Hofner 500/1 Violin Bass 1968 with Apollo Matching Guitar

This legendary Höfner Violin Bass is one of the most iconic bass guitars ever made, immortalized by Paul McCartney's use of it during the early Beatles years. This beautiful vintage example will instantly transport you back to swinging London in the '60s!

When German Hofner instruments were distributed in the UK, they were given model names to match their model numbers, and the 500/1 was called the Violin Bass. Today, it's often called the Beatles Bass. The violin-shaped hollow maple body with a spruce top produces that authentic, warm, and rounded tone so characteristic of the Violin Bass. At just 2 kg (4.4 lbs), this bass offers unparalleled comfort during long performances, a characteristic that made it so popular in its day.

The tonal character of this vintage Höfner is unique; the hollow body construction combined with the characteristic humbuckers delivers a beautifully rumbling, full tone that perfectly suits both melodic bass lines and understated accompaniment. The original switching options—including the rhythm/solo switch and separate bass and treble switches—give you a surprisingly wide range of tonal possibilities. The maple neck with a rosewood fingerboard offers a pleasant playing experience with its comfortable C-profile, while the short 30" scale length facilitates playing complex bass lines. Over the years, this bass has developed a beautiful patina that only enhances its authentic vintage appearance.

This Hofner 500/1 Violin Bass also features features that date it to the late 1960s. It features 513 "Blade" pickups with an engraved logo, and the tuners have plastic knobs. The gold-colored Hofner logo is displayed as a decal on the headstock, from which the strings run over the replaced nut and ebony bridge to the short tailpiece. The neck meets the body at the short heel without a cover. For sound adjustment, black switches and cream-colored "teacup" knobs with brass inlays are located on the large mother-of-pearl plate.

This Höfner 500/1 is in excellent condition with authentic playwear. The patina you'd expect from an instrument over fifty years old, including a minor lacquer repair on the top. A special feature of this example is that it comes with a matching Apollo guitar from the 1960s, giving you a complete set from the same period. Apollo guitars were manufactured in Japan but distributed by St. Louis Music, US.

The bass and guitar come in a hardshell case with a TFOA passport, ready for your next musical adventure!