A lot of guitarists who are looking for new gear often ask the same question: are Danelectro guitars good? In a world full of great and affordable low and mid-level guitars from such brands as Squier, Ibanez or Washburn, it’s really easy to get lost. Many players choose Danelectro instead, but are these guitars actually worth the money?
Of course! Danelectro is one of the most underrated guitar brands in the world. Although it’s not as popular as Fender or Gibson, the company manufactures great looking and affordable instruments for all-level guitarists. In addition, there is a wide roster of professional players who use their gear on a daily basis.
Since I had a few of their guitars in my hands, I feel obliged to share my experience with my readers. A lot of people aren’t aware that Danelectro has actually a really interesting history that impacted the overall success and reputation of the brand!
In today’s article, we’re going to dive deeper with research and interesting facts about Danelectro guitars. Let’s find out why their guitars are always a good choice. At the end of this post, you’ll probably start looking for your own Danelectro axe!
About Danelectro Guitars
The company was founded in 1947 in New Jersey by Nathan Daniel, who previously worked at Epiphone for a short period of time. At the beginning, Danelectro wasn’t making any guitars – they focused on making amplifiers instead. In 1950s, the company started producing hollow body guitars made of Masonite and poplar.
What’s important, they really cared about innovation. As a matter of fact, it was the first company that introduced a six string bass guitar (1956). Although their model never became popular, they definitely contributed to the overall growth of the extended-range guitar market.
Ten years later, the company was sold to MCA (Music Corporation of America) and not long after that, they announced the famous Coral line known for electric sitars and hollow bodies. As you can imagine, these instruments played a vital role during the hippie era in late 1960s and early 1970s.
Currently, the company is owned by Evets Corporation. The company may not be as popular as other major brands in the industry, but they still manage to sell thousands of great guitars every year.
Used By The Best Musicians Out There
Of course, Danelectro played an important role during the rise of rock n’ roll and psychedelic genres. Not many people know that Danelectro guitars were used by such musicians as Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Elvis Presley, Jimmy Page and even Stevie Ray Vaughan! Although you may associate some of these acts with Stratocasters, they used Danelectro guitars in the past too.
It is worth mentioning that Danelectro guitars are also important for today’s musicians. There is a wide range of artists who use that gear for their studio recordings and live gigs. That includes:
- Phoebe Bridgers
- Hozier
- Dave Grohl
- Mick Jagger
- George Ezra
- Mark Knopfler
- Elvis Costello
- and many, many more!
For those who are interested, here’s an official list of musicians who use Danelectro guitars.
Top Danelectro Guitars
It’s time to highlight some of the best Danelectro guitars out there! As I mentioned before, the company offers amazing guitars at affordable prices. Here’s a few cool models that are worth having a look.
Danelectro Convertible Acoustic-Electric
A really interesting acoustic-electric guitar which is incomparable with other guitars at this price level. This guitar is from a different planet – and it’s not a bad thing at all! It features a piezo pickup, but it still sounds loud without plugging it in. In addition, there are a few knobs to help you find your own perfect tone. Undoubtedly, it’s a really interesting alternative to all other acoustic-electric guitars out there.
Danelectro Longhorn Bass
The Longhorn is the most popular bass model offered by Danelectro. You have to admit that the guitar looks really unusual! Whether you like this body shape or not, you have to be aware that this is actually a really good bass guitar. I’ve seen that Victoria de Angelis from Måneskin uses it in most of her performances. Great guitar suitable for all-level players!
Danelectro ’59 12 String
One of the most iconic electric 12-string guitars in the world. The guitar features a double cutaway body and a vintage textured binding on the side. Awesome look, unique sound and decent price – who needs anything else? If you’re into this kind of retro vibe, you should definitely check it out. The guitar sounds fantastic in real life!
Danelectro Pedals
Not everyone know that the company actually manufactures guitar pedals too. And what’s interesting, most of them sound awesome. If you’re wondering whether their effects are good or not, trust me – they feature an exceptional quality! But to be honest, there’s quite a lot to talk about when it comes to their pedals – we’ll cover it in another separate article.
Still, I’d like to share one of my favorite Danelectro pedals with you – Danelectro 3699 Fuzz. If you’re interested to see a detailed specification and price of this pedal, here’s the link to Amazon. But feel free to check out this amazing demo below first. I have to admit that I’m a massive fan of this sound, it sounds spectacular!
Summary
I hope that you enjoyed today’s article and a little bit of my research. Are Danelectro guitars good? Absolutely! I feel like every guitarist should at least try to play on a Danelectro guitar once in their life. Personally, I feel like this brand is really underrated. Although there is a lot of people who appreciate their quality, the company is not as big as Fender or Gibson. But maybe that’s a good thing? We can keep these gems for ourselves!
If you’d like to read more interesting stuff about Danelectro, here’s a great and detailed article about their history.
What do you think about Danelectro guitars and pedals? Let me know in the comments section below, I’m really curious! In addition, if you enjoyed this article, you may also like:
