Violin basses are broadly defined as bass guitars that resemble a violin or other traditional string instrument in shape. First introduced by German maker Hofner in 1955, these instruments were propelled into the spotlight by Paul McCartney who used his Hofner 500/1 model throughout Beatlemania and continues to do so today. The iconic status achieved by the 500/1 through its association with the Beatles spurred many other brands to make their own spin on the violin bass concept in the '60s including Vox as well as budget Japanese brands like Kent. Today, Hofner still makes a variety of its signature 500/1, while other makers like Epiphone have launched their own modern iterations of this classic design.

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