This 185 Artist is a wonderful example of the unique and innovative guitars and basses that emerged from lesser-known European makers during the 1950s and 1960s. Full of vintage character, this Hofner offers a playing experience and tonal palette that stand apart from its American contemporaries.
It plays very well on the original frets, with a comfortable short-scale design and compact string spacing that make it easy and enjoyable to navigate. Tonally, the original humbuckers provide a surprisingly versatile range of sounds, from warm, rounded neck pickup tones to bright, articulate bridge pickup voices. The straightforward VTVT (Volume, Tone, Volume, Tone) control layout offers excellent tonal flexibility and usability.
Cosmetically, the bass shows its age with plenty of checking, dings, scratches, and some slight body separation, all of which contribute to its vintage appeal. Importantly, these issues are stable and do not affect the instrument's structural integrity or playability.
Includes a gig bag.
