Strings for a plucky vintage sound /w Danelectro bass?

Sesh

Sesh

Jul 1, 2020
11
2
2,551
#1
Hi Talkbass

First time poster here!

I'm setting up a Danelectro Dano '63 Long-scale Bass for some vintage psych/jazz-funk/library-music-revival, hoping to recreate the popular foam-muted, plucky-pick sound of the era.

Examples of "my ideal bass sound" can be heard here:



I'm a multi-instrumentalist and have never bought bass strings before (have just used what was on the bass from factory/previous owner), but I had to change the strings as I needed to mess with the electronics, so now I'm buying for the first time.

I read that flatwounds was popular in the era and gives a warmer/darker sound and less sustain, but I'm not sure if it's what I'm after. From what I'm hearing in the recordings such as the ones I linked to, I want a bass where the attack is heavily accentuated. Of course foam-mute and maybe a compressor will help with that as well
I also know that recording through a Bassman-style "bass amp popular with guitarists" kinda-thing with less bottom end (I'm looking at a Selmer Treble And Bass 50 and my friend has a Musicman HD 130 (I think) that I can borrow) will help give it a more "guitar-like" tone with less low-end. And there's the pickups of the Dano that causes it to have a lighter low end.

But shouldn't roundwounds technically also help accentuate the attack by being brighter? What are your experiences - material, size, flat/round?
Am I overthinking this whole string thing - are they really that important a factor for this type of sound?
 
#2
Welcome to Talkbass.
With a passive bass, strings are easily the most important factor, with technique a close second. You say you want that vintage sound that is obtained with flats and a foam mute, then suggest you may want a brighter sound. So I'd say yes, you are overthinking this. Decide what you want and forget the buts. You could go for a compromise with roundwounds and a large tone cap, but in reality you can't have brighter and vintage unless you get multiple basses. Wait,... there's an idea.
 
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#5
Thanks for the input.

I've read that he did indeed use a Bison Bass, yeah. But hot diggety damn, they're expensive, and I can't afford any new bass right now. I was hoping this Danelectro that I bought years ago could get me into similar territory with the same techniques, treatment and strings. So it seems like flats is the way to go?
 
#6
DC-59 1.JPG Dano Longhorn (2).JPG Based on my experience with flats - even the very light 39-96 La Bella "Dano" flats - on short and long scale Danelectros; the sound you say you want? You ain't gonna get it with flats - especially if you use a foam mute, too. Even with flats that light, either of these basses will rattle your fillings loose. I have another DC59, with Fender 9050L flats on it. Even though those strings fall into the "modern, bright/mellow" category, I doubt you could get what you want from those strings, either. I'd suggest some light gauge stainless steel round wounds. What kind? I have no idea; the sound you say you want, is exactly the sound I don't want - from any of my basses...:cool:
 
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#8
GIBrat51 said:
View attachment 3889247 View attachment 3889248 Based on my experience with flats - even the very light 39-96 La Bella "Dano" flats - on short and long scale Danelectros; the sound you say you want? You ain't gonna get it with flats - especially if you use a foam mute, too. Even with flats that light, either of these basses will rattle your fillings loose. I have another DC59, with Fender 9050L flats on it. Even though those strings fall into the "modern, bright/mellow" category, I doubt you could get what you want from those strings, either. I'd suggest some light gauge stainless steel round wounds. What kind? I have no idea; the sound you say you want, is exactly the sound I don't want - from any of my basses...:cool:
Click to expand...

Yeah, haha.. I know how crazy it must be to a lot of modern bassists "you DON'T want sustain?". I won't go as far and say I'm a hopeless nostalgic, but I do fetishize vintage and analog sound. Tape saturation, tube amps, analog synths (VCO only, of course), combo organs. Plucky-foam-mute bass is just a continuation of that.

Thanks for the advice, both of you. Will definitely look into half-rounds.
 
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#10
Sesh said:
Hi Talkbass

First time poster here!

I'm setting up a Danelectro Dano '63 Long-scale Bass for some vintage psych/jazz-funk/library-music-revival, hoping to recreate the popular foam-muted, plucky-pick sound of the era.

Examples of "my ideal bass sound" can be heard here:



I'm a multi-instrumentalist and have never bought bass strings before (have just used what was on the bass from factory/previous owner), but I had to change the strings as I needed to mess with the electronics, so now I'm buying for the first time.

I read that flatwounds was popular in the era and gives a warmer/darker sound and less sustain, but I'm not sure if it's what I'm after. From what I'm hearing in the recordings such as the ones I linked to, I want a bass where the attack is heavily accentuated. Of course foam-mute and maybe a compressor will help with that as well
I also know that recording through a Bassman-style "bass amp popular with guitarists" kinda-thing with less bottom end (I'm looking at a Selmer Treble And Bass 50 and my friend has a Musicman HD 130 (I think) that I can borrow) will help give it a more "guitar-like" tone with less low-end. And there's the pickups of the Dano that causes it to have a lighter low end.

But shouldn't roundwounds technically also help accentuate the attack by being brighter? What are your experiences - material, size, flat/round?
Am I overthinking this whole string thing - are they really that important a factor for this type of sound?
Click to expand...


The second video sounds like flats to me.
The first one, instead, very much like black nylon tapewounds. In fact, according to Rotosound, they were invented for the Burns Bison. Get a long-scale set of Rotosound Tru Bass 88 (RS88LD), and set the bass up for a trial (by putting something between nut and strings in order to protect both, and a capo on the first or second fret, so that you get an idea whether they're for you before enlarging the nut slots - don't be put off by the gauges, a lot of that is just the nylon wrap so they're not super-high tension, but they do require a filing of the slots). Tapes do have that muted top end, but with something going on in the mids that gives them a bouncy, darkish yet well-defined (and decently sustained) tone. I'd bet they sound awesome through a Danelectro's lipsticks.
Is the bass bridge one with individually adjustable saddles, or the traditional Dano rosewood monosaddle?
 
#11
The Gainsbourg bass tone is a super coveted one! I think the pickups in the Burns were quite underwound and thin coils not unlike a Strat/Tele pickup which helped accentuate that top end. The Danectro Lipsticks may be able to get there with light-gauge flatwounds like Thomastik Infelds, or some sort of tapewounds as the previous poster suggested. You could even experiment with some sort of bass-cut capacitor in order to get a more twangy tone.
 
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