For the Love of a Hofner Bass Guitar

My Hofner Bass Guitar

Sorely missing my bass guitar, I asked Bombet Baslao, a young man in Davao City, to send me a photo of it a few months ago. No, it's not just a bass guitar. It was my bass guitar. And no, it was not just merely my bass guitar. It was my Hofner bass guitar.

You see, this particular Hofner bass guitar was one of those precious things I owned in my life. This Hofner bass guitar looked just like the one used by Paul McCartney. It's made of wood and it looks like a violin. It's lightweight and produces a sound unique to a wooden, hollow bass guitar. I checked the internet and I found out that it can cost more than

USD3,500 nowadays!

Looked Like a Hofner Bass Guitar

I loved that guitar. At least, it looked like a Hofner bass guitar. I missed it. I never really bothered to check whether it was an authentic Hofner bass guitar or not. Whatever, it was my "Hofner bass guitar."

Received as Gift from Ronnie of BelleStar

Sometime in 1979, this Hofner bass guitar was given to me by Ronnie Dimayuga of BelleStar Promotions. He told me to take care of it. When he gave it to me, it was already around 15 years old, he told me. He gave it to me for free.

Early 80s Folk Singers

For a good number of years, I used that bass guitar in various Shakey's pizza parlors all over Metro Manila. My brother and I were regular folk singers at three Shakey's Pizza Parlors at the university belt (Shakey's Recto 1, Shakey's Recto 2 and Shakey's Espana). As regular folk singers also at Shakey's Malate and Shakey's West Avenue, I used that bass guitar every night. We also performed at the then Bodega, Hobbit's House and My Father's Moustache on ocassions. And that bass guitar never failed me. It was my kind of work for a good number of years.

Given as a Gift to a Young Bass Guitarist

Last year, May 2008, we moved out of Davao City. Bombet helped us load our things into a container van. Upon seeing the Hofner bass guitar (badly in need of repair), he begged me to give it to him. I refused at first -- for sentimental reasons. But knowing that this young man has been eagerly learning how to play the bass guitar, I gave in. Seeing his enthusiasm to have it, I gave it away. I gave Bombet the same reminders that Ronnie gave to me decades ago -- to  take care of it and enjoy it.

I'm glad I passed it on to another bass guitarist like me. Having repaired it and having taken care of it, I'm sure that Bombet will enjoy it for as long as it works in the same way that it gave me pleasure for a long, long time.