# Danelectro Collection



## Johnny (Nov 30, 2010)

Any fans of Danelectro out there? Here are some vintage USA Danelectro amps and guitars from my collection. I thought this might be a good thread to start as they have a pretty interesting history and a lot of players still rock their Danos on stage and in the studio. My favorites are the black and white "hand vibrato" model 4011 with "batwing" headstock, the Silvertone branded bass model 1443, and the amp-in-case 1449 (2 pickup black model only offered 1 year: 1963 before switching to redburst).
BATWING 4011








TRIO: CONVERTIBLE, SILVERTONE 1304 U1, BATWING 4011








SILVERTONE BASS 1443








SILVERTONE AMP-IN-CASE 1448








SILVERTONE AMP-IN-CASE 1449








DANELECTRO VIOLIN (RARE NOT A PRODUCTION LINE MODEL: KAWAI OUTSOURCED BODY)








DANELECTRO VIOLIN (EBAY ITEM OCT. 2010 WITH CASE!!! RARE NOT A PRODUCTION LINE MODEL KAWAI OUTSOURCED BODY)








DANELECTRO CADET AMP








SILVERTONE 1481 AMP








SILVERTONE 1484 TWIN TWELVE AMP


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## puckhead (Sep 8, 2008)

very cool. that batwing headstock looks like a weapon.

tell me about the violins? 
Are they dano necks put on different bodies, or limited releases that dano themselves built?


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## bagpipe (Sep 19, 2006)

Nice - great collection. Just watched some of Jimmy Page rocking out on his Dano in "It Might Get Loud".


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## Johnny (Nov 30, 2010)

*Danelectro Violin guitars*



puckhead said:


> very cool. that batwing headstock looks like a weapon.
> 
> tell me about the violins?
> Are they dano necks put on different bodies, or limited releases that dano themselves built?


Interesting question. I wish I knew the real story. The one violin shown (not in the case) is mine. I bought it on a whim off of Ebay last year before any research as I'd never seen one and figured it must be rare. Well, it's definitely rare, but not quite the "one-off" as the other violin (in case) came up on Ebay back in October. I got in touch with the buyer and showed him mine as he was certain that his was the only one. 

The following information was taken from this site: PROJECTS

_Unlike other Danelectro guitar bodies, this one isn’t made from plywood and masonite. It’s a “real” archtop guitar made with real wood. After some searching I was able to piece together this blurb that provides some illumination on its pedigree:

Vinnie Bell – a great session guitarist of the day – offered innovative design ideas in his wild creations for Danelectro, which were marketed under the Coral name. Coral Vinnie Bell signature guitars and basses were produced from 1967 to 1969. They were different from other Danelectro models in that Kawai, one of the world’s finest piano manufacturers, rather than in the company’s New Jersey factory, manufactured the hollow bodies in Japan. Instead of particleboard semi-hollowbodies and vinyl covering of the “normal” Danelectro and Silvertone models, Coral instruments were made using conventional materials – in other words, “real” wood and traditional construction methods.


The book American Guitars mentions Vinnie Bell was responsible for having the Longhorn archtop bodies made for Coral. These pre-finished, handmade arch-topped and arch-backed longhorn guitar or bass guitar bodies feature a vintage sunburst finish on a hollow body constructed with a spruce top and maple back and sides including a superb multi layer binding on both sides (front & back). They are extremely high quality, traditionally manufactured bodies that originate from MCA's divestiture and liquidation of Danelectro's Neptune, NJ facilities during 1969/70. _

Also, in Doug Tullochs book on Danelectros (a great Holiday gift for the Danelectro enthusiast) Neptune Bound also shows this violin body on a 4 string bass that they produced under the Coral name (body also produced by Kawai). So, I think at the end of the Danelectro existence they were making use of the parts that they had by making FrankenDanos or this model was going to be part of the new line that never quite saw mass production before Dano company ceased. What was interesting to me was that the violin guitar with case that came up on Ebay actually had a case that was specifically built for this instrument. And, the case is of similar materials found in other Danelectro cases of the era (see the bass case pictured above). 

Thanks for your interest on this. That model definitely is a conversation piece.
Also, my violin model has a pickup under the bridge so it can be played electrically (no volume or tone controls, just using your amp for these controls)...the other violin in case did not have a pickup.


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## Alex Csank (Jul 22, 2010)

Fantastic collection there! I eventually need to grab me one of those "Amp in Case"models. But what I am really in need of, is one of those gorgeous original "Guitarlins"!!! I'll eventually find one I'm sure.


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## puckhead (Sep 8, 2008)

nice story, Johnny.... thanks for the detailed info


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## tpbiii (Nov 15, 2010)

We have this one in our junque collection. As weird as this seems, the guitar is new. We bought it from a shop about 15 years ago -- they had it, and for all those years, they never sold it.










Let's pick,

-Tom


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## Johnny (Nov 30, 2010)

Very cool. Similar DNA (I'm guessing): Kawai made bodies outfitted with shortscale Danelectro necks. Nice! Curious, does yours have pickup installed? Thanks for sharing. These guitars almost deserves a post of their own: DanelectrOrphans.


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## Johnny (Nov 30, 2010)

Very nice. Thanks for sharing. I believe this has the same pedigree as the Dano violins: Kawai outsourced hollow bodies with short scale Danelectro necks. Do you have any information or history on this guitar or the shop where it came from that may help piece together this mystery? Does yours have a pickup installed? I wonder how many of these are out there? Should almost be a post of their own: DanelectrOrphans. 
Also see a teardrop Dano here:
Guitar Blog: Danelectro Teardrop acoustic
Also here's more info on the Dano Violin with case that I posted earlier:
Guitar Blog: DANELECTRO Vintage VIOLIN SHAPE Acoustic Guitar - WOW!!!!


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## Paisley (Feb 19, 2010)

Big Dano fan here; for some reason I find I like the wooden bridges on them as opposed to the adjustable ones. I have a single cutaway Baritone (U2 design) which I picked up back in the '80s; can't locate any markings whatsoever, so have no idea how old it is.
Also have an early ('91) Jerry Jones Longhorn Bass, which is one of my main recording Basses. Killer sound with flatwounds!!


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