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Danelectro 63 Long Scale
- Thread starter Skapunkgiz
- Start date
After more than four months, I gave up on waiting for the aqua Danelectro '63 long-scale bass to come in. I've just changed my order to black. I'm a bit disappointed, but I suppose the black bass will be satisfactory too.
I owned a long scale DC bass (made in 1999 or so) for a few years and I just recently borrowed a friend's '63 long scale for a week, so I can offer a head to head comparison. The '63 definitely sounds chunkier, fatter, and more present than the DC. I heard that Danelectro redesigned the pickups, which probably is a factor there. The neck is a little thicker on the '63, and it is a bit more neck-heavy. Workmanship was probably better overall on the DC, though the tuners were crappy and the string holes were too small to accommodate most strings. Overall, I like the '63 much better - it has much more of a vibe, where the DC felt more like a combination of parts thrown together.
Thanks for the comparison, ad9000. I was intrigued by the DC bass reissue when it came out, but never bought one.
One thing that concerns me a bit about the '63 bass is the controls. It looks like it has only a single volume, single tone, and pickup selector switch. That means that it isn't possible to blend the two pickups in varying proportions; it's either one pickup or the other, or both pickups in equal measure.
I suppose it would be possible to modify the controls to make them more versatile. I hope someone eventually posts a schematic for such a modification, as I'm a neophyte when it comes to electronics!
One thing that concerns me a bit about the '63 bass is the controls. It looks like it has only a single volume, single tone, and pickup selector switch. That means that it isn't possible to blend the two pickups in varying proportions; it's either one pickup or the other, or both pickups in equal measure.
I suppose it would be possible to modify the controls to make them more versatile. I hope someone eventually posts a schematic for such a modification, as I'm a neophyte when it comes to electronics!
That is true. When I get one of my own, I will definitely be modding it to vol/vol/tone. Without drilling any more holes, probably the easiest way would be to replace the volume pot with a stacked 250K pot wired to give you volume for each pickup, and make the other pot a common tone control. BTW, the stock pots are really terrible - about 95% of the boost occurs from 0 - 1 1/2, and they feel very flimsy.
Also, I forgot to say that I thought it would be a no-brainer that flatwounds would be cool on Danelectros (tried both TI Jazz Flats and GHS flats) but I really did not like them at all. They seemed to take all the personality out of the instrument. I like flats a lot on some basses, but I really prefer rounds and using palm muting or foam near the bridge to get an old school vibe on the Danos when it is called for. Also, using rounds gives me the option of going for the twangy or tic-tac thing occasionally, which would be harder to get with flats.
Also, mrmxyptlk, I forgot to mention that a google search should give you plenty of wiring diagrams for a vol/vol/tone with stacked volume scenario, if you are inclined to attempt it yourself (Stewart-MacDonald might be a good source for the parts). Otherwise, I would imagine a tech would charge somewhere in the neighborhood of $50 - 80 to do it for you.
Also, mrmxyptlk, I forgot to mention that a google search should give you plenty of wiring diagrams for a vol/vol/tone with stacked volume scenario, if you are inclined to attempt it yourself (Stewart-MacDonald might be a good source for the parts). Otherwise, I would imagine a tech would charge somewhere in the neighborhood of $50 - 80 to do it for you.
i got to check the long-scale '63 out at a shop in memphis yesterday- i own a hodad,that i really like,and was expecting to find the chinese-made bass inferior,but that was not the case. the 2 pickups on the '63 are definitely hotter than hodad's, and even with just 1 vol 1 tone and a 3way switch,there was a lot of tonal variety available. it's has a great feeling neck,the bass feels very solid to me,heavier than my hodad. i really wasn't planning on buying another bass,but may have to...the main differences i noticed was a flat (no-gloss) finish on the bass and the back of the neck,the vol/tone switch controls actually feel more solid than the hodad's and overall it just seems like a very nice quality instrument for the $$. i was playing it through a tube/410 combination that brought out all the growl and grunginess-the main thing was that deep bass sound was there just like the hodad.
I don't like the sound of that "heavier" comment.
One of my main objectives in having ordered a Danelectro bass was to obtain a lightweight instrument, thereby avoiding the shoulder pain I get from strapping on a standard solidbody bass. Oh well...Still, I expect that the '63 (which has been shipped and is on its way to me) will still be considerably lighter than, say, a Fender. If not, I get the feeling that it will be easy for me to sell it.
i didn't mean to infer it was heavy,just somewhat more than the hodad. i am an older guy (54) and i do not mess with basses weighing more than 8 lbs! the dano probably weighs about 6 lbs......after i played the new one,i pulled my hodad out for spin and it really made me want to rethink the flatwounds i had put on it. i loved the sound of the dano strings on the new bass.
I just received my black Danelectro '63 long-scale bass today. Very nice!
I had forgotten to ask on this board whether or not the bass comes with any sort of case or gig bag. For the benefit of anyone who might be wondering: It does not.
I like the sound of the pickups! Danelectro should sell these separately, for installation on other basses.
The bass is indeed a bit heavier than I had initially expected. It feels lighter than a typical solidbody, though, and I expect that it probably won't cause the sort of shoulder pain I used to get from playing my Fodera and Carvin basses.
I don't normally do a lot of thumb slapping, but I find that it sounds good on this bass. However, popping is rendered difficult by the unusually thick pickguard. I wonder if it would be worth it to replace the pickguard with one of normal thickness?
The action on this bass is higher than I prefer. I was going to lower the bridge saddles, but I found that they were already as low as they could go. However, the entire bridge is suspended off the body. Does anyone know if its possible to tighten the three screws that affix the bridge to the body, in order to lower the bridge? I'm a bit wary of trying this, for fear of damaging the bass.
As ad9000 notes, the volume and tone pots aren't the best. Neither are the tuners. Also, I might look into trying to add some sort of noise-reducing shielding to the control cavity. Still, for the price, this is a good-looking and nice-sounding bass. I might even buy one in aqua if that color ever finally becomes available!...
Edit: I made some adjustments, including shimming the neck, tightening the truss rod, and adjusting the heights of the bridge saddles. These changes greatly improved the bass's playability. A comprehensive setup, including dressing and polishing the frets, might help even more. I just have to decide whether it would be worth it. The bass plays pretty well as is, and it sounds very good.
I had forgotten to ask on this board whether or not the bass comes with any sort of case or gig bag. For the benefit of anyone who might be wondering: It does not.
I like the sound of the pickups! Danelectro should sell these separately, for installation on other basses.
The bass is indeed a bit heavier than I had initially expected. It feels lighter than a typical solidbody, though, and I expect that it probably won't cause the sort of shoulder pain I used to get from playing my Fodera and Carvin basses.
I don't normally do a lot of thumb slapping, but I find that it sounds good on this bass. However, popping is rendered difficult by the unusually thick pickguard. I wonder if it would be worth it to replace the pickguard with one of normal thickness?
The action on this bass is higher than I prefer. I was going to lower the bridge saddles, but I found that they were already as low as they could go. However, the entire bridge is suspended off the body. Does anyone know if its possible to tighten the three screws that affix the bridge to the body, in order to lower the bridge? I'm a bit wary of trying this, for fear of damaging the bass.
As ad9000 notes, the volume and tone pots aren't the best. Neither are the tuners. Also, I might look into trying to add some sort of noise-reducing shielding to the control cavity. Still, for the price, this is a good-looking and nice-sounding bass. I might even buy one in aqua if that color ever finally becomes available!...
Edit: I made some adjustments, including shimming the neck, tightening the truss rod, and adjusting the heights of the bridge saddles. These changes greatly improved the bass's playability. A comprehensive setup, including dressing and polishing the frets, might help even more. I just have to decide whether it would be worth it. The bass plays pretty well as is, and it sounds very good.
it sounds like you're very handy with working on your bass-go ahead,dress the frets,etc....the dano's are a really great alternate sound,and i always get compliments on the sound i get with mine-i tend to play with acoustic guitar duo/trios these days. its a great instrument for this type of music. i also have 3 rick basses and a japanese jazz bass copy,and i still play the dano quite a bit.
I can imagine that a Danelectro would sound very good in combination with acoustic instruments. I wanted a long scale bass with a hollow or chambered body; in addition to the Dano, I've also been eyeing the Epiphone Jack Casady and the Lakland Hollowbody. I went for the Dano in part because I don't play bass often enough these days to warrant paying the higher price for the Epiphone or the Lakland.
I like the idea of acoustic bass guitars, but the ones I've tried don't produce all that much volume acoustically; they're really meant to be plugged in. That being the case, I can't see the point of having a full-size ABG. Something like the Dano, with just that little extra bit of acoustic "zing," probably works equally well or better, without the feedback problems of an ABG.
As for working on my own frets, that's something I've always been wary of doing. I find adjusting truss rods, neck angle and string height relatively easy, but frets scare me a bit for some reason. Maybe I'll work up the courage to do some research and give it a try!
Continuing with this saga, I decided that I wanted my new Danelectro bass to play as well as possible, so I splurged and had the frets ground and polished using a Plek machine. For those who are not familiar with the Plek, it's a German invention that, in a nutshell, helps a skilled tech to perform consistently great instrument setups, generally in less time than it would take using traditional tools.
Some might say that giving a Danelectro the Plek treatment is a bit like putting a Lamborghini engine in a Hyundai. A setup using a Plek is more costly than a traditional setup. I happen to live in one of the more expensive cities in the U.S., so for me the setup ended up costing more than did the bass itself - by a considerable amount!
However, I must say that I have never played another bass that has lower action or nicer-feeling frets than my Dano does now, with no buzzing anywhere on the neck. This cheap bass plays much easier than it has a right to!
Unfortunately, there were a couple of minor issues that marred my experience with this particular shop, which is why I am refraining from mentioning them by name. However, I would say that if you are looking for the ultimate setup for your bass or other fretted instrument, it's well worth looking into a Plek setup. (There are currently only about 15 or so of these machines in the U.S., so if you're in the States you might have to ship your instrument in order to have it serviced.)
Some might say that giving a Danelectro the Plek treatment is a bit like putting a Lamborghini engine in a Hyundai. A setup using a Plek is more costly than a traditional setup. I happen to live in one of the more expensive cities in the U.S., so for me the setup ended up costing more than did the bass itself - by a considerable amount!
However, I must say that I have never played another bass that has lower action or nicer-feeling frets than my Dano does now, with no buzzing anywhere on the neck. This cheap bass plays much easier than it has a right to!
Unfortunately, there were a couple of minor issues that marred my experience with this particular shop, which is why I am refraining from mentioning them by name. However, I would say that if you are looking for the ultimate setup for your bass or other fretted instrument, it's well worth looking into a Plek setup. (There are currently only about 15 or so of these machines in the U.S., so if you're in the States you might have to ship your instrument in order to have it serviced.)
hi! im gaspar from argentina
this is my first post ever!
to the owners of this bass...could somebody tell me if this bass works well for a drop-d tuning?
i´ve had bad experiences with cheap basses like this
thanx!
this is my first post ever!
to the owners of this bass...could somebody tell me if this bass works well for a drop-d tuning?
i´ve had bad experiences with cheap basses like this
thanx!
Looks like the Danelectro 63 reissue era is over already! The Danelectro site now displays a new line of instruments - the "Dead On '67" guitar and baritone guitar, and the "Dead On '58" Longhorn bass, all with a list price of $399.00. The bass is a short-scale model with 24 frets.
These instruments appear to have the cheaper, lesser-quality tuners from previous reissue models, and are equipped with the wooden bridges that don't allow for individual string intonation adjustment. It looks like the only improvement over earlier Danelectro models is that the truss rod adjustment is now at the headstock (rather than at the opposite end of the neck, an arrangement that requires that the neck be removed every time the truss rod needs adjustment).
Musicians Friend is selling the 63's on a "clearance" basis; once their existing stock is gone, that's it. Get 'em while you can! I'm glad I bought one during the brief period in which they were available.
As far as I can tell, the bass was never sold in the U.S. in aqua color, although it was shown in advertisements and on vendor Web sites as being available in aqua.
These instruments appear to have the cheaper, lesser-quality tuners from previous reissue models, and are equipped with the wooden bridges that don't allow for individual string intonation adjustment. It looks like the only improvement over earlier Danelectro models is that the truss rod adjustment is now at the headstock (rather than at the opposite end of the neck, an arrangement that requires that the neck be removed every time the truss rod needs adjustment).
Musicians Friend is selling the 63's on a "clearance" basis; once their existing stock is gone, that's it. Get 'em while you can! I'm glad I bought one during the brief period in which they were available.
As far as I can tell, the bass was never sold in the U.S. in aqua color, although it was shown in advertisements and on vendor Web sites as being available in aqua.
hi! im gaspar from argentina
this is my first post ever!
to the owners of this bass...could somebody tell me if this bass works well for a drop-d tuning?
i´ve had bad experiences with cheap basses like this
thanx!
Hi Gaspar. I hope you're still around TB to read this and sorry nobody anwered your first post.
I own the "re-issue" DC model Danelectro. Mine is from the 1999 or so reincarnation of the Danelectro line and is made in Korea.
I don't know how this bass would work for drop D tuning. I'd be wary of using it for that although it is a 34" scale. I imagine the strings you use would be the deciding factor. I use Thomasti flat wounds which are pretty low tension compared to others and I'd be hesitant to tune much lower than standard. If I had the bass here at home right now I'd try it and let you know, but I've loaned it out to an elderly guy who is short on money and needs a bass to play in church. I probably won't get it back for a few months. Perhaps someone else here has one they could try.
As far as the quality of the bass goes, it's very good. The neck adjust easily and I can set it with very low action with no buzzes. I had to file down one high fret but that took only a few minutes. The neck is slim along its entire length and the string spacing is narrow near the bridge so it's a little harder to play finger style but quite easy with a pick.
Mine has the small guitar like tuners and it's tough to fit the E string through on any but the stock strings that come with the bass. I had to drill the hole larger on the E tuner on mine to fit the Thomastics. That's an easy enough job. The stock roundwounds are very bright sounding. Easy enough to play on but I don't like the sound. Some guys who like the bright zingy sound will.
Mine also has the wooden bridge which you can't adjust for individual string intonation. In practice, this is no problem at all. Mine plays perfectly in tune both with the stock strings and the Thomastics. Very heavy gauge strings might be a problem however.
Overall it's an excellent bass for the money and the quality of the fretwork and neck is right up there with much more expensive basses. I paid $399 Canadian for mine which was about equal to the $329 or so they were going for in the US.
Soundwise it a good bass but would never fill the roll of a P bass for me. I like it for certain things. It's very articulate and sticks out in the mix when played live, but doesn't have much real bottom end. One drummer I worked with a lot liked it more because he could hear me better. There's the usual amount of single coil hum unless you blend the two pickups evenly. Everyone loves the look of the thing. Mine is a silver sparkle finish which is very tough and shiny. Overall the quality of the bass is much better than the originals from the 50s and 60s, one of which I also owned back in 1960. That one was the shorter scale Longhorn. It was pretty cheap and cheesy.
My DC model will stand up to a lot more gigging without falling apart I'm sure. I love the very light weight and the nice balance it has. Couldn't be much more than 5 1/2 lbs. That's nice on your shoulder when standing on a long gig.
