Danelectro MOD 7

see the other reviews for a full feature list, but i'll point out what i like...

1. lots of controls! though at times (under certain fx conditions) it's hard to tell what they're doing.

2. very lightweight! it makes the guitar feel a bit flimsy, but it's such a break to pick this up after playing my Dean 7 string. or my Strat 7 string, or my Les Paul 7 string for that matter.

3. "Dano makes a 7 string?!" i've been hearing that at shows ever since i got this thing. i love that. (yes i gig with my Dano and it's held up just fine so far, but i also baby my gear)

now, things i don't like...

1. the low 'B' seems...almost hollow. if you get what i'm saying. all i play are 7 strings now, and in comparison, this one just doesn't carry as much bottom. (it sounds like my Strat 7 which isn't bad, it just doesn't rumble like the Dean).

2. the bridge. while it looks cool and does its job just fine, i just can't get used to the way it feels.

overall, the feature set is admirable and impressive. i am pleased.

i play through a PODxt to a QSC power amp to a custom built 4x12 cabinet with Eminece Legend Modeling speakers, and the guitar is suprisingly accurate in it's reproductions. what i mean is, with the proper POD settings, this Dano can sound like a Strat through a Twin, all the way to a Soloist through a Mesa. i was pleasantly suprised.

all the pickup controls REALLY help in the sound department. but the tone knob seems almost useless.

i got mine off ebay in great condition but it was extrmely noisy, i took it to a local repair shop and never really told me what he did to it, but now it is whisper quiet.

clean tones are amazing on this guitar. it blows my others away when playing deep, heavy, clean riffs. it really shines in the clean tone department.

distorted tones are definately there also, like i said before with enough gain and mid scoop, this thing can really sound like a great metal guitar.

the only complaint i have on sound is a minor one, the PODxt has some interesting synth type effects on it which are really fun to mess with, however the Dano has trouble keeping a nice sustained synth sound. (if you kick the gain up 300 notches it does fine, but sometimes i like those big, clean synth-string sounds which this guitar just can't hold out)

overall, i couldn't be much happier with the way this guitar sounds. it is comparable to my Dean which cost 3 times as much.

the neck is SUPER flat, but i've found i actually like that better than my Les Paul's big, fat, round neck. it feels faster to me. but i guess that's just a matter of preference. (like scalloped frets...heh)

i had trouble getting the bridge setup right, the previous owner had it slammed and you couldn't play past the 9th fret. i spent a solid 2 hours trying to get it where i wanted it with comfortable action. but now it's great. action is acceptably low and no buzzes!

overall, it plays alot like a Strat 7 string, but the neck is definately more comfortable (my opinion again).

i've been gigging with this guitar for about 4 months now, with no problems. i always a backup (or 2), but i only get to them when i just feel like switching it up. this guitar looks great under stage lights (even the crappy ones in the bars i play in) and has proven to me, it's gig worthy.

HOWEVER, like i said earlier, i BABY my gear, no one touches it but me, no one carries it but me, etc. so all you kurt cobains might want to consider a little more solid feeling guitar for your next gig.

i've only had to talk to Danelectro once, and that was almost 6 years ago about my 'Daddy-O' pedal. the pedal died, i called them, i shipped it to them, they sent me a new one because mine apparently wasn't repairable. the whole proccess went smoothly and the rep. was nice but i seem to remember it taking FOREVER to get my pedal back.

overall, i am very picky about 7 strings, i've owned many, and continue to buy them as they are becoming harder and harder to find. i really like this guitar. it seems like a well rounded feature set with sweet looks. i would DEFINATELY buy another if something were to happen to this one. hell, i would probably buy another just to have another.

Probably made in 2004. It had hardly been played when it came into my possesion- it stil had all the tags etc attached. Has all the usual specs for this model: ssh pickups coil tap for humbucker 6 way selector & switch for all pickups on.Maple neck rosewood fingerboard very flat & wide very very playable 25 inch scale. Charcoal perloid finish with white scratchplate. Tune-o-Matic type bridge (metal) but unfortunately the intonation can only be adjusted by loosening or removing string.Gotoh locking tuners. Concentric vol/tone pots cheap looking & are brown on a Black guitar!!! Tone pot only activates on last 10%. However for the money this is the tops

Sound is great: You have 11 different pickup selections to choose from. I used to be a fender fan but thats all changed now- gives you a tele sound but better!! Sounds are bright & twangy suitable for rock blues jazz & country. I run it through a Peavey Bandit 65 & its really retro & raunchy. Dont use any pedals amp does everything I want. Slight noise from selectotone switch but not noticeable at gig levels.

Set was fine, guess was still in factory mode as it was so new.Neck frets pickups all adjusted ok. Some may find wide neck a problem at first but it suits me fine. Seven string never really appealed before but it adds a new dimension to your sound once you get used to it- it works really well. This guitar is great value for money.Keep your fenders gibsons 8 gretschs this one does it all.

The quality of this Dano really surprises me after some of the criticisms others have made. This is my No 1 guitar from now on & i dont see any problems with build & fittings.It is very light & easy to play

Not applicable so far

I have been playing for over 45 yrs & have just recently got together with others my age to play together again. I have never been one to pay homage to the top selling brands I have stuck with Japanese copies Westone , jedson, Squier, Burns etc & have always matched or beaten top makers quality & sounds with my choice. However I must say that this Dano is by way far the best I have tried I would definitely replace if lost or damaged IF I COULD FIND ONE !!! This guitar looks plays & sounds great I just cant put it down!!!

Black Korean made guitar, 2 single coil pick ups and a lipstick humbucker

It sounds ok but doesnt have a alot of treble its a really good guitar for distortion but sounds pretty good clean as for the switchs i cant tell the difference but the pick up selector u can hear the differnence. It also seems to buzz when u hit the g string for some werid reason i think its just the pick up rattling but oh well cant hear it in the sound just when its unplugged or soft

action is awesome its a really good compared to my shitty hammer guitar, the pickups might need alittle work but the sound is unique and very good

Its not heavy and it does seem a bit weak and it could probably smashed really easy but other than that its a strong guitar I doubt it will die on me or catch fire its good for live playing its my main guitar

never dealt with company

I say if your looking for a guitar thats straight out hard distortion and want a unique guitar and a 7th string this is the guitar to buy it has great distortion but there isnt any high treble compared to the ibanez 7 string i played and the hammer strat this guitar is way better by far. If someone stole it i would torture and kill them. I wish it had switchs that worked and stronger humbucker sound.

You can find all of the specs on http://danelectro.com
But it has all of the normal stuff plus a 6-Way pickup selection!!! and a knob to turn the humbucker into 2 single coils!

I play hardcore/metal-core. Hehe. This is a silly guitar to be trowing around your body on stage but it thought is was too interesting to pass up. The sound is better than normal because I had a guy do a custom job to install a Seymore Duncan humbucker at the bridge. The clean is really nice sounding with the lipstick pickups.

I got this guitar from EBAY and it had a few scratches but nothing major. It seemed to be in good condition. Everything seemed to be well manufactured.

I haven't had it all that long but I HEARD that they aren't really that tough of a guitar. I'm praying to not break it someday. But so far there are no problems!!!

N/A

I've been playing 3 years. This guitar serves it purpose well for me. It is being a seven string but it is only waiting to be replaced but an ESP. Of course, I play hardcore so it may suit someone else better. I love the versatility but it isn't a very "metal" sounding guitar. I mean... It's a hollow body!!!

Same old story: 2001 model, Made in Korea, 21 frets, single cutaway, masonite top and back over plywood frame, S/S/H, maple neck/rosewood fingerboard, graphite nut, Gotoh tuners, mine is the White/Violet Pearl with Tortodelic pickguard. The important feature is the control wiring; the six-position rotary switch gives each pickup individually (even #s) or each pair (odd #s), the rear toggle taps the humbucker, and the front toggle gives all three pickups in series.

The Mod 7 suits my style (or lack thereof) beautifully. I lean towards surfy fok-rock y'allternative music, and i like the guitar to have a distinctive voice. I play through a Fender Princeton Reverb II, and i find little need for any effects other than reverb as yet. The pickups do tend to distort as they are turned up, but they are reasonably clean at lower levels, and my amp can do the rest. They seem to have a fairly good range, giving decent sound all the way down to the low B without getting too muddy. The Mod 7 offers a great variety of sounds thanx to its clever wiring, but be advised: it is a great variety of Danelectro sounds, not regular everyday electric guitar sounds. If you want a guitar that sounds like a Danelectro, this is the one; if you only want to sound like a Danelectro part of the time, you will need another guitar. I for one have two Danelectros (one old and this one) because i can never get too much of that sound. I have only played it through two Fender tube amps (great sound) and one solid state amp (thin weedy sound). I don't know yet whether it's just that i played through a crappy solid-state or if the Mod 7 needs tubes to warm it up.

Set-up was good but not perfect, the components seem to be of excellent quality for the money (especially the Gotoh tuners) and i have not found any flaws. Well, the volume control was crackly the first two times i used it, but that went away. Cosmic dust, perhaps? Considering the price and construction, i would have to say it's a very well put together instrument.

These things haven't been around long enough to see whether they hold up in the long term, but since they are built in much the same way and to much the same quality level as the originals, i suspect that they will hold up well. After all, there are a lot of old Danos like mine around, and they were not usually treated that well. My big concern is the quality of the coaxial volume/tone knobs. They are definitely the poorest quality material on the guitar. Really now, it's the 21st century; just because it's inexpensive, it doesn't have to be CHEEP! Otherwise, the hardware seems robust, the strap buttons fill me with confidence, and the only reason i will never use it on a gig is because no one will hire me.

I've been playing for 25 years, and i own a variety of stringed instruments (electric and acoustic). I suppose i might have asked myself why i thought i needed 7 strings, but i would just have told myself "because they're there". If it were stolen or lost, i would be really, really cranky. I would have to get another, mostly because i haven't even had it long enough to start looking at other guitars yet. I would certainly start looking for another, but then i was thinking about buying an Innuendo when is tried this. I actually was looking at Telecopies at first, including the Pacifica 311MS. Very nice guitar, but a Camry is a nice car, and i don't drive one of those. If guitars are like women, then a Danelectro is that cool but slightly whacko chick downtown who you can never quite explain to your parents (or your friends, for that matter). Finally, i would like to say that even though i payed more than twice what those other folks paid (after calculating the exchange rate) i'm still thrilled with the bang for the buck.

Made in 2000 with 21 frets, laminated top, s/s/h pickups (lipsticks) and all the rest of the items mentioned in reviews below. The tuners are nice (as a fellow reviewer notes).

Sound is a bit weak as if lacking in resonance. There is a good amount of variety available and the cleaner setting of the "selectomatic" offers a fairly neutral (if somewhat pinched) timbre.
I am running it through a Roland Blues Cube amp and it sounds believable; suspect that because of the thinner sound, that it would benefit greatly from a tube amp.

The neck is nicely built, however, mine is completely flat (takes some getting used to). All of the fittings were just fine. On a guitar that is being sold for $99. the fittings must be judged exceptional.
BTW, this is a small guitar -- a little less long than average.

Cannot tell because I bought it for experimental use in my sound studio.
I wanted to experiment with a 7-string tuned up instead of down. So, I moved the top six strings down one notch, got the thinnest string I could (.007), added it on top, and tuned it to "A" above the the high "E" string. Works great for me and I enjoy being able to play in a higher treble range without having to stretch too much.
I would not use this guitar for a live gig because I do not play in public.

Have no idea.

I am a professional musician who records keyboard albums but dabbles in everything else. No sane player would ever take my advice on guitar technique. However, the above instructions will get you an interesting "high-strung" guitar with genuine creative potential.

But then, my son, who is a punk rock artist, says "this just shows what you know about the guitar!"

Year: It's new in the box (1999/2000/2001?)

Frets: 21

Construction: That kooky Dano build (see other reviews for a better answer)

Controls: 2 toggles, volume, tone, 6 way "select-o-matic"

Pickups: all lipstic, two singles and a pair at the bridge.

Passive electronics

Body style, single cutaway.

Tuners: Gotoh

Decent sounding, but not super "solidbody" sounding. It's not a true solidbody.

It's a warmer sound with less guts behind it.

Killer sound for $99! Definately a ten for the money.

It had what a lot of people call 'nice' action, which I call way too low. However, I BOUGHT THIS TO CONVERT INTO A WIDE SPACING 4 STRING GUITAR TUNED E-A-D-G!

Conversion was easy:

1. Order MOD 7 and a Jazz set of guitar strings (13's).
2. Take the original 7 strings off.
3. Start to put the four wound strings from the Jazz set on every other tuner.
4. CAREFULLY sand the D and G slots in the nut down with a nail file.
E worked fine and A needed just a few sliding motions of the A string.
5. Remove the 2nd, 4th, and 6th tuners. They rattle without and string tension on them.

Whola! A wide spacing 4 string guitar.

Playability comments:
- The Spacing between strings is a bit excessive, more than a Bass Guitar, but certainly feasible.
- The little guitar strings are easy to move and play. They're like cute little toy strings... and I'm supposibly using a very 'heavy' set.
- Finally a guitar I'm comfy with!

Even though the strings went down three in count, the action went up (thanks to the thicker strings used) and I like where it's at now.

No real flaws in the instrument, there's a bit of a concave in the top where the toggle switches are and a couple of screws for the pickguard are probably tilted about 2% off perpendicular. The neck joint is good and I'm nit picking about the toggle areas and screws.

The Dano looks fine... killer for $99. A 10 for the money.

The tuners look decent, the strap buttons are metal. The body finish (especially the body sides) looks a bit more fragile, but hey, this is a Dano. Be glad you get decent tuners and metal strap buttons.

No experience good, bad, or inbetween.

I've been playing mostly bass for 10 years. Thought it would be a fun idea to turn a 7 string into a 4 string with wide spacing and finally saw this Dano for $99 new. Score!

This thing's been more fun than I'd ever have anticipated. I picked up on it pretty quick.

The neck's a little wider than I'd like, but it's not a big deal. The headstock takes the empty tuner holes pretty well cosmetically, but the screw holes on the back are ugly.

Well made for an import. Good luck finding a better 7 string for $99 new or used.

The modifications were easy... I'm no luthier but it was a piece of cake. Be patient... that's the key. Total modification time was under 20 minutes... and it would be a lot less for someone who really knew what they were doing. Widen 3 grooves on the nut, remove three tuners, change strings... that's all. The bridge saddles haven't rattled yet.

I figure I got about $275-$350 of guitar (including the 'new' factor) for $99.

Nice guitar despite the masonite top and plywood frame. High quality Gotoh tuners. 21 frets. It came with a decent set of Danelectro strings. The four pickups (two single pickups and one double wired like a humbucker) give you a lot of versatility. Very basic controls, but I am not a power user so it is more than enough for me.

I simply love the sound. I like playing beach boys, don mclean, beatles and this fits my needs. Right now I am running it on a cheap mini-amp and it still sounds good (my squire strat sound awful through it).It has an extremely unique sound. Because of the way the pickups are wired you get many unique sounds. What you wind up with is a guitar that can play most styles of music, and well.

The guitar was set up well. No problems with the pickups or anything like that. It needed a tuning but after I tuned it, it stayed in tune. The neck is a little wide, because it is a 7-string (however I will most likely use it as a six-string) the neck was a little wide, but i'll get used to it. My only small complaint is that it is hard to reach the last four of the 21 frets because of the way the guitar is designed. The guitar looks extremely cool. I got the aqua-pearl and the finish looks interesting (in a good way) under light. The fake mother-of-pearl pickguard is also sweet.

From what I hear this guitar is not extremely durable, but it probably won't leave my house so I don't mind. The finish will last because of the cheap top, (I hope) and so will the hardware. Unlike previous dano's the strap buttons and tuners are really solid. The guitar is well-built, but I wouldn't gig with it (I wish I had a gig).

I got this on special from musiciansfriend 10 minutes before they sold out. I am so very lucky. I have only been playing for 20 months but II know enough to know I love this guitar and that this guitar is better than my strat. The sound is awesome, but the guitar isn't incredibly durable. My guitar teacher bought one of these, becuase he recognized one of these, and he is a recording artist. If I was a pro, I would keep this in the studio because I would not want any harm to befall it. If it were lost or stolen, I don't know if I would replace it, because I don't have the money to pay the 450 dollar street price, but if you do and like 60's sound or rock or blues, I would buy this guitar.

A 2000 model, equiped with 21 jumbo frets,a plywood top, bottom, and frame covered by a masonite (plastic) coating. A unique select-o-matic selector with a stack volume and tone control, also comes with a blow switch and coil spilt for the humbucker. a solid maple bolt on neck. The finish is a White/Violet pearl which appears white until light is reflected off of it and it shines purple. the body style is somewhat of a representation a Les Paul, paired with a hardtail bridge. Headstock retro shapped and fitted with gotoh tuners. Pickups are the Dano lipstick (S/S/H) alcino 50's magnets. Came with allen wrench.

A great variety of sound. With the selectors a total of eleven pick-up combos. Using currently with a Sears&Roebuck LA-35 solid state 50 watt amp. It even make that piece of junk sound good. Can be noisy at times when spilt coil is on. I love the pick-up being wired together instead of parrell like most guitars. It makes for loud clear sounds

The MOD came surprisingly well setup. The action was low just as I like it. pickups where a little high but easily adjusted. Bridge, binding tape, tuners, and controls were are installed great. The finish is the best I think I've ever seen on a guitar, I like it more than even a flametop.

It looks like it could handle live playing. Hardware and finish both seems solid. Good bulky metal strap buttons. It's my main axe and with it i feel no need for back-ups except if strings break.

n/a

Overall it is a very veristile axe. I've been playing for about a year. I own a synsonic electric (pure crap) and a acustic. If it were stolen i find the guy and beat them to death with it then tune it back up and continue playing. I think the pickup selection is one of the best systems out there