Danelectro Owners Club

[mcgreivey]

View attachment 3296934 .. those aren't strap pins. Somebody apparently had the bright idea to drill the holes for the original strap pins out, and use what looks like the bridge string pins from an acoustic guitar. The strap pins on my Danos are just regular screwed-on ones, except that they're cream colored plastic instead of chrome. You need to get some real strap pins. It should be an easy fix, though. If the holes are tapered, you'll have to drill them out a little, so they'll be a tight fit for a dowel. In any case, get a length of hardwood dowel the right diameter (or, make the hole fit the dowel; your call); glue it in the hole with Tite Bond or some other high quality wood glue; then cut/file/sand it down so it looks good. Then, drill a pilot hole for the strap pins of your choice - there's a lot of 'em to choose from - and install them. And, Voila!! You're now the proud owner of a customized Dano DC59...

Actually, a lot of Danos from that era had pressed-in plastic pins like that, so they're probably original. I think they're glued in.

I think some time not too long ago, probably just a few pages back, there was a discussion on this thread about this.

Personally, of feel more comfortable with more conventional, screwed-in strap buttons, but a lot of people just glue them in better and get on with playing.

 

[mcgreivey]

got me a Korean longhorn today.

The intonation is pretty bad lets not kid ourselves but wow does it sound good playing some classic rock.

that gnarly open vowel sound it has with both pickups on full is reallly unique and cutting.

wondering how it will sound with some labella flats on there.

Actually, I can get the intonation as close as a human really needs.

I use La Bella 750FS-S flats for a nice "wooden" (?) sound, D'addario ECB81S Chrome flats for a "zingy wood" sound and for rounds, D'addario EXL170S.

 

[GIBrat51]

Actually, a lot of Danos from that era had pressed-in plastic pins like that, so they're probably original. I think they're glued in.

I think some time not too long ago, probably just a few pages back, there was a discussion on this thread about this.

Personally, of feel more comfortable with more conventional, screwed-in strap buttons, but a lot of people just glue them in better and get on with playing.

You, sir, are exactly right, and I stand corrected. I posted my reply to Marmil at work - well, at my place of employment; calling it "work" is stretching the truth a bit. I should have waited, 'cause now that I'm home, and looking at one of my DC 59s? You called it; just glued-in plastic pins... I wonder, though, how successful gluing the pins back in would be, given that once things like this happen, they're likely to happen again. I think I'd be inclined to go with my previous suggestion, just to be on the safe side. And, in the mean time, I'll be keeping a very close eye on mine - and looking at possible replacements...

 

[marmil]

Thank you for the responses. The idea of putting some solid hardwood in there for a screw to go into is very tempting, however I think I'm going to go the glue route for now and keep it original like. I would hope that will last for a good number of years to come.

Does anyone have a copy of any literature that might have come with the guitar when sold new? What about a schematic for the electronics? I'm always curious to see that sort of stuff.

 

[mcgreivey]

Thank you for the responses. The idea of putting some solid hardwood in there for a screw to go into is very tempting, however I think I'm going to go the glue route for now and keep it original like. I would hope that will last for a good number of years to come.

Does anyone have a copy of any literature that might have come with the guitar when sold new? What about a schematic for the electronics? I'm always curious to see that sort of stuff.

There are schematics online, if you let your Google do the walking, though I'm not sure if they'll apply to your bass.

Doug Tulloch's revised version of his book Neptune Bound is supposed to be in the works. He's planning on adding a lot about reissues. I can't remember if he follows this thread.

 

[GretschWretch]

You, sir, are exactly right, and I stand corrected. I posted my reply to Marmil at work - well, at my place of employment; calling it "work" is stretching the truth a bit. I should have waited, 'cause now that I'm home, and looking at one of my DC 59s? You called it; just glued-in plastic pins... I wonder, though, how successful gluing the pins back in would be, given that once things like this happen, they're likely to happen again. I think I'd be inclined to go with my previous suggestion, just to be on the safe side. And, in the mean time, I'll be keeping a very close eye on mine - and looking at possible replacements...

The old Multivox Marvels also use(d) plastic strap buttons, screwed in on the top cutaway horn, glued in at the butt. And after a time the butt button would shear off, and you'd have to go to a screw mount.

 

[narwhale]

Does anyone know if there are currently available replacement bridges that will fit a first gen Korean RI? I've been considering replacing my pro model bridge with rosewood, but I ordered an AllParts
BB-3810-010 and the dimensions were off (the Allparts was shorter front to back so the screw holes wouldn't line up).

 

[Skillet]

Check here,
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[narwhale]

Check here,
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Thanks. The bridge they have looks like the Allparts version I supposedly ordered (same stock photo at least), but the one I got from a dealer on ebay is a bit different - instead of slots for the strings the one I received strings through the back. I don't know if it would make a difference, though. I'm looking at photos of 90s reissue Longhorns & Longhorn Pros and to me the bridge dimensions look slightly different. I might be out of luck unless I feel like drilling new holes (I don't):

 

[Dan Newsom]

I have a question for anyone on this threat who’s willing to help. I have a dano dealer about 30min away from me and I have been thinking of getting a longhorn. Always wanted one. Should I buy a current year one for $430? Or wait and get an older model?

 

[mcgreivey]

I have a question for anyone on this threat who’s willing to help. I have a dano dealer about 30min away from me and I have been thinking of getting a longhorn. Always wanted one. Should I buy a current year one for $430? Or wait and get an older model?

Play what he has. If you like it, buy it. If you're not sure, wait until he has an older one and try that. It depends on what sort of older one you come across: late '90s/early '00s Korean basic model with cheap hardware,
late '90s/early '00s Korean Pro model with nice hardware, 2010ish Chinese, more recent ones (most or allaKorean). There are probably more variations than that, but each one will play and sound a little different. But I've never played one i didn't like, myself. I guess I would be less eager to get an early cheap-hardware Korean, or a Chinese (tough I have a Chinese one, and it's not bad, and it was only $150).

I wouldn't hesitate to buy a new one, if I had the $400 to spare and didn't have too many already. I guess that would be my first preference.

Some people prefer the early Korean ones.

 

[msb]

The first batch (98-00) were made in the Korean Shinko factory . I don't know who is making them in Korea now . It would be nice to have a comprehensive listing of the reissues , including where they were made and how many were in each batch . I will pick up the edition of Doug Tulloch's book .

 

[GIBrat51]

The first generation Korean Danos (like this DC59 Pro) are very well made, IMO. The neck on this one is probably the nicest of all 24 of my basses - except my other DC59... The Koreans reverse-engineered the original Dano pickups,too; so if the sound of the originals is what you want - and you can't find one - then the early MIK Danos are for you. The main attraction for me was that these could be had as a lefty; there were no lefty originals...

The Chinese Danos are... a mixed bag. Like most Chinese instruments of the time, you can get a really nice one, or you can get one that's.. not so nice. Chinese Danos also have the annoying tendency for their bridge to fold up, along the slot for the rosewood bridge screw. And, for me, the switch to China meant the end of leftys...

The switch back to Korean manufacture brought the occasional lefty Dano back ; it also seems to have brought the quality back, too. They now have painted necks (I think the Chinese ones did, too - but not the early Korean ones), but it's still pretty slick and fast. And the new Korean bridges probably won't fold in half, either. They have also switched to a more modern, higher output pickup. Still very nice, and it doesn't matter all that much, but.. I can tell the difference. Mine is certainly worth the money.

So, which one to get? The first generation Korean ones are getting pretty scarce - and pretty pricey, too. I could probably sell one of my DC59's for at least what I paid for both of them. A Chinese one? Kind of a crap shoot, IMO; you should definitely "try before you buy". And be sure to check the bridge... But, there are nice ones out there. Or, you could just bite the bullet, and get a new one. And, in case you're wondering? That's an Epiphone ES-335 guitar case that mine lives in. Fits it like a glove...

 

[EdO.]

I have a '98 Korean Longhorn and it has a painted neck so that part is probably not accurate, otherwise agreement with what GIBrat51 stated above.

 

[mcgreivey]

On the subject of bending Bridges:

1- 2000ish Hodad guitar, no trem, metal bridge with individual saddles: the bridge was bent when I bought it, but it's playable as-is. I gave it to my sister, or I'd have replaced or fixed it by now

2- 2010ish dolphin head bass with flat-plate popsicle stick bridge: I bought it new, and the bridge plate gradually sagged. I replaced it with a Jerry Jones popsicle stick bridge. It's been othereise a great bass. The Jerry Jones bridge is much stronger.

3- Chinese longhorn bass, probably 2008 or so, with popsicle stick bridge that's not a flat plate, but has the blocky string holder thing sticking up at the back edge: this also started sagging, which is crazy because it has that beefy heap of metal at the back edge. I've since converted this one to a 6-string bass with a metal-saddle bridge (Allparts?) which hasn't sagged so far

4- I built a Dano bass from parts, with a new flat-plate (Allparts?) bridge. I figured since it was new and shiny, they must have solved the problem by now, but I was wrong. This sagged also, so I replaced it with a Zamm bridge (pretty much identical to a Jerry Jones one).

So I have a couple extra Jerry Jones or Zamm bridges in the parts box, just in case I ever need one someday.

I don't know if the most recent Danos have this problem. If course, a lot of the guitars don't even have a Dano-style bridge anymore anyway.

But it's unfortunate (to put it mildly) that Danelectro didn't solve the problem for so long. Are the recent ones with Dano-style bridges still have the sagging problem?

It's possible to straighten the bridge plate, but eventually it'll probably bend again. Some people have had success straightening it and adding a third support screw in the middle in front of the slot.

 

[mongo2]

On the subject of bending Bridges:

1- 2000ish Hodad guitar, no trem, metal bridge with individual saddles: the bridge was bent when I bought it, but it's playable as-is. I gave it to my sister, or I'd have replaced or fixed it by now

2- 2010ish dolphin head bass with flat-plate popsicle stick bridge: I bought it new, and the bridge plate gradually sagged. I replaced it with a Jerry Jones popsicle stick bridge. It's been othereise a great bass. The Jerry Jones bridge is much stronger.

3- Chinese longhorn bass, probably 2008 or so, with popsicle stick bridge that's not a flat plate, but has the blocky string holder thing sticking up at the back edge: this also started sagging, which is crazy because it has that beefy heap of metal at the back edge. I've since converted this one to a 6-string bass with a metal-saddle bridge (Allparts?) which hasn't sagged so far

4- I built a Dano bass from parts, with a new flat-plate (Allparts?) bridge. I figured since it was new and shiny, they must have solved the problem by now, but I was wrong. This sagged also, so I replaced it with a Zamm bridge (pretty much identical to a Jerry Jones one).

So I have a couple extra Jerry Jones or Zamm bridges in the parts box, just in case I ever need one someday.

I don't know if the most recent Danos have this problem. If course, a lot of the guitars don't even have a Dano-style bridge anymore anyway.

But it's unfortunate (to put it mildly) that Danelectro didn't solve the problem for so long. Are the recent ones with Dano-style bridges still have the sagging problem?

It's possible to straighten the bridge plate, but eventually it'll probably bend again. Some people have had success straightening it and adding a third support screw in the middle in front of the slot.

Over 10 years ago I started modding sagging bridge plates on my Danos by putting a slight upward bend in the center by where the saddle sits so string pressure presses the plate flat. So far so good.

 

[GIBrat51]

The Pro bridges on my 1st Gen, MIK DC59s are at least 25 years old now; both are still perfectly flat. The popsicle bridge on my MIK Longhorn is fine, but - it's only a year or two old. However, it seems noticeably thicker than I remember the Chinese bridges being. And, of course, there's no telling about the quality of the steel in a Korean vs. a Chinese bridge, either. Guess I'll just have to wait and see. But, if it's as good as the DC59's bridges, no worries...

 

[Retofuturistic]

If this is the wrong place to post this let me know. I'm new here and looking for some help. I have a Danelectro Rumor bass with built in chorus. It needs some rewiring cause there's a wire that I thought I put back in the right place but I guess I didn't. My question is, does anyone know where I can find a wiring diagram or at least a decent picture of the wiring that I can make a diagram from? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

 

[odysseios]

Hi to all, could i enter the club? Yesterday arrived my MIK LH copperburst 58 Dano, from Thomann-Germany (and its Thomann case). The sound is the typical "Strange Brew" one, also with the stock D'Addarios. I'm thinking to switch to a set of Pyramids i have at home, but they are slightly longer. So maybe i would go on GHS Precisions.

 

[portaflexer]

Odysseios added to membership list as #112. It's been a minute since I checked in, so let me know if I missed anyone. Thanks.

01 - portaflexer
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