Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Danelectro Owners Club
- Thread starter portaflexer
- Start date
-
- Tags
- club
Does it have the tape on he sides? Then it is 17 to 19 years old. If it is Korean with NO tape it is about 10 years old.
Sorry, didn't see the photo - would have looked - but I think that first re-reissue without tape was Korean even though it has the headstock they use on the Chinese stuff. The evidence is the shiny chrome hardware - that was the second version with the adjustable bridge and better tuners. I am NOT 100% sure, but I think that the move to satin finishes corresponded to the move to China. I also know that these get a LOT of love - which suggests the MIK ones.
most of my danos are Korean and although i am the minority, but i like them better than the chinese made ones.
Sticker on back of headstock reads "Made in Korea". Chrome adjustable bridge and chrome tuners, gloss black paint , "Rosewood" fret board. The neck feels good and it has a cool look to it. So far I really like it.
That is not the minority, the vast majority agree the Koreans are better than the Chinese ones.
Okay, thought so.
That's the 2006 issue. The last of the Koreans before the Chinese (then newest stuff is Korean again).
I just put on a set of 760FD LaBella Deep talking strings on my Longhorn, perfect fit..so far they sound and feel good.
I was thinking this Longhorn was a mid-90's but now I'm not so sure:
Before I pull the trigger, anyone care to chime in and give me the skinny on it? Thanks.
Before I pull the trigger, anyone care to chime in and give me the skinny on it? Thanks.
It's not from the 90's but they're great basses. Those were made circa-05/06 (danosix will probably know for sure). The dead giveaways are the lack of concentric knobs and p/u selector switch. Also, notice the all-metal bridge (no wood string rest) and the black headstock (90's models matched the body color). A lot of folks think the late-90s Longhorns were better built, but I really like this era. If the price is right, scoop it up and enjoy it, if not... send me the seller's information and I'll scoop it up. 
Side note: I've always love the blue burst finish. In fact, it was my favorite of that series.
Side note: I've always love the blue burst finish. In fact, it was my favorite of that series.
I would asy the '05/06 is a good guess - but it doesn't quite conform to what I'd expect - in particular the tape on the sides - There is the problem that old Evetts is inconsistent with information and product announcements - it's probably just after the "pro" years - so maybe a '07 or '08 - but that is TOTALLY a guess - that's in the Chines era and before the re-emergence of the stack knobs and the introduction of the copperburst.It's not from the 90's but they're great basses. Those were made circa-05/06 (danosix will probably know for sure). The dead giveaways are the lack of concentric knobs and p/u selector switch. Also, notice the all-metal bridge (no wood string rest) and the black headstock (90's models matched the body color). A lot of folks think the late-90s Longhorns were better built, but I really like this era. If the price is right, scoop it up and enjoy it, if not... send me the seller's information and I'll scoop it up.
Side note: I've always love the blue burst finish. In fact, it was my favorite of that series.
Also - just b/c I'm OCD - there are NO mid-90s Danos. The U2 came out is 97 and the basses came in 98 and 99.
EDIT #2: on reflection - that HAS to be a 2007 and is most certainly Chinese given the larger pickups and satin finish and chrome... so after the "pro" series of 05/06. I'm leaning to 07 because in 08 they brought out the '63 and in 06 they don't have the side tape.
Last edited:
I'm not the seller or associated with him, just want to show this beautiful grandma.
Invalid Link Removed
Invalid Link Removed
That's nice - not terrible condition for a 58 year old, and the mods are functional (though highly unnecessary). Evewn the hardware is in pretty good condition.I'm not the seller or associated with him, just want to show this beautiful grandma.
Invalid Link Removed
I'd rock it if I had 1100 Euros to throw around and happened to be in France to get it.
Actually, that's a lie - I'm far too cheap, I'd buy myself another 99 and a 99 DC for the same money and have less to worry about when I played out. But that's not a dig at the price, I'm just cheap.
Last edited:
How much?
The Chinese ones are slightly less desirable - though perfectly decent guitars - so you don't want to pay as much as you would a MIK - but that varies wildly as well.
I would JUMP on it under $300 ($250 US) and probably walk away over $400. Anywhere in between is reasonable - and that blueburst is sweet.
A MIK with shiney chrome you can add about $100 ($75 US) to the price.
Oh, YEAH.
That's ANOTHER thing that is considered a "modern" feature that Dano was doing in '58 - an adjustable neck heel ala Fender's Tilt-neck of the 70s.
So add that to multi octave necks, composite bodies, extended cutaways, extra light roundwounds, super flat radiuses and you have it: Danelectro - the FIRST Heavy Metal Shredder Guitars.
TB is done - the BEST bass for metal (at least in 1958) - Dano Longhorn.
That's ANOTHER thing that is considered a "modern" feature that Dano was doing in '58 - an adjustable neck heel ala Fender's Tilt-neck of the 70s.
So add that to multi octave necks, composite bodies, extended cutaways, extra light roundwounds, super flat radiuses and you have it: Danelectro - the FIRST Heavy Metal Shredder Guitars.
TB is done - the BEST bass for metal (at least in 1958) - Dano Longhorn.
Incidentally - I've (sort of) come around to the point of view of a bunch of posters on here in that I now want a semi-authentic shorthorn reissue.
This is because I recently realized that my hands can no longer handle a long scale due to my tendonitis finally catching up to me - and I want something slightly more conventional looking and feeling than a longhorn for days when I want something more conventional than my longhorn.
What I'd want different from a TRULY authentic short horn is the bridge in the Longhorn (aka Fender) position (a little in from the strap button) rather than the shorthorn position (RIGHT at the strap button) and would definitely want a dual pickup one (not sure there ever was a vintage one with two p/us - never seen one in real life I could confirm was original).
OR (and this is probably more likely, if Evetts is doing the smart thing and monitoring this thread) A "hornet" bass - in the style of a Silvertone 1443 (it that's the shortscale version - though, just like the '63 they could make both). THAT would be my current dream bass as it combines the look and sound of a Dano with a bit of the "solidness" that I'm used to from my Fenders.
If they did it in a gloss finish and made it available in a couple of conventional colours (black, white) and a couple of Dano colours (redburst, keen green or some such) I bet they could open up sales into non-traditional Dano buyers - especially if they went slightly higher output (say 5K DC resistance) to give them a more "conventional" (a bit more midrange) sound without losing too much of the Dano goodness, they could sell them to the general public.
This is because I recently realized that my hands can no longer handle a long scale due to my tendonitis finally catching up to me - and I want something slightly more conventional looking and feeling than a longhorn for days when I want something more conventional than my longhorn.
What I'd want different from a TRULY authentic short horn is the bridge in the Longhorn (aka Fender) position (a little in from the strap button) rather than the shorthorn position (RIGHT at the strap button) and would definitely want a dual pickup one (not sure there ever was a vintage one with two p/us - never seen one in real life I could confirm was original).
OR (and this is probably more likely, if Evetts is doing the smart thing and monitoring this thread) A "hornet" bass - in the style of a Silvertone 1443 (it that's the shortscale version - though, just like the '63 they could make both). THAT would be my current dream bass as it combines the look and sound of a Dano with a bit of the "solidness" that I'm used to from my Fenders.
If they did it in a gloss finish and made it available in a couple of conventional colours (black, white) and a couple of Dano colours (redburst, keen green or some such) I bet they could open up sales into non-traditional Dano buyers - especially if they went slightly higher output (say 5K DC resistance) to give them a more "conventional" (a bit more midrange) sound without losing too much of the Dano goodness, they could sell them to the general public.
Howlin, I bought a Black Longhorn similar to that one you are looking at. Mine has chrome tuners with out the "D". I am still learning to play and am very much a newbie..I like mine and rarely plug in my Fender Starcaster or Mikro since I got the Longhorn..
The black burst with the shiny chrome cast tuners is one of the original MIK "pro" series. They are VERY (features-wise) similar to that series except they are indeed the "better" version - (in particular the metal parts are stronger - the shiny chrome is more corrosion resistant (and looks cooler) though the Chinese stuff is pretty close.
Last edited:
Random question: What pickup height settings are you Longhorn folks playing with? One of my band's new songs has a bass section that requires playing in the upper octave, but the E and A strings get that chorus effect that happens when the pickups are too close to the strings. But I can't seem to shake it even with the pickups dropped down. I'd be curious to try some other folks' settings.
Pics for clicks:
Restored MIK Danelectro Longhorn by thaddeusthompson, on Flickr
Pics for clicks:
Last edited:
