Members J.B. Lee Posted January 4, 2005 Members Share Posted January 4, 2005 Okay, so I know his Hofner didn't come stock with strap buttons. And I pretty much understand how he dog clipped one end of his strap to the bridge. But what the hell is going on with the other end? Every picture/description I've seen seems to suggest around the heel and UNDER the fretboard. How do you wedge a strap under your fretboard? No guitar I've ever seen would allow that to occur physically. Anyone know how he did it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members greenshag Posted January 4, 2005 Members Share Posted January 4, 2005 it is probably under the neck heel joint like a lot of les pauls, sg's, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bpocall Posted January 4, 2005 Members Share Posted January 4, 2005 There's a little curve under the end of the neck where you could fit it under. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ted Striker Posted January 4, 2005 Members Share Posted January 4, 2005 Maybe it is exactly like you say, under the fretboard. The fret board may continue after the neck ends like on some extended fret guitar necks and violins... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bassballs Posted January 4, 2005 Members Share Posted January 4, 2005 Beat me to it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Fran da Man Posted January 4, 2005 Members Share Posted January 4, 2005 In that top pic it looks like it's mounted on the face/top of the body and below the fretboard. If this pic works the button can be seen on the very front of the one lying down I see what you mean...look at this one...odd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SB Posted January 5, 2005 Members Share Posted January 5, 2005 A Macca question I don't know an answer to????? No shit!!! I shall consult my Gearbook! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ImaSmrtBaby Posted January 5, 2005 Members Share Posted January 5, 2005 mccartney looks with a beard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mrcrow Posted January 5, 2005 Members Share Posted January 5, 2005 seems to be jammed in...must go back to his house in liverpool and ask the custodian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members M-1 Fan Posted January 5, 2005 Members Share Posted January 5, 2005 I have a 500/1 Beatle bass and a 502 Club and there is absolutely no space for a strap between the top of the body and the underside of the fingerboard/neck. Maybe Paul's '63 and the earlier one had a big gap there. Go to the Hofner community web site and ask the Hofnerhounds forum: http://www.hofners.co.uk They may have an answer. I never wanted the Hofner strap on my basses because of that steel dog latch attaching to the tailpiece. I thought that it would scratch the body. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mrcrow Posted January 5, 2005 Members Share Posted January 5, 2005 Originally posted by J.B. Lee Okay, so I know his Hofner didn't come stock with strap buttons. And I pretty much understand how he dog clipped one end of his strap to the bridge. But what the hell is going on with the other end? Every picture/description I've seen seems to suggest around the heel and UNDER the fretboard. How do you wedge a strap under your fretboard? No guitar I've ever seen would allow that to occur physically. Anyone know how he did it? check out the blow up...could the strap be fixed with screws to the body.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jbryant8159 Posted January 5, 2005 Members Share Posted January 5, 2005 From: http://www.thecanteen.com/mccartney4.html The '63 Hofner today. McCartney had strap buttons added so he'd no longer have to "dog-clip" one end to the tailpiece and tie the other end around the heel and under the fretboard. This old workhorse still has the set list from the '66 tours taped onto it; it reads "Rock & Roll," "She's a Woman," "If I Needed," "Tripper," "Baby's in Black," "I Feel Fine," "Yesterday," "Wanna Be," "Nowhere Man," "Paperback" and "Long Tall." 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mrcrow Posted January 5, 2005 Members Share Posted January 5, 2005 glad he got it changed...paul has a wal:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members J.B. Lee Posted January 5, 2005 Author Members Share Posted January 5, 2005 Well I'm glad I posted this. Fascinating subject, no? As near as I can figure the Hofner's neck was not glued to the body at the heel in the traditional manner. Rather, they left a small gap, with the neck being attached between the fretboard and the front of the body. This would seem to be a rather delicate situation in terms of sturdiness, but after 40 years it's still his main bass! Seems like it would've been a hell of a lot easier to just put a couple of strap pins on though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jbryant8159 Posted January 5, 2005 Members Share Posted January 5, 2005 It does appear that a lot of fretboard floats over the body. Considering that there are no real cutaways at the high end of the scale and back then probably very few bass players went that high on the neck, they probably didn't even think it was an issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Picker Posted January 5, 2005 Members Share Posted January 5, 2005 Facinating.... I never even noticed it before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sunburstbasser Posted January 5, 2005 Members Share Posted January 5, 2005 I wonder if he liked his strap setup on his Ric, J, and Wal better? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members hawkhuff Posted January 5, 2005 Members Share Posted January 5, 2005 I see the gap and I understand what you mean but if you look at the photos the strap looks much higher up so I don't see how it could be jammed up there, at least not that high. It would seem the bass neck would have been removed and the strap placed then the neck is replaced? Very interesting observation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members J.B. Lee Posted May 16, 2005 Author Members Share Posted May 16, 2005 Mystery solved (I think)! I wonder why I never thought to consult Hofner's website back in January when I started this thread? In any case, this may be the only guitar in exixtence that requires a dedicated set of instructions to attach the strap! http://www.hofner.com/instruments_details.asp?ID=709 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMS Author Craig Vecchione Posted May 17, 2005 CMS Author Share Posted May 17, 2005 Originally posted by J.B. Lee Well I'm glad I posted this. Fascinating subject, no? As near as I can figure the Hofner's neck was not glued to the body at the heel in the traditional manner. Rather, they left a small gap, with the neck being attached between the fretboard and the front of the body. This would seem to be a rather delicate situation in terms of sturdiness, but after 40 years it's still his main bass! Seems like it would've been a hell of a lot easier to just put a couple of strap pins on though. The only suitable spot to put pins is where he wound up with one...on the heel of the neck. It's not a great spot, and it's relatively easy to 'peel' the strap off by tilting the bass. Hofners are very delicate, and it cost a lot of time and money to keep McCartney's main Hofner going all these years. I've always said they would have long ago been only a memory if not for him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members shelbass Posted May 17, 2005 Members Share Posted May 17, 2005 I wonder if he was allowed to use a leather strap when Linda was alive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mrcrow Posted May 17, 2005 Members Share Posted May 17, 2005 many a word in jest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jimtone Posted March 22, 2020 Members Share Posted March 22, 2020 On 1/5/2005 at 7:22 AM, M-1 Fan said: I have a 500/1 Beatle bass and a 502 Club and there is absolutely no space for a strap between the top of the body and the underside of the fingerboard/neck. Maybe Paul's '63 and the earlier one had a big gap there. Go to the Hofner community web site and ask the Hofnerhounds forum: http://www.hofners.co.uk They may have an answer. I never wanted the Hofner strap on my basses because of that steel dog latch attaching to the tailpiece. I thought that it would scratch the body. Your bass must be an ICON or Ignition model which both have a different neck ount and there is no cantalevered extension of the neck and fretboard over the body (no gap). Maca's 1963 500/1 has the gap which is about 3/16" tall extending under the 18th thru 22nd frets. Paul's 500/1 does have a strap button at the tailpiece mount and he attached his strap with a folded piece of leather the goes thru the "D" shaped ring on the strap end and the folded leather has 2 key holes that slip over the body strap button. The neck end of strap has a rawhide string that ties to the leather strap after slipping under the neck cantelever. I believe Paul's 63 bass now has a strap button on the neck end of the body. He also would sometimes attach the strap clip to the top side of the tailpiece. On 1/5/2005 at 7:22 AM, M-1 Fan said: I have a 500/1 Beatle bass and a 502 Club and there is absolutely no space for a strap between the top of the body and the underside of the fingerboard/neck. Maybe Paul's '63 and the earlier one had a big gap there. Go to the Hofner community web site and ask the Hofnerhounds forum: http://www.hofners.co.uk They may have an answer. I never wanted the Hofner strap on my basses because of that steel dog latch attaching to the tailpiece. I thought that it would scratch the body. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators daddymack Posted March 23, 2020 Moderators Share Posted March 23, 2020 15 years too late, I'm afraid... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Psune Posted July 21, 2021 Members Share Posted July 21, 2021 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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