Höfner Shorty Bass BK

127

Electric Bass

  • A classic from the '80s
  • Basswood body
  • Maple neck
  • Jatoba fretboard
  • 24 Frets
  • Nut width: 43 mm
  • Scale: 76 cm (30"/short scale)
  • Total length: 97.5 cm
  • Pickups: 1 Humbucker
  • Volume and tone controls
  • Colour: Black
  • Includes a gig bag
Available since December 2011
Item number 275311
Sales Unit 1 piece(s)
Colour Black
Soundboard Lime
Neck Maple
Fretboard Jatoba
Frets 24
Scale Shortscale
Pickups H
Elektronic Passive
Incl. Case No
Incl. Bag Yes
Electric Bass Guitar 1
Body Basswood
Top Non
Pickup System H
Saddle Width 43 mm
Pickup Configuration H
Incl. Gigbag 1
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2.399 kr
Including VAT; Excluding kr200 shipping
In stock
In stock

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The perfect travel bass

The Höfner Shorty Bass BK is a travel bass that is based on Höfner's classic Shorty guitar design, which was launched back in the 1980s and has been available again since the early 2000s. What makes this instrument special is that it combines an extremely compact body with a genuine short scale length. The basswood body is finished in black, and the bolt-on neck, which is made from a single piece of maple for enhanced sustain, features a rosewood fingerboard with dot inlays on the front and upper edge as well as a plastic nut. The bass features the typical "Shorty" headstock design and a full-sounding covered Höfner humbucking pickup in the bridge position. The scope of delivery includes a basic gig bag, and a padded gig bag is also available as an option (article no. 480634).

The feel of a genuine short-scale bass

The Höfner Shorty Bass has the same 76cm (30") scale length as other, larger short-scale basses and features a full 24 frets, thus giving bassists plenty of space even for solo runs and melodies, so no compromises need to be made in terms of playability. The neck is relatively narrow with a nut width of just 43mm, so guitarists will also feel instantly comfortable on this bass. And as players have long come to expect from basses that can played with a pick, the Shorty Bass also has a screw-mounted scratchplate that covers and protects the circuitry.

A fully-fledged instrument

As a space-saving travel instrument, the Höfner Shorty Bass is the ideal solution for musicians who love to travel but don't want to be without a "real" electric bass with a short scale length (or as Höfner confidently calls it, a "medium scale length"). For a relatively low budget, players get a fully-fledged instrument that might even be described as "pocket-sized", and correct intonation is ensured by a fixed bridge with four individual saddles. Allergy sufferers should note, however, that the machine heads on the Shorty Bass are made from nickel.

About Höfner

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.

From practice session to carry-on luggage

At less than a metre in length, the Höfner Shorty Bass is very easy to transport and thus the ideal travel companion for everyone who can't NOT play bass while on vacation. Höfner states that it will even fit into the overhead luggage compartments of most commercial airliners. The Shorty Bass's scale length also makes it ideal for practising scales and exercises while watching TV at home or while colleagues are out of the office. Combined with a small battery-powered amp - and of course with a buddy playing a Höfner Shorty guitar - it can also provide the perfect musical accompaniment for garden parties, barbecues, and even around the campfire - time to ditch those hiking songs in favour of some good old Rock classics.

127 Customer ratings

4.2 / 5

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94 Reviews

K
All in all a good bass
Kcrimson13 02.10.2018
I bought this bass 4 months ago because I wanted to try a short scale bass and it had a good price and looked very elegant. I didn?t quite know what to expect so now I decided to write an extensive review of what I thought of this peculiar bass.
Body and neck
First of all the finish is perfect, very smooth and shiny.
The body shape and size make it very transportable but not as comfortable and most of the standard shapes. It seems to not be quite at the right angle on the leg and I can?t sit in just any position. A small friend of mine (1,50 m) tried it and seemed more comfortable so maybe the design isn?t meant for an average sized woman (1,65 m).
The body weight, which I thought would make it very back friendly while standing, creates a huge neck dive, making it impossible to play while standing (at least for me without strap locks). While sitting I have to support my right hand on the body to balance the neck dive (this was weird at the beginning but now I am used to it and don?t mind).
The neck is pretty good but needs a fret job. It came very dry but nothing lemon oil can?t fix. The tuners?the tuners are the saddest thing ever. They look like cheap plastic acoustic guitar tuners and they don?t keep the tuning very well. I think there is no possibility of exchanging them because I don?t want to add any weight to the head (more neck dive).
The size of the neck is a big pro for the bass. It is short scale, so the fretboard is perfect for my thin kinda long fingers and the neck thickness is very comfortable.
Sound
The humbucker sounds good and the sustain is surprisingly high (since the body is so small). It has a lot of static and some background noise when turning the tone knob (expected). There are some trousers, made of synthetic materials, which make the pickup click when my right hand comes close to it, so I just don?t wear them while playing.
Conclusion
I don?t regret having spent the money on this bass. I had to get used to the playing position because of the neck dive and shape of the body but the sounds is very satisfying and the size of the fretboard is a big advantage. I wouldn?t recommend it if you are a medium to big sized person and want to play a long time, but for small build persons, or if you want an easily transportable bass, for some practicing I think you should try it.
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A
An awsome little guitar.
Alexander988 19.07.2013
I've only had my Höfner Shorty Bass BK for less than a week and I think I'm in love. This little bass is extremely well made. It is as elegant as it is robust. It comes with a nice well stitched gig bag which contains in it's front pocket a free cable and Allen keys to adjust the level of the fine tuning bridge and truss rod. Neither of these things was necessary on arrival as it comes perfectly set up with a very smooth action. I have tuned mine down to standard bass tuning (e) even though on a short scale it should be like having a capo on at fret 3. This means that it is very gentle on the fingers and so long as I don't play too hard it sound great. If I feel like doing some slap and ping techniques it needs tuning up to its optimal string tensions. The pickup is of a very good sound quality for the price. Over all I would highly recommend the Höfner Shorty Bass BK if like me you are on a tight budget and pressed for storage space.
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Leox
Leox 17.10.2019
The bass is very uncomfortable and it's almost impossible to play without a pick due to the weight balance that's all in charge of the handle. In general it can be a solution to extreme situations when you have very little space or you have to travel frequently but for my experience this instrument cannot be compared in any way to a normal bass.
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a
Great for the price
antoniodebrandao 11.03.2019
I'm not a full-time bass player, my main instrument is classic guitar. I bought this bass to make simple bass backings for my classic guitar songs. It's a really light, portable and handy bass. The sound it makes is great. It sometimes may produce some fretting sounds if played with force and speed, but only from the outside (actual strings sound without amp). The sound coming from the amplifier is just fine! I gave this 4 stars for it's value as a product and not in comparison with higher-end basses. I'm sure there are plenty of super-basses out there, but for my simple needs this bass did the job perfectly at an amazing price.
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