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NBD: Oh wow, here it is - a 1992 Jerry Jones Longhorn

smurfco

smurfco

Mar 16, 2007
1,177
2,394
Austin, TX
#1
8112394d2da4825bf337e68614527d01.jpg


I’ve had a couple of JJ guitars but never a bass. Came across a good deal on this one, it’s an early circa 1992 model with the rosewood bridge and the non-adjustable truss rod like the original Danos. It sounds amazing! I ordered a set of flats to put on there, but whatever rounds are on here now sound so good that I am going to leave them on.

Woooooo!
 
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#4
bassist4dalord said:
I don't need another bass and won't for a long time, but these are very appealing. I just think they are the coolest. Are they comfortable to play sitting or on a couch?

Congrats! Those appear to be D'Addario XL strings, if I had to wager a guess.
Click to expand...
It balances pretty well! I'm a big guy (6'6) so it looks kind of goofy on my frame. Luckily I do not care about that.

I think you're right on the D'addarios, though I think this is a long scale set.
 
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#13
Bikeguy57 said:
How does the no truss rod or saddle height adjustment work?
Click to expand...

The bridge offers height adjustment (two screws under the plate with screwdriver access from the top) It's held on by only one screw at the bottom center of the plate. It is basic but it works and contributes to the characteristic Dano sound. Twin-steel beams run the length of the neck so it tends to dive a bit. On a vintage Dano or later '60s Coral that has the twin-beam neck rods - the neck can either be solidly flat (over the decades) or have issues at the hs. I own both varieties, the '68 Coral Deluxe Bass (same as the early '60s Dano Dane) having no issues. Two 1443 Silvertone Hornets that I own required a lot of work to make them playable. Point being - it's best to get a full discloser on the necks condition before buying an original Dano w/the beams.

upload_2022-1-24_10-3-36.jpeg

I modified the wood part on my Coral by imbedding Hipshot brass string saddles but the standard wood bridge unit works. I also sunk steel mollies in the body and use stainless steel machine bolts. (bridge plate is original)
upload_2022-1-24_9-54-7.jpeg

The upgraded Dano bridge from the years the company was revived ('90s-) also work well and are more adjustable. They turn up on eBay sometimes and are quite pricy.
upload_2022-1-24_9-57-25.jpeg
 
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#14
I don't know whether my JJ has one or two rods in the neck, but with the short scale Daddario XL strings I just put on there I'm able to get the action where I would usually set it and the neck has the right amount of relief. Whether it's a lucky coincidence or it's just how it was designed I don't know but I figure nearly 30 years into its existence if it's still working then it should be good for at least a little while longer.

I did have to put a small piece of paper under the A string on the wooden bridge to stop some buzzing, as did the previous owner. I was going to see if I could fix it with some filing or shaping of the wooden base but the paper works fine for now and with something like this I don't want to screw up an original (and hard to replace) piece. So for now the paper is the solution to the A string buzz.
 
#15
smurfco said:
I don't know whether my JJ has one or two rods in the neck, but with the short scale Daddario XL strings I just put on there I'm able to get the action where I would usually set it and the neck has the right amount of relief. Whether it's a lucky coincidence or it's just how it was designed I don't know but I figure nearly 30 years into its existence if it's still working then it should be good for at least a little while longer.

I did have to put a small piece of paper under the A string on the wooden bridge to stop some buzzing, as did the previous owner. I was going to see if I could fix it with some filing or shaping of the wooden base but the paper works fine for now and with something like this I don't want to screw up an original (and hard to replace) piece. So for now the paper is the solution to the A string buzz.
Click to expand...

You can repair wood by mixing saw-dust from the wood (or a piece of similar wood) with wood-glue and build it up in the slot. Once hardened/dried - refile for the correct height.
 
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#16
JIO said:
The bridge offers height adjustment (two screws under the plate with screwdriver access from the top) It's held on by only one screw at the bottom center of the plate. It is basic but it works and contributes to the characteristic Dano sound. Twin-steel beams run the length of the neck so it tends to dive a bit. On a vintage Dano or later '60s Coral that has the twin-beam neck rods - the neck can either be solidly flat (over the decades) or have issues at the hs. I own both varieties, the '68 Coral Deluxe Bass (same as the early '60s Dano Dane) having no issues. Two 1443 Silvertone Hornets that I own required a lot of work to make them playable. Point being - it's best to get a full discloser on the necks condition before buying an original Dano w/the beams.

View attachment 4556044
I modified the wood part on my Coral by imbedding Hipshot brass string saddles but the standard wood bridge unit works. I also sunk steel mollies in the body and use stainless steel machine bolts. (bridge plate is original)
View attachment 4556033
The upgraded Dano bridge from the years the company was revived ('90s-) also work well and are more adjustable. They turn up on eBay sometimes and are quite pricy.
View attachment 4556038
Click to expand...

Thanks for taking the time to share your knowledge JIO, very interesting!
 
#17
RE: non-adjustable Dano necks.

I have one guitar and three basses with Dano necks having the dual solid bar reinforcement. One had been defretted by a previous owner but they ever filled the fret slots. Twenty years or so later I had it refretted and now it's my #1 Dano player. None of them have had any issues with neck relief at all.

I also have a loaded three in-line neck screw 1444 body waiting for a neck. It's been a few decades but I'm hopeful..today may be the day.:)
 
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#19
The stock strings on Jerry Jones basses would have been D’ADDARIO nickel wounds ,.100-.45 though without the coloured ball ends.My first JJ bought in ‘93 was an orange, double cut,single pickup just like Joey Spampinato’s from NRBQ but it came with GHS flats.it had the Neptune bridge and a truss rod.I later sold it when I bought my black JJLH in ‘96 which had the XL170’s(I still have a set of those strings).Your Longhorn is a ‘91-‘92 by the features.Very cool bass.
 
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