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Danelectro Reissue 56-U2 Reviews  4 / 5 based on 1 reviewsI read in a blues revue magazine about the Danelectros being reissued. I remembered the cool sound those lipstick tube pickups made and knew I had to have one quick as I was just getting into playing some slide guitar which these guitars are really good for.
When these guitars first came out it was not an easy task to get your hands on one. All the mail order music stores were back ordered for months and weren't taking any more orders. So, I started calling around to friends I knew in big towns. I found one in Sacramento and one in Las Vegas. I got the better deal from the guys in Las Vegas but they didn't have the color I wanted but they were willing to take my money and send me one when they got one.
I still ended up waiting a couple of months to get one but I got a good deal at the time. I paid $249.00 for the guitar and also purchased the Tweed Hard Shell case because I think the Tweed cases have that cool vintage look. Now, what I like most about this guitar is the sound. Well the price is great also and with all the new models they have out now a guy could own several different Dano models for the price they get for them in my opinion is cheap. And I plan on getting at least one more after I get this new amp I have an obsession for.
But getting back to what I like most about these guitars. Hands down it has to be the sound I have seen many pros who play Strats with a lipstick tube pick-up installed in them. For years these pick-ups were a real find as they were for the most part impossible to get your hands on. The vintage tones you can get from these guitars is like no other sound and in fact you can't get this sound with any other pick-up but a lipstick tube pick-up. Oh and I might add the quality of these guitars for the price is excellent. There is nothing I don't like about this guitar. As I said earlier in this review for the money you can't beat them. It is my number one guitar for playing slide. It just has a tone that I really appreciate when playing slide. I am not articulate enough to express to you the sound you just have to go play one and see if you don't agree.
The construction on these guitars is generally better than you would expect for the price. The guys who have been putting out these re-issues have been paying close attention to quality control which I think was the cause of the waiting period when they first came out. They didn't want to sacrifice the quality. They are constructed in a different kind of way than your usual wood guitar. It is a hollow body guitar. The back and sides are a kind of laminate which is one of the reasons for the tone being what it is. They do have an adjustable truss rod which for a guitar in this price range used to be rare and may still be?
I haven't played to many guitars in this price range. And the reason I bought this guitar was for the tone. And I would have paid much more to get that sweet tone. Again for the price the quality is excellent. And if you watch you will see pros playing these. I even saw a bass player playing a Dano bass this summer at a blues fest. The quality being what it is. And being able to get the vintage tone I wanted. I have to say I am not sure I could have gotten a better value. Because if this is the vintage tone you want you can't buy it anywhere else for any amount of money. And actually the value of this guitar is a big part of what makes me smile every time I think about it. They didn't skimp on anything.
Now agreed we are not talking about an original guitar it is a re-issue but it is true to the originals and at a cost far lower than you would pay for an original if you could find one. If you are looking for a guitar with vintage tone you can hardly do better for the money. I have had this guitar for several years now and it has held up well.
I am still as happy with it as the first time I pulled it out of the case. Try one and see if you don't agree and let me know what you think.
Bluzjamn rated this unit on 2001-06-25.
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