1957 Danelectro U1 - pics and video

Will · Post by **Will** » Fri Sep 26, 2008 8:34 pm

Someone tried to convert it to a bass at some point - MOJO Ahoy!

The neck wear is sexy as fuck

[youtube][/youtube]

I LOVE this thing - it gets along great with my Princeton Chorus and is amazingly dynamic and LOUD. Playing with the band last night, I only had the amp on 7 and I could be heard clear as day over Steinway piano, drums, and bass. Normally I have the amp on 10 and still can't be heard well - it was awesome. The tone switch is super useful (it selects whether the tone control cuts treble or bass). Cutting bass, I got this super woody and gritty tone that drove all of the uptempo songs really well. Cutting treble, I got an awesome jazz tone that you only get a hint of in the video. It even handled solos reasonably well. The neck is the most comfortable I've ever played - even with tons of relief and high action, it's very comfy. Great condition as well. Body is a little rough, but the frets are still perfect. It sounds very different from my reissue - much twangier and grittier. I can't get over how cool it is.
Psyched Thread!

jcyphe · Post by **jcyphe** » Fri Sep 26, 2008 8:50 pm

That was a really good video.

Reece · Post by **Reece** » Fri Sep 26, 2008 8:51 pm

You have some mega chops. Was that my favourite things?

The dano sounds sounds really nice.

Will · Post by **Will** » Fri Sep 26, 2008 8:59 pm

Zaphod wrote:Was that my favourite things?

Yep. That's part 1 - I do one pass in 3/4 and then a second in 4/4 cut time and swung heavily (sort of based on the Coltrane version). It comes off really well - at some point we're working out a piano part so the band can play it.

cooter · Post by **cooter** » Sat Sep 27, 2008 12:48 am

Sounds great. Looks killer. Excellent demo. Glad to see it's in the hands of somebody that really appreciates it and PLAYS it.

Mages · Post by **Mages** » Sat Sep 27, 2008 6:51 pm

definitely nails the chan-tones, I love that sound. it's interesting that the vintage one is so much louder than the reissue, I wonder why.

Will · Post by **Will** » Sat Sep 27, 2008 7:40 pm

mage wrote:definitely nails the chan-tones, I love that sound. it's interesting that the vintage one is so much louder than the reissue, I wonder why.

A few reasons (Dano nerd alert):
1. The original has the PUP under the 2 octave harmonic node, where the string has a lot of lateral movement. The RI has the PUP further back = PUP sees less string motion.
2. Original uses 1M v. 100K volume pot in the RI.
3. The original has a thicker, denser bridge plate. It's about 1/3rd thicker then the RI's.
4. Less internal structure in the original
5. Denser rosewood for the saddle
6. The shielding characteristics of the PUPs are different. The original has a gap between each half of the lipstick tube which breaks up a ground loop and keeps the shielding from cutting high-end response and volume; the RI has the 2 halves connected.

Damn - I need to go outside or something. I've read way too much about this.

And none of this is to say the RI is bad - it's just different. It certainly sounds better for modern music or anything that's heavily flatpicked.

stewart · Post by **stewart** » Sat Sep 27, 2008 10:12 pm

how does it compare to your silvertone 1448? just interested cos mine is really bassy (in a good way) but the dano sounds quite bright in the video. brighter than i expected!

Will · Post by **Will** » Sat Sep 27, 2008 11:22 pm

stewart wrote:how does it compare to your silvertone 1448? just interested cos mine is really bassy (in a good way) but the dano sounds quite bright in the video. brighter than i expected!

Here's a comparison - it starts with the 1448, then I switch to the U1 halfway through:
[stream]http://bestnetworx.com/uploader/files/65/1448vU1-ed.mp3[/stream]

They sound much closer then I thought they would - I think the main difference is that the U1 actually plays in tune. My amps are all set really bright ATM - I think I have my Princeton at T: 6, M: 8, B: 2. I like to set the amp for a good middle-of-the-road sound with the tone back halfway - helps to get more versatility out of 1 PUP guits.

westtexasred · Post by **westtexasred** » Sun Sep 28, 2008 8:08 pm

Very cool.Congrats man!

Mo Law-ka · Post by **Mo Law-ka** » Sun Sep 28, 2008 8:25 pm

looks friggin ace dude!

definitely worth the money.

superfuzz · Post by **superfuzz** » Sun Sep 28, 2008 8:49 pm

Nice! Danelectros FTW!

stewart · Post by **stewart** » Sun Sep 28, 2008 10:44 pm

DuoSonicBoy wrote:
stewart wrote:how does it compare to your silvertone 1448? just interested cos mine is really bassy (in a good way) but the dano sounds quite bright in the video. brighter than i expected!
Here's a comparison - it starts with the 1448, then I switch to the U1 halfway through:
[stream]http://bestnetworx.com/uploader/files/65/1448vU1-ed.mp3[/stream]

They sound much closer then I thought they would - I think the main difference is that the U1 actually plays in tune. My amps are all set really bright ATM - I think I have my Princeton at T: 6, M: 8, B: 2. I like to set the amp for a good middle-of-the-road sound with the tone back halfway - helps to get more versatility out of 1 PUP guits.

they both sound exactly the same to me! i suppose within certain parameters they will be... i think i might dust my silvertone down and have a tinker, i've never really played it that much.

bamonte · Post by **bamonte** » Mon Sep 29, 2008 6:28 am

You have a nice playing style. Great demoo.

soma89 · Post by **soma89** » Mon Sep 29, 2008 3:50 pm

Man. that thing is cool. I dig them old Dano's and am a proud owner of a silvertone 1457. Just a couple of days ago i went to my local vintage guitar shop and saw one a lot like yours for $650 CAN, i was about to buy it but the price seemed kinda high. Great axe tho, such a nice tone.

mezzio13 · Post by **mezzio13** » Mon Sep 29, 2008 3:55 pm

jcyphe wrote:That was a really good video.

That really sums it up.