Höfner Ignition Bass VSB LH B-Stock

Not long after its debut in 1956, the Höfner 500/1 earned the nickname Violin Bass – no surprise, considering it was directly inspired by the classical string instruments Höfner started out making. The compact body is made from maple and topped with spruce, and like an acoustic instrument, it's hollow – adding a woody character to the tone. The scale length is 76cm (compared to the usual 86cm, roughly 30" and 34"), so the maple neck with its jatoba fingerboard is shorter too, making it very comfortable to play. The lightweight, resonant bridge design also takes its cues from traditional string instruments. Two Höfner humbuckers – alongside the passive electronics with twin volume controls and three switches – deliver a very varied palette of vintage and retro tones.

The Höfner company has a long tradition and was founded by Karl Höfner in Schönbach at the end of the 19th century. Initially, the product range consisted mainly of bowed string instruments, and the first guitars were added around 1930. After the Second World War, the company was relocated to Möhrendorf in Bavaria. In the 1950s, the company flourished thanks to new musical trends, and basses were now introduced in addition to guitars. Legendary models were created during this time, such as the President, the Committee, and the 500/1 short-scale bass, which made music history a short time later with the Beatles. The subsequent boom in Beat music quickly brought Höfner enormous demand and enduring world fame. Today, Höfner is one of the best-known and largest manufacturers of bowed string instruments and of archtop, semi-acoustic, and solid-body guitars, as well as a wide range of basses.