Danelectro Coral Deluxe Bass project

[JIO]

@Jisch 's bridge looks like what's on the RI Long Horn with the cast string anchor section.

Yah, it looks like the new one I got minus the individual saddles.

 

[JIO]

So the strap arrived today (Easter Sunday) ... when did I order it?, yesterday? It was in San Jose (just south of me) after all... Anyway, it's MIC! Shocked! - not. It's good, I like it. I think anything that looks like leather, isn't.., but it looks good with the bass.

 

[JIO]

Done! 3 coats of carbon shielding paint in the cavity, drilled a bridge-ground channel to the bridge post insert & soldered in a wire to the jack for silent operation. Added a spacer at the neck-pocket as there was one originally - and amazingly enough it set up pretty effortlessly. I've yet to see how intonation is, but I imagine I can get it close enough. This thing sounds great! If that's the Dano-sound - I like it! Plenty loud and as pillowy bass as you want to dial in, and using the rounds sent - it barks with the treble up. Really cool. Can't wait to hear it at our next rehearsal through my 18" driver! Can you say "old-school"?

So, 3-washers, no slots on the bridge and adjustment for nice low action - the bridge does what it needed to do. The tone of the bass is very resonant and harmonics are easily called-up. Simple is good. I'll still have a bridge-cover fabbed, but as I always palm-mute over the bridge it may just be for a photo-op and like so many have over time - it will live in the case. (which still hasn't arrived... time to send another inquiry to the seller)

You'll notice I am holding onto the neck. That's because unlike my '64 T-bird - this bird neck-dives hard! Understandably so with two steel rods running through the length of the neck! Otherwise, the bass weighs 8lbs/10oz, so a middle-weight. May have to add some grippy material to the strap at my shoulder - right now it slides pretty easily.

 

[JIO]

This is one trick for a neck-diving bass - I have done this on my T-bird forever. It pulls the body into yours and stabilizes it.

Brothers from 1968, both from the US. The Kay company's Custom Kraft "Bone Buzzer" full-scale hollowbody, and the Danelectro/Coral Deluxe Bass, also full scale.

 

[BklynKen]

Looks fantastic!

 

[Gilmourisgod]

Nice looking bass, retro-tastic!

 

[JIO]

Hah! The case arrived this afternoon - just after I sent the seller a message requesting tracking info! Same thing happened when the bass came - oh well... It's musty smelling - needs some time in the sun and this week is the week as it's supposed to be sunny all week. There's some work to do on the vinyl and the original handle is missing. I already acquired a period-looking plastic handle in the mean time, so it's just a matter of installing it. It's heavy too!

There's this thin metal bar attached to the yoke - not sure what it's for. It's like you could put a box under it and as it's a bit springy, it would hold it in place. There's a faint impression in the velour of something rectangular. An old effects pedal? It looks original, but I'll have to see if I can find another pic of one to compare. It also came with an old wide brown strap - looks like ancient "fake leather". Out it goes as I can't imagine it being worth anything and it smells musty.

 

[Stevorebob]

Hah! The case arrived this afternoon - just after I sent the seller a message requesting tracking info! Same thing happened when the bass came - oh well... It's musty smelling - needs some time in the sun and this week is the week as it's supposed to be sunny all week. There's some work to do on the vinyl and the original handle is missing. I already acquired a period-looking plastic handle in the mean time, so it's just a matter of installing it. It's heavy too!
View attachment 3394775
There's this thin metal bar attached to the yoke - not sure what it's for. It's like you could put a box under it and as it's a bit springy, it would hold it in place. There's a faint impression in the velour of something rectangular. An old effects pedal? It looks original, but I'll have to see if I can find another pic of one to compare. It also came with an old wide brown strap - looks like ancient "fake leather". Out it goes as I can't imagine it being worth anything and it smells musty.
View attachment 3394778

The thin metal bar looks to me like it was intended to hold sheet music in place. Or I have no idea what I’m talking about.

 

[JIO]

The thin metal bar looks to me like it was intended to hold sheet music in place. Or I have no idea what I’m talking about.

It's something like that - I'm just imagining 1968 and what would a bass player need other than a strap and cord - so maybe it just holds a folded strap and coiled cord in place? ...on top of sheet music?

 

[JIO]

Had the case in full 80+ degree sunlight all day - the musty smell still lingered. I know vinegar can X-out the musty smell, but I didn't want it to smell like vinegar. I checked my local independently owned and very coastal CA (organic etc) grocery store and they had Lysol disinfectant (light blue spray-can) and a host of small batch "air fresheners". Air fresheners? I don't want a product that masks the musty smell - I want the musty smell eliminated! I bought the Lysol - hit the inside with a minimal spray and left it outside for a short time before bringing it in. It had a smell of it's own, but not obnoxiously perfume-y. Went out for the evening and upon returning there was a faint trace of the Lysol smell - and no musty smell at all. In the sun it goes again tomorrow - and I'm optimistic the air and sun will clear out any remnant of the Lysol. My '64 T-bird OHSC went through this years ago after being stored in a not-ideal space. I used sun and Lysol and it did the job. If there was an "organic" product that didn't leave it smelling like oranges, lavender or vinegar etc - I'd try it, but for better or worst - Lysol works. (no affiliation)

 

[SLivinghouse]

Nice work again! In addition to being a bass, it does an excellent job accessorizing the grey sofa and the red rug. I like the thin bodies with rounded edges as well which to me has a more sophisticated look.
From a design perspective, why do you think they made the control plate out of metal and not the same material as the pickguard? I think it would have looked more cohesive. Agree?

 

[JIO]

Nice work again! In addition to being a bass, it does an excellent job accessorizing the grey sofa and the red rug. I like the thin bodies with rounded edges as well which to me has a more sophisticated look.
From a design perspective, why do you think they made the control plate out of metal and not the same material as the pickguard? I think it would have looked more cohesive. Agree?

Thanks! If they end up resting on the couch or rug for anything but a limited amount of time, my partner would have a different perspective on that! I like the metal control plate both functionally and visually. The jack area is raised and tilted for optimal interface as you can see in the plugged-in shot. It also provides a ground. A cover or extended pg not metal would need to be covered w/metal tape over that area on the underside. With the angular metal bridge cover as seen in a few earlier pics - it has a great contrast of hard-edge vs soft-edge, paint vs metal thing going on.

I saw this on another thread and noticed it was riffing off the Coral. An Ibanez Talman I believe. The poster had the 'swirl' pearl pg made for it which looks good and also alludes to the Coral.
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[Jon Clegg]

Thanks! If they end up resting on the couch or rug for anything but a limited amount of time, my partner would have a different perspective on that! I like the metal control plate both functionally and visually. The jack area is raised and tilted for optimal interface as you can see in the plugged-in shot. It also provides a ground. A cover or extended pg not metal would need to be covered w/metal tape over that area on the underside. With the angular metal bridge cover as seen in a few earlier pics - it has a great contrast of hard-edge vs soft-edge, paint vs metal thing going on.

I saw this on another thread and noticed it was riffing off the Coral. An Ibanez Talman I believe. The poster had the 'swirl' pearl pg made for it which looks good and also alludes to the Coral.
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I'd had a similar thought about the similarities between the Talman and the Coral. Also elements of the Tele bass with the control plate.

 

[Stevorebob]

I recall hearing something about Ibanez having issues with Fender regarding the offset shape of the Talman bodies forcing Ibanez to DC the original Talmans. Or I just made that up.

 

[Matt Liebenau]

Never owned one but I have thought the Talmans were interesting. I thought it was the output jack plate with the pot on there (perfect for a one knob instrument) but maybe it is the similarity to that Danelectro shape. Maybe both, hmmmm.

 

[JIO]

I recall hearing something about Ibanez having issues with Fender regarding the offset shape of the Talman bodies forcing Ibanez to DC the original Talmans. Or I just made that up.

Yah, I kinda' doubt that - the only thing Fender has copyrighted is their hs shapes.

 

[JIO]

Never owned one but I have thought the Talmans were interesting. I thought it was the output jack plate with the pot on there (perfect for a one knob instrument) but maybe it is the similarity to that Danelectro shape. Maybe both, hmmmm.

They intro'd that Strat-jack like plate on an earlier model - can't recall it now but it was a player endorsed bass from the late 90's early 000's.

 

[JIO]

I'd had a similar thought about the similarities between the Talman and the Coral. Also elements of the Tele bass with the control plate.

Here's a similar shot to compare to the Talman - the Coral is more.., voluptuous.

Plus, I did the staggered pot on pg design on my Supernova before these basses appeared - just sayin'

 

[JIO]

Took the coral Coral to a jam session (trio) last night plugged into a TC Electronics BG250 1x12, controls at noon. The drummer is loud, but I never had a problem being present in the mix. I use pedals, the ones on the whole time a MXR d.i.+, BOSS CS-2 Compression/Sustainer and a BBE Sonic Stomp - for boosting, tone refining and shaping. They really come into play for dialing a great tone live using my 30watt '76 Ampeg B-15N - keeps the amp volume level at a sweet-spot for clean rich tone. Anyway - like my Custom Kraft Bone Buzzer hollow-body (pictured earlier) it has a specific tone that defines the late 60's bass sound; big, round, warm, full and when dialed in (the Coral)- nasally. More so than a J. I measured the distance c-c between pu's and it's 5", one inch wider than a J. From the saddles, the back pu is about the same on both at 2.5", so the lipstick single coils an inch farther apart, coupled with the Dano electronics appear to make the difference. The neck profile is a shallow 'D' shape, and maybe it has something to do with the two steel rods, but there's not a dead note anywhere - pretty remarkable for a 51 yr old low-tech electric bass. After a day at work on my feet, I mostly played sitting on the amp so didn't really push the standing-playing aspect. I added some grippy material to the sun-strap which helped, but keeping the neck from diving is just part of the deal with this bass.

A cool 2 in the morning pic -

After studying pics of the Coral hs's with DELUXE BASS in white, I determined it was most likely applied with a stamp. (sounds Dano right?) So I picked a font that was close, and found a custom stamp maker on-line (in Iowa) and ordered one that I hope will be the correct size. (their sizing system wasn't super clear) If not, I can always order another as they are cheap. And lastly (for now) after four days in bright hot Marin sun, the case mustiness is gone.

 

[Matt Liebenau]

If the case was that musty maybe it’s a good thing he shipped the bass separately. It came out great, glad you’re getting a usable tone also.