Danelectro '63 reissue - mini-review
Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2008 10:07 pm
Just checked out one of these:
Through a Fender Super Six (attn. Robroe). It was very nice - a bit better then last year's models. It was all satin (which I like) with brushed chrome hardware. The only crap thing about the aesthetics was the "aged" trim tape and pickguard, which was clearly a friday afternoon job done with some wood stain and a paintbrush - the brush strokes were pretty apparent. The neck PUP sounded perfect - very full and twangy and snappy and all those other buzz words. The bridge PUP was extremely bright and hollow, almost like the out-of-phase sound on a Mustang, not particularly useful for anything other then 60s spy riffs. Combined, the signal was quite a bit louder and seemed to favor the neck PUP a bit. Chords sounded muddy in this setting, but it was very nice for solos and jazz fills. It would probably be a good sound through fuzz. The controls weren't very responsive - tone was OK, but still a little bunched in the last 1/4 of rotation; volume didn't have much of an effect until the last 1/3. I'm guessing they used linear taper as they did on the late 90's reissues. The switch felt a little loose and wanky - nothing like the stiff and heavy switch on the originals. To the positive, the neck was wonderfully finished, very comfortable, and had excellent fret work. The rosewood board was also a very rich and dark color with nice yellow variations. Tuners were also nice, but tuning was hurt by a less-then-perfect nut.
All-in-all, very nice for $250 and a bit better build (if not finish) quality then last year's models.
Through a Fender Super Six (attn. Robroe). It was very nice - a bit better then last year's models. It was all satin (which I like) with brushed chrome hardware. The only crap thing about the aesthetics was the "aged" trim tape and pickguard, which was clearly a friday afternoon job done with some wood stain and a paintbrush - the brush strokes were pretty apparent. The neck PUP sounded perfect - very full and twangy and snappy and all those other buzz words. The bridge PUP was extremely bright and hollow, almost like the out-of-phase sound on a Mustang, not particularly useful for anything other then 60s spy riffs. Combined, the signal was quite a bit louder and seemed to favor the neck PUP a bit. Chords sounded muddy in this setting, but it was very nice for solos and jazz fills. It would probably be a good sound through fuzz. The controls weren't very responsive - tone was OK, but still a little bunched in the last 1/4 of rotation; volume didn't have much of an effect until the last 1/3. I'm guessing they used linear taper as they did on the late 90's reissues. The switch felt a little loose and wanky - nothing like the stiff and heavy switch on the originals. To the positive, the neck was wonderfully finished, very comfortable, and had excellent fret work. The rosewood board was also a very rich and dark color with nice yellow variations. Tuners were also nice, but tuning was hurt by a less-then-perfect nut.
All-in-all, very nice for $250 and a bit better build (if not finish) quality then last year's models.