Danelectro Owners Club

[ATLbassist]

Someone in my neighborhood was selling a 56 dolphin nose bass for cheap, so I couldn't resist! It's an MIK with separate volume controls. Not sure of the year though.

Danelectro 56 bass by thaddeusthompson, on Flickr

Danelectro 56 bass by thaddeusthompson, on Flickr

It has some interesting mods: fretwire in the saddle...

Danelectro 56 bass by thaddeusthompson, on Flickr

...and a support screw to avoid bridge sag.

Danelectro 56 bass by thaddeusthompson, on Flickr

The action is a little high for my tastes. The bridge is about as low as it can go and a shim didn't make much difference. I'm thinking of cutting a full-pocket shim from a maple plank or staking a bunch of veneers.

Also, is there any source for stick bridges? Someone on Reverb sells NOS ones for $75 a pop, and that's a bit pricey. My sister-in-law dabbles in woodworking; I wonder if she could cut one from a piece of "rosewood" / pao ferro.

 

[JIO]

Someone in my neighborhood was selling a 56 dolphin nose bass for cheap, so I couldn't resist! It's an MIK with separate volume controls. Not sure of the year though.

Danelectro 56 bass by thaddeusthompson, on Flickr

Danelectro 56 bass by thaddeusthompson, on Flickr

It has some interesting mods: fretwire in the saddle...

Danelectro 56 bass by thaddeusthompson, on Flickr

...and a support screw to avoid bridge sag.

Danelectro 56 bass by thaddeusthompson, on Flickr

The action is a little high for my tastes. The bridge is about as low as it can go and a shim didn't make much difference. I'm thinking of cutting a full-pocket shim from a maple plank or staking a bunch of veneers.

Also, is there any source for stick bridges? Someone on Reverb sells NOS ones for $75 a pop, and that's a bit pricey. My sister-in-law dabbles in woodworking; I wonder if she could cut one from a piece of "rosewood" / pao ferro.

If you mean "stock" bridges (not "stick) you can for sure make your own of any hardwood. You just need to drill for/add the set-screw on the underside. Dano bridges are usually all wood (no metal fret as on yours - most likely a DIY) Not a bad thing, in fact that version can be specifically filed to keep the strings correctly spaced and a metal string break (compared to wood) is ok if not better.

I did this version on my Dano made '68 Coral Deluxe Bass - brass saddle inserts from a Hipshot KA bridge. Not sure what kind of wood - something I had stock for.

 

[don21480]

@ATLbassist sweet bass! I have a new 59DC coming and think I would like that wiring setup better than what's stock - how do you like that 3 knob setup?

 

[wjcstp]

I picked up this red Rumor bass on a pretty good deal on Reverb. It worked but needed some cleanup amd wiring help.

I swapped in a cheap thunderbird pickup, made a new pick guard, and used all-new pots and parts from my stash to fully rewire, removing the noisy chorus circuit.

With a detailed setup and set of group IV flats this thing feels great, very comfortable to play.

 

[JIO]

I picked up this red Rumor bass on a pretty good deal on Reverb. It worked but needed some cleanup amd wiring help.

I swapped in a cheap thunderbird pickup, made a new pick guard, and used all-new pots and parts from my stash to fully rewire, removing the noisy chorus circuit.

With a detailed setup and set of group IV flats this thing feels great, very comfortable to play.

View attachment 7404556

good work!

 

[don21480]

NBD - new 59DC short scale - removed the electronics and wired in series with master volume and master tone since I did not find the neck only or bridge only tones anything I'd use. Sounds a lot like my old Jerry Jones DC I should have never sold!

 

[portaflexer]

That color looks great on a 59DC.

 

[ATLbassist]

@ATLbassist sweet bass! I have a new 59DC coming and think I would like that wiring setup better than what's stock - how do you like that 3 knob setup?

I like being able to blend pickup volumes, so that setup works better for me. The more recent 56 basses with pickup switching and master volume/tone seems less flexible. This one is just like a Jazz bass, control-wise.

 

[Johnny Alien]

This was my new year project. Late 90's longhorn reissue that I converted to the vintage 3 way/1 volume/1 tone layout. Upgraded the tape using the quality stuff from the ebay seller I found linked here.

 

[Groove Doctor]

Someone in my neighborhood was selling a 56 dolphin nose bass for cheap, so I couldn't resist! It's an MIK with separate volume controls. Not sure of the year though.

Danelectro 56 bass by thaddeusthompson, on Flickr

Danelectro 56 bass by thaddeusthompson, on Flickr

It has some interesting mods: fretwire in the saddle...

Danelectro 56 bass by thaddeusthompson, on Flickr

...and a support screw to avoid bridge sag.

Danelectro 56 bass by thaddeusthompson, on Flickr

The action is a little high for my tastes. The bridge is about as low as it can go and a shim didn't make much difference. I'm thinking of cutting a full-pocket shim from a maple plank or staking a bunch of veneers.

Also, is there any source for stick bridges? Someone on Reverb sells NOS ones for $75 a pop, and that's a bit pricey. My sister-in-law dabbles in woodworking; I wonder if she could cut one from a piece of "rosewood" / pao ferro.

Try a new bridge before you shim. Get the dimensions worked out for a good setup, then build one to those specs.
Please keep us updated.

 

[dlmarquez]

I am curious about the Danelectro neck. The neck pocket is not compatible with a “standard” fender neck is it? does anyone make aftermarket necks for Danelectro basses, in particualar the short scale longhorn basses?

 

[SledDawg]

I have a copper top Danelectro six string bass. Single pickup. It sounds great but of course has tuning issues. Does anyone make a replacement adjustable bridge for these guitars? long shot I know, since they are pretty rare already. Any help appreciated. Dave G.

 

[Verne Andru]

I have a copper top Danelectro six string bass. Single pickup. It sounds great but of course has tuning issues. Does anyone make a replacement adjustable bridge for these guitars? long shot I know, since they are pretty rare already. Any help appreciated. Dave G.

They used to be readily available from places like Allparts but the Dano parts that were readily available post 2000 aren't so plentiful anymore so you'll have to dig around.

 

[dlmarquez]

I don’t know if any of you here are familiar with Rob MacKillop. His is a very respectable classical guitarist and electric guitarist, and a pretty fair bass player as well!
he does fairly well on a Longhorn!

 

[mcgreivey]

I am curious about the Danelectro neck. The neck pocket is not compatible with a “standard” fender neck is it? does anyone make aftermarket necks for Danelectro basses, in particualar the short scale longhorn basses?

Danelectro necks have a flat heel. Most aftermarket necks have a rounded heel. I got around this once be slightly flattening the rounded heel on an aftermarket neck, and adding a flat shim at the heel. It's not cosmetically perfect, but it works for me. If I'd done it for someone else, I'd be embarrassed, but it's my player, and it works.

 

[Seedorf]

Hey all!

I'm working towards a build for a 56 bass and having a hard time finding a set of 4 vintage style tuners. Or even anywhere I can get just individual ones. The vintage style Gotoh's look pretty great but I can only find them 3x3... any tips?