How can I distinguish fake hofner in internet?

It’s a real Hofner, but not a German made one. It’s an ignition/Icon series from their import line and they did make those in Green.

If it has a bolt on neck!

I'm joining this thread for a similar question.

I've spotted what it looks like a good deal on a 63 Reissue made in Germany Hofner.

Im not an Hofner expert, and i kno that ignition basses are often modified to look/sound more like their German counterparts, by installing zero frets, german pickups, german controls etc ...

Are there some general rules of the thumb to tell a modified Ignition from a German made bass ? Or to tell a Contemporary from a German ?

Thank you

cangaroo said:

I'm joining this thread for a similar question.

I've spotted what it looks like a good deal on a 63 Reissue made in Germany Hofner.

Im not an Hofner expert, and i kno that ignition basses are often modified to look/sound more like their German counterparts, by installing zero frets, german pickups, german controls etc ...

Are there some general rules of the thumb to tell a modified Ignition from a German made bass ? Or to tell a Contemporary from a German ?

Thank you

Click to expand...

My first advice is to repost the question here

Hofner-(not just Beatle Basses)-Group Part 2​

As far as I know, an easy givaway for the Icon/Ignition is the absence of a gap between the end of the fretboard and the top, which makes the old, McCartney-style leather straps impossible to use (or, at least, to use as intended, i.e. tied around the neck heel area) :


As regards Contemporary Beatle Basses, it says here that
"CT series bases also have side dot markers on the binding which appeals to many players. Other than the 5000/1 fretless bass German basses do not have side dot markers"
(They're also semi-hollow - as opposed to fully hollow German as well as Icon/Ignition basses - but that's of course impossible to verify over the internet.)