Description
This is a very nice Danelectro U1 electric guitar made by Danelectro of Neptune New Jersey in 1957. It is a semi-hollowbody, single cutaway guitar with a solid-center construction that has a Masonite top and back on a pine frame, a black lacquer finish, ivory vinyl, leather-like binding, one single-coil lipstick tube style pickup, a clear plastic pickguard with a perimeter stripe and “D” logo, two white, plastic strap pins, two white knobs, a three way selector switch, a coke bottle headstock, and a four-way adjustable chrome plated brass bridge/tailpiece with a Brazilian rosewood saddle. The neck is straight and all the electronics work correctly. The neck feels like a standard Danelectro width but just slightly smaller. This is an amazing little guitar that’s in nice playing or collectable condition! It looks lovely, sounds superb and it is a pleasure to play. Grab it quick! It comes with an original black, hard shell coffin case.Description from VintageSilvertones.com
CONDITION:
This guitar is in good condition for its age and it’s all original except for a replaced screw on the cavity cover and, perhaps a replaced toggle. There is playing wear right above, to the left and right below the pickguard. There is also arm playing wear at the lower bass bout where the picking hand hangs over the body. A few small scrapes and scratches to the finish are also visible on the front and back of the body. The binding has aged and has some minimal wear but it is very much intact. The headstock has some paint wear on the edges. Overall the guitar still looks and sounds fantastic after nearly 60 years.
TUNERS:
The tuners, opened-back, 3×2’s with white plastic buttons, are in very good working condition.Description from VintageSilvertones.comiption from VintageSilvertones.com
NECK:
A straight, bolt-on neck with force fitted, white, plastic, dot inlays on a Brazilian rosewood fretboard, an aluminum nut, 21 frets, and a 25″ scale. There is some playing wear on the top five frets but that does not affect the sound or playability of the instrument. The matching black lacquer finish on the back of the neck has worn away with years of playing playing. The Coke-bottle headstock, wih it’s matching black lacquer finish and featuring the horizontal silkscreened logo, has some wear along the edges. The neck is kept straight with two steel rods. The action is fast and the neck and frets feel fantastic under your fingers.
PICKUPS:
The single coil, lipstick tube-style pickup is very clean, crisp, potent, glassy and full. Using the tone knob, you can attain a bright to warm tone perfect for any style of music including rock, blues, country, funk, and folk. There are two white bakelite knobs, one for tone and one for volume. This guitar also has a three-way toggle for tone control, tone kill and tone setting. There are a versatile range of tones for a guitar with one pickup. All of the electronics work well. Description from VintageSilvertones.com
The Dimensions are:
Overall length: 38.25″Description from VintageSilvertones.com
Body width: 13″
Body thickness: 1.75″ with neck 2″Description from VintageSilvertones.com
Scale: 25″ approx.
Width of the nut: 1.75″ (depth .75″)
String height at 12th fret: 1/16″Description from VintageSilvertones.com
Here’s the original description from the 1957 Danelectro catalog:
Single…
Three position switch provides 3 instant tone changes. No other single-pickup guitar has this feature. Choice of six modern colors.Description from VintageSilvertones.com
BLACK LACQUER, Ivory binding U-1 Black $75
BRONZE LACQUER, Ivory binding U-1 Bronze $75
IVORY LEATHERETTE, Black binding U-1 Ivory $75
JADE GREEN LACQUER, Yellow binding U-1 Green $75
CORAL LACQUER, White binding U-1 Coral $75
AQUA LACQUER, Maroon binding U-1 Aqua $75HARD SHELL CASEDescription from VintageSilvertones.com
Strongly built with 1/2 inch thick wood frame. Pure linen covering. Deep plush lining.
MODEL M-41 for U-1, U-2 or U-3 guitars…..$25
MODEL M-46 for UB-2 6-string bass………..$30Slim, never-warp neck
Two steel bars placed in triangular truss position inside the neck, provide a rigidity much higher than other materials and methods used for similar purpose, a feature exclusive with Danelectro. Neck cannot warp, regardless of climate or varying atmospheric conditions. Fingerboard is genuine Brazilian rosewood. Position markers are force-fitted for permanence and beauty. Frets are precision inserted by special machinery designed and built by Danelectro.
Solid center bodyDescription from VintageSilvertones.com
A core of solid lumber, balanced by hollow wing sections, insures both moderate weight and the rigidity required for sustained tone and absence of feedback. Entire construction is joined with resyn glue, the new scientific formula glue that never varies, never fails.
Four-way adjustable bridge
Up, down, foward and back, this beidge permits extremely low adjustment for softest action, as well as higher positions for whatever degree of stiffness may be desired. Rosewood slider provides precise string length adjustment.
Split-shell pickupDescription from VintageSilvertones.com
The only metal enclosed guitar pickup to avoid “shorted turn effect”. This irritating electrical effect is due to currents induced in the case itself and results in a loss of high frequency response. The split-shell pickup, exclusive with Danelectro, checks the path of these currents. Description from VintageSilvertones.com
