Product: Danelectro Shorthorn Custom
Price Paid: US $150.00 used
Submitted
01/26/2004
at
03:22pm
by
Anonymous
Features
:
No Opinion
Follow-Up to Previous Review. Note that Necks on Vintage Danelectro's were Poplar rather than Maple as I had Earlier Noted. Reissues are Maple, which is Harder and much more Desirable in the Long Run. Of Course, Dano's were Made Cheap for the Masses so the Cheaper Materials were selected.
Sound
:
9
Actually, considering this Bass is Made up of a Body, Neck, and Bridge from Three Separate very Early Shorthorn Basses, it has a Cool, " Upright-Like " Sound when Strung with Flats. This is ideal for Rock-a-Billy, Country, 60's Invasion, R & B & the like. Remarkably Smooth, Warm, yet Punchy Tone. Sounds a Lot like the 70' Hofner 500/1 I used to Own.
Action, Fit, & Finish
:
6
Action is Medium and Non-Adjustable and I'll have to live with it. With Light-Gauge Flats ( .40 to .90 ) it isn't really hardship to Play. I'm just used to Lower Action on any other Basses I've Owned.
Reliability/Durability
:
7
Already Played out Live with this Bass Several Times and things went well.
I Repainted it with Gold Metallic Lacquer, seems to be holding up.
Installed Strap-Locks.
Has Two Non-Adjustable Steel Reinforcement Rods in the Neck....Lack of an Adjustable Truss Rod was the Biggest Design Flaw in the Original Danelectro Guitars & Basses.
Customer Support
:
No Opinion
Overall Rating
:
8
Wish it had an Adjustable Truss Rod so I could Adjust the Neck and get Better Action...otherwise it Sounds Great !
Product: Danelectro Shorthorn Custom
Price Paid: US $150.00 used
Submitted
11/08/2003
at
10:48am
by
Mike Knowler
Features
:
8
The Details:
a) Built 1st Week of January, 1961, Neptune, New Jersey, U.S.A.
b)Fifteen Frets, 4-Strings
c)Masonite Bottom & Top
d)Volume & Tone Dials, 3-Way Toggle Selector Switch
e) Single Vintage Alnico Magnet " Lipstick " Pickup
f)Passive Electronics
g)Masonite Top & Bottom, Plywood or Poplar Frame, Maple Neck
h)Body Style Shorthorn Danelectro...Nothin' Else Like Em'
I)Painted Black Finish C/W Custom Silver Graphic
J)Danelectro " Triangular " Stainless Steel Bridge ", and Floating Wood Saddle
k) Vintage Danelectro " Skate Key " Tuners
L) 30 Inch Short-Scale Maple Neck ( 1 & 5/8" Width @ Nut...2" Width @ 12th Fret ) Brazilian Rosewood Fretboard.
M) Bought a Gig Bag for it as it had no Case.
Sound
:
10
Wow...is this thing a Revelation ! I Previously Owned a Danelectro DC Bass Reissue and this Vintage Danelectro Sounds Different & Better ( In My Humble Opinion, anyway !)
Using it with a Fender BXR25 Bass Practice Amp & Rolls Mini-Mix 51 System at Home and it Sounds Very Good ( more than adequate Sound for Home practice.)
In Rehearsal, I use it with My Hartke Kickback 10 Bass Combo, which I ( and Fellow Bass Players ) think is an Exceptional Sounding Little Bass Amp. The Dano Sounds Superb through that Amp. I used it Onstage through an Peavey Mark IV 400 Watt Head & 1x18" TOA Speaker / Cerwin Vega Cab and it Sounded " Pretty Awesome ". I didn't get a Chance to EQ the Amp Properly, though. The Dano has Limited Tone Control, so EQing the Amp to the Bass is important.
Vintage Daneletro's, at least this one, are Rich, Round, Resonant & Bright.....not as Harsh as the Later 90's Reissues, In My Opinion.
It Sort of Sounds like a Gibson EB-O / EB-3 & Rickenbacker 4001 Cross ! But different !
Go Figure ! And this in a Semi-Hollow Body Short-Scale Bass with Fifteen Frets & a 30 Inch Scale !
Sometimes it's a little too Crispy and Bright...doesn't have Very Modern Tone Control....1961 was quite a while Ago !
Action, Fit, & Finish
:
8
Hard to get Low Action because Vintage Danelectro's had Non- Adjustable Truss Rods and Tended to Bow over the Years ( like Mine.)The Painted Finish probably Original as Danelectro Shorthorn Basses were either Copper or Black. This Bass has a "Custom Silver Graphic" that is Original. Danelectro did Custom things if requested, some Pretty Psychedelic !
Reliability/Durability
:
No Opinion
Already has withstood Live Playing but I would bring along a Back-Up on a Regular Gig. I am not really sure as I haven't put this Bass to the test yet.
Customer Support
:
No Opinion
Original Company Folded & Shut Down Neptune, New Jersey Plant in 1969.
Overall Rating
:
9
Playing Bass 35 Years. I also Own a 1973 Vintage Hagstrom Sunburst Bass, a 2001 Jay Turser Violin Sunburst Beatle Bass, a Hartke Kickback 10 120 Watt Bass Combo Amp, a Fender BXR25 25 Watt Bass Combo Practice Amp, and a Rolls Mini-Mix 51 System C/W Phono Pre-Amp.
I would get another if Stolen or Lost, they are Very Unique Basses.
I Love the Vintage Tone, the 5.5 Lb. Weight, the Look, the Neck. I wish it had some more Tone Control, however, that's a Drawback.
