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NBD: 58 Danelectro Longhorn reissue
- Thread starter JEBassman
- Start date
Thanks bro. I'm usually a thumpy flats kinda guy but this one's going to be my bright rounds player.
Congrats man.It's here! I was going to post sooner, but it's just been distracting and fun playing my new Longhorn.
Fellow TBers recommended the Dano Longhorn, in response to my search for a very lightweight short scale bass.
I am very pleased with my bass. The long thin neck feels accessible, and the cutaway allows for wonderful high register playing. Best of all the bass is very light. This one's a keeper!!View attachment 727993View attachment 727994View attachment 727995
I feel very invested in this since I suggested and "sold" the model to you.
She looks WONderful - makes me reminiscent for mine - it looked just like that except the for knobs - the old Korean ones have the round stack-knobs.
Anyhow - you MUST now join us over on the Masonite Site at Danelectro Owners Club
Hopefully, I'll be re-joining the Longhorn club again in the next few days if my deal does not fall through - I've only had my long-scale for the last few years and while it's pretty great too - I really miss my Longhorn - it should definitely help with your hand and back issues.
As far as a keeper - AGREED!
Don't make my mistake and trade it away - you'll regret it (and I did so for my fantasy bass - a Dano Bass VI - which I still have an love!) 
Me too - but then I'd have to one FOUR Dano basses - a longhorn, a shorthorn, my 63 (or some other long-scale) and the VI.
I guess a nice compromise would be if they reissued the DC - it's a shorthorn for NBA players - they made it a 34" and grew the body to match. (I know that's not big, but compared to the old shorthorns its a BIG bass.
I also don't understand why Danelectro doesn't re-issue it - it's the only one of the Korean re-issues that reliably goes for more than original retail 15 years later.
buldog5151bass
Kibble, milkbones, and P Basses. And redheads.
Very nice! Where was it made - China or Korea? I used to have one of the Chinese '58 Dead-On Longhorns. I had it strung with D'Addario half-rounds, then Chromes. I never had an issue with the tuner holes being too small.
I don't have it anymore, though. It felt like it was missing something... and then I had the opportunity to trade for a Korean-made late 90s Longhorn Pro:
Danelectro Longhorn Pro (90s reissue) by thaddeusthompson, on Flickr
Now we're talking! It feels a little more solid, but I can't really say why. As a bonus, the previous owner put a set of Hipshot Ultralite tuners on it, so absolutely no neck dive.
I don't have it anymore, though. It felt like it was missing something... and then I had the opportunity to trade for a Korean-made late 90s Longhorn Pro:
Now we're talking! It feels a little more solid, but I can't really say why. As a bonus, the previous owner put a set of Hipshot Ultralite tuners on it, so absolutely no neck dive.
That was made in Neptune New Jersey , that is not a re-issue
I'm a roundwound player myself. The strings on my new Longhorn just sing. The sustain and wide range of the strings, on this hollow body bass, really sounds great! I hope you enjoy your new bass; I'm betting that you will
I'm a roundwound player myself. The strings on my new Longhorn just sing. The sustain and wide range of the strings, on this hollow body bass, really sounds great! I hope you enjoy your new bass; I'm betting that you will
What do you recommend? Before I went over to the flat(wound) earth society, I was a GHS Boomers partisan. Open to any suggestions.
Yeah, unfortunately here in Canada Danelectros seem to get treated like pedals and sold more more or less MSRP, which is not the case with most guitars/basses and amps and is definitely NOT the case in the states for Danelectros.
That's one of my few big beefs with L&M - the set the market here and they know no one is likely to drive across the border for the difference on one of these - oddly enough they are competitive with US prices on Squiers and such - but not Danos. They have a connvertable at my local L&M and they want almost $725 for it - which is just nuts - that's more than the Us MSRP PLUS exchange. I mean - even a Dano lover like myself is going to concede that this is NOT a $700 acoustic guitar - it's a $300 acoustic with style.
One of the attractions of Danelectro is they're so cheap even a normal guy can "collect" them (it's their marketing model - it's why they change what's available so often - they're treating them like collectables) but when the individual (and weirdest) ones are competing with MIM Fenders (and not just the Standards) that's a problem
buldog5151bass
Kibble, milkbones, and P Basses. And redheads.
Congrats man.
I feel very invested in this since I suggested and "sold" the model to you.
She looks WONderful - makes me reminiscent for mine - it looked just like that except the for knobs - the old Korean ones have the round stack-knobs.
Anyhow - you MUST now join us over on the Masonite Site at Danelectro Owners Club
Hopefully, I'll be re-joining the Longhorn club again in the next few days if my deal does not fall through - I've only had my long-scale for the last few years and while it's pretty great too - I really miss my Longhorn - it should definitely help with your hand and back issues.
As far as a keeper - AGREED!
Hi Danosix,
You definitely sold me on getting this bass! Thanks again for your assistance and expertise. It's a fun bass to play. I love going all the way up the neck!
First impressions are that you're right about the bass being helpful with my injuries, as far as putting less strain on my shoulders and back, and of course the short scale dimensions making playing easier than a heavy, full sized bass. I'm keeping this axe. The next person can get his own from someone else!
SirMjac28
Patiently Waiting For The Next British Invasion
I think these basses and the Rics are two of the most beautifully designed instruments of all time
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The D'Addario XLs sound good on these and are reasonably easy to get in short-scale.
Yeah, looking at your pictures is actually making me a little sad.Hi Danosix,
You definitely sold me on getting this bass! Thanks again for your assistance and expertise. It's a fun bass to play. I love going all the way up the neck!
First impressions are that you're right about the bass being helpful with my injuries, as far as putting less strain on my shoulders and back, and of course the short scale dimensions making playing easier than a heavy, full sized bass. I'm keeping this axe. The next person can get his own from someone else!
Like I said, I should be back in the fold as of this weekend, but the one I'm, getting is in the Green Burst - which is the colour I always wanted - but you're making me miss my old one in black (and I'm totally NOT a black guitar/bass guy).
I haven't tried these on the Dano, but my favorite strings that I always keep on my Landing short scale bass, are D'Addario EXL 170M, XL nickel wound. I order the medium scale to allow enough string to fit the through-bass string setup. The bass' creator, Jimmy Wilson, also favors these strings for his short scale basses.
One source is:
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With my new Longhorn I will keep the stock strings on, at least for now, as I really love the sound. You'll get other string advice, I'm sure, but the D'Addarios get a lot of love from bassists. Have a blast with your bass!!
If you're coming from flatwounds, you might want to try [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]. They're not quite as bright as roundwounds but still have plenty of punch. Danelectos are pretty trebly basses to begin with, so this might be closer to a tone and feel that you're used to. I use the short-scale version on mine and they fit great - just remember to have at least 3 winds around the pole or they'll sound really dead (learned that one the hard way).
Caveat: half-rounds are my go-to strings. I got off the roundwound train several years ago, so I don't know what's happening with them these days.
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They were definitely two of the quirkier designs . Rickenbacker did the first production neck through design . The bridge design would have been changed by anybody else back in the early 60's . On the original horseshoe pickup the magnets went over the string . And that stereo jack is pretty weird if you've ever taken one out . Not to mention the original dual spring style trussrods that had to be tensioned before you could tighten them . The original Danos were steel reinforced necks that were not adjustable . Masonite over a poplar frame , lipstick pickups and very simple bridge . They were assembled by a workforce that were not luthiers . The re-issues have adjustable truss rods but are recreated in the spirit of the originals . Both Rickenbacker and Danelectro were a departure from the basses made at Fender , or Gibson for that matter . And I have to say I love each of them for what they are ...
i had a slew of original dano basses back before they skyrocketed in value. even had a long horn guitar ( which technically they never made but they'd cobble orders out of leftover parts and send them out…). as much as i loved them, the reissues are much better playing instruments.
and man, that black longhorn is a beaut!
and man, that black longhorn is a beaut!
