Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 54

COLUMN The (Way) Back Beat

(CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT) Aria's early
Höfner clones, 1968; Still Beatles-y after all
these years. The 1974 Spiegel catalog. The
final Vox violin bass - the Astro IV, from 1968.

Danelectro folded before many of these were
shipped to U.S. in '68 or put into use; they still
pop up for sale in their original box!
By this time, Japanese builders had embraced the design whole hog and through the
mid/late '60s spun out a bewildering array of
variations on the Höfner theme, some quite
fanciful. The world's ultimate violin-bass
collection would run to several hundred
instruments. By the time many came
to market, The Beatles were no longer
touring, and McCartney himself increasingly playing a Rickenbacker. No matter,
the flood of violin-body basses from Japan
continued well past the Beatles' dissolution,
and a generic version emerged by the turn of
the decade that became a staple of jobber
books and mail-order catalogs. Many
early ones carried the Greco or Arai
Diamond name; by the '70s, most
were sold unbranded. In the late '60s,
the guitar industry itself slid into the
"copy era," and the violin bass was an
early indicator of the trend.
Ironically, there are period Japanese
copies of the Gibson EB, most sold with
the Univox brand, and some expanding
on both designs with florid body shapes
or fanciful detailing. A nice variant sold
under Bugeleisen & Jacobson's Kent brand
borrowed Klira's pointed (but functionally

pointless) treble-side horn and added extrafancy binding and trim.
By the end of the '60s, these light, easy-tohandle basses fell from professional favor as
stage volumes rose, making them feedback
machines. The often-microphonic pickups
didn't help. While most Höfner basses and
their imitations disappeared from rock
stages after '68, Paul's had one more iconic
appearance, in Let It Be, enhanced by a sticker
on the face reading "Bassman." It would then
disappear for years.
This was less problematic on the
amateur market, and trading on the
familiarity of the original "Beatle Bass,"
thousands of Japanese-made Höfner
copies were sold even into the '80s. My
own first bass (in 1976) was one, bought
from a Spiegel catalog for $79.98. The
look appealed to a young bass dreamer's
desire for something different... "It's like
the one The Beatles used," my 16-year-old
reasoning went. "It must be cool!" Years
later, to many the violin bass is still wicked
cool - a statement of intent and individuality,
even if based on a cycle of blatant imitation!

VINTAGE GUITAR

54

February 2018



Vintage Guitar - February 2018

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Vintage Guitar - February 2018

Contents
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - Cover
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - IFC
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 3
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 4
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 5
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 6
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 7
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 8
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 9
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - Contents
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 11
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 12
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 13
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 14
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 15
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 16
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 17
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 18
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 19
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 20
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 21
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 22
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 23
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 24
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 25
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 26
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 27
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 28
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 29
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 30
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 31
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 32
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 33
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 34
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 35
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 36
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 37
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 38
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 39
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 40
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 41
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 42
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 43
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 44
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 45
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 46
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 47
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 48
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 49
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 50
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 51
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 52
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 53
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 54
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 55
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 56
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 57
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 58
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 59
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 60
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 61
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 62
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 63
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 64
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 65
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 66
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 67
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 68
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 69
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 70
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 71
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 72
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 73
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 74
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 75
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 76
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 77
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 78
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 79
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 80
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 81
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 82
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 83
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 84
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 85
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 86
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 87
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 88
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 89
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 90
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 91
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 92
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 93
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 94
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 95
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 96
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 97
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 98
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 99
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 100
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 101
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 102
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 103
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 104
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 105
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 106
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 107
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 108
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 109
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 110
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 111
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 112
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 113
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 114
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 115
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 116
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 117
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 118
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 119
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 120
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 121
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 122
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 123
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 124
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 125
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 126
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 127
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 128
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 129
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 130
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - IBC
Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - BC
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/vintageguitar/201903
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/vintageguitar/201902
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/vintageguitar/201901
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/vintageguitar/201812
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/vintageguitar/201811
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/vintageguitar/201810
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/vintageguitar/201809
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/vintageguitar/201808
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/vintageguitar/201807
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/vintageguitar/201806
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/vintageguitar/201805
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/vintageguitar/201804
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/vintageguitar/201803
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/vintageguitar/201802
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/vintageguitar/201801
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/vintageguitar/201712
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/vintageguitar/201711
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/vintageguitar/201710
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/vintageguitar/201709
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/vintageguitar/201708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/vintageguitar/201707
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/vintageguitar/201706
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/vintageguitar/201705
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/vintageguitar/201704
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/vintageguitar/201703
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/vintageguitar/201702
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/vintageguitar/201701
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/vintageguitar/201612
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/vintageguitar/201611
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/vintageguitar/201610_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/vintageguitar/201610
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/vintageguitar/201609
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/vintageguitar/201608_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/vintageguitar/201608
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/vintageguitar/201607
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/vintageguitar/201606
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/vintageguitar/201605
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/vintageguitar/201604
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/vintageguitar/201603
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/vintageguitar/201602
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/vintageguitar/201601
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/vintageguitar/201512
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/vintageguitar/201511
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/vintageguitar/201510
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/vintageguitar/201509
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/vintageguitar/201508
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/vintageguitar/201507
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/vintageguitar/201506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/vintageguitar/201505
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/vintageguitar/201504
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/vintageguitar/201503
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/vintageguitar/201502
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/vintageguitar/201501
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/vintageguitar/201412
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/vintageguitar/201411
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/vintageguitar/201410
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/vintageguitar/201409
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/vintageguitar/201408
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/vintageguitar/201407
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/vintageguitar/201406
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/vintageguitar/201405
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/vintageguitar/201404
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/vintageguitar/201403
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/vintageguitar/201402
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/vintageguitar/201401
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/vintageguitar/201312
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/vintageguitar/201311
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/vintageguitar/201310
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/vintageguitar/201309
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/vintageguitar/201308
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com