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c.1963 Hofner 500/5 President Bass
Equipped with a pair of Hofner's "Staple" Nova-Sonic Twin Coil pickups produced between 1963 and 1967, this President bass offers tones that are rich and full bodied with excellent power and punch. Playability is excellent thanks to recently replaced frets with very little wear and an excellent neck angle. The medium C neck carve measures 0.845" deep at the first fret and 0.977" at the twelfth. It has a 1-5/8" nut width, a 30” scale, and is quite comfortable, filling the hand well with its rounded profile without feeling cumbersome.
This instrument is in excellent condition and is largely original. The sunburst finish is beautifully preserved, with attractive finish crazing being the only notable sign of its age. The wiring harness has been updated with modern pots for reliability and modern usability. There are sections of reglued binding and a few binding cracks along the treble side of the body, and small sections of binding are pulling away from the body inside the cutaway. Relative to the binding issues we routinely encounter on Hofners, Gretschs, and other hollow electrics from the 1960s, this guitar’s binding issues are relatively minor. The set up is excellent, the original pickguard hasn’t deteriorated to dust (a small miracle), and the bass plays, sounds, and presents beautifully.
With gig bag.
