Höfner Ignition SE

Soon after it first appeared in 1956, the Höfner 500/1's design earned the bass its famous nickname, the "Violin Bass". The Ignition Series SE bass features a maple body with a top made from spruce, and the neck (also made from maple) features a 22-fret jatoba fingerboard with a scale length of 76cm (30"), which is a full 10cm (4") shorter than that of a conventional long-scale bass guitar and provides enhanced playing comfort. The bridge also takes its cues from those of classical stringed instruments, and the two Höfner humbucking pickups are governed by passive electronics that comprise two dedicated volume controls and three tone switches, providing an extensive palette of vintage and retro sounds. The authentic "Beatle Bass" look is completed by a timeless sunburst finish, white binding on the front and back of the body, and a white pearloid pickguard.

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.