New Dano Longhorns

[Chris P.]

Guys,

I can get a brand new Longhorn very cheap. It's the one with hotter lipsticks, adjustable metal bridge, two controls and a toggle switch. Any experiences with those basses?

Thanks in advance!

[rahock]

I think Danos are great. I'm a die hard Fender bigot and have been for almost 40 years but I love those Danos.
Bang for the buck ,there is nothing even close .

I have not played any of the new ones, but I've heard good things. Same old vibe.

Rick

[Bernardduur]

I've recently A/B'ed one with my vintage one and they don't sound alike. They are more treble focussed with less "vibe" in the sound then the orginal had. I must say that some of the mods make the unit much better playable; the individual saddles, the toggle switch and the two controls (I can have a hard time finding my sound with those stacked pots)..........

Also, they don't have their pickups in series like the old had

[Chris P.]

Thanks guys.

It won't be my main bass, but more something fir fun. And I can get one really cheap... I can always mod it!

[rahock]

I've recently A/B'ed one with my vintage one and they don't sound alike. They are more treble focussed with less "vibe" in the sound then the orginal had. I must say that some of the mods make the unit much better playable; the individual saddles, the toggle switch and the two controls (I can have a hard time finding my sound with those stacked pots)..........

Also, they don't have their pickups in series like the old had

Interesting news When I heard a demo of one of the new Danos online it seemed to me that there was a whole lot more treble than I remembered,but unless you're the one who is playing it and tweaking it in , you don't really know what you've got.
The thing that I always liked about the old Danos was the distinctive bottom end.  The few that I played really had a definate personality and that is something you don't usually find without a heaviy price tag.

Rick

[Bernardduur]

+1 on the personality! I love mine (from '67)

[JimmyBond8]

I say snatch it up!!  I love my Dano Longhorn, it has such a great sound and is perfect for traveling (backup) or practice.
I have heard some unkind things about the newer adjustable saddle bridge, but I'm sure that the newer tuners would have to be an improvement.

[Blazer]

Interesting news When I heard a demo of one of the new Danos online it seemed to me that there was a whole lot more treble than I remembered,but unless you're the one who is playing it and tweaking it in , you don't really know what you've got.
The thing that I always liked about the old Danos was the distinctive bottom end.  The few that I played really had a definate personality and that is something you don't usually find without a heaviy price tag.

Rick

Yeah that's also my experience from having played a vintage one at last March's vintage fair in Veenendaal. It felt rubbery and small but it has a seemingly bottomless low end, I tried it through an Ampeg SVT head and 4x10 cab. I played some Beatles and some Jack Bruce and the Dano held the thing together nicely.

Ade, my bassplayer who was there when I played the Dano, is looking towards getting one of the new ones as a backup for his Gretsch Baritone jet six string bass because he really loved that "Brutal low end" that little Dano gave. I hate to dissappoint him about the new ones seemingly sounding different.

[Freuds_Cat]

Chris did you see the Longhorn that Neil Merryweather played in the vid that I did? From about 2:12.

[Chris P.]

Cool clip, nice Longhorn!


I think I'll order one, so I can give you some info about my experiences. Maybe it's a bit more trebly, but maybe it's better usable in a band situation too... I know it has hotter pick ups, and normally I don't like that. But for the money...

[Blazer]

I played one today through an Eden set up and was pleasantly surprised, it sounds really good, it does have that "Twang" of a short scale and I did a decent Stanley impersionation when using the bridge pickup and playing the main riff of "Schooldays" But even more surprising was how good the little bass sounded when I slapped my way through Level 42's "Lessons in love"

My drummer who was with me said "There's NO WAY a bass that cheap has the right to sound that good." But it does.

[Chris P.]

Okay, thanks Blazer! I keep in touch.

And what about thundering lows?

[rahock]

My drummer who was with me said "There's NO WAY a bass that cheap has the right to sound that good." But it does.

That's what everyone says
Dano violates so much of what we've learned about what it takes to make a good instrument(like ...start with a fine piece of wood). I dunno ....but they make it work.

Rick

[Bernardduur]

Hey, they are hollow

Not so much wood on these ones!

[rahock]

Hey, they are hollow

Not so much wood on these ones!

The bodies are made of masonite or some such material. The only real wood is the neck
Rick