Danelectro U2

90's-200's reissue. two lipstick pickups. light weight hollowbody. It has a really fat neck but it is very playable if it were a hair thinner it would probably be my ideal guitar neck. The strap button behind the neck is positioned rather foolishly in my opinion.

somebody in a earlier post called it a "piece of IKEA furniture", haha. It does kinda feel cheap but wait till you play it.

sweet.

I just received it today but I am very impressed so far.
probably not the most versatile guitar but it can play the blues like nobody's business. bridge pickup is bright, neck is darker, in between seems to be the sweet spot. I don't know if it is because it is a hollowbody or if it is the pickups or what but it's a bit "jangly" and it seems to exaggerate the reverb more than my other solidbody guitars do.

overall unique sound but not the most versatile from what I've had time to gather from it.

I bought it used but it seems to be in great condition. good action. there are complaints around here it seems of the bridge being warped. Mine seems to be slightly warped in the middle but I don't know if it is worth fixing. It sounds great so why fix what isn't completely broken right?

Not enough time to find out but it seems like it has been unaltered since the 90's-early 2000's so it can't be too bad. It does kinda feel cheap though so if I were to gig with it a backup might not be a bad idea.

I can't really see myself letting go of this (unless I found one in black for cheap!) The sound itself makes up for any flaws or downfalls (which aren't many, if any). I've been playing for at least 5 years and have never played a guitar like it. It is definitely different than a solidbody but it has found its place in the guitar world.

I have never seen these type of pick ups but they rock! Gave it a seven because the wood feels cheap but that might be what makes it sound so good?

These things look so retro cool but sounds great which is what counts most. I just got one this afternoon and the next thing I knew it was dark. Wish they had a 9.5 option for sound!

This feels great to me. It is very light and set up perfect but can sounds big!

Find a place to check these out!!!!!

I bought the 90's reissue U2 (in Nifty Aqua) as a joke and to have some fun with and absolutely fell in love with the sound of this guitar. the pickups are low output (tele twang but better), the concentric knobs are useless, and the guitar is made of plywood and masonite. Its a piece of crap, but an amazing sounding piece of crap!!

Lipstick tube pickups. The bridge pickup has a very glassy, tele-twang to it. The middle pickup selector runs the bridge and neck pickups together in series and looses some of the glassy top end but the bottom end really comes alive and the gain increases. Run just the neck pickup and the gain backs off some but the bottom end remains. I've run this thing through my Marshall JCM 800 as well as one of the new Epiphone Valve Standard amp and this thing has so much personality. It also is very acoustical and fun to play unplugged. I've always been very partial to Gibsons, but this guitar is so much fun to play my Paul did not see the light of day for the first few months I got this thing.

I bought mine used. I did the setup myself and it works great. Not much to adjust really with three wood screws and a piece of rosewood for a bridge?!

I use this guitar in my home studio. I would not want to do regular gigging with this thing as I do not think it would stand up to much abuse. If you want a Dano to gig with, I would buy one of the Pros.

I bought mine on ebay.

I have had mine for about two years and there is no way I would part with it. I dont know what it is about this thing but it has this tone and vibe you cannot get with anything else.

Danelectro U2 model, bought used. I think it's a 2000 model. Black finish (niiiiiiice). Tuners were replaced with Gotoh's, which seem really nice. Bridge is the standard 3 screw bridge with rosewood. The company could have done a better job here, however, its strictly a reissue and that's what was used back in the 50's. Really nice neck though, nice action, nice frets, nice thickness, everything is JUST right. Pickups are standard Danelectro lipstick tubes, this is the key selling point of the guitar, these pickups rock when they are overdriven.

The pickups don't sound great with a clean setting, not terrible, but not great. I'm used to that ultra clear belltone from a standard strat with single coils. These lipstick tubes are a bit toned down, they lack a bit of the chime and presence of a strat single coil. HOWEVER, when overdriven, either very light or even heavy distortion these pickups REALLY shine. They are great, and the semi-hollowbody sound you get really makes this guitar sound great. I use mine with a Tube Screamer pedal, the pedal is always on with the drive almost down to minimum. I took it to a jam for the first time and the thing I immediately noticed was that my sound just cut right through the mix. No more blending in with the other guys, I could be heard, not overbearing, just different from everybody else in a really nice smooth way. I like it a lot.

The bridge is a problem. Like some others, mine ended up warping in the middle under the pressure of the strings. There is, however, a way to fix this without altering the guitar. I took the bridge off, and with a block of wood I beat it back into shape with a hammer (it sounds harsher than it really was). Then you just cut out a block of wood that is the approximate shape of the bridge, perhaps 1/8 inch smaller all around so it is more hidden. Then you drill 3 oversized holes in the wood so that the screws from the bridge can fit through, and you just install this block of wood under your bridge. It will keep the bridge from warping. The trick is to get the block just the right height, it usually requires a bit thicker on the front, and a bit thinner on the back so that the strings will have a better breaking angle over the bridge. You can even paint your block the same color as the guitar and nobody will notice. Later on it can be easily uninstalled. I tried this and it works great, does NOT alter the sound, in theory it should give more sustain. Then you've got a smokin guitar for CHEAP.

This is questionable, but like anything else it really depends on how well you maintain it. With proper maintenance, and my advice on the bridge fix, this guitar should hold up really well. You probably can't beat it around as much as other higher end models, but it's meant to be really cheap and good sounding. Danelectro has managed to do this really well. It's definately for a specific market of player, and it suits that type of player really well. I use mine for paid gigs, and it still holds up. I bring it out for certain songs where that sound is appropriate (usually blues slide, or country-rock).

Don't know.

I would definately buy it again if it got stolen. But I don't think anyone would bother stealing it!!! They are so cheap, it's a no brainer. It's a cheap guitar that does exactly what it claims to do, look great and sound great. No frills, but it does what I want. Did I mention it looks GREAT?!?

I first saw these advertised in a magazine and thought the blue ones looked retro cool but never consciously considered owning one. Couple of years later I'm in my local music store to buy a new 6 string. Had about ??250 in my pocket, but saw this blue used dano sitting there for ??60, tried it, liked it and bought it.
So, mine is is blue U2 re-issue with a cream trim. Don't know where it was made but know it has a plywood body!
Bolt on neck, rosewood(?) fretboard. Stock lipstick pick-ups x2. 3 way switch. 2x volume/tone controls.
Really only has one tone - but when it's great, that's all you need!

This has been my #1 guitar for the past 6 years. I play blues and have settled to be permanently tuned to open Eb.
I stay on both pickups and I keep the dials in the fixed positions. I have found this the best way to treat the guitar. It is not tonally flexible like a strat, but there is one killer sound in there for me, so that's all I use.
I play through a Laney VC30, which is a very transparent class A valve amp. This guitar sounds deep, rich, and hollow. Clean sound is unremarkable. For me, the guitar sounds best overdriven. I can get very warm and dirty blues tones which are hard to match.

Hmmm, that bridge ... very suspect construction - but will not replace in case that is the secret to the sound!

It looks flimsy but has held up well.

I've been playing 12 years. I have not owned or played many guitars.
I recently purcased a vintage Tokai Silver Star strat, thinking that spending a lot of money on a respected and highly praised axe would provide better tone ... turns out I was wrong. It is not better, just different. The strat is very versatile and has some cracking sounds - but it can't get close to the one great tone of my danelectro.
I think that single tone is the deal stealer with this guitar. That one great tone I would struggle to re-create. It suits my playing, or maybe I have grown to suit the guitar. Either way I would never sell it.
If stolen it would be mourned like a deceased spouse.

Original Danelectro U-2 Cream color with original coffin case. It had a cracked headstock that I had repaired. Its a great original peice.

It has a great sound with my early 60's Fender amp. My grandpa gave it to me. Its oiginal lipsticks have an awesome sound!

Great action, nice neck. I love this guitar.

Play it very often, and wouldn't hesitate to take it anywhere!

Korean made U2 reissue, two volume and two tone knobs, non-adjustable bridge. Overall, enough features to be happy with for a while. I had to add the adjustable bridge off the U3, for both ease of intonation, and for stiffness. The stock bridge bows in the middle under the pressure of the strings, leading to buzz on the 3rd and 4th strings. The tuners are decent enough. It stays in tune, but they don't look like the best quality. The neck, the body, the pickups, and everything else is great. I also cut the tops off the plastic strap knobs and drilled into them to add a locking strap system.

this is bar none the best sounding of my guitars! Perfect for surf, rockabilly, etc. Through a Fender Blues Junior it sounds heavenly. It doesn't have the feedback of a hollowbody, even though it mostly is. It's got the warmest tone I've heard form any of my guitars, it's smooth not rough like my hollow body archtop with P-90's, those lipstick coils are great. I like the tone knobs in the middle and volume about 3/4, through a Blues Junior with volumes at about 3 and tone knobs in the middle, reverb at 3/4. Very bright!

set up very well when I got it, except for the noted buzz from the bowed bridge. With the new bridge she plays like a dream. The sparkle burgundy finish looks great, I just wish they didn't top it off with plastic knobs and plastic strap buttons. Otherwise it's a beautiful looking and beautiful playing guitar. Very easy to play, neck is the right shape, smooth finish. The neck was very straight and the frets all seem leveled and just the right size. I'm very happy with it, and it was well worth the price

I can't say much for if it will survive abuse, but it seems very solid. It's a hollow masonite body so it can't be abused like a solid wood body, but it should stand up for a good number of years. I'm worried if I adjust the bridge height too much the screw holes will get loose, but it hasn't happened yet.

never had to deal with them

Overall, I give this guitar a 9, only because the initial setup and finish. It sounds amazing, and with some upgrades she's perfect. I highly reccomend this guitar. I originally bought this guitar to learn on, and recently got a U3, but I think I am going to keep this. It's that good. Nothing beats that Danelectro sound!

I don't know the exact age of mine, but what I do know is that I'm one lucky man to have been able to buy it. Imagine: it's been in the store for 7 years, and included a gig bag by danelectro, in tweed style (guitar's dirty yellow). It's the reissue made in Korea (I guess)

I payd around 400 euro's for the guitar, the bag and some accesoiries, but to be honest... nothing in that price range (and even far above) got a better sound in my hands. I'm sure great guitarplayers need great guitars... but this baby tops 'em all for now!

I play slow clean music (radiohead and dEUS etc...) but sometimes also slipknot or metallica or even tool... she makes em all sound like I can actually play! I play through an old fender stage amp, it's rich and warm, but can be very very sharp when you put the buttons in other directions...

It's the sound I was looking for, for half the prize it was worth!

It looked very good, even after 7 years in the store. Something I've read here is absolutely true... the tuning buttons aren't the best in the world. And yes, under the transparent guard sweat and dust gets collected. But who gives!? Can't be seen from 1 meter distance, and try to find a guitar that looks better than this baby... It's simple, but decently finished. NO guitar I've seen in this price range could compare for me.

I don't do gigs (yet) but I'd surely take her on the mission... I'm not that great player but she improves me, and that's why I'd like to depend on her. This baby can handle what I ask her.

There's a website yes. But I don't trust it for reliability, there's no info at all some of the time, or only on one sort of guitar... perhaps the contact button helps...?

It's the first guitar I've bought, but I've been playing for seven years on many, many many guitars, in shops and with friends. My brother, working in the store adviced me to look at ibanez, Fender and Godin, but I'm glad I chose this one and stuck with the choice.

As stated by many before... If it broke, I'd get another one, maybe the red one, she's slick!! or the black one... but for now, yellow's the way to play!!

Robin

The Danelectro U2 issues are some of the simplest guitar setups around. The bridge is a simple metal piece with a wooden saddle. This saddle can be filed for intonation adjustment, and it does unfortunately wear out after many years of string changes. Strings are held by pressure right at the bridge, making the U2 very easy to restring. With two lipstick pickups, a three way pickup selector, and one volumne and tone knob for each pickup, I never spend any time wondering if I've dialed in the best sound. This is a much simpler guitar then the Dan's with selectomatic knobs or fancy tremelo bridges.

I find the U2 to be perfectly flexible. From Blues to Jazz, rockabilly or indie rock. I seen U2's used for very bright ringing
tones and for dirty grunge. The bridge setup makes it easy to palm muting for rock and roll rhythms, and picking just above the neck pickup gives a very warm tone for harmonic fills. For single note soling or melody lines, it is a little quiet, but on an amp with nice high end this can be dialed up. I used a U2 in a rock/ska band with a simple over drive pedal and a mild tremelo effect, and this guitar moves that catchy two tone to hard power chord hits seemlessly.

Of the two U2s I've owned, one was purchased retail. The other was used off ebay. After a few years, the store bought guitar developed a few minor issues. One of pickups liked to come a little loose, but the screw was so easy to tighten that this was easy to deal with. The white binding threatens to come loose and is very difficult to keep clean. The clear, plastic pick guard traps dust and sweat beneath it. The tuning pegs feel fragile, but if strung properly, my U2's hold a tune just as well as any Epiphone (which could be better).

For playability, the neck width, fret scale and action are near perfect. The action varries from guitar to guitar and is very difficult to to adjust, but the neck on a U2 and other Danelectros is my favorite attribute. If you have giant ape hands, you may hate it.

U2 can be gigged with, but its a good idea for find a case. I've seen them survive falls, but the plastic outer layer can chip, but usually doesn't crack. This is light weight guitar, not a sledge hammer. The plastic strap buttons look worrisome, but I've never had a problem with them. They also some what thinner than most strap buttons, and they don't wear out strap holes as quickly.

The Danelectro name and the U2 design has passed through more owners than any other brand I know of. From Silvertone at Sear to a failed line at Ampeg. The U2 is currently not being produced, and though I hear a Danelectro guitar is in the pipeline somewhere it may not be the U2. Used part are not hard to come by, and Seymour Duncan makes replacement pickups. The bottom line though, is to take good care of it.

Having played twelve years with such disparate style guitars as Les Paul and Ibenez, the Danelectro U2 is my favorite guitar. I will always have two at a time. The simple design, narrow neck, and beautiful look are just unparrallelled. Better tuning pegs and a little more high end would make this guitar perfect.

Made In 1999 in Korea. 2 volume, 2 tone knobs. 2 lipstick pickups. This is overall a great guitar. The tuning begs are cheap and don't stay in tune very long but eveything else is of resonable quiality especially for the price.

I play indie rock mainly but also blues and jazz on it and it sounds great with every style. Sounds good with distortion especially in the middle pickup selector.

This guitar was not properly set up when i got it. The action was way to and pickups were not quite set up properly.

This guitar is reliable and durable. Its great for playing light especially because its a hollow body its very lights. The only problem is the tuners are very cheap and don't keep the guitar in tune.

This guitar is great if it was ever stolen or damaged I would deffinatley get another one.

S/S config...two tone and volume knobs and a three-way switch...nothing shocking or extraordinary. The fretboard is not very well built and the body is particle board...The chambered body makes it loud, but this is hard to tell because the pickups are so low-gain...

Very jangly...one could even say like a budget Ric. The hum is relatively loud. The pickups are very low gain.

It's cheaply made. It is surprising given the particle-board body how good it sounds. It doesn't feel particularly good...

It's been around. It'll be around. It hasn't been tested too much though...The jack had to be replaced and I had problems with the pickup-selector, but, then again, I bought it used.

Never dealt with them...they don't make guitars anymore, so I wouldn't depend on it...

It's not versatile and it doesn't feel great, but it's cheap and it sounds decent. Certainly a better feeling and sounding guitar than many other budget guitars, like the Squires and especially cheap Epiphones. I would highly recommend, in only a slightly higher price range, some of the cheaper Godin guitars. On the other hand, I don't know of a better way to get budget Ric sounds like this...

what we're talking about here is bang for the buck.
this guitar's pro's and con's get crissed crossed which is partly what allows it to endure as a classic. it's hollow, making it inexpensive and superlight. the neck is flat as a board and the action is very low. not as pleasureable as my strat, gibson, or rick but just as low. tuners are cheap, and the straplocks are plastic!!! otherwise it would be a 10. but the price wowzers, crazy eddie couldn't do better.

this is why you buy this guitar. i loved the sea and cake, finally saw them in new york and said AHA! sam and archer were both playing danelectro's. signature bling bling sound.

outstanding! mine has a sparkle red wine finish. plays like butter.
bought off of ebay it came in PERFECT condition.

not sure yet. just got this guitar.
all the other axes that i own have gotten better with age, significantly. is that going to be the difference between a cheapo guitar and a new gibson. we shall see.

none.

i have a japanese fender 62 strat reissue, martin d17k acoustic, old rickenbacker 330, and a gibson es335. an old roomate of mine had a similar dano guitar in college and i allways had a crush on it.
i originally intended this to be a gift for my girlfreind, but i think
think i'm gunna keep it, get her a matching one.
i will be traveling, and possibly on tour again in the future.
i like touring but the rock clubs out there make me paranoid.
alot of the time your gear just has to sit on the side of the stage
or even on the floor. and while i'd like to trust folks these days to not walk off with my gibson, it does list for twice the price of the last car i drove...
so i've recently been on the lookout for a cheap, simple guitar. one with tone for me and playability for my girlfriend who only has only a cheapo acoustic. i've been looking at the 1 pickup squire bullet, epiphone LP junior, and the dano.
i'm glad i bought this baby.
reasons for buying this guitar are covered on the u2 reissure page.
check it out.

Trevor Dunen Guitarist and singer/songwriter here again. This little number was made in Indonesia I think. Danalectro were originally making amps in the 1940's the company was founde by Nathan Daniel and this type of model was made between 1956 and 1968, there was a similar model called the Guitarlin. Note that Sid from Pink Floyd is pictured using one of these U2's quite often in his early muscial days, before he went mad and was committed, a lot of the early. Pink Floyd stuff was done on these guitars! It has 22 frets, it is made of laminate dmasonite would you believe and is hollow!!?There is two separate volume and tone knobs they sit on top of each other, one is white the other brown, bakelite. The bottom is volume and the top tone. I love this set-up and I love the corny bakelite set-up. Some complain but this guitar is 50's kitsch, and you must have them. There is two lipstick pick-ups, there is a 3 way white metal toggle switch for the pick-upsthe neck is maple ,I think with rosewood fretboard. The body style is like the Gibson Es335 but no cut-aways, the colur is mauve and it looks fantastic. It has a white type tape arrangemetn around the entrie edge of the guitar for binding, this does come away but has been repaired with super glue. The tuners are not real good, but I will not change them preferring to keep the instrument origianl; as I am a bit of a traditionalist.The finish is fantastic, a shiny type of coated acrylic, the thing looks 50's and art deco and that is what I like about it, a wooden bridge too that is not really adjustable and cause minor tuning problems but you just re-tune after every number and put up with it. No accessories at all. and the guitar strap knobs were tightly glued in with old trusty super glue after hearing of them falling out from other players. The neck is medium and the action is a tad high but i will not muck about adjusting it, a metal nut is a big feature.

I play this baby on a 50 Watt Marshall CDR thru a Genesis Digtiech 3 Guitar Modeller, I have an abilene strat copy that has had all the electrics replaced with Fender. I have an Abilene electric Acoustic and I also sing. I have had over 30 guitars over the years includig a 56 re-issue Fender anniversary Strat, A Fender Telecaster, A Gibson Telecaster and a Peavey T-60 Electric. I love this little guitar for its sound, it can whine for lead or it can do bassy stuff for rythmn, not much sustain, but she holds her own, she is used in the studio to record and also gig. One huge feature is it is extremely light and weitghs nothing, I have a bad back and it is nothing to wear this guitar

The tape is a constant problem and is hard to get right, but it's only a cosmetic thing, The guitar is a real looker and is just 50's Art Deco Kitsch. I know most guitarists I have talk to are getting one, they are such a good guitar and a bargain. The best looking guitar I have ever seen. The action a little high, would prefer an adjustable bridge, of metal and some better tuning heads, but who do you contaxct and what do you do? They were made like this in 56 and these are a replica, so tought luck, I would buy another of these and will always have one!

The thing seems light and tacky to feel, the knobs are only plastic and she feels like a petite little lady that likes it rough, don't be scared play her to gig with her and thrash her, that's what it is for, just keep up the repairs, I have not had any problems and am not harsh with my guitars, I look after them, cleaning them after playing and putting them in cases. Cange the strings roughly about ever 2 weeks when they go dull. I play 2-5 hours every day.

they got a web page but i don't think you can buy many parts for it. but you can email them and ask questionss, that's a start!!!

Love it and would buy another, been playing 18 years , have a computer set-up/studio at home and also gig and sing/write as well. Member of APRA