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Danelectro Owners Club

#2,201
I've also been trying different strap setups, to ease neck dive. I've found partial success with adding a second strap to my Longhorn. I always play seated. My primary strap is in the normal position. Sometimes I"ll thread a second strap round the first one; then that second strap pulls off to my left. Basically I wrap the 2nd strap around my left hip and sit on it. I adjust tension by moving the strap's position (or scooting to either side).

It is better than just having one strap, but unfortunately only increases my pain.

I should share that pain is coming from my body & injuries, not the bass itself. Everything aggravates my body. and so I can only play briefly. As a lifelong musician though, even a little dose of bass playing is really good for my soul. The lightweight Dano helps; it feels much better than a solid P bass.

I appreciate all of your ideas. I'll think about all of them.
~ Joel :thumbsup:
 
#2,202
JEBassman said:
Thanks Jimmy. Would you be willing to post a pic of your strap button, so I could see the spot that has worked so well for you?

I appreciate your advice also. It's always wise to explore options, and maybe a different luthier has other ideas, just as you suggest.

Thank you,
Joel
Click to expand...
Dano BA112v2.jpg
 
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#2,204
JEBassman said:
Dano Longhorn too small for desired upgrade

I love my Dano Longhorn short scale. It's the lightest bass I've found, which is a necessity for me due to severe back & shoulder issues. Another spinal surgery may not be possible or advisable, so I'm working with strong limitations. Fortunately I really like the Longhorn.

It has the classic neck dive. I decided to try upgrading the tuners to ultralights. This weekend I met with my bass tech and discussed adding Hipshot Ultralights which have helped many players. He likes the tuners, but told me they're actually heavier and bigger than the stock tuners already on my Longhorn reissue. He also said the head stock is too small to accommodate the ultralight tuners anyway.

He also said upgrading to a heavier bridge, to counter neck dive, won't work within the instrument's limits either: his opinion is that the hollow body isn't strong enough to hold a heavier bridge. A new bridge would eventually break the bass and snap off the plastic body. So would attaching the upper strap button to the upper horn.

His one suggestion is to try connecting my strap to the headstock using a guitar strap tie. I'll give it a shot; some basssists like the results. I'm just disappointed that those upgrades won't work with my lightweight bass.

Any suggestions other other than buying a different bass?
Thanks, Joel
Click to expand...
Another trick to stop neck dive is to loop the strap thru your belt or belt loop of your pants at the bridge end of the bass.

If uncomfy, or you wear your bass higher than your belt - have a separate small loop of rope attached to the strap at the bidge end, and tie/clip it to your belt.

I’ve seen a small caribiner on belt loop used for fast attachment/removal to the strap.
 
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#2,205
mcgreivey said:
.........
But you can do the strap button yourself in a couple minutes, if you have a drill and the right size bit. You don't need no stinkin' luthier! :)
Click to expand...

Hi @mcgreivey ,

Thanks for your feedback. Jimmy kindly posted a pic of his Longhorn with the button the the bass's horn.

Do you also have a Longhorn set up that way, that you'd be willing to share a photo of?

Thank you,
~Joel
 
#2,206
JEBassman said:
Hi @mcgreivey ,

Thanks for your feedback. Jimmy kindly posted a pic of his Longhorn with the button the the bass's horn.

Do you also have a Longhorn set up that way, that you'd be willing to share a photo of?

Thank you,
~Joel
Click to expand...
JEBassman said:
Hi @mcgreivey ,

Thanks for your feedback. Jimmy kindly posted a pic of his Longhorn with the button the the bass's horn.

Do you also have a Longhorn set up that way, that you'd be willing to share a photo of?

Thank you,
~Joel
Click to expand...

IMG_20191023_144058149.jpg




me_with_JJ.jpg
 

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#2,207
JEBassman said:
Dano Longhorn too small for desired upgrade

I love my Dano Longhorn short scale. It's the lightest bass I've found, which is a necessity for me due to severe back & shoulder issues. Another spinal surgery may not be possible or advisable, so I'm working with strong limitations. Fortunately I really like the Longhorn.

It has the classic neck dive. I decided to try upgrading the tuners to ultralights. This weekend I met with my bass tech and discussed adding Hipshot Ultralights which have helped many players. He likes the tuners, but told me they're actually heavier and bigger than the stock tuners already on my Longhorn reissue. He also said the head stock is too small to accommodate the ultralight tuners anyway.

He also said upgrading to a heavier bridge, to counter neck dive, won't work within the instrument's limits either: his opinion is that the hollow body isn't strong enough to hold a heavier bridge. A new bridge would eventually break the bass and snap off the plastic body. So would attaching the upper strap button to the upper horn.

His one suggestion is to try connecting my strap to the headstock using a guitar strap tie. I'll give it a shot; some basssists like the results. I'm just disappointed that those upgrades won't work with my lightweight bass.

Any suggestions other other than buying a different bass?
Thanks, Joel
Click to expand...
No reason you can't install a different bridge on there. There is a solid wood block under the bridge to screw into and a heavy bridge does not add any tension to the body the current bridge isn't already causing.
Also - the previous post about a wide strap is good advice.
Also , also, put a strap button into the horn - it is solid and that will reduce neck dive.
 
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#2,208
danosix said:
No reason you can't install a different bridge on there. There is a solid wood block under the bridge to screw into and a heavy bridge does not add any tension to the body the current bridge isn't already causing.
Also - the previous post about a wide strap is good advice.
Also , also, put a strap button into the horn - it is solid and that will reduce neck dive.
Click to expand...
I'd have to agree with danosix; but, a couple of caveats regarding the bridge;
1. I'd be careful to get one with pretty much the same footprint as the Dano Pro bridge - just to make sure it will sit on the internal wood block. Which isn't all that big..
2. I'd be very careful to get one that lets the string saddles sit Low - as low as your Dano bridge does now. Otherwise, you'll wind up with serious string height problems - that you won't be able to fix easily...
I think I did some looking for a replacement bridge myself, once upon a time. As I recall, There wasn't much out there. You may have better luck - I hope you do...:thumbsup:
 
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#2,210
danosix said:
No reason you can't install a different bridge on there. There is a solid wood block under the bridge to screw into and a heavy bridge does not add any tension to the body the current bridge isn't already causing.
Also - the previous post about a wide strap is good advice.
Also , also, put a strap button into the horn - it is solid and that will reduce neck dive.
Click to expand...

Thank you @danosix . I appreciate your ideas, as always. I haven't tried adding a strap button on the horn but probably will.

My Longhorn has Schaller S Lock strap locks installed. Luckily I have another set of Schallers that are attached to a strap, leaving the bottom strap buttons unused. I can use one of those buttons; I just have to find my drill and guesstimate the width of the screw.

The bridge idea was another thought about cancelling neck dive. I tried adding fishing weights on the lower strap lock but it didn't work out as well as I'd imagined. I certainly could try other weights before I swap the bridge out. That might be a last resort; not sure if I'll go that far but all options are open right now.

Happy Halloween!
Joel
 
#2,212
Groove Doctor said:
I’m looking to reduce hum in my stock 90’s RI Longhorn.
Anyone got tips?
Anyone tried shielding the cabling & pots?


Also, anyone tried TI JF’s on a 30” Dano? Pros? Cons?
(I’ve got them on a 30” ‘67 Coronado & love them).
Click to expand...

I'd make sure the bridge-plate was grounded to begin with. The wood bridge between it and your strings doesn't really do anything to help ground it but the ball-ends contact to the plate edge does. Painting the pu and control cavities with carbon shielding paint should also help. On my '68 Coral (Dano) Deluxe Bass - there is a strip of silver tape from the base of the control cavity to the lip of the opening making contact with the metal control plate which further grounded it. If all else fails you can star-ground the pu cavities into the control cavity (on the silver tape strip) to the neg pole on the jack.
 
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#2,213
Groove Doctor said:
I’m looking to reduce hum in my stock 90’s RI Longhorn.
Anyone got tips?
Anyone tried shielding the cabling & pots?


Also, anyone tried TI JF’s on a 30” Dano? Pros? Cons?
(I’ve got them on a 30” ‘67 Coronado & love them).
Click to expand...

I've never had him problems on any (stock) Dano, except next to a neon sign on one particular stage.

I do have hum on the one I wired myself, and only in the bridge-only switch position, so probably my own bad wiring is to blame. Someday I'll redo it, although it's never bugged me, really. I rarely use only the bridge pickup.

None of my Danos have any shielding at all. My Jerry Jones longhorn has a single small sheet of foil between the pots and the Masonite top. I don't know if this really does anything, though, since my Danos don't have this, and they don't hum (except for the one I wired myself).

Has yours ever been rewired?

Check that everything is grounded right. That could be all it is.
 
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#2,214
kodiakblair said:
I had a hard time with the 7lb short scale.
Click to expand...

Wait, what?!
I thought the Longhorn clocked in at only 4 lbs., but I admittedly didn't weigh the one I bought.

After listening to a bunch of tracks with Danos I'm tempted to try again, but with a KR version of the Longhorn. However, they ALL have those chintzy machine-heads that put me off.
I think the one I tried at Sam Ash a year ago had metal paddles on the machine-heads, so probably were not stock. Wish I'd grabbed that one when I had the chance. It felt more solid than the one I got from Reverb.

add: oh nevermind, found the answer deeper in the thread -

Marcocolo said:
All weight under 6 1/2 lbs, 3 under 6
Click to expand...

FWIW that's about like an Ibanez Mikro, weight-wise.
I've also seen a GSR105EXMOL under 6 lbs., which must have been THE lightest weight solid-body 5-string I've EVER held.
 
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#2,217
Longhorn @4lbs? I doubt it.

My Jerry Jones is either 6.4lbs, or 6lbs, 4oz (can't remember which), my 56 bass is about 7lbs, my Chinese longhorn is in between. My homebuilt Dano Pro is in that same range.

They're all WAAAAY lighter than my jazz bass, which has to be 10-12 lbs.

I'm not sure if some people here at saying that 6.5-7lbs is too heavy, or too light? Send about right to me, anyway.
 
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