Members rebelzed Posted November 12, 2009 Members Share Posted November 12, 2009 Messed around with one of these at Guitar Center over the weekend. Incredibly light, pretty comfortable. Awesome retro styling (typical Danelectro). Only noodled for a minute, so didn't get much of a test. Anybody own one or played one too? Thoughts/opinions? :poke: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Woody_in_MN Posted November 12, 2009 Members Share Posted November 12, 2009 Like you I messed around with one for a few minutes at my local GC while I was waiting on something. Mine was way out of tune, and needed a setup. None the less, it appealed to me mainly because of the styling. I was trying to tune the one at the store to get some idea of what it could really do - but next too impossible because of the level of noise in the store. I don't need another guitar - but the Dead On does appeal to me. - W Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members steve_man Posted November 12, 2009 Members Share Posted November 12, 2009 Yeah, same thing with me. I was waiting on something at GC and tried one out a bit. It was all right...but I probably wouldn't buy it unless it was ultra cheap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members poolshark Posted November 12, 2009 Members Share Posted November 12, 2009 Same story as the previous two. The few I played seemed far too cheap and light to justify the price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members chandlerman Posted November 12, 2009 Members Share Posted November 12, 2009 I have one, I bought it to add to my Danelectro collection, not because its an outstanding player. On the downside it has a cheap feel to it. The tuners aren't smooth but they do hold tune. I found the action a little too high even with the bridge lowered as much as possible so I'll have to shim the neck. The neck is fatter than other Danos (just like the original 67 Hornet) some people willl like that, I don't. The whammy bar has limited movement, you just get a little warble, no divebombing. On the plus side the lipstick pickups sound fantastic. It's very playable, looks cool, and is a lot of fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members chqtarzan Posted November 12, 2009 Members Share Posted November 12, 2009 at 100$ i'd try, played one but feels too cheap to justify the price Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members EJStrat2Tone Posted November 12, 2009 Members Share Posted November 12, 2009 At Christmas for the past 2 years it seems that MF and M123 will discount these to around 199-210 (usually a clearance price w/discount code). I bought the dano pro, dano 59 and the dano 63 for around the prices I've listed, unfortunately you don't really get to pick the color. The discount is usually for a slow mover. But I always go for price over looks as long as it's the same model. They are really fun guitars Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members J. Posted December 23, 2009 Members Share Posted December 23, 2009 When I first saw this guitar, I thought "why in the heck would they reissue one of these old hideous designs?" Well, I played a few and loved it. I hate the trem, but I love the lightweight feel of the body and the satin painted finish on the back of the neck. I could see myself getting one, but I wonder how easy it would be to replace the bridge with a simple top-loading fixed unit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frets99 Posted December 23, 2009 Share Posted December 23, 2009 When I first saw this guitar, I thought "why in the heck would they reissue one of these old hideous designs?" Well, I played a few and loved it. I hate the trem, but I love the lightweight feel of the body and the satin painted finish on the back of the neck. I could see myself getting one, but I wonder how easy it would be to replace the bridge with a simple top-loading fixed unit. +1 I also loved the pickups. Sweet velvety tone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members docjeffrey Posted December 23, 2009 Members Share Posted December 23, 2009 I have one. They play great but don't touch that trem! I'm gonna block mine and remove the letter opener dagger thingie. Here's a clip of my Dead On 67 and my Longhorn: Dano Longhorn, Dead on 67, and Martin acoustic (lead) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members docjeffrey Posted December 23, 2009 Members Share Posted December 23, 2009 ^^^Listen to the very end of the clip and you'll hear the chimey Dead On through a Vox AC15TBX. Really sweet for rhythm and arpeggios like I'm playing there. Nice tube driven tremolo from that late 90's Vox too! A couple of more things--replace the OEM strings immediately. Chinese junque. Also, get some wet 'n dry 600 grit paper and burnish the aluminum nut's slots, then lube with Nut Sauce or graphite. The guitar actually intonates pretty well considering the rudimentary rosewood bridge. The tuners keep everything in honest, but they are far from smooth operators. Maybe someone can tell us how to get them to turn more smoothly. Do not remove the thumbscrew that holds the trem spring in place or the whole bridge will come apart, and it's a total cluster {censored} to get it back together. Also, burnish the slots that hold the ball ends of the strings so that there aren't any burrs that might cause the string to break. The necks on those guitars are really nice--about the size of an American Standard Strat. Good looking rosewood board too, very playable. The fretwork is very good! My question is this: Will MF be blowing these out after Christmas for $199? I have nothing to base this on whatsoever, it's just a hunch based on the {censored}ty economy and the fact that you can buy some very nice guitars in the $350 range that would run circles around the 67 in terms of everything but the ultra cool Dano vibe. You can't put a price on that:-) Oh, wait. You can. Edit: OK. {censored} me. They are going for $249. I can't believe that my hunch was almost dead on. For that price, I say GO FOR IT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GAS Man Posted December 23, 2009 Members Share Posted December 23, 2009 Not a bad guitar. I too have some issues with getting the action low enough for my preference, but it's low enough for a standard (average) action. I think it would require a fret level to really dial this guitar in, but for a bit of an inexpensive semi-novelty type of guitar, it's fine as is. It's not as deep sounding as their other models for obvious reasons. The pickups appear to be in series when the N+B are combined and that tends to be my favored setting. The other settings are thinner down to the point where I don't use the bridge p'up alone much by itself. It's not a great guitar, but they've now lowered the price to $299 and if one could get another discount on top of that, then there's no need for bitchin. Even before the price drop I was able to get mine for $280 (20% off of $350), so I'm guessing that those who have waited will be able to get 'er down to $255 or even $240 at the right time and place. But like most Dano's once they start to blow them out, when they are gone, they are gone. So far of the three I've bought, that red 56-Pro above is probably the most bona-fide instrument of the bunch, but the '67 for some reason has been a bit more fun to play. But just sitting on your lap in your easy chair, the thin body with satin finish and rounded edges makes it a slippery bugger. Nothing a strap won't secure. I weighed mine the other day and it came in at 6 lbs 4 ounces. Edit: Woah - The price just dropped again. They are now $250 at MF. http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Danelectro-Dead-on-67-Electric-Guitar?sku=580356 For those who have been on the fence, better hurry, I've seen Dano's go on clearance before and they go from seeming abundance to oblivion rather quickly and then the show up years later on ebay for the prices you would have paid new. 2nd edit Use the UPROMISE code at M123 and now the price is more like $212 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frets99 Posted December 23, 2009 Share Posted December 23, 2009 Excellent clip Doc. Those Dead ons sound sweet! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RifRandall Posted December 23, 2009 Members Share Posted December 23, 2009 I've played both the regular and the baritone and I'm thinking of picking up the baritone as I don't need another Dano standard scale to go with the Hodad, 59 and Pro I have. The baritone keeps calling my name. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members richey888 Posted December 24, 2009 Members Share Posted December 24, 2009 Felt like a toy at local Sam Ash and GG.....couldn't bear to plug it in and am a big fan of Dano. '59 Ri however......just my 0.02 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members guitarman3001 Posted December 24, 2009 Members Share Posted December 24, 2009 I played one briefly for about 5 minutes at GC a few months back. It did feel like a toy. A very cool looking toy but still a toy. I think I'd buy one for 129.00 but not for more than that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mediocreplayer Posted December 24, 2009 Members Share Posted December 24, 2009 Got one in agent orange. Aside from intonation issues, this is all I can ask for in a guitar: 1) the best clean tones, with their own character that, imo, surpasses most Fenders, 2) Great neck, and 3) Featherweight. Not to mention that it looks killer, at least I find it so. It's a mating of a Tele and a Ric. I sold my Nashville Tele the next day I bought this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GAS Man Posted December 24, 2009 Members Share Posted December 24, 2009 I never have much use for these "walking through Guitar Center reviews". Why do you guys post them? I been to the zoo too, but I'm not going to challenge Jane Goodall's knowledge of chimps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members J. Posted December 24, 2009 Members Share Posted December 24, 2009 Okay, perhaps a set of Gotohs to replace the stock tuners, and maybe a cheapie 'bent tin' top-loading bridge like one of these?http://cgi.ebay.com/Chrome-Fixed-Hardtail-Guitar-Bridge-Dual-Loading_W0QQitemZ370284782544QQcmdZViewItemQQptZGuitar_Accessories?hash=item5636b163d0 http://cgi.ebay.com/CHROME-Hardtail-Top-Mount-Guitar-BRIDGE-Squier-51-BS2_W0QQitemZ110463174482QQcmdZViewItemQQptZGuitar_Accessories?hash=item19b81e4752 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members richey888 Posted December 24, 2009 Members Share Posted December 24, 2009 I never have much use for these "walking through Guitar Center reviews". Why do you guys post them?I been to the zoo too, but I'm not going to challenge Jane Goodall's knowledge of chimps. 1. First impressions and all.....nice analogy though and I see your point. If I pick it up, strum a chord, ok 2 after attempting to get it relatively in tune and am put off by the "toyish" feel and $349 price tag, I move on. 2. O.P asked for opinions. I thought they looked cool, but after spending a minute or two with it didn't see a need to investigate further. If the price tag said $99 might have plugged one in. Always on the lookout for the next cool thing. Just not my bag baby. Just a fellow forumite's two cents 'cause it was requested. What's your take? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members steve_man Posted December 24, 2009 Members Share Posted December 24, 2009 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GAS Man Posted December 24, 2009 Members Share Posted December 24, 2009 1. First impressions and all.....nice analogy though and I see your point. If I pick it up, strum a chord, ok 2 after attempting to get it relatively in tune and am put off by the "toyish" feel and $349 price tag, I move on. 2. O.P asked for opinions. I thought they looked cool, but after spending a minute or two with it didn't see a need to investigate further. If the price tag said $99 might have plugged one in. Always on the lookout for the next cool thing. Just not my bag baby. Just a fellow forumite's two cents 'cause it was requested. What's your take? Funny, though, I was talking to my wife tonight about these things being on sale now, and about all she had to say about mine is, "they look cheap". WFT? (But she is totally female when it comes to these issues, i.e. looks first; tone afterthought) Different strokes I guess. But yeah, I don't necessarily disagree with the negatives, but Dano's to me are about cheap guitars that surprisingly sound better than one would think they should. I think I posted above that I prefer my '59 Pro, but these are fun and have some good vibey tones in them. If I wasn't a bit of a collector, I'd pass too. But I'm enjoying mine from time to time. But part of the concept I was pushing above is that this guitar might take a bit more time to dial in with setup, and amp matching than most. And I have a hard time usually getting a good take on a guitar even in the best of circumstances on a GC visit. But now that the price is down closer to $200 on these, it seems like they'll make more sense to a few more folks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pixelchemist Posted December 24, 2009 Members Share Posted December 24, 2009 i played one at guitar center a few times... and wanted to like it every time but always put it down thinking it felt really cheap and toy like... they do look cool though and they have an interesting sound Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Snufkino Posted January 5, 2010 Members Share Posted January 5, 2010 Bump. I've been on the look-out for a baritone guitar and this is the cheapest option for me (the next choice being the gretsch). But being in the UK, the prices are absurd at about Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tuj Posted April 8, 2010 Members Share Posted April 8, 2010 Got mine last night mail order. I've generally had really good luck buying like that; this time, not so much. First impressions: the fit and finish are ok, but not superb. The aluminum control panel is not completely flush with the pickguard around the bridge, sloppy. The lipstick pickups are a dull grey. The slots for the strings on the bridge are uneven and have burrs on them. The sucker is light though! Second impressions (plugged in): The action is worthlessly low; I can't get any notes below the 5th fret without buzzing. The selector switch for the pickups isn't working in the bridge position. The tremolo pretty much pulls the guitar out of tune even at a tight setting. At this point I am very disappointed. Third impressions: raised the bridge a bit and it helped the action a little, but I still feel like either the nut is too low or the bridge needs to come up more. I hate the fact there is bad intonation above the 12th fret and no way to adjust for it. Final impressions: When it plays, it does sound good and I don't know how else you can enter the baritone world for this cheap...but its going to get more expensive now that I need to either send this back or get it professionally setup. And this was brand new in-the-box. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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