Danelectro '56 U2 Review

It is what it it, and it ain’t what it ain’t…

I bought mine new in 1999 when I was 17, and after 23 years of babying it, it is still in excellent condition. There is the smallest amount of separation of the body tape at the neck joint, but that it the only issue. I always start my reviews by saying I feel that there are far too many five star reviews, and I could understand a review with 3 stars if you are impossible to please.… read more For this guitar I would understand a review of 0 to 5 stars. If you thought it was going to sound like anything but a Dano, you are going to be disappointed. If you like the Dano sound, well it nails it. To quote Oscar Wilde - "it is the kind of thing you like if you like that kind of thing.' When I got mine, my only other guitar was a LP Special style double cut with dual humbuckers. So when I wanted a less searing sound, this was my go-to. I kidded myself it sounded like a strat, tele, white falcon, casino, and every other guitar I didn't have. I used it to play my 3rd rate Hendrix knock offs, put it in open G for some Stones and Black Crowes, played Beatles tunes, used it to try and channel the Police, played a lot of RHCP, and just used it for any single coil or hollow body sounds. Did I nail these sounds? No. No I did not. Did I have a ton of fun and come up with a cool sound all my own? Oh yeah. This is without a doubt the most fun guitar I have ever owned. It is super light. Almost too light. And it is surprisingly easy to play. You can play this one for hours with out hand fatigue. It doesn't sound like anything else, and with both pickups on the sound is incredibly big and full. Before I had an acoustic electric I could fake it pretty good with this guitar. A sales man at my local guitar shop played in a local band and he told me he used a Dano double cut for the whole set. He said it just filled out the band. When I got it I was running a Peavey Bandit 112, and it still sounded great. Later I upgraded to a Classic 30, and then a Blues Jr. it sounds awesome with a tube amp. If you run it through a gain pedal with some high gain you will get a lot of feedback, but if done right you can make it sustain and sound like a synth. It is pretty cool. Being that mine is from the early runs in Korea, it has the white button tuners and the rosewood bridge. I am sure the new hardware is an upgrade, but it detracts from the vibe. Danelectro used to offer the coolest colors. Mine is a purple burst, and I have a Convertible in blue burst. I think Dano needs to bring these colors back. Now for my concerns. When I got this guitar it was so cheap. I do not know why, but SW will not let you post dollar figures or prices. So I will say this - in 1999 it cost 48 hours work at the federal minimum wage. Now days they go for about 79 hours labour at the federal minimum wage. That is a huge jump! Without counting for inflation the new cost is about 2.5 times what I paid. If this guitar had been that expensive relative to the times, would I love it as much? Who know? In all honesty I probably would not have been able to buy it. These days the guitar is a much more substantial investment. Especially if you are a 17 year old kid. At the current price point, this guitar has to contend with some much more stiff competition. At this price you can get a lot of guitar. When I bought it, it was head and shoulders above anything else in the price class. My best advise is to try and find one to play, or watch a lot of YouTube reviews to hear the sounds. If you decide the Dano thing is for you - pull the trigger. If you decide to take a pass, maybe you will get one down the road. In the Andertons TV review of Dano's they described it as 'your 6th guitar.' Maybe once you get all the marque guitars, you will decide it is time for an eccentric weirdo. Last thing I will say - if I could go back to 1999 when the first run reissues were being made in Korea, I would buy as many as I could, and all the models. I'd get some more U2s, the Double Cut, more Convertibles, and the Short scale double cut bass. So if you decide you like it - get 'em all before the price double again!

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A thing a beauty...

Great looking guitar and has a really nice tone. Clean or dirty , and probably one of the lightest electric guitars I have owned.

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