# Danocasters, whats the deal?



## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

I've seen advertised prices in the range of what a used Fender masterbuilt goes for and above. I played one once. It was nice. Just as nice as a Fender custom shop, maybe not as nice or at least equal to my Crook T style. 
I take it the guy retired but no small builder is going to have his guitars increased like prewar martins. Do people think they'll buy a used one for 5 k now and it will be worth 8k in a few years. Thats a disappointment waiting to happen.
Seems to be a lot of them for sale. If I had one and could get those prices I'd sell it to. Then I could go to Bill Crook, Ron Kirn, Hahn or even a custom shop and have money left over.
Yes over all they are great guitars. But there are so many great builders, even local guys that put together a quality partscaster why would anyone pay inflated "Klon" prices?
Do they think it will be collectible? Do they think they'll increase in value? Another reason?
Or has someone of credible knowledge simply decreed that "Danocasters are worth more"?


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## gtrguy (Jul 6, 2006)

guitarman2 said:


> I've seen advertised prices in the range of what a used Fender masterbuilt goes for and above. I played one once. It was nice. Just as nice as a Fender custom shop, maybe not as nice or at least equal to my Crook T style.
> I take it the guy retired but no small builder is going to have his guitars increased like prewar martins. Do people think they'll buy a used one for 5 k now and it will be worth 8k in a few years. Thats a disappointment waiting to happen.
> Seems to be a lot of them for sale. If I had one and could get those prices I'd sell it to. Then I could go to Bill Crook, Ron Kirn, Hahn or even a custom shop and have money left over.
> Yes over all they are great guitars. But there are so many great builders, even local guys that put together a quality partscaster why would anyone pay inflated "Klon" prices?
> ...


If it's as good as a Crook or Fender Masterbuilt in quality, shouldn't it sell for that kind of money? I would assume people are buying them to play because they are great instruments, not as investments.


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

gtrguy said:


> If it's as good as a Crook or Fender Masterbuilt in quality, shouldn't it sell for that kind of money? I would assume people are buying them to play because they are great instruments, not as investments.



I agree its as good as a Crook. So it could sell for what a Crook sells for. Used Crooks don't sell for that price. New Crooks don't sell for that price. As for Fender Masterbuilt there is a branding in the name that goes with that. And that is worth more. Maybe not to everyone. In 100 years its likely people will know what Fender is. Danocaster is just another boutique built guitar in a sea of very talented boutique builders that make a great product for far less than used Danocasters.


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## white buffalo (Jan 31, 2016)

A couple years ago I got to try a dozen of them next to each other under one roof, and all I could think was "this is what all the fuss is about?". You say they felt on par with MB's and Crook- of which I've only played one, and was not a fan of-, but to me, the Danocaster's I played didn't come off as any more spectacular than the MIM Roadworn stuff. Which isn't to say that they're bad guitars... actually, I've played some fantastic Roadworns that bested the vintage instruments they were meant to be affordable emulations of... But by and large I found those dozen Dano's I played quite lacklustre, and not anything I'd go crazy trying to buy, even at his old prices. Also, if people think these (or any MB's) feature "authentic" wear, then you just haven't spent enough time around real vintage guitars. Most relics are merely caricatures of the old ones. Only one or two guys really do good/authentic-looking work, and they're both in the UK (and one of them is now dead). Danocaster is all hype, and I don't care much for the opinions of anyone who claims them to be anything special. But okay, wood is random and one log can yield both crappy and fantastic planks, so I'll leave it at that- I'm sure there's some decent ones out there.


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## King Loudness (May 3, 2010)

I've got two Danocasters, and I prefer them over any Fender or other boutique I've tried. The neck finish is really something special, and mine are both very lightweight, resonant guitars unplugged, with excellent pickup choices that suit the models well. Dan's instruments seem to spark some controversy on forums from people who "don't get it" or have other things they prefer; so be it, there are lots of great guitars out there to suit whatever a player is after. Dan is a very kind person and at this point we are good friends; I think a lot of people who really enjoy Danocasters are likely friends and fans of his, so that factors in somewhat I'm sure as to the high praise of these guitars. The Reverb prices most people ask are insane, but then again, I had the option to sell both of mine for top dollar last July and didn't even consider it... I love the guitars and resale wasn't my concern when I bought them.

Here's my #1, a Tele he made for me in 2017. I've got thousands of hours on it and to me, if I could only have one guitar, this would be it.






W.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

I think you summed it up - really good boutique builds. Some people feel they're worth the $ asking and buy them, others don't and don't buy them.

If the market can't take it, the prices will come down.


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## King Loudness (May 3, 2010)

Budda said:


> I think you summed it up - really good boutique builds. Some people feel they're worth the $ asking and buy them, others don't and don't buy them.
> 
> If the market can't take it, the prices will come down.


I think they're worth what Dan asks when he sells them with his current model (no custom orders, building what he likes and posting it for sale on IG) which is $3200 USD. Anyone asking more will likely have a hard time getting it. I think they're a much better value than a Team Built Fender at +/- $5500 + tax (based on the examples I see at L&M) but then again, some people need that Fender logo. Some other great options are Carson Hess, Ray Majury, or Nachocaster, though the Nacho at least is quite a bit more money.

W.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

I can't comment on the value having only played one, outside of recent memory.

I reserve $3k+ for PRS and Nik Huber GAS (with a dash of Fano for that stoptail JM goodness).


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## fogdart (Mar 22, 2017)

Very good build quality, but not any better than other good boutique builders. What you’re paying for is Dan’s phenomenal relic work. The guitars feel wonderful. As for tone, that’s luck of the draw. Some guitars are alive, others aren’t - as you know.


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## TimH (Feb 4, 2006)

Budda said:


> I can't comment on the value having only played one, outside of recent memory.
> 
> I reserve $3k+ for PRS and Nik Huber GAS (with a dash of Fano for that stoptail JM goodness).


you’d pay $3k for a Fano not built by Fano? See, different strokes.
(Ps - Dennis will make you a stop tail J worth over $3k...but it will say Novo on it)


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## knight_yyz (Mar 14, 2015)

Are prices not rising because he went out of business?


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## King Loudness (May 3, 2010)

knight_yyz said:


> Are prices not rising because he went out of business?


He's still building guitars, but no custom orders. He makes what he wants and posts them, first come first serve, on Instagram. They usually sell within a minute or less. There are some more traditionally themed models, and other cool stuff like paisley offsets or really cool sparkle Teles, etc.

W.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

TimH said:


> you’d pay $3k for a Fano not built by Fano? See, different strokes.
> (Ps - Dennis will make you a stop tail J worth over $3k...but it will say Novo on it)


I'm saying I would pay $3K (and less!) for the perfect used Fano JM


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## pickslide (May 9, 2006)

I have owned 3 danocasters and I will say that they were great guitars, but do I feel that they are worth $3K+? No I dont. The best feature on a Dano is the neck. Dan knows how to make a neck feel amazingly smooth and comfortable. For that alone I can see people saying its worth the money. 

That said, I have other guitars like a Melancon and an MJT partscaster that I feel are just as good as the Danocasters that I owned. Thats my opinion and I would never begrudge or question somebody for paying that kind of price for a Dano if thats what they want to do.


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## Hammertone (Feb 3, 2006)

I put together my own F-style guitars, simply because Fender doesn't make necks in the sizes and shapes that I prefer. I've played some fine plank guitars from a variety of custom builders and small shops as well as from Fender, Suhr and other big makers, most of which don't appeal to me because of their necks. I've been lucky enough to find some Monty and Hansen guitars that I really like. I don't follow the pricing for various plank guitar vendors too closely.

Buyers are free to do whatever they want with their money as far as I'm concerned, so I'm simply curious about how these guitars are made. I understand that Danocaster does the relicing, and puts the effort into matching necks, bodies, hardware and pickups for optimal sound and playability. The ones I have tried were all nice guitars. Does Danocaster make the bodies and the necks? Does he spray the finishes? Just curious.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

People will buy what they want and then rationalize it. That's human nature. I do it. Everybody does.

I'd love to see a blind taste test with lots of players and let them pick based on feel and sound with no influence of aesthetics or brand name.

I suspect as many would pick Squiers as would pick expensive boutique builds.

That's ok. I would be interested in a guitar made by one of these guys, but without any appearance related relic'ing. I think there are (must be) functional improvements / advantages that these guitars have, otherwise it's just a lot of money for a finish.


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## Chitmo (Sep 2, 2013)

Fair market value = whatever people are willing to pay.


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

Milkman said:


> People will buy what they want and then rationalize it. That's human nature. I do it. Everybody does.
> 
> I'd love to see a blind taste test with lots of players and let them pick based on feel and sound with no influence of aesthetics or brand name.
> 
> ...


I am a "relic lover" but I only like them aged to the point where they feel broken in and comfortable not to where they look life they've been dragged behind a truck for 10 miles. The Journey man relic was made for me.

 https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

guitarman2 said:


> I am a "relic lover" but I only like them aged to the point where they feel broken in and comfortable not to where they look life they've been dragged behind a truck for 10 miles. The Journey man relic was made for me.
> 
> terryf1960


I've come to realize that my stance on relics was a bit harsh, or at least shared with others in an unflattering way.

I agree, a guitar that feels "broken in and comfortable" is very desirable.

I myself would just prefer that the aesthetic treatments that really have nothing to do with that, are left out.


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

white buffalo said:


> A couple years ago I got to try a dozen of them next to each other under one roof, and all I could think was "this is what all the fuss is about?". You say they felt on par with MB's and Crook- of which I've only played one, and was not a fan of-, but to me, the Danocaster's I played didn't come off as any more spectacular than the MIM Roadworn stuff. Which isn't to say that they're bad guitars... actually, I've played some fantastic Roadworns that bested the vintage instruments they were meant to be affordable emulations of... But by and large I found those dozen Dano's I played quite lacklustre, and not anything I'd go crazy trying to buy, even at his old prices. Also, if people think these (or any MB's) feature "authentic" wear, then you just haven't spent enough time around real vintage guitars. Most relics are merely caricatures of the old ones. Only one or two guys really do good/authentic-looking work, and they're both in the UK (and one of them is now dead). Danocaster is all hype, and I don't care much for the opinions of anyone who claims them to be anything special. But okay, wood is random and one log can yield both crappy and fantastic planks, so I'll leave it at that- I'm sure there's some decent ones out there.



I've only played one and what I didn't like about it was specs. The neck was too skinny for my liking. Other than that it was a quality instrument no better than a custom shop not as good as what some custom shops or masterbuilts can be. The custom shop 52 tele I now own, for me, far surpasses the Masterbuilt I owned before it. To me its equal in quality but all the specs of the guitar serve me better than the Masterbuilt, or any other tele I've owned. But even for what I spent on the guitar I feel a little guilty. A tele really shouldn't cost that much. The most coveted Fenders weren't built by master builders or boutique guys that pain stakenly gave attention to every detail. I understand that simply having the "Fender" logo on the head stock is going to add some dollars because of the brand. I've had my hands on many boutique and small builders guitars copying a Telecaster and really its no different than Fenders in that they can all vary. 
Back when I played every weekend for money I used a Crook T. Now that I'm just a home player I really like to see Fender logo guitars on my wall. So yes I'm one that likes that logo. I feel I've found a custom shop guitar that would rival any boutique builders example and does rival the masterbuilt that I owned a year ago. 
I don't really have a problem with Danocasters new sale prices. They are in line with other small builders. Its the hype simpley because he quit taking custom orders? I can't wait for the hype when Bill Crook quits building.


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## TheGASisReal (Mar 2, 2020)

I've played the three that Will owned and they were all really special. The way they felt, the way they sounded, and the way they looked. The Danocaster IG page is absolute guitar-porn if you're into vintage, Fender style guitars!

If there is one thing I have learned, it's that you can't just pick specs off of a website and expect to have an amazing guitar. I am sure there are tons of incredible MJT builds out there, but it's clearly not as simple as picking whatever you want. It's all about attention to the smallest of details.. It's about matching all of the right pieces until you have a finished product. Aside from the stunning aesthetics, and hand crafted touch, there are years and years of experience in this process. He has never tried to pump out as many guitars as possible like an assembly line.. And I'm not trying to knock a company like Fender. I don't have much experience with Fender Custom Shops per se, but as far as their common American-made guitars go.. You're just buying a different class of guitar. It's not supposed to be the fruits of someones obsessive quest to create a unique work of art. Both have their place!

So what determines their value? Clearly there is high demand for his guitars, and a limited supply. It's really quite simple. If you're offended by paying 4300 for a guitar then simply don't. To me, it makes more sense to spend that amount of money on something that has had someone's heart and soul poured into it.

Two thumbs up for Dano


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

TheGASisReal said:


> It's all about attention to the smallest of details.. It's about matching all of the right pieces until you have a finished product.
> 
> 
> Two thumbs up for Dano



Is it? The most coveted Fenders were not built that way. They picked a neck off a pile and attached it to a body. They didn't agonize, tone tap, etc just screwed that neck on to whatever body. Fender or whatever boutique its a parts guitar. As Brad Paisley would say, "a cutting board with a neck". Not a work of art.
I'm sure Wills guitars are amazing guitars. But there is no shortage of amazing guitars. Those that accuse of us of having to have the Fender logo on the headstock to feel good are no different than those thinking that the Danocasters are worth double the price because "Danocaster" is on the headstock.


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## TheGASisReal (Mar 2, 2020)

guitarman2 said:


> Is it? The most coveted Fenders were not built that way. They picked a neck off a pile and attached it to a body. They didn't agonize, tone tap, etc just screwed that neck on to whatever body. Fender or whatever boutique its a parts guitar. As Brad Paisley would say, "a cutting board with a neck". Not a work of art.


In my opinion (based on my own experiences),_ it is_. Now, do you need to play a guitar like this to get incredible tones? Absolutely not. An American Pro Strat is more than enough to travel the world playing gigs.

Personally, I am skeptical about vintage Fenders being the holy grail. I must assume that they were hit and miss. I also can't stand the delusion that _older _is _better_. For the reason that you just mentioned, I can't believe the hype. I would have much more confidence buying a guitar from Dano, Suhr, Xotic, etc than blindly buying a 1964 strat. There are surely stunning vintage fenders out there, but I'm not convinced that they are consistently amazing.


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## King Loudness (May 3, 2010)

guitarman2 said:


> I'm sure Wills guitars are amazing guitars. But there is no shortage of amazing guitars. Those that accuse of us of having to have the Fender logo on the headstock to feel good are no different than those thinking that the Danocasters are worth double the price because "Danocaster" is on the headstock.


You aren't wrong. I'm probably the biggest Danocaster fan on this forum and possibly in Canada, I've owned 4 and had a chance to play 3 or 4 others. Given that there aren't that many in Canada it's a fair sample size. That all being said; Dan's guitars are as subject to 'hype' as any other brand. I love mine, but plenty of people I know that have played Danos weren't really into them and preferred other things, Fender or otherwise. At the end of the day, it's best to play/own exactly what inspires you and brings the music out 

W.


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

I can completely understand and agree with what you are saying. I'm a big fan of Bill Crooks guitars. I can imagine that if he were to pass away or give up building that they hype surrounding his guitars could get out of hand. Lots of us fall victim to hype. Not to say they aren't good guitars but doubling the value because you can't get them anymore is just something that happens with music gear.


King Loudness said:


> You aren't wrong. I'm probably the biggest Danocaster fan on this forum and possibly in Canada, I've owned 4 and had a chance to play 3 or 4 others. Given that there aren't that many in Canada it's a fair sample size. That all being said; Dan's guitars are as subject to 'hype' as any other brand. I love mine, but plenty of people I know that have played Danos weren't really into them and preferred other things, Fender or otherwise. At the end of the day, it's best to play/own exactly what inspires you and brings the music out
> 
> W.


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## TheGASisReal (Mar 2, 2020)

Why is any guitar worth more than 2K? Why are some worth 12K? 50? Because of a limited supply and great demand. Someone is willing to pay that much. That's it. Imagine if pedals were priced by cost of production + a 20% markup... Yet people will pay 600$ for a fuzz. These type of discussions always come back to the same conclusion.. Everyone sets their own budget when it comes to guitar gear. I have a hard time being sympathetic towards the outrage.


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## King Loudness (May 3, 2010)

TheGASisReal said:


> Why is any guitar worth more than 2K? Why are some worth 12K? 50? Because of a limited supply and great demand. Someone is willing to pay that much. That's it. Imagine if pedals were priced by cost of production + a 20% markup... Yet people will pay 600$ for a fuzz. These type of discussions always come back to the same conclusion.. Everyone sets their own budget when it comes to guitar gear. I have a hard time being sympathetic towards the outrage.


That about sums it up, IMO. One person might think Danos are overpriced, the next person might think Fender CS is overpriced -- it's all about the budget you have and what you can get for it that will inspire you.

W.


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

Why do you take curiosity and call it outrage? Just a discussion I started. Not an outrage. I've gained insights from King loundess, who actually owns Danocasters. So for me mission accomplished. 



TheGASisReal said:


> Why is any guitar worth more than 2K? Why are some worth 12K? 50? Because of a limited supply and great demand. Someone is willing to pay that much. That's it. Imagine if pedals were priced by cost of production + a 20% markup... Yet people will pay 600$ for a fuzz. These type of discussions always come back to the same conclusion.. Everyone sets their own budget when it comes to guitar gear. I have a hard time being sympathetic towards the outrage.


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## TheGASisReal (Mar 2, 2020)

Maybe I'm reading your replies with a tone that doesn't really exist, but generally these type of questions are loaded. Fair?

Sent from my SM-G950W using Tapatalk


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

TheGASisReal said:


> Maybe I'm reading your replies with a tone that doesn't really exist, but generally these type of questions are loaded. Fair?
> 
> Sent from my SM-G950W using Tapatalk



Definitely no tone here. Was genuinely curios. There really isn't much modern made gear that increases in value like the Klon. I found the Danocasters another extraordinary example of hyper inflated gear.


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## TheGASisReal (Mar 2, 2020)

guitarman2 said:


> Definitely no tone here. Was genuinely curios. There really isn't much modern made gear that increases in value like the Klon. I found the Danocasters another extraordinary example of hyper inflated gear.


I apologize, I mixed up white buffalo's comment with yours.

Sent from my SM-G950W using Tapatalk


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## numb41 (Jul 13, 2009)

Can we remove the word “build”? 
He assembles guitars. He buys the parts (including the body and neck). Then paints them. Then relics them. Albeit, very nicely. They look great.

And everyone chiming in here, including me, are into brand recognition.


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

numb41 said:


> Can we remove the word “build”?
> He assembles guitars. He buys the parts (including the body and neck). Then paints them. Then relics them. Albeit, very nicely. They look great.
> 
> And everyone chiming in here, including me, are into brand recognition.



When you take premanufacterd parts and assemble them in to a guitar its technically a build as far as I'm concerned. Before they were assembled it wasn't a guitar after assembly its a guitar. Just semantics but to me its a build.
As far as brand recognition. Yes I'm in to it but not just brands. I admire and have owned small builder guitars. All guitars matter.


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## numb41 (Jul 13, 2009)

guitarman2 said:


> When you take premanufacterd parts and assemble them in to a guitar its technically a build as far as I'm concerned. Before they were assembled it wasn't a guitar after assembly its a guitar. Just semantics but to me its a build.
> As far as brand recognition. Yes I'm in to it but not just brands. I admire and have owned small builder guitars. All guitars matter.


See, now building to me involves saws and drills and sandpaper and a wood shop. If not, then let me introduce myself. I’m Jim. I build guitars.


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## numb41 (Jul 13, 2009)

The Fendur Jim-O- Caster. Has this been used yet?


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

numb41 said:


> The Fendur Jim-O- Caster. Has this been used yet?


No time like the present!


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## Chitmo (Sep 2, 2013)

guitarman2 said:


> When you take premanufacterd parts and assemble them in to a guitar its technically a build as far as I'm concerned. Before they were assembled it wasn't a guitar after assembly its a guitar. Just semantics but to me its a build.
> As far as brand recognition. Yes I'm in to it but not just brands. I admire and have owned small builder guitars. All guitars matter.


I tend to agree with Jim, Dano is good at what he does but he doesn’t build guitars, he finishes and assembles. I mean, would you feel the same if he was using allparts necks and bodies or warmouth stuff and slapping his name on it? Most people don’t realize/know he acquires the bodies and necks from a very reputable builder in the USA, Mario guitars.



https://marioguitars.com/


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

numb41 said:


> See, now building to me involves saws and drills and sandpaper and a wood shop. If not, then let me introduce myself. I’m Jim. I build guitars.



To me theres building a guitar from scratch, building a guitar from manufactured parts and everything in between. Of course the purists that say their guitar that is built from scratch is the only true built guitar. But then they need that extra bragging right. You can have all the parts you want but its not a guitar till you put it together.


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

Danocaster and a Fender Roadworn series Tele are basically identical. Can you believe that?


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## zztomato (Nov 19, 2010)

I don't know why people get so hung up on the "from scratch" idea. Most of what makes the difference is done after the basic body and neck are made. 
Dan has an incredible ability to make a bunch of new guitar parts feel, look and sound like a vintage instrument. He is an ace setup man, finish expert and has the eye of a master artisan. His talents are far beyond cutting and routing.


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## King Loudness (May 3, 2010)

zztomato said:


> I don't know why people get so hung up on the "from scratch" idea. Most of what makes the difference is done after the basic body and neck are made.
> Dan has an incredible ability to make a bunch of new guitar parts feel, look and sound like a vintage instrument. He is an ace setup man, finish expert and has the eye of a master artisan. His talents are far beyond cutting and routing.


+1

To my way of thinking, it's fantastic if someone can make a guitar from scratch, but I imagine many people who make instruments have some skills that are more honed in than others (IE: they're great at cutting/shaping bodies and necks but aren't strong about finishing or making pickups, etc). Dan's no different. He has specific skill sets that he does very well, and he found other people, suppliers and other team workers, to help actually make the guitars a reality. His skill sets are in his parts selection (try going to any parts supplier and getting multiple bodies, necks, set of pickups etc to make a guitar "match" as well as his finishing and aging work, and the overall setup of the guitar. He has a small, select team of people (no different than at Fender) who provide their skill set (EG: Joey Williams, who does the fretwork; he's one of Nashville's TOP people in that regard) and that's part of why they are so appealing to those that enjoy them. They are still more inexpensive than most CS Fenders even with the price bump, and on par price wise with something like a Nash (which to me is not in the same league). Personally I'm not concerned with all the minutia involved with who does what or what label they have; my question is, does the guitar inspire me? In my case, yes. Others, maybe not, but that's why we have thousands of guitar makers/builders/assemblers/gurus available to suit every whim and taste you can dream up 

W.


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## gtrguy (Jul 6, 2006)

I see the Danocaster guitars much in the same way as the early Cunetto era Fender relics- bodies and necks matched to each other and then each one uniquely aged with a “history” in mind of how the guitar had been used (were it an actual vintage instrument). Fender supplied the necks and bodies. This is pretty much the same concept as Danocaster and look what those early relics go for and how they are regarded.


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## nnieman (Jun 19, 2013)

One of the nicest tele style guitars I’ve ever had on my bench was a dano white guard.
Possibly the best tele I have ever played (i have not played a lot of vintage teles).
It came in for a set up and it was hard to give it back.
Nathan 
Nathan


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