Jerry Jones Longhorn Bass, Neptune Option

Probably made in 2002 or early 2003. 24 frets, 4 strings. The usual Jerry Jones/ Danelectro construction: wooden frame, masonite front and back. Volume knob and industrial-strength 4-way switch. Pickups: 2 Jerry Jones lipsticks. Great maple neck with great beautiful fret work. The finish on mine is an apparently industructable copper-burst (my 18-month-old son has succeeded in getting at it to bang it with his toys, and surprisingly he's never succeeded in leaving a permanent scar). Bridge is the fully-intonatable Neptune bridge that all the recent JJ's I've seen seem to have. Tuners are nice Gotoh (I think) ones. Thinish neck, short scale. The rating scale say a "10" should mean "Tons of features". It doesn't have "tons of features", because it's a very basic design, but it's so well built, and materials and hardware are so good, that I would say it has exactly the features I need, and there's nothing else I'd want it to have.

This is a really great-sounding bass. This is the first short-scale bass I've played (my other is a Jazz bass), and I'm not at all dissappioted. It sounds as good as my jazz bass, but different. Doesn't growl like the jazz bass, and sometimes I moss not having that sound, but I love playing the Jerry Jones so much that I don't mind doing without the Jazz sound. Like I said, this bass sounds just as good (or maybe better), but it's just different. I saw someone playing one of these once in a club, and I was really impressed with the great sound.

This is a really well built instrument. I don't think I'll ever need another bass, though I would LIKE to another Jerry Jones (maybe a shorthorn 4-string, or maybe a 6-string?). It's so much nicer that the Dano reissues (which are not actually bad, but Jerry Jones are just so much better).

I have gigged with this bass, and I have no reason to think it wouldn't hold up great over the long haul. It's very (solidly built. And I don't throw my stuff against the wall or anything ever, so why should it break?

No experience, no need ever.

I've been playing for 13 years or somthing. I also have a 48th Street Custom Guitars jazz copy, which is a great instrument, but just too heavy (11 or 12 pounds, or something) to play for more than 1/2 hour with my bad back. JJ guitars (and the Danelectros they are copies of) are very light. And the short scale has been great for my computer-keyboard-damaged carpal-tunneled left wrist and left hand. I love everything about this bass. It sounds great (the most important thing), it plays great (a close second). And it's really light, which is the original reason I started considering buying this bass. It was a great decision.

Recent model, handmade in Nashville. Lots of frets...ok, there's 24. Solid top!! Solid MASONITE top that is...Vol/tone and big ass switch for Jerry's own custom ALINICO lipsticks. Nb: don't be fooled by "reissued" lipsticks..there's NO comparison tone wise. Of course it's passive. It's also hollow, made off a frame in the dano mold. Actually it is a repro of a dano longhorn, but way better. Mine is a gut wrenching turqouise color, but then again I bought it used. THis one has the metal Neptune adjustable bridge, which is worth it unless you know Danos VERY well and can figure out how to intonate the sliding wooden shim called a "bridge" --not THAT hard, but for those of you used to a Fender Pbass bridge, you have some work ahead of you..Good Kluson tuners. The scale is 30.5" (amerikanski "short " scale)and the neck is rock solid MAPLE with a rosewood board, and great fret work.

I bought this bass after becoming enamored with danos, but tired of trying to get them to play "in tune". This is real bass, and it sounds great in the studio, just using a nice tube DI,(Demeter!) and a little compression. It actually does have a large variety of sounds..REALLY! If you use roundwounds (blecchhh) you can easily make the "My Generation" noise... By using the bridge pu solo, I have recorded great baritone geetar parts by sticking this thru a Fender Twin wiff lots o' verb and trem...just be sure to compress the bejesus out of it. But I love it for the bass sound mainly, big and full like a bass should be..I use 1/2 wounds, and it sounds right, you know? Also...again with Rwounds, you can get that Stan Clark short scale Alembic circa 1974 bass sound.I got this one day in the studio using a Sadowsky outboard preamp and an ADL compressor. I had a nice laugh playing "School Days", then quickly shut that evil sound OFF. JUST KIDDING.. sort of..
Live, I run it through a Crossroads 500 with 15's.. if my back is up to it, it sounds HUGE through an SVT.

As mentioned, I bought this as a "working" replacement for my dano basses. Poplar (danos) is NOT a very stable wood in the dreadfully cold/hot place I live, and Jerrys instruments get thru the humid/dry cycles very well indeed. This is a handbuilt QUALITY thang. The only thing I had done was to have "my luthier" strip the paint off the back of the neck, and apply a Tung oil finish. I personally Dislike any kind of paint/etc finish on necks.. I have had this bass for 4 years, and it has held up VERY well.

Jerry Jones doesn't advertise anymore...if you call the "factory" in Nville, you will probably talk to him! (but PLEASE don't bother him with "how would you compare your bass to my Grabber, etc" questions) He is a true pleasure to talk to (unless you start axing dumbass questions), and extremely helpful when you need help with setups, etc. He KNOWS what he's doing, dig?

I'm a bit of a retro curmudgeon, been playing for 25+ years. I've gone through the usual high end G.A.S. stuff, and found for my needs this is a great ax. For the price of a "vintage" piece of shit (hey, how about that G3!!) you can own a fine handmade bass that sounds wonderful. I don't get why mo' people don't play these. Maybe because Jerry isn't in BP, no flashy ads, etc. Then again, my favorite guys (Jerry Scheff, Bruce Thomas, etc) seem to always be mentioning these. If you can find one, and your taste leans to bluesrootscountryrealrock (whew) music, you can't go wrong with one of these.
He also makes g*****s and a wonderful electric sitar, as well as the best sounding baritone twanger in the world..