LeftyBassist.com

The bass in the photos is a lefty:

http://www.notreble.com/buzz/2012/09/29 ... olin-bass/

That's a damn handsome instrument.

Here's the "fine print"...

The Höfner Black Violin Bass is limited to 12 pieces, which will be available in left and right-handed models. It’s handmade in Germany and is expected to be shipping this December with a price of €2650 (approx. $3,409.72 USD). For more info, check out the Höfner website.

Not that that's a bad thing, but limited to "12 pieces" means lefties might not be equal to 6-righties, and 6-lefties... I hope so... for the money. to have a very limited-edition bass would be very cool!

Don't hold your breath; remember the 60 "Jubilee" basses that came out earlier, and none of them were left-handed.

The article features a picture of a lefty and the press release states explicitly in the body and the bullet-points that lefties will be available.

I'm pretty confident that you can get a lefty if you want one.

The question is, how many will be available? I wouldn't be surprised if they only make one of the 12 left-handed.

Are you going to try to order one?

Maybe they'll build as many lefties as they get orders for... up to 12.

I think it'd be great if the first twelve orders were all left-handed, but as Hofner is not a LH-friendly company, I wouldn't be surprised if the basses are already built, and mostly righty.

They're not lefty friendly because of they didn't make a lefty Jubilee?

Don't they offer almost every bass they make in a lefty version or am I mistaken?

All the Asian violin bass models except the Union Jack model, and the German violin bass models, but for example not the big hollowbodies and the Club was only available for limited time. The Asian Club bass model is not. The solidbodies aren't either.

You're mistaken. If we leave out special editions, Hofner makes the following basses:

1. Violin bass (German-made, Contemporary (China) and Ignition (Indonesia). All these are available in left-handed versions, including the 5000/1 deluxe.

2. Club bass (also German, Contemporary and Ignition, plus a special edition). Only the German is available left-handed.

3. Verythin CT - righty only.

4. President CT - righty only.

5. Shorty CT - righty only.

6. Galaxie CT - righty only.

7. 185 Bass - righty only.

It's even worse for the guitars. For example, only one of the five available archtops is available left-handed, and none of the eight Verythin models shown.

Meh, I dunno.

I guess I feel like they get some props for the fact that they make their flagship model in all price points as a lefty.

That's a lot more than some companies do... So it seems like calling them "not lefty friendly" is a little harsh.

I've honestly never even really seen any of their other models besides a violin bass in a store anyway.... Even as righties.

With that said, there's only one guy who I've ever seen rock a Hofner and look cool doin' it, IMO, so I'm probably the wrong person to be in this discussion anyway.

So by that reasoning, if Fender made only the Precision available in left hand at all price points, the Jazz only in the American Deluxe version, and no Strats at all, it would be harsh to say they're not "lefty friendly".

Hofner is not left-hand friendly, period. Despite the fact that their most famous endoresee is left-handed, and they move an appreciable number of LH Violin basses, they can't make the connection that they could easily sell other models to many of those same customers.

It's not really fair to compare them to Fender, since Hofner has ONE flagship model... I would guess that their violin basses outsell all of their other models combined by 100 to 1.

I think it's cool that they offer that model in lefty at all price points... would it be even cooler if they offered ALL of their basses in lefty?

Yeah, it would... but I'm willing to give them some credit where it's due.

Anyway, have you ever seen this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCOycca1ezo

Like I said, I'm not a fan of their basses, and unless I come across a lot of money or someone gives one to me, I'll never own one... but, it's pretty amazing how much hand craftsmanship goes into one of those basses. I was blown away when I watched it.

What's not really fair is that guitar manufacturers don't have any qualms about offering more options to left-handers precisely because of attitudes like that.

Would it be "cooler" if they offered all their basses in a left-hand version? Well yeah; if I wanted one of course it would. Have you ever seen a righty-only guitar and wished it was offered in a left-hand version? Too bad for you, I guess.

Don't make the assumption that because you've never seen any other Hofners other than the 500/1 Violin bass, that nobody else has, either. They are still a very popular brand around the world. It's a shame they choose to ignore left-handed players. I don't mind annoying them (as well as other brands) to remind them that we exist. I think all left-handers should do the same. Sitting back and putting up with what they choose to give us is why you keep seeing that single black Squier every time you go into a guitar store.

Just out of curiosity... how many lefty Hofners have you purchased brand-new?

So far, one. They keep telling me they're going to make LH Shorty basses (an updated version of the one I'm using as an avatar), and I'd like one. But since RH versions have been out for nearly a year now, I'm wondering if they're going to keep to the plan (an email to Hofner this week has so far gone unanswered).

Last year I pleaded with them for a LH single-cutaway Verythin, and they told me that this year would see a big increase in LH instruments. So far I haven't seen any evidence of it. I keep trying to give them money, but they don't seem to want it. I have a Gaskell Thunderbass on order because I want to support a company that makes only left hand instruments.

I always get a little chafed by companies that make symmetrical body/headstock instruments and don't offer them left handed. Seems like it'd be so easy. In Hofner's case they did a verythin hollowbody bass with a symmetrical body that they didn't offer lefty.

I have a soft spot for Hofner though; on paper their instruments are the opposite of everything I look for in a bass but every time I play a Hofner I love it.

I also wonder if Gaskell shouldn't have a sub-forum on here...

I think now that Alan is signed up here, that might not be a bad idea.