than-likely laminated maple back, sides, and top. Rosewood fretboard with MOP dots. Funky Japanese pickups and aesthetic give this a great vintage feel, tone, and look. Definitely a fun one. The strings are just-broken-in D'Addario half-rounds which give it a feel somewhere between regular strings and flatwounds, but with a slightly mellower roundwound string feel.

Truss rod... nice quick, fast neck.

Main vol shutoff switch, individual p/u shutoffs, and tone and volume controls.

Back... a little overexposed in the photo, I'm afraid.


Tuners work just fine.



"Made in Japan."

Overall, a great recording or backing-for-acoustics bass. Depending on how you've got the tone setup, it can also sound really great for vintage ska or reggae. Your mileage will vary depending on what amp you use.