Danelectro Owners Club

[msb]

Congratulations Ba$$ ! That looks like you got one of the early Korean re-issues , some say they're the best of the batches .

 

[Ductapeman]

Count me in, guys, been playing a Danny of one sort or other since 1966-- still have the amp-in-the-case Sears model that Dad bought me for Christmas (knocked me dead, I thought he hated me playing)-- currently keep a reissue Longhorn around for the astounding tone

 

[portaflexer]

Join me in welcoming our 95th member. Woo hoo! If I missed any membership requests, please PM me and I'll get you added.

01 - portaflexer
02 - Rob Martinez
03 - rllefebv
04 - The EH Man
05 - Turock
06 - Abaroa
07 - mongo2
08 - deste
09 - JimmyM
10 - Mastermold
11 - williamk
12 - smcfarland1337
13 - jumbodbassman
14 - atomicdog
15 - rfslick
16 - Bullitt5135
17 - bamofo88
18 - sub006
19 - emblymouse
20 - msb
21 - GBassNorth
22 - guylorenz
23 - moonshinegtrs
24 - AphekGreg
25 - brokencode
26 - Farmerboymusic
27 - Wagz
28 - ddinpsl
29 - johninmemphis
30 - gus79seyffert
31 - sneha1965
32 - jasongil1
33 - 1stnamebassist
34 - iamthebassman
35 - rodl2005
36 - April
37 - JoeyDiLamma
38 - rapidfirerob
39 - Southway
40 - benlauziere
41 - FatherG
42 - JGintheHam
43 - mcgreivey
44 - King Kenton
45 - racecarguy
46 - CaptainGrog
47 - SherwoodGreen
48 - foxxiroxx
49 - johnnyangel69
50 - DENelectro
51 - RandyMolson
52 - pinebrookjohn
53 - GIBrat51
54 - suprblip
55 - 4-stringB
56 - tacman6749
57 - Thedeadking
58 - leftieray
59 - jsutton1988
60 - AaronVonRock
61 - scabpicker
62 - rogerbmille
63 - danosix
64 - RicMetsBruce
65 - Back To Bassics
66 - fjadams
67 - Fuzzbass666
68 - old mark
69 - HelpImaRock
70 - R&B
71 - Robin
72 - AlexanderB
73 - biglugpa
74 - sethmadsen
75 - mel0dic.bassist
76 - Eldo
77 - lowendfriend
78 - tomshepp
79 - TDZ
80 - CatSquare
81 - ack
82 - hodad
83 - Celtic59
84 - Michael King
85 - MVS
86 - secretsound5
87 - ScarfFace
88 - blankfield
89 - SamanthaCay
90 - TBPlayerOC
91 - danomite64
92 - Rikki_Sixx
93 - Real Soon
94 - radioripster
95 - Ductapeman

 

[danosix]

Congratulations Ba$$ ! That looks like you got one of the early Korean re-issues , some say they're the best of the batches .

It's definitely Korean - they're the only new ones that ever came in that colour and almost all the ones since have either been "pro" or had the pointer knobs.
After that first flush of exhuberance with the firt two releases - longhorn, then longhorn pro, they have never again been willing to do anything adventurous with the colours, black and copperburst (which I love, but in Dano-land it counts as conservative) all the ay except for one batch of gold, which again is VERY cool, but is somewhat un of the mill in terms of Dano colours - lots of colours on the guitars still - but four stringers get black and copperburst.
And yes, they are prtty much the best - I was defending the Chinese ones for a while as being only a little worse, but now that I have them side by side to compare there's a pretty big difference.
EDIT - I'm a liar. They did produce some "surf green" (they abandond they Danelectro naming on these ones) Dolphin head basses.

 

[msb]

Mine is the first batch too , but black .

 

[SJLee]

I have been trying to find our more about my Dano Longhorn as I am not the original owner. I haven't been able to find another example of a solid copper bodied Longhorn which also does not have the tape on the sides. The head stock and the back of the neck are painted a solid gloss black. This finish is excellent but I'm beginning to wonder if I may have purchased a refin. I'm hoping maybe someone here on could confirm.

 

[msb]

I think that's the third version . It would have originally had the tape . Not sure about the colours they were offered in .

 

[portaflexer]

That looks like a 2006 in gold bullion finish. Here's the page from the 2006 catalog:

Invalid Link Removed

The metal bridge saddles and lack of concentric pots are a dead giveaway.

 

[Mastermold]

Lighting isn't great, but... Welcome to the fam, sweet Dani!

Link Removed

Nice! Mine is that same color, bought it off a fellow TB'er a while back, really fun bass!

 

[Gravedigger Dav]

I have a Danelectro Dano 63 short scale bass. It is a very cool retro looking and sounding bass, especially for the money.

The 63 short horn was my first bass. I bought it new in 63. I gigged with it for almost 5 years before I could afford a Fender Precision.
I have played the newer line and have wondered how they could take a cheap piece of crap and make it even crappier. The old ones were much better. I didn't dislike mine because it was the only bass I had and I enjoyed it.

 

[SJLee]

That looks like a 2006 in gold bullion finish. Here's the page from the 2006 catalog:

Invalid Link Removed

The metal bridge saddles and lack of concentric pots are a dead giveaway.

This is great! That's so much for the info!

 

[Stinkoman20xx]

I've been looking, hoping to come across one at some point. Kinda hate to just go buy a brand new one when I know that sooner or later a used one is gonna pop up at a decent enough price that it would be worth upgrading with better tuners and bridge. If I could find a NOS Pro model that would be good too, I've been digging around and they just don't seem to be out there. Didn't ask the guy at Fort Madison Guitars about that though, might be worth another phone call. Although he did tell me to wait until the end of the year if I were going to buy one, I think on the assumption that they'll take over the company and things will be changing after they do. The money really isn't the issue for me, it's about the VALUE for $$$ spent especially since these are such odd duck basses anyway. I just really want one.

I seem to find pro models pretty easy. The issue is though is they are never listed as pro so your might have to sift through a bunch of adds until you find one. I have owned 5 long horns and 1 was a pro and honestly preferred the non pro better but thats just me

 

[danosix]

I think that's the third version . It would have originally had the tape . Not sure about the colours they were offered in .

You are right that that's the third version - but those did not have tape. They thought they'd "update" the look (and save some money in the process) by making only black necks and no tape.

 

[danosix]

The 63 short horn was my first bass. I bought it new in 63. I gigged with it for almost 5 years before I could afford a Fender Precision.
I have played the newer line and have wondered how they could take a cheap piece of crap and make it even crappier. The old ones were much better. I didn't dislike mine because it was the only bass I had and I enjoyed it.

First off, I think nostalgia is playing with you. The originals were pretty bad.
But the new ones are at least as good, not worse. The only ones that come close are the Chinese ones and the only "downgrade" is the crap hardware which was made of very soft metal.
The Korean ones are the best of ALL the things marked Danelectro. You'v just become accustomed to how "sturdy" a Fender feels in your hand and after that Danos feel extremely chincey.
Once you get accustomed to them, they are awesome instruments and the good ones (again the MIKs) are quite good instruments by any standard, finish (better than the originals), playability (better than the originals) adjustable necks (which the original did not have) and essentially equivalent hardware (even tie there).
As a lifetime Fender fan I can say this without being a troll - I DARE you to find a Fender of any era that has a piece of rosewood as thick as either the originals or the MIKs.

 

[SJLee]

First off, I think nostalgia is playing with you. The originals were pretty bad.
But the new ones are at least as good, not worse. The only ones that come close are the Chinese ones and the only "downgrade" is the crap hardware which was made of very soft metal.
The Korean ones are the best of ALL the things marked Danelectro. You'v just become accustomed to how "sturdy" a Fender feels in your hand and after that Danos feel extremely chincey.
Once you get accustomed to them, they are awesome instruments and the good ones (again the MIKs) are quite good instruments by any standard, finish (better than the originals), playability (better than the originals) adjustable necks (which the original did not have) and essentially equivalent hardware (even tie there).
As a lifetime Fender fan I can say this without being a troll - I DARE you to find a Fender of any era that has a piece of rosewood as thick as either the originals or the MIKs.

It's interesting you mention the chintzy feel of Dano's. This was my first impression of a German Hofner Club when I first received it. Like you described I was used to the weight of the Fender Precision and Jazz basses I had become accustomed to playing and the Hofner felt like a toy. Years later and after neck surgery, I have a different opinion about the Honfer and the light weight Dano's, and it's all good. I love the sound of my Longhorn through my WA Scout stack. I will say this, the Dano's do not sound chintzy in the right hands.

 

[Mastermold]

First off, I think nostalgia is playing with you. The originals were pretty bad.
But the new ones are at least as good, not worse. The only ones that come close are the Chinese ones and the only "downgrade" is the crap hardware which was made of very soft metal.
The Korean ones are the best of ALL the things marked Danelectro. You'v just become accustomed to how "sturdy" a Fender feels in your hand and after that Danos feel extremely chincey.
Once you get accustomed to them, they are awesome instruments and the good ones (again the MIKs) are quite good instruments by any standard, finish (better than the originals), playability (better than the originals) adjustable necks (which the original did not have) and essentially equivalent hardware (even tie there).
As a lifetime Fender fan I can say this without being a troll - I DARE you to find a Fender of any era that has a piece of rosewood as thick as either the originals or the MIKs.

I don't know if this has already been discussed in this thread (sorry if it has) but the new Danelectros are being made in Korea again. The Longhorn I tried at NAMM last month seemed to be as nice as my early 90's MIK reissue. The difference I noticed most was the metal bridge and wood "saddle" seemed a little sturdier, and of course the new ones have a truss rod.

 

[EdO.]

I seem to find pro models pretty easy. The issue is though is they are never listed as pro so your might have to sift through a bunch of adds until you find one. I have owned 5 long horns and 1 was a pro and honestly preferred the non pro better but thats just me

If you happen across another one ping me please. I'm looking...

 

[mongo2]

I have been trying to find our more about my Dano Longhorn as I am not the original owner. I haven't been able to find another example of a solid copper bodied Longhorn which also does not have the tape on the sides. The head stock and the back of the neck are painted a solid gloss black. This finish is excellent but I'm beginning to wonder if I may have purchased a refin. I'm hoping maybe someone here on could confirm.

I had a black MIK Longhorn with a black neck and headstock. I've never seen that color combination, nor have I ever seen a solid copper Longhorn RI body.

I know the tape comes off the early RIs fairly easily and the finish underneath the tape is as good as elsewhere on the bass. I removed the tape from a couple with damaged tape and I didn't see a need for the crappy vinyl tape since the finish was so good underneath.

 

[Stinkoman20xx]

If you happen across another one ping me please. I'm looking...

I will do. One of the better places to look for Danelectros is guitar centers used site. They tend to get korean models in often cheaper than what you see on ebay. Ive bought most mine under $300

 

[SJLee]

I had a black MIK Longhorn with a black neck and headstock. I've never seen that color combination, nor have I ever seen a solid copper Longhorn RI body.

I know the tape comes off the early RIs fairly easily and the finish underneath the tape is as good as elsewhere on the bass. I removed the tape from a couple with damaged tape and I didn't see a need for the crappy vinyl tape since the finish was so good underneath.

portaflexer's link Invalid Link Removedpretty much answered my question. Looks like this was a standard finish with no tape for 2006. What's interesting in the brochure is all models seem to have a clear pick guards, whereas mine has a black guard. Could be aftermarket.