Bass of the Week: Hofner Green Line 500/1 Violin Bass

Hofner’s Green Line is a series created to be as environmentally friendly as possible. Started with classical guitars, the series now includes a version of their 500/1 violin bass. It carries all of the features of the original version with some interesting differences.

“One of our goals in designing this instrument was to remove all plastic as much as possible and use an environmentally friendly paint while still maintaining the sound and appearance of the famous violin bass,” Hofner explains. “Therefore, the plastic in the headstock, the cover of the neck adjustment rod, the guitar neck footplate, the saddle, the pickup frame, the pickguard, the orientation points on the fingerboard and the edge frame were replaced with trim strips with non-endangered walnut wood. The tuning machine heads and buttons are made of metal, which can be easily recycled. In addition, the former ebony bridge will be replaced with a walnut bridge. The bass is covered with a light wax glue that is not toxic to the environment and can be easily repaired if necessary.”

They add that the biggest fingerboard is the fingerboard, which is walnut instead of the standard rosewood due to it being on the CITES list. Finally, Hofner adds to the organic look with a rich Summer Glow finish.

Hofner Green Line 500/1 Bass Specs: