Last week I picked a recent Danelectro '56 Singlecut "dolphin nose" bass off of craigslist...a bit of a comparison/review follows:
I was looking for a replacement for my early '60s Dano/Silvertone Model 1444 dolphin nose basses since I've decided to retire them from the rigors of gigging.
So, of course I had to compare it to my originals.
First thing I noticed was instead of the one pickup on the originals, the '56SC has two hotter pickups that still retain bottom, clarity, chime and jangle of the originals. The tone of '56SC is pure Dano.
The bodies are very similar but the '56SC has a top and back of masonite on a laminated frame instead of a pine or poplar frame. The '56SC also has a laminated centerblock from the neck pocket which incorporates and ends at the bridge block. The centerblock is interrupted by gaps for the pickups. The originals only have the bridge block.
The finish on my '56SC is satin black with satin chrome hardware and pickups, not shiny new but not relic'd either. The edge tape on the '56SC isn't the crappy plain easily peeled off thin vinyl of the original RIs, it's much more substantial, better adhered and is embossed with an Ostrich leather pattern instead of the basket weave pattern of the 1444s.
The 1444s have two steel bars as trussrods and I've never had an issue with any Dano neck warping but neck relief is completely at the mercy of the tension of the strings installed. The '56SC has a dual action trussrod that adjusts at the neck heel and it was easily dialed in during setup. The scale length of both is the same at 29.5 inches. The width of the neck at the nut of the '56SC is wider than the originals (1-3/4" instead of 1-5/8") but still with a very comfortable profile.
I installed a flat neck pocket shim to get more adjustment in the string action (just like on my originals since they also don't have the Dano microtilt found on later models of the 1444). I loaded it with D'Addario nylon tapes, replaced the bridge with a drop-in 4 saddle bridge because I had it laying around, and replaced the cheap jack with a Switchcraft.
Speaking of the jack, on the '56SC the jack is mounted in a metal plate on the side of the rim instead of through the masonite top on the originals. Good idea since I have seen several busted out jacks on old Danos.
All in all I think the '56SC is an excellent two pickup version of the Model 1444 and one I think Danelectro should have made back in the early 60s.
