Danelectro Baritone

I'm reviewing a black dano '63 baritone reissue purchased new 8/08.
It's Dano's latest bari in a long line of plywood body guitars as listed below. This may be the first Chinese-made in their line. As with my other CIC guitars, I have no complaints with the fit and finish.

The upgrades from earlier Danos include individual adjustable brass saddles and an aluminum nut.

The neck scale is 29.7" and I have it tuned the standard bari B-E-A-D-F#-B. I've restrung it with D'Addario baritone light gauge 13s and they sound/feel fine. The string hole on the bottom 'B'tuning peg won't accept any larger string than .062, so your limited to 13s. You could attempt to drill out the string hole for larger diameter strings but I wouldn't. Maybe just get pegs with larger string holes.

Like most Dano Baries, the lightness of the body and long neck contribute to diving headstock syndrome (dhs) when standing to play. Not a problem in the studio. Not too annoying since the guitar is so damn light anyway.

A bari is a specialty guitar but yet so versatile. I play instro rock and use it mostly for leads or backing up guitar leads. Just awesome tic-tac Fender VI sounds.

I only play it thru a Fender '63 reverb ri tank. This combo just kills thru a clean amp. I have no idea how the Dano sounds dirty... probably not good.

The action was good right out of the cardbrd box. It came with 10s. To accommodate the larger strings, I adjusted the truss rod. This means pulling the neck as the screw head is hidden under the neck at the body. The neck fits tightly in the pocket.

I find the all the hardware to meet my standards for a budget guitar, which Dano has always been. Typical cheap Chinese wiring. I can see replacing the pickup switch at some point. But its fine for now as are the pots. I wish the jack was located on top of the body instead of LP-style, but its serviceable.

As you may know, some of the early batches of this model were apparently returned to China due to finishing problems, including poorly glued decorative tape that surrounds the body. Too bad. I've read that the '63 Bari may be discontinued. Maybe I have a collectors item, LOL.

I musta lucked out and got a good one. The tape glue is still holding on mine.

Used mostly for studio work, but it'd probably be ok to gig. Needs a case, tho.

The zero-gloss hardware is a nice touch.

I don't expect any support.

Honestly, the only thing missing is a whammy bar. That'd be sweet.

I love this guitar and would buy another. It reminds me of bygone days walking through the Sears store and thumbing my nose at those same-shaped, cheap *** Silvertone guitars, now getting big $$$.

Funny guitar, great sound. Looks like mother of toilet seat . The neck is great and the guitar is easy to intonate. I agree the bridge is not a great design, but it does the job and is easy to set up.

The sound, well a baritone is tuned to B rather than an E on a standard guitar. To do that they add thicker gauge strings, and a longer neck. Playing this thing reminds me of hugging a giraffe.But what a magical register it brings you into. Some say spaghetti western sounds. It is that and more, I can't wait to use it to overdub a simple lead. You have to use a difeerent approach with this thing though, it is really hard to do string bends. So, I don't. But, it can sound like a piano almost. Add a normally tuned guitar to the recording mix and man you've got something.

I'm a tele player so i like to do volume swells. Well the tone and volume control are a little too close together for me to put my finger between them on the fly. takes a bit of practice. The finish is nice, not outstanding. the guitar is balanced which is saying something when you consider the lenght of the neck. It actually surprises me that it wirks at all. But man, what a sound....More of a moaner than a screamer.

I don't think it replaces a regular guitar. I don't think it's meant to. But run it through a voc amp into a genz benz ported 2-12 with no effects and you'll find yourself lying on the floor just to hear the rich resonating sounds. A baritone, never thought about them. Now? I would not be without one, and this one is not expensive.

Bought second hand.

It ain't a 56 strat, or a 72 tele. But it is a great option for those guitars looking for a fundamentally different sound, it is a baritone. Serviceable, easy to set up, easy to play, sounds great. Get one if you record or do sessions. I'd use it live for a song or two also. But it ain't no regular six string, it is a six string with a big bottom. Doesn't like to break dance, likes to do the two step.

It was around the time that I had heard the DC-12 on the DANELECTRO website that I saw the Baritone model. It took a while for me to look at the photos & notice the difference. Needless to say--I KNEW there was a difference in the tone! In fact, when I went to get the DC-12 was when I actually played one. I liked it & put it on lay away. That low 'B' tuning SURE SOUNDS SWEET!!!!!!! The srings are heavier. The neck is a challenge--even for MY BIG LEFT HAND! some chords are QUITE A REACH! We used to tune our guitars low, but HATED the intonation & floppy string problems with it! The Baritone--Someone was finally THINKING WITH THEIR HEAD!!!!!!! I also got THIS one from Atlanta Discount Music in Chamblee, Ga. GREAT FOLKS!!!!!!!

This guitar has a really warm tone! Even with just the bridge pickup, as "twangy" as it is--it's still QUITE WARM! I've not heard a lot of FENDER Telecasters that get this! I like the bridge pickup, but I also like both pickups together. The BEST of BOTH worlds! Now, if you like to play a "spiff riff" or a "slick lick" THIS MAY NOT BE YOUR AXE! However, if you like the full, rich, warm sound of low tuning--Look no farther. YOU'VE ARRIVED! I've only had it a month or two & really enjoy it!

As I stated earlier, I purchased this one from Atlanta Discount Music in Chamblee, Ga. They did all the setting up on it. This is why I don't care to order directly. Like most 'DANO' models, this one is rather "Plain Jane" as well. Mine is the "Butterscotch" color. That's fine. It makes up for it in performance! I've received a number of compliments on it! I've ordered strings for it via. music123.com. They've arrived in 2 or 3 days--at the most. Even though I'm giving it a 9--it's because there's no 91/2!

As I've also stated before, I play mainly at church. I'm 52 yrs. old & TOO OLD to be acting like the late Jimi Hendrix! Even in my younger years, I've NEVER understood destroying ANY EQUIPMENT!!!!!!! WHAT DOES IT PROVE? Taking care of your equipment isn't hard to do--but it DOES require some effort! If you wouldn't endure it yourself--Why subject your equipment to it??????? Keep THIS in mind & practice it--IT'LL LAST!!!!!!!

I've not had to use it, but I KNOW I can depend on Atlanta Discount Music!!!!!!!

Been playing since 1966. I've had a HAGSTROM {didn't care much for it}, a UNIVOX {MOSRITE sunburst copy}, a Custom GIBSON Les Paul, a Mexican FENDER Jazz bass, a 'Dano' DC-12, An acoustic SEAGULL 12 string, a HAMMOND B3 with 2 LESLIE 145's, and a YAMAHA M-206 console piano. My amp is a FENDER DeVille. OH! and a ZVEX electric 6 string. Only 40 of these built. Mine's #33. It has onboard wah & preamp. Each one of these is special to me in it's own unique way!

The Bridge is supposed to convex, my old silvertone bridge is the same way and that guitar intonates perfectly. THe necks also look to be propelled from the top of the headstock but again they were designed that way, so don't worry about that. Worry about where your going to get your next set of strings as most shops don't carry them.

'99, Korean Commie Red Dano Baritone reissue. As stated before this a Masonite (peg board wood) and plywood semi-hollowbody guitar. the fingerboards are alomst 1/4" thick slabs of rosewood,as appossed to the old thin 50's/60's dano's. I'm giving a high feature rating, because the independant t/v controls offer more than enough range for an instrument of this caliber, the tuners however are shite. I bought this guitar from a pawnshop that I was doing repairs for, and when I saw it I grabbed it to test it out, when I noticed that someone had replace the input jack, with a Coaxil male jack (why?). I knew that I had to steal it. That and after playing around with it acoustically (remember no input jack), I knew it would make an interesting addition the harem.

I play an eclectic blend of metal, surf, protopunk, no-wave, noise wave, and at times synth-pop, and childish nonsense regression. I also dig the Ennio Marconi sound (i.e spagetti western motif) that this thing has in spades.

amps: Vox Crapfinder, Lab Series L5, Lab Series L2 (slaved from the Crapfinder), D.I.

I like the deep almost chorusy, chim of this tonebox it accentuates chords and single notes passages quite well. Perhaps my favorite part is the fact that nothing else sounds like it and it's still reletivly cheap on the used market.

THIS THING SOUNDS INCREDIBLE WITH A GOOD OD?FUZZ PEDAL. Someone else mentioned that it also sounds great with modulation effects (chorus, phase, flanger), this is true, but even a cheap DOD 250 overdrive preamp can make my Crapfinder sing with this guitar. Add a little Trem adn you've got a fulll fledged psychadellic freak out, mannnnnn.

it does have a little bit of on the single pickup selections, but if that bugs you buy a noise gate, that's what the eighties were for anyways.

I'm hoping that in twenty years it'll start to sound a little closer to my '61 Silvertone U-1, crosses fingers.

The action is kinda high but it sounds good and the intonation is really close (yeah, you'd have to shave the wood to dial it out so it's best to just play it). I've been playing bass. guitar, synths for years so i'm used to switching instruments, but this guitar takes a little practice to get used to the tension and action of the strings.

ASS i sadi before someone replaced the input jack with a coaxil jack so I had to solder in a new jack. I think the jacks were dirty, but I sprayed those out with contact cleaner

My drunk buddy fell onto my guitar rack, and for some odd reason he didn't knick The '65 Teisco bass, Dano U2. Silvertone U1 , or the Baritone. So I'm just gong to assume that they're in fact quite indestructable.

The finish is really thick in comparison to my silvertone (Made by Dano NJ)
I'm waiting for the strap buttons to pop out, waiting, waiting.

I gig without a backup all the time, even when I'm playing thrash-punk. I'm pretty sure that If I did take this guitar out it'd be for one or two songs then I'd throw my Fender Jaguar back on.

I wonder if they can send me a jack plate? or the N.O.S coaxil jack and cord set.

I've been 'playing' constantly for five or so years. I own probably 12 or so guitars, all have their purpose and place, some I like more than others; I'll list them in order of importance. Guitars, Fender Jaguar, Silvertone U1, Epi Genesis, Dano Baritone, Dano U2, Fender Tele, Harmony Archtop. Basses Ric 4003, Ibanez '78 PJ, '65 Teisco shortscaled bass. I knwo I listed less then 12 but the rest are in states of disrepair.

If it were stoen I'd try to find another because I really dig that Spagetti Western sound and it does the Cure pretty well to.

I wish it wasn't as muddy, i'm hoping that changes with time. Oh and the tuners suck ass.

I wish it had a Jaguar Trem or a Bigsby that would rawk.

Not much variety, but what it does it does well.
Lipstick PU's with individual tone and volume, 3-way selector switch. Open up the panel in the back and you'll see that there's a lot of hollow space in the body.

Great spaghetti western lead sound. Also great for rhythm parts, instead of a regular guitar. The strumming sound is more "clack clack," like a 10-speed deraileur, instead of the usual "chick chick."

I tried several at the store and bought the only one that didn't have major buzzes, which ruin the clean spaghetti western sound. The intonation isn't adjustable and the truss rod doesn't have any accessible adjustment. It's been stable for 4 1/2 years, except the bridge problem (see next).

Yes, "I'm afraid it's gonna fall apart": the bridge is coming off. The front two screws that hold the bridge to the body are leaning and only holding the bridge by their back edges. There's an open crescent behind each screw shaft where it meets the body. The back screw is only leaning a little, so far. *sigh* BTW, I've had it tuned down to A-A instead of B-B since I got it, and it's never left my home studio. Maybe I can replace the back screw with a through bolt?

Hopefully I can fix it before it breaks. Otherwise, when it breaks, I'll replace it with something more durable, if I can get the same great sound.

Korean, '00 commie red model. Identical in looks and specs to the one on www.danelectro.com/Baritone.htm. Has basically got all you need, IMHO the 2-stack volume/tone pots are a wonderful feature, allowing a library of sounds.

Exellent though cheapo Kent Armstrong lipstick pups. Incredible, warm but clear tone. For the price, very, very good sound. "Plastic", hollow-like body sounds surprisingly good, acoustic too. Used through a vintage Twin, it's heaven. The pickups really are the best thing in this guitar.

Reasonable playability + action, but then again bought it used. The sordid part is the BRIDGE. !!! BENDING THE STRINGS WILL EAT THE BRIDGE WOOD UP, AND IT'S CHROME BASE WILL GET CROOKED TO A C-SHAPE WITH TIME !!! CRITICAL FLAW : ( Will mess you up. Basically can be fixed by a guitar tech, but fix messed up the previously nice action and possibly caused other problems, w/ neck. (Read on) THE BRIDGE MATERIALS ARE WAY TOO CHEAP & WON'T LAST

THE NECK WON'T LAST THE STRING TENSION. IT WILL GET CROOKED. The problem started as a fret buzz on the 2nd fret, couldn't be removed. It just got worse with time. After a setup I tried to stop the buzz with tunings and tech-setup, but the previously good action got very, very high-strung and choking. The sound got thin, the neck got more and more crooked & the whole ship sank. I sold the guitar for spare parts to a friend (get the pickups!). Remember I told you: IT'S GONNA FALL APART. Greetings to Korea..!

..Bought it used, should I sue them..? ; )

Wonderful sound, very good PUPs, body OK.. BUT!!!! THE BRIDGE & NECK MATERIALS ARE A TOTAL LETDOWN!!! Stay away, I wouldn't buy a Korean one again. Would a Burns Barracuda do better?
..I really fell in love with baritone-playing, but GIVE ME A GUITAR THAT LASTS A LIFETIME..! This one was like a paper mug.. Durability 0.0

Features, simplistic, 2 double decker tone/volume knobs, 2 lipstick pickups, fixed tail piece, 3 way selector switch, long scale length.

Ok, this is where this guitar get's its praise. I cannot believe soemthing that looks this cheap can sound this great. This guitar has one of the most unique tones I have ever heard. Ballsy deep full lush tones and alot of sustain probably because of the semihollow body. you hit a chord on this thing and the room shakes, but in a toneful way. The three way selector is pretty useless, my opinion set it to the middle both pickups on position and forget it, the same with the tone knobs find a place you like em and leave em.

It's cheap, but it stays in tune well, the binding around the guitar looks like crap, the selector switch is pretty worthless as are the tone knobs, basically it's a one trick pony, but what a trick.

Iffy strap buttons, and it's made out of the same stuff countertops are made out of. I would'nt jump on it and ride it like a surfboard like jimmi and stevie did to their guitars. Finish seems solid, again though the binding and the knobs seem likely to break if abused. You could gig with it but I wouldn't just throw it around it probably would'nt stand the pounding.

never dealt with em.

Overall, a great guitar for the money. Awesome TONE! If stolen I would buy another, a great songwriting and creative tool for a great price.

30" scale
2 volume, 2 tone
3 way P/U selector
metal nut

I'm more of a bass player than I am a guitarist, but I picked this up to "bridge the gap" between the two. I'm gigging with it with my Balkan (Bulgarian/Gypsy) Dance band, but I've been playing along with all sorts of styles with it - Patsy Cline to Stevie Wonder to Greek bouzouki music.

I have played it through bass and guitar amps, and it sounds great through both. Through a Fender '63 Vibroverb with the reverb below 2 and a splash of vibrato, I can get an increadible sound that I'm just really starting to explore. Through an Eden World tour 800 head and 1x12 Aguilar cabinet, I can get a really great bass tone on it. The clicky sound of picking basslines on it can range from cool and retro to edgy and aggressive.

The neck pickup is kinda useless on its own, but the two pickups together sound great. The neck pickup sounds good on its own for single note picking - either towards the bass or further up the neck

I had to tweak the neck a bit, and it's still funky up around the 15th fret, but I don't go there too often anyway. I did raise the bridge a bit, and that helped.

You can adjust the pickup height with a screwdriver really easily, but I haven't experimented with that too much.

It seems pretty sturdy, thus far. The tuners are pretty cheap and may need replacing, but that's about it.

It doesn't seem too prone to injuries

Kinda confused about Danelectro's status. Something about a lawsuit and not being allowed to continue this style of guitar... Anyway, I don't know what they offer for support.

This is becoming the first instrument at my house that I pick up, and that says a lot. It brings out creativity like no other bass or guitar, because it is't either! I've been really blown away by how much instrument I got for such little money.

I love gigging with it, and I love practicing with it.

Alas, I haven't yet seen an ad saying "Wanted: Baritone guitar player"... So it's a bit of a niche, but a great writing or practicing tool.

Simple, the way I like it. Two pichups, two volumes, two tones, one switch. I've had it about 5 years (as long as they've been out) and it's still cool.

It sound like a Danelectro Baritone guitar. It sound great on country and roots/americana stuff. It's a really cheap way to sound different and have fun.

For a cheap guitar, this thing is tough to beat. It is very stable and stays in tune fantastically. I've never had to touch it.

Again, it's a cheap guitar but very solid. At the price I don't worry about it and it would be easy to replace, but I feel I can still trust it.

At $250 the Dano baritone is hard to pass up. It's not an instrument that gets used all the time but it's seriously cool every time I do use it. It's really cheap guitar fun.

2002 model Baritone made wherever Danelectro makes them. Mine has a hard black finish that cleans up very well. Part of the plywood -- yes, I said plywood -- body is hollow, so it's a good practice guitar even without an amp. Volume and tone are there for each lipstick pickup and there's a three-way switch. It has a single cutaway, kind of Les Paul style body, but it's thinner. The neck seems very nice and it has the classic Danelectro head. Tuners are good. It's got a long neck and if you capo it at fret 5, you have a standard tuned guitar with limited frets. It has the basics which are what I like. My one dislike is the bridge.

I use this mainly for practice and songwriting, but I gig with it sometimes. I limit my work on it to chordwork, because there is virtually no string bending and vibrato is limited. I play mostly Christian rock on it, but I love to fingerpick blues and jazz tunes on it. I play it through a pair of Roland amps (JC77 and JC 60) and it gets a wide variety of sounds, the best being a low thunking bass with a thumb pick.

The guitar was set up very well with the exception of the bridge which I had to pull off and rework to make it marginally acceptable.

It handles well for me at a gig, but I have to have a standard guitar for my leadwork. Hardware seems good as most. The finish took a small hit on one of the edges and lost the black veneer to the tune of about 1/16 of an inch. But, hey, it's repairable with a black permanent marker! The guitar is light, so the strap buttons should hold for years.

I haven't dealt with Danelectro, but they've got a great website.

I've been musically active for 38 years. I play lap steel, autoharp, and guitar, have two Roland amps. I would probably replace it if it was stolen because I love the sound of a baritone guitar. I only wish it had a tune-o-matic bridge.