Danelectro Longhorn Bass

Late 90's, Evets Korean made re-issue, unexpectedly very nice quality overall, 2 lipstick pickups, concentric vol/tones you all know the rest.

Just got what I've been wanting for years, a Danelectro Longhorn bass! It's BETTER than a WIFE! Anybody out there ever heard of NRBQ! Yes, NRBQ! The best American rock and eveything else under the sun band EVER! This is it, the sound the GREAT Joey Spampinato gets! Incredibly, but typically not now or ever available in a left handed model...so, when I did repairs at a music store, I spoke to a rep at Evets back in '99,- a lefty was and seems to be still out of the question. Well, I just couldn't wait. I heard also that Jerry Jones won't make a lefty. Then, a used nice house paint blue one came up for sale! At $225.00, I couldn't resist. Sorry to all those that will hate me for converting it, but I'll NEVER sell it, and they might have to pry it from my death grip! As far as sound goes, well...if you don't believe what the other reviews said, I can tell you this...NO other bass sounds this good for as little money on Earth, period! It reminds me of an Alembic short scale Series 2 bass! Yes, it sounds THAT good! Last weekend, I played it bi-amped, through my Pearce B-2p, Mesa Powerhouse 12, and single 15 folded horn... along with my latest multi-thousand dollar, all flamed maple, EMG equipped custom bass, and they got equal play. It resonates so much, I keep my cel phone in my left pants pocket, and several times I thought it was vibrating- but it was this bass! It has a huge fundamental, big time punch, and tone to die for. There is only one drawback, it is a bit noisy, and this will be an issue for some, but other basses are, too, and don't produce this kind of tone. I can't wait to put flats on it!

Contrary to popular belief, IMHO these are actually made better than many of the cool but crudely cheesy originals. They are pretty consistent, as an efficient factory can do. Paint work is damn good, good fitting, albeit cheap parts, and yes, there are as already mentioned- problems, like edge tape lifting. Mine has this, who cares? It's a funky Dano! I am a luthier, (But I don't copy Dano's) and repairman- since 1968. I am pretty critical. I love the retro, copper-burst, pointer knobbed originals, but as far as a practical, cost-effective player's bass goes, this is an impossible bass to beat. By the way, these DO have an adjustable rod, you just need to loosen the neck bolts, and 'walk' the neck upwards to access the adjustment.

I play it live, and it's a solidly made bass... if you don't use it in a death metal situation, or as a weapon, it'll probably out live you. Really cheap hardware...upgrade it, if you like...mine has the chrome 'D' plastic tuners, and the wooden saddle bridge, and they ain't broke...so I ain't fixin' em'! Bridge plate habitually collapses on these, as mine did.... maybe someday, someone will make a billet aluminum one! The neck seems VERY stable, and high marks for that! The plastic acoustic guitar endpin style strap buttons are unusable. I dowelled the holes with tapered hardwood dowels, and installed Schaller Straploks. This is pretty much what you'll need to do if you want to make it 'gigable'. A 9 here for the necessary upgrading.

I am totally frustrated by companies that don't realize that there are a LOT of LEFT HANDED musicians out here! Remember Jimi Hendrix? How about Jimmy Haslip? WHY can't you figure into your production costs, the tooling change necessary to make a certain percentage of your product for us? Oh, because they 'don't sell' This comany, Evets made a single bass in a lefty, a long scale 'DC' model. THANK YOU! I have a black one. I LOVE it! PLEASE! Make lefty Longhorns! I will buy one in every color!

I have been playing since 1967. I own more gear than any bassist has a right to without developing a serious guilt complex.
I asked EVETS to make me a lefty, they said NO.
This bass produces a highly individual, unique tone. Mine might be the only current lefty conversion, so if you steal it...well duh! I'd replace it, or build a copy.
See above category for ravings...
These basses are incredible, and the reflective prices are now a lot more on Ebay than they were when new, around $400.+ used as opposed to the $300 new, out the door price of the late '90's. BUY NOW!

Late 90's reissue. Features: 24 frets (shortscale), 2 stacked control knobs for vol.& tone, 2 passive lipstick pickups identical to the ones found on the 6 string guitars, the body is "semihollow" with masonite pieces over a wood skeleton, thick enamel paint, tape binding that hides the joints on the edge, replacement adjustable bridge, old school 'kluson' style tuners

I love the early rock, bluesy sound of this guitar. I play classic rock covers and originals and the sound of this bass has a warm midrange that really goes well with that McCartney kind of play. I use no effects but, I use a Fender occasionally to get a deeper sound throughout a gig. The Dano is very light and easy to wear all night as well as play a few chords and quick fills. I have used it in the studio straight into the board and it sounds great. The only tonal drawback for me has been poor shielding which can cause unpredictable ground hum with neon lights, etc. I use light gauge roundwounds to get a brighter sound, but it really can sound Hofnerish with flats or tapewounds.

Well, everyone complains about the tuners. Mine have worked for a decade now with no problems and I play it all the time. I had to glue the strap pins in with superglue the first year I had it. They have never failed since. The edge tape has pulled loose and could be replaced from a repro dealer in TN. I replaced the old wood bridge saddle with an adjustable one from aforementioned repro dealer. The original had worn down to the point that intonation was being affected. This isn't all that bad considering how much it had been played and abused. The neck has stayed true and never adjusted. The finish has remained bright and shiny with minimal care. I have never needed to fix wiring or other internals although, it would help to add shielding to the control cavity.

I bought a shotgun case to keep the guitar safe in the van but, this bass has served well as my main axe for 10 years. I play weekend gigs and write music/practice every day. It has been used alot. NO MAJOR PROBLEMS. I think the little plastic tuners are fine. There are metal ones for guys who want to upgrade. I have been waiting for a decade for mine to split or crack and they are good. The only issues are discussed above. I think this reissue is better than the originals I've played over the years. It does have a trussrod in case it would need adjusting (not on the originals) the parts are easy to replace and plentiful on the net.

Never needed.

I've been playing since I was in 3rd grade in 1977. I play mostly Classic Rock & Blues or 'Americana' I would replace this bass if It were lost immediately. I am considering getting a second anyway. It is the best bass I've seen for the price. I payed 220 on Ebay when it wa new from an online store. I have never found a case for it, but I mentioned how I made one above. Other than the few quick fixes mentioned, I have had no dissapointments. This is my favorite bass sound of any single guitar. If I had to live with one, this is it. I can't belive someone would pay thousands of dollars for a lesser one.

Mine is dark yellow with a tweed gig bag.

I use a GK RB800, and I get very little noise with the Longhorn, but more than my G&L.

I've had to monkey with the action a little, but it was set up from the factory pretty well. It was very well made, only the glue that holds on the outer rebber material is a little weak.

I havent played live without a backup for over 20m years. I was playing in a church band, and was having back trouble; I switched to the Longhorn, and never missed a service. I record with the Fender, but play the Long horn live. If I could find higher quality replacement hardware, I would replace the bridge and tuners.

I have been playing for 24 years. My wife bought it for me for Father's Day in '99. I think she paid $350.00, worth every penny! I normally play a G&L L1000 which I bought around '81; its heavy, but of all the basses that I have owned, it is my favorite. The Longhorn, however, is my second favorite. I was playing in a church band, and was having back trouble. I switched to the Longhorn, and never missed a service. If lost or stolen, I would certianly buy a new one. I record with the Fender, but play the Long horn live.

You know the features by now....form following function...pure proletarian utility here, say wot!!!!!

Twangariffic...deepadelic...cowboy psychelica...retro-funkarama....
baritonic bassalicious....YOU GET THE IDEA, RIGHT?

WITH SHORT SCALE ROTOSOUND FLATWOUNDS...IT IS LIKE A HOT KNIFE THRU BUTTER............but even with light guage...be ready to "whittle down the low E string end to fit the super crappy tuners...." but hey, change 'em...........

treat it right and it should hold up...the old ones did......

got it used for $375, yikes!!!!!....from a dealer in Hoboken NJ via the net.

All you Baby Boomers out there...who remember the originals...
ya wanna feel young again??? Screw the saunas, and the seaweed wraps...and the skin creams....JUST BUY ONE OF THESE IF YOU WERE A ROCKER BACK THEN...AND PLAY WHATEVER YOU FEEL LIKE PLAYIN' NOW....THIS BASS WILL BRING YOU BACK TO WHAT IT WAS ALL ABOUT.....THE GARAGE BAND THRUST THAT STARTED YOU OFF IN THE FIRST PLACE....THINK MOD CLOTHES, AND BELL BOTTOM PANTS AND CARNABY STREET AND HOFNERS AND VW BEATLES AND WOODY ALLEN AND LIVERPOOL INVASION...AND THE VAGRANTS AND LESLIE WEST...AND EARLY CREAM...AND CRUMMY BAR GIGS WHERE YOU NEVER GOT PAID...BUT YOU AND THE BOYS HAD PIZZA OFF OF THE BACK OF VW VAN AFTER THE GIG...AND YOU LAUGHED AND YOU DREAMED...AND YOU LOVED IT ALL.....UNLESS YOU CAN AFFORD REGRESSION THERAPY AND HIPNOSIS....THIS IS THE BEST FLASHBACK FOR THE BUCK....

I had a few hours prior to a show and walked into a pawn shop just expecting to browse whatever musical instruments someone let go and found the seafoam green Longhorn hanging on the wall. They stopped making the reissues a year or so ago and I was pretty geeked that there was one there, and that the pricetag was only $169. I didn't hesitate to buy it. The finish had only one scratch, the pawn shop owner told me the previous owner was a young girl that never played it. It's a Danelectro, so it feels flimsy and plastic, but mine rarely goes out of tune and sounds unlike any other bass (in an amazing way) that I have ever played. Pretty much like everyone else stated- it's a 30 inch short scale with a whole lot of area to play, and it's action is very easy and fast... also fun. The knobs are kind of goofy and the electronics aren't too complex or spectacular, but the bass just seems to plug in and play amazingly just to spite all the potential problems that someone might be able to come up with. Still, my biggest concerns are with the plastic strap knobs and the very small plastic tuners... but they haven't caused me any problems yet and I play this bass a whole lot.

The lipstick pickups are unique and the bass covers an amazing range from thick lows to an almost baritone electric guitar high. When I am playing on the high end it sounds very much like our guitar players Epi-Sheraton on his low strings. Amazing, especially for $169. It is loud also. It can cut through the drums, the minimoog, and the guitar which is played through a huge vintage Vox set-up. I love the range and I love the action. It's so much freaking fun to play. I also own an Epiphone Thunderbird IV and once owned a Fender Jazz bass, and of all the pick-ups I think I like the lipsticks the most on this Longhorn.

Again, I purchased it at a pawn shop. It is in great condition considering it hadn't really been messed around with much. It didn't come with a case and I am going to build my own to support the horns on it so they do not break during travel. They just worry me a lot because they are so long and so far stuck out from the rest of the body that if I were to drop it that one of the horns would bust. I'm very cautious of this when I am playing it though. The paint job is immaculate for what these basses originally were costing and how well they sound. I realize that they were not the highest end bass created, but for what they are... they are pretty impressive and fun.

So far, so good. We'll know more over time. I've had it less than a year, but I've travelled with it and play it more than I play my Thunderbird now. I plan on using it for studio work on certain songs just because it has such a unique sound that none of the other basses I have access to can produce.

I have never any contact with Danelectro Inc.

I just love it. I'd like to start collecting Danelectro guitars and basses just because they dont make the reissues anymore and they all have such a wonderful and unique sound. I really want to stress to everyone who reads this that they are exceptional sounding basses and completely unique in both sound and appearance. If it were stolen, I would sob like a little girl with a skinned knee. I pray that as long as I take good care of it, it will be a great bass to have around for many many years.

I bought mine used, but it was in mint condition. Not sure what year it was, but it was in the "original" copper/antique white sunburst paint scheme. However, I did own an original back in the 70's, and it had a much more pronounced copper color. The new version is more like a butterscotch color. Anyway, this looks and plays exactly like the original.The graining on the Tolex around the outside is more rough than the original. But that's about it. Pickups, controls and electronics are all stock, as well as the funky, but amazing bridge.
The action is my favorite bar none. Hey, it's a broomstick! And, of course, it does look like it should be played by a god.

The sound is super. It really sounds pretty bad by itself, but always sounds awesome in a rock band mix. In one club that I play at, it cuts better than my Music Man Stingray 5, so I use it there all the time. Really unlike other bass sounds, except for a Hofner Beatle bass (I owned one of them too), although the Dano sound is tighter and more useable. I use Rotosound flatwounds for it, because they sound way better than any roundwounds.It's not meant for rounds. Fun to play out because other players freak at the oddness and apparent cheap construction, but are then blown away by the sound. Really better (in a rock band setting) than a $3200 Sukop. Seriously. Be a real rebel - play a piece of crap!

The action, as I mentioned is incredible. Too easy. You've got to hold back so you don't overplay. The construction is just as junky as the original. But they actually hold up. Amazing. The tolex wants to pull away at the bottom of the cutaways.

Never had any problems with it. Neck is solid.

Never had any problmes with it.

For me, it's indispensible. Once I started playing a Longhorn again, I remembered why I used one in the 70's. I haven't been able to play that fast on anything else. It's really a consummate rock bass.

Danelectro longhorn bass, Ive always been curious to play one since I saw Tom Petty play one with the traveling Willberrys. Basic dano, laminate, light, wierd feeling. the necks located oddly. and it has those long horns, lipstick pickups. Weird knobs that I never really understood, they didnt seem to do anything.

play all sorts of bass, it sounded good, real nice sound, crisp, heavy, and surprisingly loud, and powerful. definatly a good sounding bass.

Bass was set up good, was very playable. the pickups were fine, and there werent any noticable flaws, except for dumb plastic strap holders, what were they thinking?

Seemed like it would be reliable, i think the horns seem breakable, so maybe its not to be thrown around, but it just looks cool,and sounds the part.

never had to deal with them.

Overall, a nice bass, well made, sounds good, short scale, necks far back so give better access to lower frets. shes a players dream. give this cheap thing a try.

My Longhorn was bought Feb. 7th 2002, But was actually a leftover 1998 model. It had been on the rack in a small town music store for 3 years.
Std 24 fret design, wood frame, Masonite top and back, with concentric controls and 2 very nice "lipstick pickups"
Mine is th older style with the painted neck and body.
This store threw in a nice gig bag with it

Our band plays 60s "Surf and Rock and Roll" I use a 1960s Bassman amp with it. It's pretty versitile too, goes from twangy to thumpy very quick. I like a darker tone, but I can brighten it up too. This bass only (for me) works well with certain amps. Line 6 amps are terrible with the Longhorn...Ampeg, Fender are Awesome.
I love it...No dislikes...It's a Dano, I know how their built and love them.
Our band did a 10 song CD. The Longhorn was used on 7 of the 10 tracks. It works excellent on "British Invasion" Songs...BTW the other 3 tunes on the CD were covered on a Danelectro Rumor...I am a Dano Fan!!!

The factory setup was pretty good, I'm picky about my basses so I usually tweak them a tad. This bass was excellent off the rack, 5 minutes of tweaking it was perfect..I've spent 2 hours setting up a Fender so the Dano was a cakewalk. Every thing has held up even the strap buttons, never had a problem with Dano's strap buttons, (I own 6 Danos. Very tight neck socket. Tuner were a tad stiff but I lubed them with a teflon lube and are fine. The one piece saddle was intonated just fine at the factory

I've had this bass almost a year. I play it daily, gig with it, and with no backup on a couple occasions. The tuners may wear out in a year or 2 but I'll just replace them. The cheesy strap buttons on mine are solid...never came out. The finish is the best. How can Dano paint their guitars like this for the price. I do depend on this bass, Our band is very Dano Friendly

Had a warranty card not sent with a previous Dano purchase, was handled quickly..My only dealing with the company. I did send them a e-mail last year and told them I really liked their guitars and basses and got a nice reply back the same day. I've never had any warranty issues with Dano either, other than a missing warranty card

I've been playing bass for 20 years. I own 3 Fenders and 2 Danos.
Nothing compares to it or even come close, It has it's own sound and a short-scale bass with more than 20 frets is uncommon. I had to have this Dano Longhorn Bass

This is the 2000 Longhorn Pro model with the better tuners and bridge. The construction is the same as the old ones: masonite on either side of particle board, two lipstick pickups, stacked tone/volume contols, no pickup switch, black pearl sparkly burst finish, short scale neck, no accessories.

I'm partial to short scale (30") basses, and owned two original Dano Longhorns in the 60's, a 4-string and a 6-string. I always use flatwound strings (other than LaBella and Pyramid no one else seems to make them short scale flatwound) and the combination works well on this bass. It's got a decent upright bass sound, good for rockabilly and basic 3-chord stuff. Capable of punchiness, but would rather have the controls like the originals, with on-off pointers for the pickups. They could spend another 25 cents on construction and add a 3-way switch.

There was a lot of string buzz on the lower frets with the factory istalled round wound strings; the light gauge LaBella flatwounds got rid of most of it. Action was fine.

I have used it on a gig without a backup, but haven't owned it long enough to gauge its durability. I used my original 4-string Longhorn for years with no problem 30 years ago. The original finishes were subject to wear, but this one seems a little more durable. The strap button at the neck heel doesn't allow much space to attach the strap, but the originals were the same way.

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I've played bass for 35 years, and own a Fender (US) P-bass. Also have several guitars: Rick 12-string, Gibson 330, hardtail Strat, Guild Bluesbird. Bought the Dano as much for it's cheap price and retro look as anything. I've more than gotten my money's worth. I think the thing I like the most is that it's so light. There's no fatigue factor like with the Fender.

1998 reissue. Avocado. Looks like it's from a Hanna-Barbera cartoon.
3/4 scale, two knob tone/volume. A surprising amount of sounds from such a basic configuration. Light (almost too light) and easy to play. I like it... even some slapping funk stuff is possible. The lipsick pickups are very cool.
I picked this up at a pawnshop for 199.00. A great bass, a real looker and tons of fun to play.

Sound's good... warm, rich and full on the neck and thin and cur-cury on the bridge.

Cool design but really crummy materials throughout. Tuners are particularly abysmal. Plastic strap pegs.

This is no Alembic. I would trust it on a gig, but I don't know how it will hold up. I've knocked it about a bit, though, and it seems fine.

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