Danelectro Coral Deluxe Bass project

[JIO]

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.

It's beyond useable - it's exceptional really. Here's a summery of the bass - I've mentioned its drawbacks, but here's a number of things it does right.


Moulded metal control plate at the jack - a great design angling the plug close to the body. Simple but design-wise totally justified.

Elegantly tapered fret ends - clean and smooth player interface - aluminum fret markers also a plus as they show up much more in low-light than white plastic.

Super sculpted body - it's become my new favorite and for sure will show up on a future GEO build.

A few things about this bass show how minimally things can be done w/o ill effect - the 3-screw neck plate is actually a two screw neck/body connection - the lower (stubby) one is there only to hold the plate on the body, and that lower part of the plate is only there to provide a 'cover' for the 'tilt-neck' port.

As already mentioned - nicely designed, solidly made tuners -

And an aluminum nut - for a bass that offers pillowy bottom tone, an aluminum (metal) nut provides needed definition and 'ring' in the notes - fat but not muddy.

And finally, the electronics (before I fully wired it correctly) which are a part of the Dano sound.

 

[JIO]

60's family portrait - L-R; '64 T-bird II / '65 Teisco Del Rey ss / '66 Fender P / '68 Coral Deluxe Bass / '68 Custom Kraft Bone Buzzer

None have better tone than the other - but all of them have great tone!

I began my bass journey in 1966 aged 13, so I'm more drawn to that time-period than my b-day when it comes to basses. Owned my '64 T-bird since '78 but before that I owned a '63 T-bird II, bought in '74 which was stollen in '78. I added the bridge pu to my '64 in '86 but I have the OHSC, both covers and copper/felt string-mute. No way to prove the Coral (no serial #) is '68 as it was made for 3 years ('67-'68-'69) but that's what the seller said it was so that's all I have to go on. The Del Rey date is also an educated guess (only a model # EB-200) but I'm pretty sure it's either a '65 or '66 as earlier ones had different pu's. The Bone Buzzer was only made for two year - '67-'68 and the seller said it was a '68 - it has a serial # 2-23201. The Gibson and Fender have serial numbers so their dates are certain.

 

[Five String]

Did you modify the bridge on the customkraft or did it come that way? I have an Asian Harmony H22 and the bridge looks very similar.

The Dano is awesome.

 

[JIO]

Did you modify the bridge on the customkraft or did it come that way? I have an Asian Harmony H22 and the bridge looks very similar.

The Dano is awesome.

It is!

All original on the Custom Kraft - it's a fairly standard adjustable wood bridge. Custom Kraft was an off-shoot of the Kay company - made in the US.

 

[JIO]

Found these pics of a '66 with a light colored wood hs with the white DELUXE BASS nicely intact. Another Fire Red (similar to Fiesta Red) example. Not sure what's going on with the hs (under the Coral DELUXE section). Also, missing the tone knobs, one finger rest and the bridge cover.

I got the stamp and it's not exact, but it's close and I decided to just go with it. I think it looks more proportional than the original quite frankly. It came out different in it's stamped white as well, but I like it and it stays. Who will know looking at it that it's not original? (and more importantly... who cares?)

Remember.., this is a close-up still picture - no one will 'study' it in person with scrutiny. It looks suitably crude/faded/not perfect. Done.

 

[JIO]

Updated pics (with hs stamp addition) ... last thing to do is to have the bridge cover fab'd.

 

[GotRoot?]

Updated pics (with hs stamp addition) ... last thing to do is to have the bridge cover fab'd.

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That is one swank piece of bass there!!!!!! Love the headstock!!!!

 

[JIO]

That is one swank piece of bass there!!!!!! Love the headstock!!!!

It is! (always loved the term "swank" - I use it all the time!) I can't put it down! It has the same sort of uniqueness/specialness in sound that my '66 P bass has. Not that they sound the same, but that there is a magic in both. Both have a presence and tone that is very flavorful/musical. I don't own any, but if I were to play a basic utilitarian-level bass, and then either of them - the difference would be night & day. I am playing it through one of the most iconic bass amps ever made (Ampeg B-15N) with an upgraded late 60's JBL 15" speaker, so it sounds about as good as it gets. It can make a basic utilitarian-level bass sound good... but not this good!

pre JBL - it had an Eminence in it

post JBL - bass nirvana (and I don't mean the band)

 

[Haroldo]

It's always a pleasure to follow your builds, Mr. JIO.

Tho', as my old boss always said, there's no accounting for taste: if I had my druthers (and I most certainly don't) I'd take a pass on the bridge cover.

 

[JIO]

It's always a pleasure to follow your builds, Mr. JIO.

Tho', as my old boss always said, there's no accounting for taste: if I had my druthers (and I most certainly don't) I'd take a pass on the bridge cover.

Thanks for your interest! I going to fab it as part of the completeness factor. I will leave it off when playing as I hang at the bridge when palm-muting. But I do dig the angularity of it in sharp contrast to the curves of the body. As much as I have bridge covers for a few basses, they are used only for a 'photo-op' - only my Custom Kraft has one installed - but it's below the bridge over the string-stop.

 

[JIO]

I could create multiple mainstream (basses) threads coving this topic, but since it is about the CDB I'd like to share it with you here. I'm in the process of doing an A/B test between the Coral and my '66 P through the '76 Ampeg B-15N, which has a recently upgraded JBL speaker from the late 60's. So my P has less output, and is generally "bass-ier" when compared. Strings come into play as the P has GHS Pressure Wounds and the Coral had D'Addario's. But.., the Coral is decidedly more mid-range oriented. Also a split-coil vs twin singles, so no way they won't sound the same or even similar. Playing-wise, they are both comfortable/natural feel, but probably because I'm so attached to my P it "feels" better. Very subjective here, they both feel great. I was playing along with an obscure LP (reissue) I bought with Sun Ra, Steve Katz & Al Kooper on it. The RI is from 2014, but the material is from the late 60's. "Sun Ra & The Blues Project Play Batman" - (!) ...yes, they ate food and paid rent back then so they did questionable commercial PAYING (emphasis on money) gigs. Nonetheless it is badass from start to finish! How in the world could you ever suppress these cats from making great music?! Anyway, two cuts on side 1 are like groove jams, one in C and the other in G. The Coral came closest to the original's tone, maybe only because it wasn't a P bass. (surprisingly) It had some 2-pu nasal growl that P's don't do. The P sounded great in the mix, which is its default mode. To get sufficient 'bass' tone on the Coral to match the recording, I played over the neck (16th fret area?) and rested my arm on the narrow upper curve. Very comfortable - like it was designed for this. The P 'can' be played over the neck for an upright sound.., but it delivers the low end w/o going there and resting my arm over the lower bout also felt comfy. Both really expressive basses - and very different. I will be bringing the Coral to my bands rehearsal on Sunday through a Carvin 18" cab/Mesa head and will report back. I'm anticipating a mid-rangy bass through a bassy cab being the sweet-spot I've grown to like.



another pic, in case...

 

[SLivinghouse]

It is! (always loved the term "swank" - I use it all the time!) I can't put it down! It has the same sort of uniqueness/specialness in sound that my '66 P bass has. Not that they sound the same, but that there is a magic in both. Both have a presence and tone that is very flavorful/musical. I don't own any, but if I were to play a basic utilitarian-level bass, and then either of them - the difference would be night & day. I am playing it through one of the most iconic bass amps ever made (Ampeg B-15N) with an upgraded late 60's JBL 15" speaker, so it sounds about as good as it gets. It can make a basic utilitarian-level bass sound good... but not this good!

pre JBL - it had an Eminence in it
View attachment 3410961
post JBL - bass nirvana (and I don't mean the band)
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Given your taste in basses and design I'm not surprised you have that Ampeg B-15N with a period correct speaker. In addition to the sound it has that vibe..

 

[Jon Clegg]

I'm a little surprised that the Coral has more output; lipsticks aren't generally known for high output. I'm curious how you're setting the knobs for your best sound.

 

[JIO]

Given your taste in basses and design I'm not surprised you have that Ampeg B-15N with a period correct speaker. In addition to the sound it has that vibe..

The new trend toward lighter cabs with tiny efficient heads that sound great is functionally good for a gigging player. I've only owned a few amps in my life and the the B-15N was my 1st tube amp. (got it about 11 years ago) Early solid state amps like the early 70's Acoustic I had then were loud and sounded ok but really didn't deliver the richness/full flavor of 'bass' like a good tube amp does. Although the Ampeg N cab is bigger than the earlier version (and heavy), the 'flip-top' design is great for transporting it. I have other amps that get rough-duty but whenever it's suitable I use the Ampeg and when I use it someone comments on my sound/tone. That never used to happen. The Eminence always sounded good but the JBL transformed it.

 

[JIO]

I'm a little surprised that the Coral has more output; lipsticks aren't generally known for high output. I'm curious how you're setting the knobs for your best sound.

I really can't find a bad setting on it (stacked V/T - tone on top) The tone knob does drop from treble to bass pretty abruptly (not a slow blend) so at home I'm usually finessing it at that breaking point to get a mid-blend. I had it at a jam session (so far) and played with settings the whole night and whatever I chose offered something useable. As mentioned it has a 'nasal' quality that out-J's any J's I own. (I own a few very nice sounding J's) I'm chalking that up to the pu's and their spacing which is farther apart than a J but the same distance from the bridge. The nasally sound is always there using both pu's and gives the bass a very unique colourful tone. It can sound a little like a P with the bridge pu rolled off, close enough if needed.

My '66 P may not have very high output but makes up for that in warmth etc, but the Coral is on par with my other 'like' basses in output. Playing my Custom Kraft (similar output) through the Ampeg live with the CK V up full, I had amp volume at 9:00 and it was plenty loud/present. I use a few pedals that have 'boost' capacity so I can fine-tune the space w/o pushing the amp into distortion. I just have to watch acoustic feedback which is unavoidable with a full hollowbody bass live. (don't let go of the strings!)

 

[b/o 402]

Interesting that it sounds less bassy than the P. Are the pickups in series? That was the stock wiring in all the 2 pickup Danos I ever had a chance to fool with.
If it's not series now, would you consider adding that capability? It might get you more OMG and less honk with both pickups on.

 

[JIO]

Interesting that it sounds less bassy than the P. Are the pickups in series? That was the stock wiring in all the 2 pickup Danos I ever had a chance to fool with.
If it's not series now, would you consider adding that capability? It might get you more OMG and less honk with both pickups on.

The wiring is stock - I wouldn't want to mess with it as it sounds so good! It's not like it's less bassy - it's more mid-rangy. I took it to an early TSC's rehearsal today and left it at our studio-space. Feeling a bit of withdrawal actually. It sounded good in our mix through my Mesa 650w M-2000/18" Carvin rig. I could really hear/feel the girth of the 18" driver. It has a more elastic frequency responce than a 2X12 cab. As hoped, the trebly mid-ranginess was tamed by the floppy 18" cone and it had big bottom with colorful definition. It never sounded too trebly - and when I needed such (on Experiment In Terror where I play the baritone part) it sounded perfect! Thinking back to the years the Coral was made (late 60's) - bass was all about BASS with hardly any definition. Whether it was the result of economic function or tonal intent - the lip-stick pu's deliver more articulation than their contemporaries (mudbucker's etc) but still deliver the low end. However, if played through a modern high-articulation amp ... it would sound too trebly.

It's also very comfortable to play. The radical contours make a big difference playing.

Looks like it has up-staged my Teiscobird in my band - for the time being...

 

[JIO]

Another TSC's rehearsal today with the CDB - I just love it - it sounds right in this context. One of our original songs has evolved into a jazz-waltz feel and I was able to grab a very woody upright tone that worked perfectly. Because of the longness of it, I 'sling' it a little lower than usual (post #123) and the thin, tapered body disappears against my body! So comfortable to play! The P-bass width neck is not as fast or familiar to my hands being used to my Teiscobird (T-bird) neck and J's which I generally gravitate to, so it is more of a workout. But it's well worth the acclimation in the way it sits with our songs. If anything, I had to watch 'boom' having it at a good volume through my Carvin 18" cab. Just needs some amp EQing. I tend to have my amp slightly on the high-gain side, and play with a light touch. It gives me headroom for spots in a song that otherwise would get buried. As was incorporated today - it worked great! Palm-muting (which I use a lot) helps keep things from getting too out-front. I strive for tone-definition and articulation of notes so I may want to try flats eventually on this bass. I know it would kill with LaBella Deep Talkin' flats!

 

[JIO]

So I ordered some LaBella flats, their '1954' set. After doing so I remembered I had a set of used Ernie Ball flats in my string box. I strung them up and wasn't happy with them - at all. Maybe it was the strings themselves but they just sounded blah and the D string had a weird harmonic buzz on every fret. Off they came and the D'Addario's back on. I know, a thumpy tone is what flats do - but they are supposed to have colour also. The strings are on their way but after this test will have to consider if they will go on the Coral. I have a set (Deep Talkin' Flats) on the Custom Kraft and they work perfectly with that hollow-body bass - much better than rounds and very flavorful. I've also used GHS Precision flats on J's and like them also. I've never used the 54's which are reviewed as 'cables' [.052/.073/.095/.110] but they still could work on the Coral... but maybe not. I also know LaBella makes a 'low tension' flat, which maybe I should have considered. If I want to, I can install the D string first and test it before continuing. The twin steel-rod reinforced neck should be able to handle the higher tension - the long tr neck on the Bone Buzzer hasn't displayed any adverse tendencies so far. Oh well, they will be on hand waiting for another bass if and when.

 

[JIO]

These came today and I strung the Coral up with them - sounded reasonably good but... proper intonation couldn't be achieved. The 'basic' Dano style bridge was not even "close enough" to being able to get it right - way off. Back went on the D'Addario's and even those strings could only get "almost" correct. (within a smidget) Next project is to cut my own wooden bridge for it. Problem as I can see it is that the stock wood bridge is scalloped with a sharp edge at the top (toward the neck) - the break-point. That is where the string stops and it's not far enough back (toward the butt) to achieve correct intonation. So... I can make a clone the same general shape and size - but peaked further back. Not a lot, but it should get it pretty much on so that open & 12th fret fretted produce the same note frequency. Other than that, after hearing both - I prefer the rounds. I need to be both bass and sometimes baritone-lead/2nd guitar for my band so flats wouldn't be versatile enough. You never know until you put something to the test sometimes.