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Danelectro Longhorn bass

#61
Bongolation said:
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.
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I've never had to do much "remedial" work on my original Danos or my RIs. The most I've had to do is a setup and maybe install a shim in the neck pocket, just like every other brand of bolt on neck bass.

However, I use original Dano/Silvertones with the Kluson tuners, not the skatekeys. But the skatekeys can be easily replaced...just like on many, many other basses.

Bongolation said:
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.
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The "image" thing is just your own prejudice.
 
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#62
Bongolation said:
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.
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Ouch. These things are not 3 thousand dollar instruments, but they don't convey any negative image, IMHO. A whole lot of big names have logged studio and live time with one.

You must be neighbors with one of my bandmates who criticized The Look when I started gigging with a tiny Kala UBass. :)
No one dared say anything about the tone - which pretty much can blow the roof off of any venue - but there were concerns about The Look for the band. Which is comical, when The Band is a bunch of old farts to begin with.
 
#65
Just spent an hour and a half practicing on mine! It's a fun bass to play, I personally love the shape-mine is one of the newer blue burst ones, I like that too.
Of course the hardware isn't the highest standard but it sits fine and so far hasn't caused me any problems, I like the neck, good basic sound and like all my basses, gets coloured through my various boxes anyway.
I can't understand why anyone would put someone down as a musician because of the instrument they play-I left that sort of thing behind in high school!
 
#67
JimmyM said:
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That's my Chinese Longhorn recorded through my REDDI tube DI. I "borrowed" the Daguet drum sample and played a similar line so you could hear how it sits in the mix compared to the Daguet. 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 Daguet.

This is not putting the Daguet 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.
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Hey that was great! I see what you mean about the Fender sound-definitely hear the Precision mid/crunch/snarl in the sample, and where the Dano is different. Thanks for the sample man. The Daguet is obviously a much more finely crafted instrument and built from far better materials, but there is a considerable cost difference as well. And I think the Dano's charm comes from it being available to the common player. Finish? Their black is beautiful, as posted earlier.

Maybe a set of Roto's RS88S strings on your Longhorn would be a good match? Might loose some throat but the chunk sure would weigh in. They come short scale. Had them on a Hofner Icon Club for awhile, they where perfect on it.

Had a chance to play Dano's '63 long scale bass. Didn't like that one a bit - really felt like a toy, and the neck like plastic. I think the Longhorn is a different animal.
 
#68
I bought my Long Horn new in '68 for $150. Nathan Daniels made these to be an affordable playable instrument that anyone could afford. They originally had a pine frame, with Masonite top and back, and Naugahyde around the edges. The neck had two flat bars that ran the length, and were not adjustable. If a unit came into the factory with a twisted neck, they would prop it between two benches and thump it till straight. I installed Shaller bass tuners in about '72.
My bass came with round wounds which I've always maintained.
For anyone who cares, the Who recorded My Generation with a Dan Electro Long Horn, using Rotosound round wounds
For someone that wants the tone, in long scale, they did make a short horn model with 34" scale called DC Bass, Korean, '98-'02. Great neck a little like a Ric.
 
#69
^The version of the legend of My Generation that I have heard more often is that Mr Entwistle attempted to record the bass solo 3? times with 3 different 's and "broke" all of them before getting it done with a Fender J-I still love 'em though! :-)
 
#70
MartinG1957 said:
^The version of the legend of My Generation that I have heard more often is that Mr Entwistle attempted to record the bass solo 3? times with 3 different Dano's and "broke" all of them before getting it done with a Fender J-I still love 'em though! :-)
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Sorry iPhone predictive text messed me up and can't find how to edit posts on the phone app:-(
 
#72
^oh yes I know about him playing them- that's a childhood memory of mine and probably why I have always had a hankering for a Dano-I remember seeing Entiwistle with one and thought it looked amazing- took me nearly 50 years to get one!
 
#74
Pfftt..I could care less what people think when I play my Longhorn. I play it cause its light and a cool fun little bass to play. I do have to fiddle with the EQ more than say my P basses since they have that honk tone to them but it's cool.
 
#75
"I could turn a recent Chinese Longhorn into a functional and reliable instrument too, by making about six significant changes.."

I've got a couple Dano reissues and a couple J.Jones (and a Hondo)Longhorns. One of my Danos has at least 300 gigs under its belt with no problems, and it has no mods whatsoever. Is that not considered a "functional and reliable instrument"?
 
#76
"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."

It would, of course, be "bad presentation" for you "to be seen gigging a Danelectro", but luckily the rest of us know how great these basses are. Please don't ever buy one!
 
#77
There's that memorable scene (at least to a musician) in, "That Thing You Do" where the band undergoes a rite of passage and trades in their Danos for Fenders. I remember thinking at the time that the implication was that the band was moving up professionally and were ready to turn in their junky Danos for "real" professional instruments. (Even though they managed to record their 1 hit with Danos, presumably).
 
#78
pjmuck said:
There's that memorable scene (at least to a musician) in, "That Thing You Do" where the band undergoes a rite of passage and trades in their Danos for Fenders. I remember thinking at the time that the implication was that the band was moving up professionally and were ready to turn in their junky Danos for "real" professional instruments. (Even though they managed to record their 1 hit with Danos, presumably).
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Ya, well there you go...if it happened in the movie, it must be real.

:D

I personally don't care what anyone else does or did. I choose instruments that -I- like, and everyone else's negative opinions can get stuffed.
 
#80
Well I have not had any negative comments the times I brought my Longhorn to a gig - on the contrary. Other musicians think it is cool and sits well in the mix and a few audience members have commented the distinctive looks and small size. :cool:
 

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