Mainly because they’ve been shitty instruments for decades. The original was cool, but they were copies of Gibson EB-1 Violin Basses, though Hofner made it lighter and free of a stand in '56, whereas Gibson did that in 1958.
Objectively speaking, having played both and having owned a Hofner, the Gibson is a better instrument through and through.
Mainly because they’ve been shitty instruments for decades. The original was cool, but they were copies of Gibson EB-1 Violin Basses, though Hofner made it lighter and free of a stand in '56, whereas Gibson did that in 1958.
Objectively speaking, having played both and having owned a Hofner, the Gibson is a better instrument through and through.
https://www.violinbasses.com/history.htm