Fender Sixty-Six VS. Hofner Galaxie 176

[FinallyBlossom]

Hello there

I know there are already some topics out there that are talking the new Fender Sixty-Six but I really wanted to reveal the fact that Fender kind of "accepted" the idea of a more ergonomic asymmetric Strat which already existed in the mid/late 60's. As the topic titel says: Hofner already realised that idea with their Galaxie series. I'm a lucky owner of a beautiful green burst 176 Galaxie and a english copy version by Hutchins Guitars (the "Fury"). Hofner also reintroduced the Galaxie "HCT" a couple of years ago However they did a really heartless job on that new series (it's a totally different guitar if you ask me).

So I want to know: what's your opinion? Which ones sexier?





In my opinion Fender really messed it up with the dynamic body shape since the lower cut away is far too long to suggest that Jazzmaster-like asymmetric look. That point definitely goes to Hofner!
And what about the vibrato? I love the floating tremolo idea of Hofner here, however I appreciate a good working Strat tremolo too :/
The finger board: I only own one guitar with a maple neck board since I totally prefer rosewood over all. And I think finger boards look far more tastier with a dark wood... I know I'd be killed for such a statement in any other guitar forum

Really excited about your reaction!

Cheers,
FB

[DiAmoroso]

Overall I like the 66 better, at least aesthetically, but I would prefer a JM style vibrato over Strat. Not only does it look better, but I love the functionality of the JM vibrato too. Hofner was going in the right direction with that pickguard, but needs a little refining in my opinion.

[amv]

I feel like the "cool" answer around here is the Hofner, but I really do love the Sixty-Six. My one gripe is the trem, of course, although I actually dig Strats so I'm at least intrigued by it. I also love maple fretboards, so that's a huge plus for me—especially on the Daphne Blue model. Yowza.

Honestly, the Hofner looks like someone took a 6th grader's notebook sketch and turned it into a real guitar. Like, verbatim. Whether you appreciate the Sixty-Six or not, it looks more or less like grown-up professionals had something to do with its construction.

[601210]

When I was a kid I used to spend hours on the virtual guitar builder on that Kisekae guitar website just cramming all the switches I can think of on Telecasters. Young self would have been all over that Hofner, but I can understand why the all-switches-all-the-time look isn't for everyone.

I think the 66 with a more interesting pickup configuration and a JM trem would be the winner for me.

Tbh whenever I see a "You can copy my homework, but don't make it too obvious" guitar the small changes always throw me off. Like the weird upper and lower horns on every Jazzmaster clone ever, or the offset SG ESP Vipers, or every post-lawsuit LP copy. It's probably years of bias/corporate conditioning but I just prefer the proportions Fender came up with over similar shapes. In this case, the more sickle-like upper horn on the Hofner kinda bugs me.

I think the Sixty-Six is prettier and the Galaxie is cooler / geekier. I'd probably take the Hofner between the two.

[FinallyBlossom]

Wow, I'm really surprised by your down-to-earth opinions o.O
Seems like everybody is cool with the Fender result.... No complains about the fact they kind of "stole" the idea of a Strat/JM mixed body.

I found another Sixty-Six like guitar:



the Cort G200DX

It's equiped with the same pickup pattern and just one volume & tone knob

[601210]

All the vitriol for it is over in the Sixty-Six announcement thread

Can you really say they "stole" anything, though? All those guitars are at least strongly influenced by Strats anyways, and the Jazz Bass has been around since 1960.

That Cort is a good example of what I meant with the proportions, though. The upper horn is too skinny and stretched -- it looks like a finger while the one on the Sixty-Six looks more like a talon.

[alexpigment]

The Cort looks almost identical to a Yamaha Pacifica to my eyes. I don't really see the resemblance to the Sixty-Six anymore than I see a resemblance to the Strat, to be honest.

[FinallyBlossom]

I can see your point here. However for me it's still a shame that it took Fender 50 years to "revolutionize" the body design of the Strat Imagine the time between the 50's and 70's and how much innovative and stylish guitars they introduced back then. I guess they're more a "never change a running system" company. When I began playing the guitar there was barely nothing else than Strat or Telly around (if you're not into Gibson like guitars or hollowbodies). I'm really enthusiastic what Fender did during the past 5-8 years. The Powercaster is also a big step torwards new shores. I mean: they "dared" to change the body shape of the JM, THE offsetguitar itself. Sure, it's just the lower cut away and the vibrato/bridge system but: yay! I love the company's new "forthrightness".

[TeenageShutdown!]

I don’t really care for the fret markers, but it does add to the bizarreness. The 176 all day long for me.

[sirspens]

The Cort looks almost identical to a Yamaha Pacifica to my eyes. I don't really see the resemblance to the Sixty-Six anymore than I see a resemblance to the Strat, to be honest.

I thought it was a Pacifica before looking at the headstock.

[zeero9]

Cort Strat copies are all offset that way. Appears to be their thing.

I too fail to see how Fender is guilty of any copying. They put. Their own Jazz Bass body on a guitar. Not to mention the above-mentioned offerings from other companies are Strat copies with an offset tweak.

[Fiddy]

The 66 is fugly..not even in the same league as this Hofner...

[JSutter]

It does look like a jazz bass. I always thought the j bass was better looking than the p bass. The shape is good, the only thing that I don't like is the selector switch.

[simonhpieman]

The sixty six needs 3 Jaguar pickups and a regular offset trem. The pickups should be easy enough that I expect someone here will have that done before the week is out once they're released.

Gimme one o' dems in natural and you can have all my money.

[leokula]

No complains about the fact they kind of "stole" the idea of a Strat/JM mixed body.

Right... So Fender stole the idea from whoever stole two of their designs?

Btw this isn't a combination of strat and JM, this is a jazz bass body, that's all.