even an entry level instrument can bring joy

[mongo2]

One never knows what's gonna work.

I don't know how many years ago I picked up a Silvertone 1444 early '60s bass body by Danelectro. It's worn and had only had the controls and the 3 in line screw neck attachment they used for a little while, no pickup or bridge. I don't remember how I came by it but over the years I've looked at it and hoped to find a inline 3 screw neck to fit it.

Never did find that neck but this week I decided to so something with it. Since it wasn't in collector or even good condition I decided it install a humbucking guitar pickup I had laying around and install the 28.6" scale neck from an Ibanez Mikro bass that I narrowed a bit to fit the 1444 neck pocket (suffice it to say it no longer uses the 3 in line screw neck attachment with the trussrod is in the way of the screws).

The next trick was to install a Shaller 3D bridge from my bridge box but unfortunately the body bridge block was too short for that so I made a secondary bridge block and installed it through the small-ish the control cavity wedging it into place thinking the bridge screws would hold it in...they do.

I strung it with an old set of D'Addario shortscale nylon tapewound take-offs and tried it out. To my surprise it sounds fantastic, exactly the thump I've been looking for from a shortscale for a long time. It's a nasty little beast but it'll see a lot of play time.

One never knows.

 

[TyBo]

One never knows what's gonna work.

I don't know how many years ago I picked up a Silvertone 1444 early '60s bass body by Danelectro. It's worn and had only had the controls and the 3 in line screw neck attachment they used for a little while, no pickup or bridge. I don't remember how I came by it but over the years I've looked at it and hoped to find a inline 3 screw neck to fit it.

Never did find that neck but this week I decided to so something with it. Since it wasn't in collector or even good condition I decided it install a humbucking guitar pickup I had laying around and install the 28.6" scale neck from an Ibanez Mikro bass that I narrowed a bit to fit the 1444 neck pocket (suffice it to say it no longer uses the 3 in line screw neck attachment with the trussrod is in the way of the screws).

The next trick was to install a Shaller 3D bridge from my bridge box but unfortunately the body bridge block was too short for that so I made a secondary bridge block and installed it through the small-ish the control cavity wedging it into place thinking the bridge screws would hold it in...they do.

I strung it with an old set of D'Addario shortscale nylon tapewound take-offs and tried it out. To my surprise it sounds fantastic, exactly the thump I've been looking for from a shortscale for a long time. It's a nasty little beast but it'll see a lot of play time.

One never knows.

Joey Spampinato has always gotten a great thumping tone from his Dano bass. So I'm thinking you had a good starting point. Sounds like a brilliant experiment that turned out great! Gotta love it. Cheapies ftw!

 

[mongo2]

Joey Spampinato has always gotten a great thumping tone from his Dano bass. So I'm thinking you had a good starting point. Sounds like a brilliant experiment that turned out great! Gotta love it. Cheapies ftw!

Yep.

I've been a Dano fan since the '60s having grown up in a town between Red Bank NJ and Neptune NJ where they had their factories. They were all over the plce around here. I've owned quite a few and still have several includin originals, RIs and Jerry Jones. To me they're a great example of doing a lot with a little.

 

[pcake]

i told ariex about this thread, and he supplied this pic in his dark room LOL

That's how it starts! First the dislike, then the love, and finally the obsession! I gazed into my crystal ball....

And this is what I saw in Ariex' future...

View attachment 5053581

i tried to talk him into it - i did! we've tried that one at sam ash, and - unlike the yngwie model - the scalloped frets didn't annoy either of us. he actually found them useful. maybe if he plays this one for a while, he'll get the blackmore - or he'll scallop his own frets and replace the pickups with quarter pounders...

 

[pcake]

I always make it a point to steer clear of Squier's.

Friend of mine bought a 1980 black Strat. Still plays it, never changed a thing, and it was money well spent.

squier has SO much upped their game since the '80s! after trying a couple squiers in the '80s, i avoided them for years. my squier classic vibe jazz bass sounds great, feels grea, needed - get this - no setup to play well. hardware and finish are perfect. even my bottom-of-the-line bronco bass is nicer than the squiers of the 1980s!

 

[MrClassicMetal]

i told ariex about this thread, and he supplied this pic in his dark room LOL

View attachment 5054314



i tried to talk him into it - i did! we've tried that one at sam ash, and - unlike the yngwie model - the scalloped frets didn't annoy either of us. he actually found them useful. maybe if he plays this one for a while, he'll get the blackmore - or he'll scallop his own frets and replace the pickups with quarter pounders...

Since you tried both, is it harder to stay in tune with the Yngwie model? Meaning, does it require a lighter touch?

 

[pcake]

Since you tried both, is it harder to stay in tune with the Yngwie model? Meaning, does it require a lighter touch?

we each only tried it for a few minutes, but neither of us fret that hard. i did a run up the neck, which turned out to be painful due to the scalloping. i just asked him, and he said the fretboard felt like a saw, and he's got a very light touch.

 

[MrClassicMetal]

we each only tried it for a few minutes, but neither of us fret that hard. i did a run up the neck, which turned out to be painful due to the scalloping. i just asked him, and he said the fretboard felt like a saw, and he's got a very light touch.

Now you've made me curious about those scalloped fretboards. When I played guitar my favoute brands were Ibanez and Washburn. I was never that interested in Strats, even though Yngwie and John Norum were among my favourite guitarists. And I also love Gary Moore's Strat sound in his 80s recordings, before he hopped on the blues bandwagon.

 

[SteveCS]

squier has SO much upped their game since the '80s! after trying a couple squiers in the '80s, i avoided them for years. my squier classic vibe jazz bass sounds great, feels grea, needed - get this - no setup to play well. hardware and finish are perfect. even my bottom-of-the-line bronco bass is nicer than the squiers of the 1980s!

You have been playing the wrong '80s Squiers. The original 'JV' series (~1982-4) were, and remain, some of the finest Fender/Squier products to have come out of Japan (or anywhere else for that matter).