Product: Silvertone 1452 Guitar
Price Paid: US Trade-In, Plus $100 used
Submitted
11/07/2002
at
12:01am
by
w. clay
Features
:
8
vintage 1967 Silvertone/Danelectro (since customized)
Jaguar/Jazzmaster shaped solidbody
Custom Subway wiring: tone + volume, and two pickup selecter switches
2 lipstick-tube pickups
Original Sears sunburst finish
Original Danelectro bridge replaced with a strat-style hard-tail bridge
Skate-Key tuners replaced with Grovers (I think)
Fat, Jumbo-Fretted, 24" Rosewood Neck
Sound
:
9
Feels alive (unlike the leaden Jazzmaster reissue I've been lugging around for the past 9 years) and is a pleasure to play. The lipsticks really deliver the tone, from mellow to searing. I play through a Pignose (the joys of apartment life) and can get a beautiful overdriven sound without waking up the neighbors upstairs. I'm kind of rediscovering my punk roots with this guitar since it is so much fun to really hammer on.
Action, Fit, & Finish
:
8
The original setup wasn't so hot. I think I kind of rushed the guys at Subway because it had some neck angle/intonation issues at first that really gave me the blues. Fatdawg was good on his word and replaced the crappy tuners and bridge (vintage though they were) - and set the guitar up right. The action is fantastic now and if I do need to make a quick adjustment on the bridge, I don't have to fumble with that damn rosewood saddle anymore. The change in tuners has really helped too.
Reliability/Durability
:
8
I don't play live right now, but when I do, it will definitely be with this guitar. The hardward improvements have definitely addressed the primary Danelectro flaws (the tuners and bridge). The finish looks like someone beat a door down with this guitar then painted over the scratches - which kind of suits my playing. If I have any complaint, it is that the tone and volume knobs are cheap and ugly black things that I will probably replace at the first opportunity.
Customer Support
:
9
I've noticed that Fatdawg and the Subway gang get kind of a bad rap for their relaxed attitude towards customer service - I guess I was one of the lucky ones, because I have no complaints. The satisfaction guaranteed credo on Subway's website was carried through to the letter in my case.
Overall Rating
:
9
I can't get enough of these late model Danelectros, there is something so cool and cheap about them, and their necks are just amazing. If only I could find a six-string bass or baritone version out there somewhere. I always felt intimidated by my Fender - as if I wasn't worthy to play it (maybe I wasn't), but this guitar, it works for me.
