2012 Danelectro basses?

[CaptainGrog]

Anyone else pick up one of these? I dont wanna buy it without knowing how it sounds.

[msb]

They are single coil pickups so there's a bit of inherent hum involved . No more than a Jazz bass or a Rickenbacker . The pickups are not all that hot but they have become rather famous (in a good way) .

With fresh round wound strings they are pretty bright , but you can dial them down and get a good thump . Played with a pick they can be as bright as a baritone guitar ...Danos are versatile basses . People that have trouble getting a good tone out of a Dano probably suffer some technique issues and would have the same problem on any bass .

Get the Dano .

[wilfred]

Has anyone else got one of these? They look cool as hell! I called and asked GC and they told me that this bass is a full 34" scale and the wildthing bass is a short 30" scale bass.

[msb]

Hodads are 34 , I like the shorter Danos despite being an old Pbass guy .

Especially love Longhorns .

[KrisHayes]

These look awesome!

[Joe Nerve]

Originally Posted by CaptainGrog

Good pics. I would still love to see how it sounds before I buy one. Is it worth it?

Yes. Maybe.

I LOVE the sound of Danos. I kinda go through them like water though. I had 2 of the original Hodads, and 3 others who's model names I forgot. They all had a similar tone. I'm kinda kicking myself for ever selling the 3 pickup hodads, as they were obviously the most versatile. Given the things they all seem to have in common, here's my pros and cons take on Dan electro.

Pros:

The weight. I don't really care about weight, I play some heavy warwicks, but it feels almost bizarre plaiyng a Dano. I feel like there's nothing hanging around my neck.

The tone. They all have an awesome signature tone that's super thick and barky, yet not muddy. I don't know any other bass that puts out what these do. Lots of bottom, but bottom that rips through the mix. I hear every nuance of my plaing on a Dano, and in a different way than with other basses that cut through well. For lack of a better word I'd say they inspire me to emote and express myself more when playing. Especially ska like stuff.

The playability. Every Dano I've owned had great action, and played really well.

Cons:

Truss rod access. Gotta take the neck off to adjust the neck, and the neck is kinda thin requiring adjustments more than any other basses I've owned.

Intonation. My last Dano, the dolphin headed one, became pretty useless after a few months when the intonation just seemed to go bonkers for no good reason. I will never buy another Dano with a wooden bridge. They are easily replaced actually, but you have to add about $60 to the purchase price.

All that being said I'm certain there are more Dan Electros in my future. Maybe real soon. I like to wait until they go on super sale (which they always do) and then try to get coupon on top of it. Like that I wind up buying them for next to nothing, and making a profit when I sell them. The orignal hodads were blown out for $99. Sold them both on craigslist a few years later for $200 or more. How could I not be in love with a bass like that.

[bassbully]

Originally Posted by Joe Nerve

Yes. Maybe.

I LOVE the sound of Danos. I kinda go through them like water though. I had 2 of the original Hodads, and 3 others who's model names I forgot. They all had a similar tone. I'm kinda kicking myself for ever selling the 3 pickup hodads, as they were obviously the most versatile. Given the things they all seem to have in common, here's my pros and cons take on Dan electro.

Pros:

The weight. I don't really care about weight, I play some heavy warwicks, but it feels almost bizarre plaiyng a Dano. I feel like there's nothing hanging around my neck.

The tone. They all have an awesome signature tone that's super thick and barky, yet not muddy. I don't know any other bass that puts out what these do. Lots of bottom, but bottom that rips through the mix. I hear every nuance of my plaing on a Dano, and in a different way than with other basses that cut through well. For lack of a better word I'd say they inspire me to emote and express myself more when playing. Especially ska like stuff.

The playability. Every Dano I've owned had great action, and played really well.

Cons:

Truss rod access. Gotta take the neck off to adjust the neck, and the neck is kinda thin requiring adjustments more than any other basses I've owned.

Intonation. My last Dano, the dolphin headed one, became pretty useless after a few months when the intonation just seemed to go bonkers for no good reason. I will never buy another Dano with a wooden bridge. They are easily replaced actually, but you have to add about $60 to the purchase price.

All that being said I'm certain there are more Dan Electros in my future. Maybe real soon. I like to wait until they go on super sale (which they always do) and then try to get coupon on top of it. Like that I wind up buying them for next to nothing, and making a profit when I sell them. The orignal hodads were blown out for $99. Sold them both on craigslist a few years later for $200 or more. How could I not be in love with a bass like that.

Good post. I agree with most of it. For me there is nothing like the Dano tone...no other bass has it. I played my MIC Dano at the last gig and one guy was amazed at my tone. He said he could hear every note with great punch and it still held the bottom in the band.

FWIW My Dano's neck adjustment is at the headstock. I do have to tweak it more than say my Fenders since they have a very slim neck but what an awesome neck it is.

The weight? What weight? its like a toy

Intonation is another con and like you its goes out but i have found if i set it it stays pretty close most times.

In all Dano's are a great low cost bass that looks cool and sounds awesome.

[Joe Nerve]

Originally Posted by bassbully

FWIW My Dano's neck adjustment is at the headstock. I do have to tweak it more than say my Fenders since they have a very slim neck but what an awesome neck it is.

Someone else mentioned a dano that adjusts at the headstock. Which one does that? That might make one a keeper for me. That, plus an adjustable bridge and I'd have nothing really to complain about.

edit: good god ya'll! it seems the new hodad adjusts at the neck, AND has an adjustable bridge. AND I just got a 20% off coupon from MF. Ohhh boy.... here we go again....

[msb]

Some say the adjustable bridges sound different than the wooden ones . And that the wooden bridge sounds better .

I had to slightly adjust the wooden bridge on my Longhorn , it didn't take long to figure it out . It will move back and forth and you can change the angle it sits at . I was able to find the sweet spot for it , the intonation is on .

[Joe Nerve]

Took me 10 days to pull the trigger.

One new black hodad will be on it's way to Bklyn NY Monday morning. Was going for blue until the last minute when I decided the black will look much nicer hanging around my neck. I think I'm growing away from colorful basses. They look great on a stand, but I don't like the way they look on me unless I'm dressed colorfully as well, and I'm turning into one of them all in black all the time guys. At least for now.

Anyhow, I'm thinkin, I'm hopin, that this will be my last Dano. It has more than I ever wanted. Full scale, adjustable bridge, truss rod adjustable at the headstock (YAY!) and a tone control for each pickup. I am going to be in my Danelectro heaven.

[Diesel Kilgore]

Awesome! Glad to hear you pulled the trigger.

I want a Wild Thing soooo much. Debating between that and an MIM jazz. Heck, I could get a blue Wild Thing and a black Hodad for the price of an MIM. Tempting......I would have it all!

[rapidfirerob]

Just bought a Longhorn reissue from a fellow TBer. He says it's in perfect condition and looking at the photos, it seems true. Very excited to finally own one of these things.

[wilfred]

Hey what kind of strings are you all using on these dano hodad basses?

[Joe Nerve]

Originally Posted by wilfred

Hey what kind of strings are you all using on these dano hodad basses?

Right now, the ones that came on it. Just took it to its first rehearsal. I'm in love. I finally think I landed my dano keeper.

[tatertom]

I'm confused...the "new" Hodad bass is 34"?

[Joe Nerve]

Originally Posted by tatertom

I'm confused...the "new" Hodad bass is 34"?

They both were. The old and the new.

[noetical1]

Originally Posted by Joe Nerve

Right now, the ones that came on it. Just took it to its first rehearsal. I'm in love. I finally think I landed my dano keeper.

The Danelectro bass strings sound pretty decent... I used them on my Dano Bass VI

[rapidfirerob]

My Longhorn reissue is fantastic. It turned out to be a Chinese model, but it's great, no issues. I played it at practice last week and it plays very nicely, sounds terrific and of course, weighs practically nothing. Will it replace my Alembic, no. Is it a great and fun instrument, hell yes!

[mellowgerman]

D'Addario Chromes sound fantastic on Danos. I've owned a longhorn and a '63 Reissue.
My new blue Hodad should be here in a few days! Already have a set of Chromes waiting for its arrival.

[1stnamebassist]

D'addario XL halfrounds sound great on my Longhorn.