| Serial Number | Serial numbers vary. These instruments were built during the late 1950’s to early 1960’s. |
| Pricing | Danelectro Convertible: $650 CAD, case extra. Danelectro DC-59 Shorthorn: $850 CAD case extra. Silvertone U2-56 Single Cut: $950 CAD case extra. |
| Neck | Poplar necks with unbound rosewood fingerboards. 25″ scale with aluminum nuts. |
| Frets | Some fret wear. |
| Body | Danelectros were made with poplar shells and masonite tops and backs with vinyl edging. Two of these use the ‘Shorthorn’ body style, while the Silvertone model uses the ‘U’ single-cutaway style. |
| Finish | Worn lacquer finishes where appropriate, masonite has its own finish. The sides are covered with a faux-leather-grained vinyl. |
| Hardware/electronics | Original hardware. The Silvertone has the metal bridge base with rosewood saddle, the Convertible and Shorthorn DC have rosewood bridge bases with fretwire saddles, On the Silvertone U2, the strings attach directly to the bridge plate while on the shorthorn models a V-shaped sheet metal tailpiece is used.The characteristic ‘Lipstick Tube’ pickups are used, and on the U2 and dc59 Shorthorn are wired in series, rather than parallel as most multi-pickup instruments are, with concentric volume and tone pots. |
| Playability/Action | These instruments play well and cleanly. |
| Case | Cases are extra. |
| Comments | Originally, from 1934 to 1946, Nathan Daniel built amplifiers for Epiphone. In 1947 Danelectro was founded and built amplifiers for companies like Montgomery Ward, Sears&Roebuck and Targ&Dinner. The first Danelectro guitars were made in 1954 for Sears under the Silvertone name, and featured solid poplar bodies and neck stiffening rods instead of adjustable truss rods. In 1956, the body design shifted to a poplar core with masonite top and back. The “Lipstick Tube” pickups use alnico magnets and are, in fact, housed in lipstick tube cases – purchased surplus.Danelectro instruments were used by many professional guitarists, and not just when they were learning. Jimmy Page famously used one on Led Zeppelin tours, Eric Clapton during Blind Faith, Syd Barrett in Pink Floyd. David Lindley regularly used one, Mick Jagger, Mark Knopfler, and many others have used Danelectros onstage and on record. |
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