Paesold Hofner

Roderich Paesold was a bowmaker who had grown up in his father’s string and bow business in Eger, Germany. In 1950 he re-established a bowmaking business in Bubenreuth, training a fleet of recognized bowmakers. I am now stocking a selection of both French and German style Paesold bass bows. In 1968 the business expanded into manufacture of violin family instruments and is now located in Hagenau. The Hofner faculty produces bothe the Paesold and Hofner lines. I am particularly impressed with their responsive, all-solid light weight string basses. The shop has been stocking these fine instruments since early 2001.

The building style reminds us of high quality german instruments built in the 1900-1920s time period, but with contemporary string lengths and D necks. Though we sell number of 3/4 size examples, the 7/8 size instruments have found special niches in the northern California jazz and orchestral communities. All models feature all-solid wood construction, 2 piece tops, carved swelled backs, and spirit varnish for even response. Oil varnish is available on some of the higher models and custom orders. Paesold and Hofner basses are made in the same Hofner factory. The models are usually identical in features, so I’ll start including the equivalent model designation for each distributing company. These Paesold and Hofner instruments are consistently my favorite German-made basses. The shop remains the only Hofner or Paesold bass dealer in northern California.