How To Date A Danelectro Guitar. Locate the serial number on your guitar. It is usually located on the neck pocket, but occasionally the number can be found elsewhere. Decode your serial number. Most serial numbers on Danelectro guitars have either three or four digits. The first two digits represent the week of the year it was made. Some Danelectro guitar components are reproduced under license of U.S. Trademark Number 2,411,842. Danelectro sometimes provides free products to beta testers who may later express their views on these products on the web or in print.
Even from a distance, you can’t mistake the retro art-deco looks, offset curves, and unmistakable vibe of a classic Danelectro. The ’63 Dano is the company’s latest reissue of their classic “amp in a case” body style that caught the eye of many guitarists flipping through the Sears catalogs of the ’50s and ’60s. Based around a pair of ’56 Lipstick pickups, the new ’63 possessed impressive clarity when I plugged straight into my Deluxe Reverb.
It was easy to dial in a warm, round jazzy sound on the neck pickup (though I felt the tone and volume controls could be a bit more responsive). The mid position felt a bit thinner than my Strat, but offered enough “quack” for more textural, lo-fi funk parts. When combined with a Visual Sound Route 66 Overdrive, the bridge pickup served up a fair amount of sustain, but lacked some top-end bite. There were some intonation issues, but given the ’63’s playability and price, it will easily find its place among working players with nostalgic hearts.
Test Gear: Fender Deluxe Reverb, Visual Sound Route 66 Overdrive/Compressor
Ratings
Danelectro Ebay
Pros: Immensely playable. Wonderfully musical tones in the neck and mid positions.
Cons: Intonation issues. Could use more responsive volume and tone controls.