In my opinion, Danelectro has yet to reissue their most interesting bass, the short horn. Ok they have sold new basses with the shorthorn body, but none of them are like the old ones.
Take a look at the picture of my old shorthorn (probably ~1965). This is a short scale instrument, but the neck is only 15 frets. The bridge is way down at the bottom of the body. The body is the same one use for almost all of the Danelectro guitars of the time. This is a seriously small instrument, fits into guitar cases. You might be mistaken for a guitar player with this thing on. Try that with the reissue short horn.
Because the strings are shifted so far down the body, and the neck is so short, the pickup is located in a position that is physically impossible on 99.999% of electric basses (about where the 19th fret is located on a Longhorn). The result is big low end, and a very different harmonic spectrum. The sustain is characteristically short. The effect really sets this bass way apart from others. I'm not gonna say it sounds like a bass fiddle, or a Hofner - it does not. It has its own unmistakably electric sound. But it can have the same kind of richness of low end as an upright does. If recorded properly, it can sit apart from everything in the mix.
Before I moved to Florida in 2006, I was part of the Americana music scene in Washington DC. When I was invited to recording sessions, I was expected to bring this bass.
I have mine strung with LaBella short scale flats. But - intonation problems with those strings were severe and could not be corrected with the stock bridge saddle. Recording was impossible until I removed the stock bridge saddle, and cut a new one from some tropical type hardwood (I don't remember now what it was) with the necessary corrections. You can see this in the picture.
You have to vary your playing too. Growl is not what you want here, and a very light touch works best. My favorite approach is to place the side of my right hand across the strings at the bridge saddle, and play with my thumb. By pivoting my thumb towards my palm I can bring in more of the thumbnail for definition. By sliding my hand slightly away from the bridge saddle, I can add muting. From this position, its a very minor adjustment to move into Joey Stampinato style Dano slapping. The pickup has a wide range, and there is a good bit of high frequencies in the sound. Playing with a pick works well, and if you use a felt pick, you will get a very pleasing retro sound.
Another unique thing about this bass is the toggle switch. Pos 1: tone control defeat, 2: tone control engaged, 3: tone fully down (dark). People talk about Dano's having "cheap" tuners, and the new ones definitely do. But this instrument has nickel guitar tuners that are not cheap. They have lasted 45 years in constant use.
This example also has a "Coral" headstock, which is rare for this model. Good chance this bass was repainted before I got it. The decal was my idea. Who knows how this one was branded when it was first sold - the logo is long gone. But it definitely came from the Neptune, New Jersey plant.
Anyone else out there with an old shorthorn, please share!
-Tony
Take a look at the picture of my old shorthorn (probably ~1965). This is a short scale instrument, but the neck is only 15 frets. The bridge is way down at the bottom of the body. The body is the same one use for almost all of the Danelectro guitars of the time. This is a seriously small instrument, fits into guitar cases. You might be mistaken for a guitar player with this thing on. Try that with the reissue short horn.
Because the strings are shifted so far down the body, and the neck is so short, the pickup is located in a position that is physically impossible on 99.999% of electric basses (about where the 19th fret is located on a Longhorn). The result is big low end, and a very different harmonic spectrum. The sustain is characteristically short. The effect really sets this bass way apart from others. I'm not gonna say it sounds like a bass fiddle, or a Hofner - it does not. It has its own unmistakably electric sound. But it can have the same kind of richness of low end as an upright does. If recorded properly, it can sit apart from everything in the mix.
Before I moved to Florida in 2006, I was part of the Americana music scene in Washington DC. When I was invited to recording sessions, I was expected to bring this bass.
I have mine strung with LaBella short scale flats. But - intonation problems with those strings were severe and could not be corrected with the stock bridge saddle. Recording was impossible until I removed the stock bridge saddle, and cut a new one from some tropical type hardwood (I don't remember now what it was) with the necessary corrections. You can see this in the picture.
You have to vary your playing too. Growl is not what you want here, and a very light touch works best. My favorite approach is to place the side of my right hand across the strings at the bridge saddle, and play with my thumb. By pivoting my thumb towards my palm I can bring in more of the thumbnail for definition. By sliding my hand slightly away from the bridge saddle, I can add muting. From this position, its a very minor adjustment to move into Joey Stampinato style Dano slapping. The pickup has a wide range, and there is a good bit of high frequencies in the sound. Playing with a pick works well, and if you use a felt pick, you will get a very pleasing retro sound.
Another unique thing about this bass is the toggle switch. Pos 1: tone control defeat, 2: tone control engaged, 3: tone fully down (dark). People talk about Dano's having "cheap" tuners, and the new ones definitely do. But this instrument has nickel guitar tuners that are not cheap. They have lasted 45 years in constant use.
This example also has a "Coral" headstock, which is rare for this model. Good chance this bass was repainted before I got it. The decal was my idea. Who knows how this one was branded when it was first sold - the logo is long gone. But it definitely came from the Neptune, New Jersey plant.
Anyone else out there with an old shorthorn, please share!
-Tony
