Silvertone Model 1444 Electric Bass Guitar, made by Danelectro (1965)
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Item # 8889
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Silvertone Model 1444 Model Electric Bass Guitar, made by Danelectro (1965), made in Neptune, NJ, serial # 3035, black lacquer finish, masonite and pine body, poplar neck with rosewood fingerboard.
The 1960s Silvertone Model 1444 Bass, nicknamed "Dolphin Nose" for its trademark drooping minimalist headstock, was one of the most popular budget 4-strings of its era. Made by Danelectro for Sears beginning in 1959, this bass listed at $79.95 complete with a Masonite hard-shell case. This one carries pots dating to the 31st week of 1964 and a manufacturing code from mid-1965, so it was assembled right at the height of the 1960s guitar boom.
With a long 22 fret, 29 1/2" scale neck, and single "lipstick" pickup, the Model 1444 is an extremely useful and good-sounding bass. Designed to be light, handy, and easy to play, the 1444 was aimed by Sears at novice players and teenagers and arguably was an important instrument helping to popularize the electric bass by making it affordable to just about anyone.
This example shows some wear and minor restoration but remains original with standard Danelectro features: "lipstick" pickup, pebble grained vinyl sides, "skate key" tuning pegs and wood-saddle adjustable bridge. The classic American garage band bass, this was the first 4-string for thousands of players in the 1960s and is still an excellent value over 50 years later!
Overall length is 43 1/2 in. (110.5 cm.), 13 1/4 in. (33.7 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 5/8 in. (4.1 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 29 1/2 in. (749 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.).
This 1444 is a little scruffy but a good player, and all original except for a few screws. Someone (not us) went to the trouble of restoring the original "Skate Key" tuners after they had once been changed to something else. There is some fairly sloppy finish patching on the headstock face around the E and A shafts, although it's not hugely distracting on a black finish. The headstock has some touch up on the tip as well, and there is a filled wear spot on the back of the neck behind the third fret. The rest of the finish shows dings, dents and scrapes, wear to the body edges and a decent sized spot of buckle wear to the back. The plastic "Silvertone" logo badge his intact but has lost a lot of its chrome plating. This is not the cleanest of these we have had, but a good "gigger" with the expected Danno sound and feel. Very Good + Condition.
The 1960s Silvertone Model 1444 Bass, nicknamed "Dolphin Nose" for its trademark drooping minimalist headstock, was one of the most popular budget 4-strings of its era. Made by Danelectro for Sears beginning in 1959, this bass listed at $79.95 complete with a Masonite hard-shell case. This one carries pots dating to the 31st week of 1964 and a manufacturing code from mid-1965, so it was assembled right at the height of the 1960s guitar boom.
With a long 22 fret, 29 1/2" scale neck, and single "lipstick" pickup, the Model 1444 is an extremely useful and good-sounding bass. Designed to be light, handy, and easy to play, the 1444 was aimed by Sears at novice players and teenagers and arguably was an important instrument helping to popularize the electric bass by making it affordable to just about anyone.
This example shows some wear and minor restoration but remains original with standard Danelectro features: "lipstick" pickup, pebble grained vinyl sides, "skate key" tuning pegs and wood-saddle adjustable bridge. The classic American garage band bass, this was the first 4-string for thousands of players in the 1960s and is still an excellent value over 50 years later!
Overall length is 43 1/2 in. (110.5 cm.), 13 1/4 in. (33.7 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 5/8 in. (4.1 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 29 1/2 in. (749 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.).
This 1444 is a little scruffy but a good player, and all original except for a few screws. Someone (not us) went to the trouble of restoring the original "Skate Key" tuners after they had once been changed to something else. There is some fairly sloppy finish patching on the headstock face around the E and A shafts, although it's not hugely distracting on a black finish. The headstock has some touch up on the tip as well, and there is a filled wear spot on the back of the neck behind the third fret. The rest of the finish shows dings, dents and scrapes, wear to the body edges and a decent sized spot of buckle wear to the back. The plastic "Silvertone" logo badge his intact but has lost a lot of its chrome plating. This is not the cleanest of these we have had, but a good "gigger" with the expected Danno sound and feel. Very Good + Condition.