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Danelectro Owners Club

#1,361
brettus1963 said:
I'm looking for details about my Longhorn, there's no markings regarding country of origin etc other than a sticker in the cavity with the following number, which I assume is a serial number.
'9811552168'
Any clues from this to its origin or year.
cheers
Click to expand...
I would guess (I am anything but a ser# expert) that this indicates a 1998 build (which would be consistent with one of the years longhorns were made) which would make it Korean. Also the first ones came in lots of odd colours - if it's anything but black, copper or gold it HAS to be from that era - black was available then but what they called copper is really a coral pink and no gold)
Other clues - gloss finish and shiny chrome parts, round concentric (stacked) knobs, the fact that there's no indication anywhere else is a good clue too - the ser# and point of origin stickers on those were paper stickers on the back of the headstock on top of the finish - so most are serial number free now (I never looked in my cavities to see if there was another copy). But the ones I have ser#s on do seem to start with their year of production.
Later ones had variations on these features:
The next "reissue" single knobs in stead of stacked and no tape on the sides (around 2005) (black or gold finish)
Then the next reissues are the "dead on" reissues which have matt finishes and matt metal parts and pointer knobs and all came in copper burst - theses are Chinese from about 2011 - 2013 then they disappeared then they came back then they moved production back to Korea - these have gloss finishes again and shiny chrome and are available in black as well as copper burst. Still with pointer knobs and the trussrod adjustment is now at the head (all previous had body end adjustment).
Apparently the newest ones are also plywood instead of Masonite - but I can't confirm that.
 
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#1,362
msb said:
Could you post a picture ? You mentioned it was sea foam so it might be one from the first batch of re-issues . They had two stacked knobs , the wooden bridge , and were Korean made . They started making them in 98 . They also did a Pro run with better tuners and an adjustable bridge . There was a later batch that had a pastel blue that were Chinese made and had two knobs and a toggle switch with an adjustable bridge . The more recent Chinese and Korean models have the truss rod adjustment on the headstock and were only available in limited finishes .
Click to expand...
Didn't read that - but yeah - if it's seafoam green (officially keen green) it is definitely one of the first reissues for sure.
 
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#1,366
msb said:
There's a pile of catalogues , including the reissues by Evets here


Invalid Link Removed
Click to expand...
I've seen this all before - one of my fave sites - but I never looked that closely at the 2006 longhorn catalogue - according to THAT the bass came in blue burst and who knows what other colours (it doesn't say what's available in what colours so can only go by the picks of whatever is shown) though I NEVER saw those latter ones in anything but the black or gold - maybe because I'm in Canada though - we get a lot less cool stuff, even when it's supposedly available to us retailers don't bring it in.
 
#1,370
msb said:
With the toggle switch .
Click to expand...
Interesting - so I have just missed them.
Good to know that Evetts hasn't been entirely out of the funky colour game in longhorns for the last decade (although we're getting there again since those are now10 years old).
I understand marketing well enough to get why they can do the guitars in a wider variety of colours than the basses, but it would seem to me that an instrument as weird as the longhorn just begs for the crazy colours. By this time copperburst (which was long overdue when it came out) is getting a little old hat (I always wanted one until it became by far the most common colour for longhorns).
What I'd REALLY like to see (since Evetts is anything but purist) is a proper Fender Style Antigua burst - they could pretend it's a Danelectro burst (it's very close to several of the classic Dano finishes). They could do this justlike they pretended that the awesome big flake metallic finishes that even other companies call Dano-flake now were anything like a vintage Danelectro sparkle. Those were was the exact opposite - very small flecks spread WAY out - you could put your pinky between any average two flecks without touching both. (I also wish they'd do that on some of their re-issues too, it's subtle enough that could just be the black finish that year and no one NOT looking for that would be bothered by it as long as they were gloss (which the originals were not). Back to my point - if Fender can do Danelectro bridges (and why would you on a non-dano) Danelectro can so do a finish that Fender essentially stole rom them (and from every late 60s stove/refrigerator).
How about it Evetts people?
 
#1,371
msb said:
Could you post a picture ? You mentioned it was sea foam so it might be one from the first batch of re-issues . They had two stacked knobs , the wooden bridge , and were Korean made . They started making them in 98 . They also did a Pro run with better tuners and an adjustable bridge . There was a later batch that had a pastel blue that were Chinese made and had two knobs and a toggle switch with an adjustable bridge . The more recent Chinese and Korean models have the truss rod adjustment on the headstock and were only available in limited finishes .
Click to expand...
danosix said:
I would guess (I am anything but a ser# expert) that this indicates a 1998 build (which would be consistent with one of the years longhorns were made) which would make it Korean. Also the first ones came in lots of odd colours - if it's anything but black, copper or gold it HAS to be from that era - black was available then but what they called copper is really a coral pink and no gold)
Other clues - gloss finish and shiny chrome parts, round concentric (stacked) knobs, the fact that there's no indication anywhere else is a good clue too - the ser# and point of origin stickers on those were paper stickers on the back of the headstock on top of the finish - so most are serial number free now (I never looked in my cavities to see if there was another copy). But the ones I have ser#s on do seem to start with their year of production.
Later ones had variations on these features:
The next "reissue" single knobs in stead of stacked and no tape on the sides (around 2005) (black or gold finish)
Then the next reissues are the "dead on" reissues which have matt finishes and matt metal parts and pointer knobs and all came in copper burst - theses are Chinese from about 2011 - 2013 then they disappeared then they came back then they moved production back to Korea - these have gloss finishes again and shiny chrome and are available in black as well as copper burst. Still with pointer knobs and the trussrod adjustment is now at the head (all previous had body end adjustment).
Apparently the newest ones are also plywood instead of Masonite - but I can't confirm that.
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
#1,372
danosix said:
I would guess (I am anything but a ser# expert) that this indicates a 1998 build (which would be consistent with one of the years longhorns were made) which would make it Korean. Also the first ones came in lots of odd colours - if it's anything but black, copper or gold it HAS to be from that era - black was available then but what they called copper is really a coral pink and no gold)
Other clues - gloss finish and shiny chrome parts, round concentric (stacked) knobs, the fact that there's no indication anywhere else is a good clue too - the ser# and point of origin stickers on those were paper stickers on the back of the headstock on top of the finish - so most are serial number free now (I never looked in my cavities to see if there was another copy). But the ones I have ser#s on do seem to start with their year of production.
Later ones had variations on these features:
The next "reissue" single knobs in stead of stacked and no tape on the sides (around 2005) (black or gold finish)
Then the next reissues are the "dead on" reissues which have matt finishes and matt metal parts and pointer knobs and all came in copper burst - theses are Chinese from about 2011 - 2013 then they disappeared then they came back then they moved production back to Korea - these have gloss finishes again and shiny chrome and are available in black as well as copper burst. Still with pointer knobs and the trussrod adjustment is now at the head (all previous had body end adjustment).
Apparently the newest ones are also plywood instead of Masonite - but I can't confirm that.
Click to expand...


G'day, here's a few pictures. it has a glossy finish.
Also was strung with longscale strings (note the E peg!), waiting delivery on a set of Chromes short scale strings.

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#1,376
msb said:
That should be a keeper , and it looks gorgeous ! I hope you take to it . Mine's from the same batch but it's the common Limo Black . It took me a while to appreciate it , and then I began to use it more and more , now it's my #1 .
Click to expand...

Yeah, its a keeper!
So light, so deep a sound. I'd like a white pearloid pickguard for it, so I'm watching Ebay for one to pop up.

I've used it at rehearsal (sounds great but after 6hrs playing, the roundwound strings ripped my fingers). I'm playing this weekend but will use my Ray34 or P-Bass and wait until i get the new S/scale strings before I use the Dano.
With the amount of string wraps around the E peg, I think I'd be constantly tuning it if i was to use it.
cheers
 
#1,377
Beautiful! I had the same one in Blackburst. Fantastic instruments it was hard to give it away to my Granddaughter, but she's learning and taking care of it so its all good! Only issues I had were turning the volume would turn the tone knob also, i had to hold one while turning the other. The cheap pot metal bridge bent so I created a fix that suited me at least. And truss rod adjustments were a pain having to take the neck off. But all in all a fantastic easy playing and great sounding bass! Love the color of yours!
 
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#1,379
Completely agree with this -definitely a first issue and definitely.
Same as mine but mines the green burst. And yours looks in even better shape than mine. Nice score. Keep it I regretted parting with my first one right until Igot.my replacement 10 years later.
="brettus1963, post: 18783588, member: 292898"]Wow!, good to know.
I haven't played any other Dano's but this bass sounds a killer! cheers[/QUOTE]
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