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Danelectro Owners Club

#3,381
Andy Marshman said:
Bridge idea: I purchased a Longhorn and Shorthorn bass this year (both new). I was wondering why the Longhorn was getting more play time at practices and gigs. The reason was that the LH has such round, warm tone and there's a bit of a slight, but unwanted, treble edge on the tone from the SH. It was suggested on a Youtube video that the tone difference was the metal saddles on the 'new, improved' bridge. My LH has the rosewood stick.
I decided to experiment and removed the SH's 4 saddles and inserted a wood substitute. I don't have rosewood laying around so I used some of my wife's crafting supplies. In the photo you'll see two small pieces of wood that approximate the thickness of the rosewood type bridge stick. My wood is a shade longer when placed end to end. There's no small screw from the other side of the bridge. String tension is holding the wood in place. I figure that if Hofner can float the entire bridge of a Beatle bass, then I can do the same with my 'popsicle stick'.
The result - Wow! that edge is gone from the tone and I like the results of all the neck and bridge tone control settings too. The SH now has that lovely tone that I like from the LH. If I opt to have a bright, articulate tone, it can still be dialled in.
One day I may shorten the pieces (made for picture frame corner supports) and perhaps put stain or something on them too.
I checked intonation and it's dead on perfect. Happy Days!

View attachment 4853918
Click to expand...

upload_2022-10-25_12-36-17.jpeg
 
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#3,382
Andy Marshman said:
Bridge idea: I purchased a Longhorn and Shorthorn bass this year (both new). I was wondering why the Longhorn was getting more play time at practices and gigs. The reason was that the LH has such round, warm tone and there's a bit of a slight, but unwanted, treble edge on the tone from the SH. It was suggested on a Youtube video that the tone difference was the metal saddles on the 'new, improved' bridge. My LH has the rosewood stick.
I decided to experiment and removed the SH's 4 saddles and inserted a wood substitute. I don't have rosewood laying around so I used some of my wife's crafting supplies. In the photo you'll see two small pieces of wood that approximate the thickness of the rosewood type bridge stick. My wood is a shade longer when placed end to end. There's no small screw from the other side of the bridge. String tension is holding the wood in place. I figure that if Hofner can float the entire bridge of a Beatle bass, then I can do the same with my 'popsicle stick'.
The result - Wow! that edge is gone from the tone and I like the results of all the neck and bridge tone control settings too. The SH now has that lovely tone that I like from the LH. If I opt to have a bright, articulate tone, it can still be dialled in.
One day I may shorten the pieces (made for picture frame corner supports) and perhaps put stain or something on them too.
I checked intonation and it's dead on perfect. Happy Days!

View attachment 4853918
Click to expand...
nice! I found that in a rush to switch out the old bridge for the "improved" bridge, I much preferred the tone of the old bridge. I'm currently still playing with the idea of finding a NOS jerry jones neptune bridge, it seems to be the best designed Dano bridge but Jerry Jones parts are pretty much unobobtanium
tb users jerry jones.jpg
I'd be fine with the old bridge if they made the plate out of a stronger material not prone to bending
 
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#3,383
Andy Marshman said:
Bridge idea: I purchased a Longhorn and Shorthorn bass this year (both new). I was wondering why the Longhorn was getting more play time at practices and gigs. The reason was that the LH has such round, warm tone and there's a bit of a slight, but unwanted, treble edge on the tone from the SH. It was suggested on a Youtube video that the tone difference was the metal saddles on the 'new, improved' bridge. My LH has the rosewood stick.
I decided to experiment and removed the SH's 4 saddles and inserted a wood substitute. I don't have rosewood laying around so I used some of my wife's crafting supplies. In the photo you'll see two small pieces of wood that approximate the thickness of the rosewood type bridge stick. My wood is a shade longer when placed end to end. There's no small screw from the other side of the bridge. String tension is holding the wood in place. I figure that if Hofner can float the entire bridge of a Beatle bass, then I can do the same with my 'popsicle stick'.
The result - Wow! that edge is gone from the tone and I like the results of all the neck and bridge tone control settings too. The SH now has that lovely tone that I like from the LH. If I opt to have a bright, articulate tone, it can still be dialled in.
One day I may shorten the pieces (made for picture frame corner supports) and perhaps put stain or something on them too.
I checked intonation and it's dead on perfect. Happy Days!

View attachment 4853918
Click to expand...

If it works for you, it's good enough!
 
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#3,386
mcgreivey said:
I actually have extra Jerry Jones rosewood saddles lying around that I would be willing to part with.

And I have a *lefty* Jerry Jones wood-saddle bass bridge plate that I bought accidentally and have never gotten around to selling that I would part with.
Click to expand...
do you happen to have pictures of both by any chance? I'm curious how a lefty plate could retrofit for a righty bass
 
#3,387
BassGreaser said:
I love the original flat bridge plate compared to the reissues.

Does anyone know where I can find one?
Click to expand...

An original vintage bridge comes up on Reverb/eBay every now and then, and they aren't cheap. It would be cheaper or as expensive to have a machine-shop/fabricator make one out of stainless steel.
 
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#3,388
MisterUbu said:
nice! I found that in a rush to switch out the old bridge for the "improved" bridge, I much preferred the tone of the old bridge. I'm currently still playing with the idea of finding a NOS jerry jones neptune bridge, it seems to be the best designed Dano bridge but Jerry Jones parts are pretty much unobobtaniumView attachment 4854215 I'd be fine with the old bridge if they made the plate out of a stronger material not prone to bending
Click to expand...

My Dano Baritone had the six saddle bridge and it was terrible. The instrument was transformed by a Jeff Senn bridge. It's too bad he doesn't make them for bass.

Link Removed
 
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#3,389
MisterUbu said:
do you happen to have pictures of both by any chance? I'm curious how a lefty plate could retrofit for a righty bass
Click to expand...

It's just like the righty version. If you turn a righty one upside-down, the slots match.

Jerry Jones plates have slightly wider string spacing than Danelectros, but they'll still work on a Danelectro.

Depending on what kind of nut you have, you may have to get a lefty nut. Or if you have a square-profile Danelectro but, you may be able to get away with just turning it around, and you night have to drill a countersink into the newly exposed face of the nut so you can screw in the nut screw, and you might have to modify the pitch of the bottoms of the nut slots, if they're not 90°.
 
#3,390
JIO said:
An original vintage bridge comes up on Reverb/eBay every now and then, and they aren't cheap. It would be cheaper or as expensive to have a machine-shop/fabricator make one out of stainless steel.
Click to expand...

I keep meaning to mention it but, regarding your avatar, I wanted to say I just started rewatching The Prisoner and Danger Man (aka Secret Agent Man) since they started streaming on Prime. They were part of my childhood and it's great to see them again.

Sorry for the off topic.
 
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#3,391
mongo2 said:
I keep meaning to mention it but, regarding your avatar, I wanted to say I just started rewatching The Prisoner and Danger Man (aka Secret Agent Man) since they started streaming on Prime. They were part of my childhood and it's great to see them again.

Sorry for the off topic.
Click to expand...

Danger Man is on Prime? Is that in the USA? I did not know that. I'll have to go look. Cool!
 
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#3,392
mongo2 said:
I keep meaning to mention it but, regarding your avatar, I wanted to say I just started rewatching The Prisoner and Danger Man (aka Secret Agent Man) since they started streaming on Prime. They were part of my childhood and it's great to see them again.

Sorry for the off topic.
Click to expand...

Yes, both great '60s spy genre TV shows. :thumbsup:
 

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