Dano DC String Dilemma

[Do-Da]

I am a player who started in bars on bass almost 40 years ago at 14. Have , for the most part played Fenders and Music Man and was playing a M.M. Stingray 5 , a fine instrument , when a close old friend handed me a Dano DC bass a couple of years ago and told me "It,s time." Have pretty much played it exclusively since. It had rounds and the 1st thing I did was put on a set of D'Addario Chrome flats 50-105 and was very happy till about a year ago when , after reading an article on James Browns bass guys I decided to start playing with my thumb since he made his fellows do that ; "Hit 1 different." which I found to be true. This graduated into a thumb and index finger used side-ways ( like on upright ) for more speed when needed and so I'm hitting the string with the same amount of "meat" and keep the tone equal ; occasionally I'll use fingers and sometimes a pick or banjo picks when the tune seems to call for them. I've since found out the technique is very reminiscent of Joey Spampinado's right hand work with NRBQ if you are familiar . I started on 5 string banjo before bass and classical guitar so it seems comfortable and natural.
The problem I've run into is now the D'Addarios seem way too floppy and I've been rattling out cores ( I do play hard ) and breaking strings ( usually at the tuning key; don't think that is the fault of the string. ) If anyone is familiar with the bass thr heavy part of the string has to taper right after the nut ( it is a long scale, 34" bass ) and be able to fit through a tiny hole in the tiny tuning shaft to wind and creates a BIG problem on the E and G > That has ruled out LaBella's, Rotos, Markleys,Tomastics and most others. Thought a stainless would give more tension and GHS makes a Basic with the right bindings ( 44-106 ). My one and only friend who plays one too uses round wounds but said Fenders fit and he liked them.I ordered some Fender Stainless Flats ( 55, 70. 90 and 105 ) , kinda close to the Chromes I've had no trouble with ,but Stainless so 'proby more tension which is good but am I gonna pull off my head-stock or bow the bass into a mess with this heavy a string does anyone know, and does anyone know of other brand alternatives for what I'm going for? Thanks a lot .... Do-Da

[62bass]

Originally Posted by Do-Da

I am a player who started in bars on bass almost 40 years ago at 14. Have , for the most part played Fenders and Music Man and was playing a M.M. Stingray 5 , a fine instrument , when a close old friend handed me a Dano DC bass a couple of years ago and told me "It,s time." Have pretty much played it exclusively since. It had rounds and the 1st thing I did was put on a set of D'Addario Chrome flats 50-105 and was very happy till about a year ago when , after reading an article on James Browns bass guys I decided to start playing with my thumb since he made his fellows do that ; "Hit 1 different." which I found to be true. This graduated into a thumb and index finger used side-ways ( like on upright ) for more speed when needed and so I'm hitting the string with the same amount of "meat" and keep the tone equal ; occasionally I'll use fingers and sometimes a pick or banjo picks when the tune seems to call for them. I've since found out the technique is very reminiscent of Joey Spampinado's right hand work with NRBQ if you are familiar . I started on 5 string banjo before bass and classical guitar so it seems comfortable and natural.
The problem I've run into is now the D'Addarios seem way too floppy and I've been rattling out cores ( I do play hard ) and breaking strings ( usually at the tuning key; don't think that is the fault of the string. ) If anyone is familiar with the bass thr heavy part of the string has to taper right after the nut ( it is a long scale, 34" bass ) and be able to fit through a tiny hole in the tiny tuning shaft to wind and creates a BIG problem on the E and G > That has ruled out LaBella's, Rotos, Markleys,Tomastics and most others. Thought a stainless would give more tension and GHS makes a Basic with the right bindings ( 44-106 ). My one and only friend who plays one too uses round wounds but said Fenders fit and he liked them.I ordered some Fender Stainless Flats ( 55, 70. 90 and 105 ) , kinda close to the Chromes I've had no trouble with ,but Stainless so 'proby more tension which is good but am I gonna pull off my head-stock or bow the bass into a mess with this heavy a string does anyone know, and does anyone know of other brand alternatives for what I'm going for? Thanks a lot .... Do-Da

I have a Danelectro DC that I've played a lot since I bought it new when they first came out. It sounds wonderful with Thomastic flatwound JF344 strings. I put them on immediately after buying the bass. Fingerstyle (though it's a tight squeeze), pick or thumb. I use a very hard Carol Kaye pick. It won't replace a Fender P for me but has its own unique sound. I also love the light weight and fantastic neck.

Yes, the E string won't fit through the tuning peg hole. I drilled it out slightly larger. Never had a problem with strings and haven't broken one either. The Thomsatics are lower tension than most other strings so I had to do a little bit of truss rod tweaking and bridge adjustment to get everything balanced. It's a dream to play now.

[Do-Da]

Thanks for the input . I considered Tomastics but Carol Kaye said they would not work on my Dano ( I use a couple of her instructional books and she is kind enough to answer questions personally sometimes ; she doesn't like Danos in the least which surprised me a bit since she plays one on many songs. Doesn't really consider it a "bass" and always calls it a "bass guitar" . Wasn't a lot of choice early on though . ) I just got a mail from the company I ordered the Fender Flat stainless 55,70 ,90 and 105 and have no idea if I should take them out of the package or just return for fear that they are too heavy and tight for the Dano. I guess ya pays ya money ,ya takes ya chances.

[62bass]

Originally Posted by Do-Da

Thanks for the input . I considered Tomastics but Carol Kaye said they would not work on my Dano ( I use a couple of her instructional books and she is kind enough to answer questions personally sometimes ; she doesn't like Danos in the least which surprised me a bit since she plays one on many songs. Doesn't really consider it a "bass" and always calls it a "bass guitar" . Wasn't a lot of choice early on though . ) I just got a mail from the company I ordered the Fender Flat stainless 55,70 ,90 and 105 and have no idea if I should take them out of the package or just return for fear that they are too heavy and tight for the Dano. I guess ya pays ya money ,ya takes ya chances.

Carol is probably thinking of the short scale Dano basses or the 6 string Dano that she used a lot back in the 60s and 70s on recordings. No, they weren't good basses (I had one) and she only used the 6 string, which was tuned E to E like a guitar but an octave down, when a recording date called for it. The only Thomastic strings she sells are the 4 string long scale set, the JF344. The Dano 6 string basses were usually used back then to double an upright bass part or for the odd solo. She's not aware of the newer DC which is 34" scale. The DC was not made back then. So it's understandable that she thinks Danelectros are bad. She says she and other studio bassists then used to swap out the lipstick pickups on the 6 string Dano bass for a better sound. I believe that the solo on Galveston, the Glen Campbell hit is Carol's Dano played by Glen Campbell. She loaned it to him.

But, trust me. The JF344s will fit fine on the 34" scale Danelectro DC. Just be aware that you will probably have to drill the hole in the E string tuning peg slightly larger. Be careful--Don't use too big a bit or you'll destroy the peg. I had to do the same thing on my Godin Acoustibass to fit a set of Fender nylon tapewounds on.

In fact, I think I bought the set of Thomastics currently on my Danelectro DC from Carol.

[Do-Da]

Thanks for all the help! I've decided I'd better return those Fenders ( too bad ; I wanted to try them ) . I have a feeling from what I've been reading here the tension would be too much for the thing.
I don't know if Carol played one or not but she was 'probly aware of them ... they were around back then ; it's a 59 reissue after all only they didn't have two pick-ups ,just a neck. Joey Spampinado from NRBQ plays an old yellow one all the time and I saw one for sale just like it on eBay last week. Dano came out with a 63 reissue just a couple of weeks ago for a limited time . Check out the Danguitars site if you like .
Thanks again, Do-Da

[62bass]

Originally Posted by Do-Da

Thanks for all the help! I've decided I'd better return those Fenders ( too bad ; I wanted to try them ) . I have a feeling from what I've been reading here the tension would be too much for the thing.
I don't know if Carol played one or not but she was 'probly aware of them ... they were around back then ; it's a 59 reissue after all only they didn't have two pick-ups ,just a neck. Joey Spampinado from NRBQ plays an old yellow one all the time and I saw one for sale just like it on eBay last week. Dano came out with a 63 reissue just a couple of weeks ago for a limited time . Check out the Danguitars site if you like .
Thanks again, Do-Da

Are you sure it's the Danelectro DC you're referring to? The DC I have is from about 1999 or 2000 when the first re-issues from Korea came out. It is definitely 34" scale, not 32" (or less?) that the original Danelectros like the Longhorn and Shorthorn models have. As far as I know, there was no DC bass with a 34" scale in the original American made line. They were short scale 4 strings, the longhorn and shorthorn like Spampinado uses, and a short scale 6 string bass tuned E to E, which is the one used by Carol and others in the 60s for some things.
I could be wrong, and I'll do some looking around to check, but the DC model I have which I bought when it first came out 7 or 8 years ago is a new model that wasn't made back then. I don't know--maybe they called the shorthorn and longhorn models DCs back then too. Anyhow, I'll check.

But if you have a short scale Danelectro you can't use the JF344 on it. Thomastic does make some 32" scale flats though which should work fine.

[Do-Da]

No , you could be right . Mine is a 34'' reissue ; I assumed they were the same "back when". Be interested in knowing for sure.
By the way, I had never messed with the pick-ups at all and after reading a comment on this site I raised them ; a bit more on the G , D side ( Had to cut small wedges of rubber to brace them and keep the screws from bouncing back out in the back. ) and it made a world of difference in presence and high end and much more balanced from pick-up to pick-up as well as string to string ; as a result I wasn't "muscling" the poor thing so hard ... the Chromes sounded fantastic and with a tiny raising of the action I was happy as a clam! I believe I will stay with them! Thanks again, Do-Da

[62bass]

Great. I'll try that with mine although it sounds pretty good now. I checked that site and while it's a bit confusing it does show that the 6 string bass from the 60s was very short scale. Judging by the quality of my original Danelectro I bought in 1960 (the 30" scale Longhorn) it's no wonder Carol disliked the 6 string she had. She mentioned having to change the pickups but couldn't remember what brand was put in. The reissues from circa 1999 were much better built basses with good stable necks and excellent fretwork. I don't think she's tried any of them.

I don't believe the DC bass was ever made before the 1999 reissues came out. Can't remember ever seeing one back in the 60s and can't find any evidence on the internet.

Spaninado gets a unique sound with his original Longhorns and his Jerry Jones copies. Suits what he does perfectly. Have you ever seen NRBQ live? Great live act. I've seen them a few times, last time about 5 years ago. I don't think they tour much anymore if at all. They've been at it a very long time.

[Do-Da]

I've never had the chance ; every time they were close I was playing or broke. Joey seems to play an old black Silvertone , Les Paul shaped short scale a lot too.Must have been those copies I saw on YouTube . Check out "Rocket In My Pocket" and he has a worn-out looking yellow ( what looks to be ) shorthorn. Funny thing is; since I started playing the Dano ( about two years; was playing mostly a M.M. Stingray 5 before ) I've changed my right hand technique so much ... playing primarily w/ thumb and side-ways index finger ( for the same amount of "meat" ) and some times my fingers and a Herco thumb pick ... really thought I was doing something different till a few weeks ago when I thought of looking on YouTube to see if therre was anything by NRBQ and there was Joey doing the same thing , and 'probly had been for years and years. I always work out chords on a classical and I started on 5 string banjo before bass so it seemed like a natural thing for me with the strings being so close together. Go figure! Kinda went around Robin Hoods barn ,but there are a lot worse players to try and emulate! Sure wish I was 1/2 as fine a musician as he. Do-Da

[62bass]

Originally Posted by Do-Da

I've never had the chance ; every time they were close I was playing or broke. Joey seems to play an old black Silvertone , Les Paul shaped short scale a lot too.Must have been those copies I saw on YouTube . Check out "Rocket In My Pocket" and he has a worn-out looking yellow ( what looks to be ) shorthorn. Funny thing is; since I started playing the Dano ( about two years; was playing mostly a M.M. Stingray 5 before ) I've changed my right hand technique so much ... playing primarily w/ thumb and side-ways index finger ( for the same amount of "meat" ) and some times my fingers and a Herco thumb pick ... really thought I was doing something different till a few weeks ago when I thought of looking on YouTube to see if therre was anything by NRBQ and there was Joey doing the same thing , and 'probly had been for years and years. I always work out chords on a classical and I started on 5 string banjo before bass so it seemed like a natural thing for me with the strings being so close together. Go figure! Kinda went around Robin Hoods barn ,but there are a lot worse players to try and emulate! Sure wish I was 1/2 as fine a musician as he. Do-Da

That's interesting about your technique. I've never paid much attention to Smampinado's technique. He does have a unique style. Great singer too.

Too bad you couldn't see them live. That's where they really shine. There's a 2 disc compilation of their stuff that might be available still. If you listen to some of the earlier studio recordings it sounds like he's playing a Fender P with a pick. Different sound than he gets now.

[Do-Da]

I have that one . It's called "Peek-A-Boo" . I've been pestering my friends for anything they might have ( think they are getting tired of it ). I read somewhere that they've started playing out more again ; often with Joey's brother AND Al . That would be fun.
Piddled around with the pick-ups some more and ( without being out on a job ) they sound even from string to string on both pick-ups now and are at least close volume-wise . Really brought those Chromes to life ! Had to back the treble way off so they still sounded like flats ; and they should be pretty dead by now . Ordered more today. Starting to think my whole problem came from not thinking things through thoroughly enough before I went " Something new will fix it ! " Thanks again for all the help. Do-Da

[62bass]

You're welcome. Have fun with your Dano.