Danelectro Longhorn bass

[JimmyM]

Well, it sounds pretty good, but I've not heard a straight out clip of the Longhorn. But have heard Brian Bourne (Rawlins Cross) playing his live in El Camino with Thom Swift. Spoke to him after the gig and he really enjoy's it, "plays great and cost a couple hundred bucks." He usually plays a Chapman Stik.

Too bad they didn't make a longscale longhorn, with a better finish. That tan cream whatever it is burst is the yukkiest finish known to man.

You are in luck...I got my REDDI set up for recording, and I shall lay down some awesome clips of my Chinese Longhorn with the yukkiest finish known to man (which is the only color besides black that I like on a Longhorn). It's got rounds on it currently (still waiting for D'addario to put out Chromes in 40-95 short scale..it's coming) but they're very dead

 

[mongo2]

This guy seemed to do fine with Danos:

IIRC, Joey Spampinato uses Jerry Jones' versions.

 

[NoiseNinja]

I've heard they are good cheap basses. I only played the Jerry Jones version though, so I couldn't say, but I loved it.

 

[JimmyM]

IIRC, Joey Spampinato uses Jerry Jones' versions.

I saw NRBQ live in 1980, and Joey was using a Silvertone dolphin nose.

 

[cajunbass1985]

I'm going get it tomorrow after work. I'll post pictures once I get it. For the price I feel I can't go wrong even if it sits most of the time.

 

[SBassman]

Just for the record - I Love these basses.
I used to own one, and when I did, I played it all the time.

I would never advocate Danelectro Not building them the old way.
I know many love the look of those designs.

I just always thought they were leaving lots of money on the table not simultaneously building a very modern looking, modern performing version of that same body design.

The body design can conjure serious tone magic.

 

[JimmyM]

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That's my Chinese Longhorn recorded through my REDDI tube DI. I "borrowed" the Daglet drum sample and played a similar line so you could hear how it sits in the mix compared to the Daglet. I went both pickups fingers, then both pickups pick, then bridge and neck pickups soloed with both fingers and pick. Even with the dead D'addario rounds on my Dano, it still sounds more twangy than the Daglet.

This is not putting the Daglet or any other restyled Danos down. Sounds like a great bass, and if I wanted a Dano that sounded more like a Fender, I'd probably look into it. But if I didn't want the twang, I wouldn't have bought a Dano in the first place.

 

[jumbodbassman]

flats will tame a lot of the twang but luckily not all.

 

[pedro]

Good enough for Jack - good enough for me.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v383/iamthebassman/JackBruceDano.jpg

 

[Lo-E]

IIRC, Joey Spampinato uses Jerry Jones' versions.

He uses both. He's got a stable of the things.

 

[msb]

Well, it sounds pretty good, but I've not heard a straight out clip of the Longhorn. But have heard Brian Bourne (Rawlins Cross) playing his live in El Camino with Thom Swift. Spoke to him after the gig and he really enjoy's it, "plays great and cost a couple hundred bucks." He usually plays a Chapman Stik.

I showed up for a fill in gig a couple of weeks ago and saw Brian at the load in door . We had both been booked for the same gig . We managed to work it out , he would play mostly stick , I would do the bottom . Strangely enough we both brought matching black first re-issue Korean Danos to the gig . We doubled on several tunes , matching black Danos .... I was told the sound was huge . Playing the same part , Phil Spector style . He was on to something ...

 

[mongo2]

I saw NRBQ live in 1980, and Joey was using a Silvertone dolphin nose.

I'm not saying he never played Danos. I don't know if Jerry Jones had started up way back then.

I myself have 3 dolphin noses, here's one that a previous owner defretted:

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[mongo2]

He uses both. He's got a stable of the things.

Same here. I have a modest collection of Silvertone dolphin noses, Dano RIs, JJs and a few DIYs that Dano never made.

 

[JimmyM]

I think Jerry Jones first started building guitars in the early 80's. Can't find much in the way of his history on the net, but I used to read Guitar Player pretty often back then and I don't remember hearing of him until the early 80's. Wish I had a collection but I'm a Fender guy so I'll probably stick with this one unless I can find a vintage Longhorn at a reasonable price (not bloody likely).

 

[msb]

The newest batch of Dano Longhorns are made in Korea again . The original vintage Danos from Neptune were not always set up that well and did not have an adjustable truss rod ( just a steel reinforced neck ) .

The re-issues are generally set up much better .

The Jerry Jones basses are beautiful . Kind of a boutique Dano ...

 

[JimmyM]

No truss rod? Forget it!

 

[msb]

All of the re- issues have adjustable truss rods but the older ones are a pain because you have to remove the neck to adjust them . The last Chinese ones ( 2009) had the headstock adjustment as do the Korean ones that are just coming out now .

I've only adjusted mine once in all the years that I have been using it , it is one of the most stable necks I own . My Fenders require tweaking twice a year ...

 

[Bongolation]

I only played the Jerry Jones version though, so I couldn't say, but I loved it.

Most "Danelectros" people see real pros playing live were either JJs or heavily-benched actual Danelectros with a bunch of remedial and corrective work.

The difference between JJs and some Danelectro items sometime comprise nearly everything but the superficially cosmetic.

I could turn a recent Chinese Longhorn into a functional and reliable instrument too, by making about six significant changes, all but one of which would be invisible (I've given this a lot of thought). But the billable time and materials would at least double the cost of the already overpriced instrument, never mind sourcing the parts. And for what? I just don't see it.

And ultimately, I think it would be bad presentation to be seen gigging a Danelectro in the first place for the sort of image I'd either want to personally convey or respect in someone else.

 

[mongo2]

No truss rod? Forget it!

Notice the picture of the defretted Silvertone I posted above? It never had the fretslots filled and doesn't have an adjustable trussrod, only a fixed bar. Even without the fretslots filled the neck is still true. I've never had to adjust the neck on any of the many original Danos I've owned over the years and some are over 50 years old...they played just fine without an adjustable rod.

 

[JimmyM]

Notice the picture of the defretted Silvertone I posted above? It never had the fretslots filled and doesn't have an adjustable trussrod, only a fixed bar. Even without the fretslots filled the neck is still true. I've never had to adjust any neck on any of the many original Danos I've owned over the years and some are over 50 years old...they play just fine without an adjustable rod.

Really? Well you do make a point, I guess. I adjusted the truss rod on mine when I switched strings on it and that was it. It's pretty bulletproof to adverse conditions.