Product: Danelectro 3412 Shorthorn Bass
Price Paid: US $100.00 used
Submitted
12/23/2004
at
08:36pm
by
Mike Knowler
Features
:
7
Serial Number of 2123 Places Production at 21st Week of 1963, Neptune City, New Jersey, USA.
Details: 15-Frets, Two-Octaves.
Body: Masonite Top & Bottom over Pine / Poplar Frame.
Controls: Volume, Tone, 3-Way Tone Selector Switch.
Pickup: Single Vintage Lipstick.
Neck: Poplar
Finish: Copper Painted.
Body Style: Double Cutaway.
Classic Standard Danelectro Steel Bridge & Rosewood Saddle.
Tuners: Reissue Individual Danelectro Bass Tuners.
Neck is Short and a Little Chunky.
No Adustable Truss Rod, Only Two Steel Non-Adjustable Reinforcement Rods.
I had a Danelectro Tweed Reissue Gig Bag for this Bass...Fits like a Glove.
Sound
:
8
This Little Bass, although Looked Down upon by some, Performs just Nicely for Beatles, other 60's British Invasion, Blues, R & B, Soul, Reggae, and Country. It is not Suitable for harder Rock and more Modern Sounds. I am using it through a Hartke Kickback 10 120 Watt Combo in Jam & Rehearsal, and a Fender BXR25 25 Watt Combo in Home Practice.
This Bass ( as do other Vintage Dano Basses ) has a Full, Warm Tone...kind of half-way between a Hofner and an Upright Bass.
It Should be Noted that the Vintage Danelectro's Sound quite Different from the 90's Reissues. Personally, I think there is No Comparison......the Vintage Basses Win Hands Down.
You have to keep the Treble Turned Right Down....Lipstick Pickups are very Trebly at the best of times !
Action, Fit, & Finish
:
7
This Bass was Looking Pretty Rough when I got it...still does ! It had had a Neck Repair done Eons Ago. I had a Tech Check it over and it is Okay. The Original Paint is now Brownish / Copper with many worn spots. It came with Only One Strip Tuner & the Original Pickup had a Ruptured Casing. I Installed Reissue Tuners and a Replacement Vintage Pickup off of another 60's Dano. There was No Nut so I Bought a Reissue Nut. I also had to Buy a Rosewood Saddle.
Reliability/Durability
:
8
Has been used for Jam / Rehearsals & Open Stages.
I did Install Strap-Locks.
Customer Support
:
No Opinion
Overall Rating
:
9
Playing Thirty Years.
Also Own a 76' Yamaki 6-String Acoustic Guitar & Looking at getting a Hagstrom 2B Bass.
The Danelectro has Killer Mojo, Playability & Great Warm Vintage Tone. Looks Like Hell, but that doesn't matter ! LOL !
