Hofner 500/1 Violin Bass 1973 - 100% All-Original

Hand-built in Hofner's Bubenreuth, West Germany workshop, this 1973 500/1 Violin Bass has stayed in fully original condition for over fifty years.
 
This true vintage German masterbuilt hollow body still delivers that unmistakable, woody acoustic thud. Each pickup is independently selectable via its own volume control, and each has a distinct voice: a honky growl from the bridge, something rounder and deeper from the neck, more upright bass than modern bass guitar. It's a genuinely unique-sounding bass that carves out its own pocket in a mix, very useful in the studio.
 
The sunburst nitrocellulose finish has aged beautifully, the spruce grain pops through the top, with a warm amber hue throughout the finish, genuine vintage appeal. There's light surface checking and minor wear too, including a small cosmetic chip on the body binding. The frets are in excellent shape, the neck is straight, the heel joint is solid, and the action sits low with clean, buzz-free playability all the way up the board. Structurally it's completely sound throughout.
 
Spec-wise, it's a textbook early-70s 500/1: a selected German spruce top over flame maple back and sides, a laminated maple neck with a centre stripe, and the short 30" scale this model's known for. Controls are the full original layout, dual volume, bass on/off, treble on/off and solo/rhythm switches. This is a museum-grade, collector-quality piece, fully set up and ready to play. Genuinely all-original examples like this are increasingly sought after by collectors and tend to hold their value well over time. Ships securely inside a form-fitting, shaped violin bass hardcase.
 
Features
Brand: Hofner
Model: 500/1 Violin Bass
Year: 1973
Origin: Bubenreuth, West Germany
Top: Selected German spruce
Back and sides: Flame maple
Neck: Laminated maple with centre stripe
Scale length: Short scale (30")
Controls: Dual volume, bass on/off, treble on/off, solo/rhythm switches
Finish: Sunburst nitrocellulose
Condition: 100% original, factory specification throughout
Case: Form-fitting, shaped violin bass hardcase
 
📦 Ships Australia-wide. View delivery times →
See our other Hofner bass in stock: 
Hofner 500/5 President Bass | 1960s Made in Germany
Höfner 500/1 Vintage '62 Reissue Violin Bass | 2002 Germany
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