Danelectro Owners Club

[danosix]

I would be up for a real Shorthorn, if properly done with the bridge be the tail, overall length like a DC guitar.

They've probably made enough 56/dolphin basses by now.

Agreed - I like the dolphin basses - but there are definitely enough out there (I mean the first time they made them they were lingering on sites like MF for a couple of years after they'd discontinued them).
To be fair - I'd like a reasonably accurate re-issue - but I'd prefer a bridge position a little more like the Longhorn - or a Fender - just a bit in so it feels like a bass. Of course, if the bridge was way back THERE like the originals they could use the same bodies and same neck blanks (with differently fretted fingerboards) and avoid extra production costs. Though I'd definitely want the two pickup version.

 

[Dave44]

Here I am folks a brand new Longhorn player. Just got mine less than a month ago and I'm a happy soul. She sounds great looks even better and I do believe she'll become my work horse and go to girl in the very near future. Can't say enough good things about her. However she is a little to bright for the western swing band I'm currently in but the blues and rock band thinks she kicks ass. Maybe some flats on her will give me the low end I need for the swing but right now she cuts through fog you get when your playin' with a bunch of yahoos on a rock stage.

 

[mcgreivey]

... Maybe some flats on her will give me the low end I need for the swing but right now she cuts through fog you get when your playin' with a bunch of yahoos on a rock stage.

Yes flats will get rid of the zing, but you'll still cut through the fog.

I like d'Addario ECB81s.

 

[msb]

Just play the heck out of it and let the strings lose their twang , Longhorns sound great with older strings .

 

[Dave44]

That sounds like a plan that will happen msb.

 

[danosix]

I'll go for#20
I have a Korean first re-issue . I have a bunch of basses , this is the first club I've joined .

the Dano goes out the door more than the others ...

I've just been re-viewing the site and came across your post - that PBass can't be original can it? It's SO clean (refin?) The reason I as is your one screw finger rest - or did you add that for the look?
Any way (original, refin or reissue) it's cool, just curious which it is.

 

[danosix]

IIRC they are not reverse wound so they are never really humbucking unless the new model is different.

They are technically not humbucking like a Jazz bass (RW/RP), but the act o putting the two pickups in series does filter out a lot of the buzz... it shouldn't but it does. I'm having a blond day (I can say that you can't) but it has something to do with the increased impedance nocking out certain frequencies - which is why humbuckers sound like humbuckers and not like two single coils and why the two J Pickups do not sould like a big humbucker (even though they buck hum) when both fully on because they're still in parallel - thought the RW/RP does cause some frequency cancellation - thus you get a BUNCH more treble when you just touch the bass pickup down than the difference in "balance" should represent because you're elimating the cancellation which affects high frequencies more than others.

 

[danosix]

If that's a DC-4, they called it "commie red".

Right - there was an oxblood - but it was REALLY oxblood - almost black.

 

[danosix]

Still unclear. The 'DC Bass' is a long scale made in Korea. As far as I know, they did not make a short scale 'DC'. They are the vintage ones from the '50s and '60s. Both are short horn. Here's my Korean 'DC Bass'.

Well, there is no vintage "DC" that's a name created by Evetts for the shorthorn guitars and basses.
SO this makes it handy (for bassists0 if people are using the right terms as a DC is a longscale Korean, a shorthorn is a sort scale vintage.

 

[msb]

it's a Japanese 51 re-issue , I ordered it the first day that they became available so mine might have been the first one in Canada . I made the tug bar out of a piece of maple , I didn't want a two screw bar . I have four Pbasses and a good variety of others but the Dano is the one I use for most gigs . (some gigs require an upright )
I find it kind of funny that my go to bass is the cheapest thing I own . I never had any reservations about gigging with any of the others , I simply use the Dano because I enjoy using it .

 

[msb]

( my Longhorn still has the original factory strings on it , it's a serious thump machine now ... )

 

[danosix]

it's a Japanese 51 re-issue , I ordered it the first day that they became available so mine might have been the first one in Canada . I made the tug bar out of a piece of maple , I didn't want a two screw bar . I have four Pbasses and a good variety of others but the Dano is the one I use for most gigs . (some gigs require an upright )
I find it kind of funny that my go to bass is the cheapest thing I own . I never had any reservations about gigging with any of the others , I simply use the Dano because I enjoy using it .

Cool. Totally wanted one of those MIJ 51s - now they're hard to find.
I even got myself the squire butterscotch as a "next best thing" option when they were available. It was actually a really nice bass, but I have a bit of snob-itis (I know, ironic given my Dano predilection) and ended up trading it. To be honest it was actually the inaccuracies that bugged me more than anything - most of all the edge radius - which would have been the cheapest thing to make right.
As far as using your cheapest - I have an American PBass and G&L and several other basses - all more expensive new than the Danos and the 63 is my gigging bass, and the longhorn once it gets here will be...
Great doesn't have to be expensive - that's the WHOLE thing about Danos.

 

[msb]

There had been rumours that Fender was going to do a 51 re-issue , and most of the early rumours were that it would be Mexican . On the first day of NAMM a Japanese 51 bass appeared on the Fender website . I went immediately down to the local Fender dealer when they opened at ten that morning and we were able to place the order . Somebody might have placed an order in Newfoundland , but I doubt it . That's why I think I might have ordered the first one in Canada . They told me it might be a couple of months but I got it in just a couple of weeks . I haven't bought many basses unseen , but my 51is a really good one . My Longhorn has a nice story too , the same store put an ad in a Thursday paper featuring a big blow out sale , among the sale items was mention of Danelectro Longhorns for $200 .I didn't see the ad until Thursday evening , but I had my nose pressed up against the glass door when they opened Friday morning . One had been sold at the sale price just before the sale , and the other was on layaway . There were only two . I asked if my name could be on the list if it wasn't picked up . On the last day of the layaway the buyer picked it up . I figured it wasn't meant to be . About six or seven weeks later the store called me and asked if I was still interested in the Longhorn , one had been found in the warehouse ... I was there in twenty minutes . I got it for the sale price . It sat in a corner for a good number of years before I actually started to use it . Now it's my #1 .

 

[JEBassman]

I got my Dano Longhorn '58 reissue this week. I'm loving this bass!

I had posted a different thread, asking for recommendations for lightweight, short scale basses. The Longhorn definitely fits those requirements! It's not my first short scale, but it's definitely a unique instrument. It has plenty of low end, along with that Dano bright, treble quality.

Is there a gig bag that would fit the Longhorn, that you would recommend? My needs are simple; I'm not gigging now, so the bass stays home. I just need a lightweight case that can offer some basic protection, and allow me to carry the bass out on very rare occasions. Light weight is a higher priority for me than having an indestructible, hard case.

Thanks for any advice. Here is my new Longhorn:

I'm having a blast with my new axe!

 

[primussucks9126]

My longhorn fits very well in a guitar gigbag. Too much extra room in bass gig bags.

 

[AlexanderB]

Hi Dano Users,

Which fret wire size is used on contemporary Dano Made in Korea basses?

Thanks,

CP

I have a Korean made Danelectro Longhorn "Pro series" (I think it is called), which I ought new. This model has a numer of upgrades over the "58" variant; better tuners, sturdier bridge, PU switch + V + T setup etc. The frets are slightly narrower than 3 mm and they rise about 1.2 mm over the fretboard. Those measurments are definitely similar to many basses (like my E series Squier Jazz or even my MIA Standard Jazz) but the fret profile is slightly "fatter" on the Dano.
To me, it feels quite different than the small frets on vintage or period correct Fenders.

 

[JEBassman]

My longhorn fits very well in a guitar gigbag. Too much extra room in bass gig bags.

Thanks Primus. Is there any bag in particular you'd recommend? My options are Guitar Center or ordering online.

 

[AlexanderB]

I use an electric guitar case for my Longhorn and I am sure a gig bag for a tele or strat would be perfect, too.

 

[danosix]

I got my Dano Longhorn '58 reissue this week. I'm loving this bass!

I had posted a different thread, asking for recommendations for lightweight, short scale basses. The Longhorn definitely fits those requirements! It's not my first short scale, but it's definitely a unique instrument. It has plenty of low end, along with that Dano bright, treble quality.

Is there a gig bag that would fit the Longhorn, that you would recommend? My needs are simple; I'm not gigging now, so the bass stays home. I just need a lightweight case that can offer some basic protection, and allow me to carry the bass out on very rare occasions. Light weight is a higher priority for me than having an indestructible, hard case.

Thanks for any advice. Here is my new Longhorn:
View attachment 729634 View attachment 729635

I'm having a blast with my new axe!

Yeah, the Longhorn will fit pretty much any standard electric guitar gig bag (as long as it's not TOO form fit - there are a few which fit a Strat snugly and the difference in shape cn be a problem - but otherwise any case will do.
The standard Danelecto case for the guitars (as an example) is the case for the Longhorn - so if you want a hardshell any generic square case that will fit a strat will fit a longhorn (note: I said Generic - Fender ones generally WON'T fit as they put the guitar in at an angle and the horns don't fit). (I realize you probably DON'T want a hardcase forweight reasons - but it's information and you might want something more sturdy for storage).
P.S. Welcome JEBassman - I was waiting to see if you'd come!

 

[danosix]

NOLBD (New old Longhorn Bass day)!!!

So, since I finally re-scored myself a Longhorn over kijiji (and finally got my old man's to part with his 2 remaining Dano pedals), I figured I'd share a couple of "family photos".

Have to say, now that I have a Longhorn again (the guy trading it called it a 'Bullhorn Bass" hehe) I am SO happy - I'd forgotten exactly HOW easy it was to play (and as JEBassman knows - I knew it was EASY). I've really annoyed my wife with hw much I've been playing it since it came home.

Now all I need is to get an actual gig again - I haven't been playing regularly for a couple years now, which is totally out of the norm for me, but I've relocated and been in a state of constant slow motion moving-house for the past 3 years - (long, boring story).

An interesting note (at least to nerds like me): All three of the instruments are from the first two years of production (in fact I'm pretty sure based on features they're all from the second year of production) and yet they all have slightly different headstock shapes. I know this is not deliberate as the neck blanks for the baritone and the longhorn were the same and they weren't going to absolute historic accuracy. Anyway, what's interesting is that the do indeed vary - which is the same as REAL Danelectos which if you look at the headstocks over a couple of decades it changes drastically - from quite narrow to quite wide and from flat topped to pointed to "crowned" (curved point).

Clockwise from Back Left:
c. 1999 Baritone (Bass VI) Limo Black, c. 2008 '63 Logscale Bass, Black, c. 1999 Longhorn Bass Aquaburst, c 1999 6 string piccolo bass (tuned EADGbE - but up an octave from a normal 6 string bass) copper burst.
In Front:
Cool Cat, Daddy-O, Dan-Echo, Fab Tone - c. 1998-2000.