Danelectro 1956 U2 Reissue

Late 90's, Korean, 21 Fret, Masonite/Plywood construction. Stacked concentric Volume and Tone for the two passive lipstick tube pickups. A three-way selector for flexible sound.
The finish is a deep burgundy with a matched headstock, on a single cutaway body. This is not a current color offering by Danelectro, so this one was made in the late 90's. The bridge is very simple in design. Slab of chrome-steel, one screw to hold it in place, also doubles a a height adjustment. There are two screws along the leading edge, used to adjust string height. The rosewood bridge is adjustable by usiing a single screw located under the bridge. Only complaint with the bridge is the lack of depth in where the strings catch under the bridge. Also if this height is set too low, it can cause the string balls to dig into the body of the instrument. A needle file took care of this easily. Intonation was easily achieved after this slight mod.
Tuners are OK for factory stock, not the best, but the it does manage to stay in tune for long periods.
The neck is great, even though this one came out of a pawnshop, and had been abused, the neck was still great.

This thing is very flexible in the sounds that I can get out of it. I play through a Behringer GX112 Workstation, out to a Boss Amp Factory, then route the sound back through a Rouge PRM 1208. This little axe can generate everything from a very clean, nearly acoustic tone, through a severely distorted, rock crushing crunch. It's the third true Dano in my collection, the others being the Innuendo 6 and 12 string models, and I have a vintage (1960) Silvertone.
There's really not much to dislike about this guitar. It's light, flexible, and definitely a players guitar.

Since I got this out of a pawn shop, and it looked like it had een left in the rain, then stored in a barn for a couple years, the finish was in really bad shape. Gentle cleaning with a quality guitar polish removed all but some stubborn tape goo. Once that was removed and a final polish was given, the finish came back to an almost new appearance. Beyond replacing what may have been the original strings (with Danelectro Vintage-Tones), resetting the intonation, and cleaning the three-way switch to eliminate some crackling, this guitar was gig-ready, only about 4 hours after I bought it.
Again, because this was a pawnshop find, there a couple of very minor finish dings, almost unnoticable due to the burgundy color being nearly as dark as the masonite under the finish.

This guitar is recommended for live play. It's lightweight construction makes it a joy to have hanging around your neck for long periods.
I may, at some point upgrade some of the hardware, but why fix what's not broken.
The finish does show some signs of playing, but this could just be the abuse of the previous owner.
The strap buttons are OK, But the neck button is a pain, so I have mounted a button on one of the neck screws.
I can and do depend on it, and while I may other guitars at hand, I don't find myself reaching for them, except may the 12 string, but that's for a totally different sound.

Dano support is OK, it owuld be nice if they would sell parts other than the pickups, but there are other after-market vendors who carry a variety of Dano compatible parts.

I had been playing for more than 10 years, then lost interest while chasing a career and raising a family. I recently got back into it as a Bass player and also doing some custom build work. This little Dano caught my attention and has dragged me back into guitar playing. If you are looking for a versatile, light, easy playing guitar, then this is may be it.

Light, thats all I can say, this is the lightest guitar in my collection! The twin lipstick pickups... beautiful! The style, well it fits me perfectly! I have the Blue Seude colored one, and probably would only ever pick up a Limo Black one if I wanted a different color.

It also has great action! Again superior to any of my other guitars (mentioned later).

This has to be the ultimate Ska guitar! The first guitar I was given to play in my Ska band was a Vantage Avenger, the second was an old BC Rich I grabbed for $25 just for the hell of it, the third was a Epiphone "The Dot" I bought brand new for $700. After all of that I still always turn back to the U2! My only complaint is that the lipstick pickups are naturally noisy, but they still deliver a unique sound that rings true even in a blown late 80's red knob Fender Twin.

I have never touched the settings after I receive the guitar, nor did I get the shop (Long and McQuade) to change them for me. I've been happy with the action (which out preforms all of my guitars) ever since day one! The only thing I have actually done as replace the strings with Ernie Ball Extra Slinky strings.

I always feel as if this guitar isn't there, its so freaking light! (compared to my other guitars anyways). The strap stays on snugly, and has never come off during sessions, even during my big jumps and twirls that often leave my Epiphone crashing to the floor. The only backup I would ever bring to a show would by my Epiphone, and that would be only for certain songs where the sound of a Hollowbody is needed.

The site is awesome, tells you a lot about the guitar, but that is the extent of the customer support I've sought out.

If your wondering why the price is so freaking cheap, it's because I bought it during an inventory close out sale. The guitar was sitting on the shelf for 8 months un-touched for $420 until the sale. I plan to buy a Hodad soon, and maybe even a Baritone. This is how impressed I am with the Danelector line! If they were to release a 2x12 combo I would probably run down and try it out as soon as I could!

Their are two amps I have ran this guitar through, the first was a Fender late 80's red-knob Twin, it went though that amp until the amp died in a tragic melting of circutry! The second amp that this guitar has graced is a Vox AC30. While I wasn't that impressed with the Twin, the AC30 has deffinatly made this guitar my pride and joy!

Price: $324 (new) including padded gigbag from Matt Umanov's, NYC, 2000. I won't rehash too much on the features here, but it does have the fundamentals: three position toggle w/stacked concentric volume/tone pots for each of the lipstick pickups. Wooden bridge (more on this below), metal nut, 21 frets. And, unlike some others, I LIKE the strap pins: they actually keep the strap put (unlike those on my Les Paul) with the same kind of strap. Function trumps cosmetics here, so a definite 10.

Again, a 10. Yes, it can do jazz. I think it's that wooden bridge; I know it looks like a popsicle stick, but think about it--vintage Gibsons have WOODEN bridges. This thing is almost, but not quite, on par with my ES 125TC. Works great for jazz, blues, prog and, of course, old time rock 'n roll. I run it through a Holmes Tech15 (see review) or one of the Dano HoneyTone micro amps (it'll fit in the gigbag). Generally w/o effects, but chorus and wah go well with it. It's not the look folks, it's about the sound. But...

This guitar was set up flawlessly, and I commented on that to the sales guy at Umanov's. He said they do their own inspection and set-up work, so of course that counts for part of this score. But, I tend to think these things come from the factory spot on, because the Dano Baritone I purchased a year previously (from a different shop, Dan's Music in Brooklyn) was likewise perfect. This U2 is the only guitar I didn't immediately want to restring with heavier gauges, though I have since. Very stable tuning either way, and the factory strings were great. I now have D'Addario flatwounds (Chromes, .011 down to .050) and didn't have to make any adjustments to the neck or bridge, but I LIKE high action and stiff strings. I call this my Easter Egg guitar as it's finished in what I guess they call Blue Suede.

Dependable; great subway/city guitar. Versatile enough that it could be gigged without backup, though clearly subject to single-coil hum.

No need for repairs yet. Good webstie, and they've answered my emails.

This thing has a great sound, an "in between" one as others have mentioned. I've been playing 18 years (half a lifetime now...wow). Electrics include a '92 MexiTele (wonderful), '99 The Paul SL(ditto), ES 125TC (see review)and a '99 Dano Baritone. Acoustics include a Yamaha EF 15 Eterna, a Harmony Monterey and a Gibson L50. What all of these have in common is wonderful acoustic sound and this Dano is no exception. Worth getting again, though if it were stolen, I might just go for one of the doublenecks...

I think its a 2000/2001. 21 frets, Semi hollow, harboard top and bottom on a plywood frame. 2 single coil passive lip stick p'ups. Individual concentric tone/vol pots. Hard 25 ins maple neck with nicely grained rosewood fingerboard. les paul shaped body (single cutaway). Non locking, cheapish but very effective and stable tuners. Rosewood saddle. Height adjustable bridge. nice c profiled neck not too fat not too thin. Rating based on features. This aint no rock monster but it has a very usable niche in my collection

I am primarily a blues based rock player and this guitar suits my style well. It is played primarily through a Peavey Classic 30 all tube amp and occassionally a Fender Stage 100 and it sounds great through both. It has a very haunting hollow, bright twangy bluesy sound especially when playing slide for which it is perfect. I cannot express in writing just how gorgeous this thing sounds it is so very unique and unlike anything I have played in my 20 years of playing. It is the perfect rythym guitar and has many of the qualities of an old tele only it has more twang. The sustain is not ever lasting but if you want that you should buy a les paul. The neck pick up is just so gorgeous especially with the tone turned up full. There is nothing i dislike about this guitar in fact I have not been able to put it down since I got it it is totally fun to play and totally addictive its a must have instrument for those folks that havn't got one

Factory set up- Hard to say as it looked like it was an ex demo instrument that had had its fair share of use. I wouldn't like to say it was poor from the factory but it was poor from the shop (my experience of Dano equipment in the past is that it is alays perfect).


Intonation was in need of a little tweeking (this is adjustable on thes contrary to popular belief all you have to do is move the rosewood saddle a little. Its fiddly but possible and very worth it)

Pickups were perfectly adjusted, Action needed to be lowered (and I play with it higher than most people) It needed restringing (I would have done this anyway as I only use 1 particular brand and gauge)

Neck was perfectly straight. Frets were perfect.

Pick up switch was a little noisy but frequent use has remedied this.

Well cut nut.

Generally looks flimsy but is very,very well built - built to last. Solid as a rock.

I cannot give this a too low rating as the problems were the retailers fault and not Danelectros

As mentioned appears well built. It is yet to pass the test of time.

Ive never really give a sh*t if the paint job is nice or not or going to look nice forever I only really care about the sound of my equipment. People that worry about appearance should go and join a boy band. These guitars are very much a guitarists guitar.

The strap buttons are my only concern- they are plastic but they seem OK and solid enough.

I always use a back up as I am paranoid and it has been gigged 2-3 times a week for the last 6 weeks and never let me down - I trust this thing more than my 1975 Strat

I wrote to them (JHS-The UK distributor to give them some positive feedback on how brilliant this guitar is and they didnt reply. Who knows what they would be like if I had a complaint)

I have been playing for 20+ years I own a Fender 70s Strat (USA Original), An old Washburn acoustic, A Mexican standard Tele, A 1990s Gibson Les Paul Standard. A modified Dearmond M70 and a Epiphone Es335 (Dot) and of course this U2 reissue.

This guitar fills a niche I didn't even know was there it really is an exceptional piece of equipment. It is very much a players guitar I wouldn't recommend that a beginner buy it as his/her first guitar. You cannot compare this to anything else as it is so unique. My wife calls this guitar the mistress as its never out of my hands and she knows I would rather have this guitar than another women it is that gorgeous - I am in love with it.

Light hollow body with fatish rosewood neck. Two danelectro retro style lipstick single pole pickups, passive electronics and a three way selector switch. Twin stacked volume and tone pots. Adjustable Rosewood bridge and non-locking tuners.

Full sweet sound played clean. Highest output on middle setting. A great little blues guitar. Feels right and sounds right. Also great for knocking out rhythms and surprisingly good cranked up with overdrive. This guitar can really rock if it has to but the limited intonation adjustment and restricted access to upper frets will be seen as bit limiting for some players. Tone pots seem a bit vague and need some getting used to in order to get a full range of sounds. Some great unique retro sounds available though.

I bought the guitar second hand and I would guess it is about three years old. Black body with cream edge tape. Looks really cool - looks a "friendly" guitar - one you want to pick up and play. I lowered the action slightly, reset the intonation and re-strung with a range from 9 to 48. Slight tweaking of the pick ups was needed to give more bite off the bridge pick up in particular. Neck feels good and the frets are well set and true. Tuners seem adequate and it stays in tune quite well. It has a metal top nut but to be honest I am not a fan of metal nuts on a guitar of this type. I glued in the strap pegs and reset a couple of scews that had worked lose. A bit of light polish and it looks brand new.

I think this guitar is a lot lot stronger than most people think. It is light but it has a soild feel to it. Very little neck movement. The finish seems to wear well - mine has very few marks. I am sure it will be great at home, in the studio or on stage.

No support needed to date

I have been playing 30 years. I own an Epiphone six string accoustic, an Ibanez RG 340F, a Fender Jazz Bass and a Fender 70's Stratocaster. A variety of amps from Marshalls to HH Combos. I wouldn't compare this guitar with anything else as in my view it has its own character and unique sound. It is great to pick up and just play around with a few musical ideas with or without amplification. Its light weight design is a big advantage in my opinion. Now I have one I certainly intend to keep it and look after it. I might well buy another if it were lost.

This is a 2000 example in Blueburst. That is a yellowish cream with a graduated blue border and a white side tape. 21 frets, rosewood fretboard, painted neck and headstock.

Stacked tone and volume pots, one for each of the 2 lipstick pickups. 3 position pickup switch. Rosewood bridge and aluminium nut. No whammy bar. No floyd rose. All the features you would expect from a 50's guitar and no more

The gearing on the tuning pegs is not to my taste in that a small turn has a large effect on the tuning - but they do tune the string and they seem pretty stable.

This is a great 50's rock and roll guitar - you can get a real Chuck Berry sound with a little Fender-esque amp. My Electar 10 watt is ideal for that sound. It is also good for early electric blues and some Rock and Roll. I think that it would be OK for bluegrass but I don't play that.

It isn't good for heavy rock or Jazz. It has a very bright, twangy sound - more so than a Telecaster. It is a thin sound with a lot of cut - even through distortion, the guitar tone comes through. It is not to everyone's taste but it is very charactristic and intrinsically good at being itself, intrinsically bad at being anything else.

The pickups seem quiet when not being played - in the same room with the same amp, my Strat has an annoying buzz and my Tele a noticeable hum. The tone is clear but never bell like like a Tele.

There is limited variety in the sound. It isn't capable of fat tones. There isn't a huge difference between the pickups but it is very much focussed on one sound IMHO.

It is a good

I like all sorts of guitars sounds and I like this one.

This U2 was very nicely set up - much better than other U2s that I have played. The quality of set-up seems to be very variable. The finish is very good on what is essentially a very cheap guitar.

For those unfamiliar with the guitar, it is made of masonite and chip board except for the neck and headstock. They were originally sold via the Sears catalog and had to be both inexpensive and light to mail. This means that there are no considerations such as quality of grain.

The finish on these is always fine. The fit and action vary from 3 to 10. This is a good one. The score is based on this example.

This guitar is not built like a rock. It is light. It is relatively flimsy. I really would not want to subject this guitar to excessive stresses. The strap buttons seem especially vulnerable as there is litte wood for them to bed in to.

Never dealt.

I have been playing 8 years and I have 22 guitars including basses, classicals, 12 strings and acoustics. I like at least one of everything and the U2 is unique.

I had a U1 once that I didn't care for but this is a much better guitar. It has a unique sound that it necessary to have for a full tone palette.

I love the sound but I don't like the ultra-light construction - but that is what gives it the sound. You have to take both.

I compared it to other U2s before buying and against my custom built Tele - but this is too individual to compare against a different 2 pickup 50's style guitar.

There is nothing missing from this guitar. It doesn't need anything to be itself.

You know the tune...68th verse, same as the first. This one is a black left-handed model (actually, was...I traded it a few months ago, but I might pick up another one someday. more on that later...).

The only reason I'm doing this review (who needs another review of this thing?!) is because the left-handed models have a quirk that kinda ticked me off, even in such a reasonably priced guitar.

I play old rock, (like Beatles, CSN&Y, Kansas, CCR, etc.) blues, some country, and contemporary Christian (on electric...fingerstyle stuff on acoustic).

I played this thing through several different amps; a Vibro Champ, A Peavey Delta Blues, Classic 20, Transtube Express 112.

All the tones in this thing are usable...from the bridge p-up (try Jumpin' Jack Flash) to blues lead on the neck to great all around rhythm in all three positions) . Like everyone else has said, this guitar is worth getting because it has it's own tone...kinda like a Rickenbacker...nothin' else sounds quite like it! It is just awesome for blues...I actually got the best tone from this thing through the Transtube amp...played along with Johnny Winter for hours...I know he doesn't use one of these, but maybe the weak pickups are on par with a Gibson Firebird with minihumbuckers...

I liked the set-up, great neck for the price, paint job was great (this is the only left-handed guitar I've ever WANTED to own in basic BLACK! The black is the coolest), and unlike another reviewer, I like the cheesy pickguard...

My dislike(s), and the reason I got rid of it: ON EVERY ONE OF THESE I PLAYED, the tone controls went immediately from 'on' to 'off' right at the end of their travel...no variation whatsover. I didn't notice this problem on the right handed ones, or, for some reason, on the volume pot (which is stacked with the tone pot...strange!) This made any slight changes in tone impossible; either it's all the way ON or OFF!! I think it's because they used right handed potentiometers, but wired 'em backward, so they'd rotate 'left-handed." BIG MISTAKE! We left-handed players really don't care if we have to have "backwards" volume and tone pots (do you hear me, PRS?); we're left-handed, for cryin' out loud, we've had to adapt a lot in this righty world!! We're thankful for the few lefty instruments out there (Like this one!)...just don't screw 'em up in the working parts.

OKAY, I'm done griping! The only other dislike was the lousy (and backward, again!) tuners...but at this price they're not bad.

For the price, who can complain about this guitar? Great fretwork, pretty good quality rosewood board (I've seen cheaper fretboards on low end Gibsons and Martins!), no visible flaws, other than the tape around the edge not being applied generously enough, so that it wants to lift off in the cutaway and other lowlying areas.

Hey guys, the bridge is adjustable...figure it out.

This is a great 'life' guitar, cuz if you destroy it (which you probably won't), you can replace it for less than a pair of tires for your car!

No clue. Got mine used. Traded it used.

Been playing for 30 years (I'm forty-three). Have had enough acoustics and electrics (lefties) to know what's what. My favorite features of this guitar were the price, tone and playability...this thing is worth having for the unique nitch it fills, plus it's just an absolute NECESSITY for a good gritty blues tone! I think I'll look for another one someday, and maybe change the pickups and the pots (separate 'em into four pots, drill a couple more holes for more control)...it'll be worth the $$ invested. I've built five Warmoths, so the mods won't be a problem, and I love tinkering! Probably shouldn't have sold/traded it, but I've said that about LOTS of stuff (not just guitars; cars, books, albums...)

Well, you probably know it's a hollow-body, which, as people have said, seems a bit flimsy, but I really can't tell unless you open it up.

Mine has a really nice 50's green colour to it.

The bridge is really cheap looking, not sure what it's called, but it is pretty much a sliver of wood.

I didn't buy it for sound, though I like it. Knowing not too much about the 50s style sound, the guitar lends it's self pretty well to modern stuff, and even distorts fairly well. The pickups have a bit of hum, which is annoying, but you get used to it.

I also own an Epiphone Special, and this is generally a much quieter guitar than the Epi.

Overall, the guitar seemed fairly well set up. I have two main complaints, but to keep from being redundant, check Reliability/Durability.

The strap button fell out the day I got it home. It just came off with the strap. This really pissed me off.

Also, after a while, I noticed the plug for the patch chord was loose, so I took it apart, and the metal nut under the plug had just shattered. How does a piece of metal shatter after 4 months?

I wrote to the company over a week ago about my problem with the nut shattering, and they still haven't responded. It was quite difficult to replace, as it had special fine threads, unlike most nuts.

This guitar, throughout my complaints, it still a joy to play, and sounds pretty damn good.

I wouldn't want it as my only guitar, but definately as one of mine.

If I lost it, I'd buy a new one for sure. (Though I'd check a few more things in store...)

Stange construction - hardboard over a plywood frame, finished in salmon pink (I reckon). Two lipstick s/c pickups, three aside tuners, two concentric volume/tone controls.

After years playing mainly Teles, I plugged this guitar in, settled a slide on my finger and played. Eerie - sounded just like an old Elmore James track. No two ways about it, this guitar has an 'old' sound - it comes from a time when guitar sounds were happy accidents rather than deliberate. The treble pickup is weedy, but again sounds truly 50s with loads of reverb. Both pickups combine in series to deliver the highest output. The front pickup is fine. I wouldn't recommend the U2 for modern styles, but for slide, rockabilly etc it sounds authentic

Bought second hand, can't attest to the supplied condition. Has a low action and provides a comfortable ride. The internal wiring is tidy and other than the tuners I have no complaints.

The tuning is truly odd, it seems to wander all over the place, with the G string suffering the most. I know that this is because the G is the first unwound string, which creates a tensioning problem that most Tele players experience. The single piece bridge also creates some intonation problems which make up-neck excursions a very risky business.

The U2 does have something of the "so bad, it's good" quality. The guitar doesn't pretend to be poor man's PRS or whatever. If you've got the attitude, the U2 will deliver. I don't recall many bluesmen, rockabillys or garage bands having earnest discussions about tuning and intonation - it's really a case of getting a really long strap, a cheesy fuzz or cavenous slapback delay, then let the games begin.

year 2000. pretty basic stuff. this isn't a top line guitar, just a little, cool plywood guitar with a great finish on it. action is ok; played pretty fast out of the box. plastic knobs, lipstick pickups play to the retro look crowd. i like the fact that it weighs next to nothing (mostly hollow body construction). then again i like simplicity.

i do some session work, so play just about everything. even tried "jesu, joy of man's desiring" on it (well, i tried it). its got a unique sound to it. i've used it with a peavey bandit, a carvin (the tweed one), a marshall and a cheapo 50-watt radio shack (yeah, the last one worked great!). for variety i run it through an effects box.

for the price this is a decent buy. real nice set-up- a little high but ok. pick-ups are fine. bridge is a weird hunk of wood that i'd like to replace with a regular compensated saddle- but dano doesn't sell parts so i'll need to cannibalize something else. finish is decent too- reminds me of a polished counter top. what everyone says about the strap buttons - true, they're awful. replace them first chance you get.

i don't thrash around with my instruments, or bash them against amps, or abuse them. hey, they're instruments! i've played out with it a bunch and its fine. (thats with the strap buttons replaced). i always have a back-up (for electric its a tele). lately i've been sitting down when i play (old people do this) so unless i fall down dead on top of it i don't think its gonna explode on me.

contacted them looking for parts- they answered that they dont sell parts. anything that needs to be done on this guitar, you need to save yourself aggravation and just do yourself.

been playing for over 30 years. own the tele, an old epi arch-top, a guild d55, a yamaha c150cce, a ramirez r4 and just bought a cordoba fcwe. my preference is cross-over classical and jazz, so this mix suits me well. i wanted a cheap little electric for variety, and this fits the bill - nice and lightweight, can get a nice jazz line out of it with something different than an archtop sound, easy to play. if it was stolen i'd buy it again in a heartbeat.