The UK distributors for Hofner guitars was
a company called Selmer. Around about 1962/63 they obviously felt that it was
necessary to have both a single pickup and a twin pickup solid bass in their
catalogue. Just prior to that decision, Hofner was supplying Selmer with Hofner
182's (which Selmer called the Solid Bass) which had two pickups and a
rectangular consul. At the time of being asked to supply a one and two pickup
bass, Hofner were in the process of phasing out the rectangular consul on the
majority of their instruments (but not on the 500/1 violin bass ), and hence
they must have decided to use rotary controls only. A single pickup
"Professional" bass with two rotary controls was supplied, and it
would appear that a two pickup bass with 4 rotary controls was also provided (i.e.like
this one). Selmer must however have felt that they needed a more up-market bass,
because almost immediately the Artist Bass came into the catalogue, and it would
seem that this version was discontinued.