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Whammy Bar for a Danelectro?


BrotherSpaceman

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Dano's had a funky tremelo that werent so hot and installing one would require some routing, if you could find one. Heres some images. http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.guitar-museum.com/uploads/guitar/146/160290133340-1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.guitar-museum.com/guitar-48844-Vintage-danelectro-electric-guitar-1452-vibrato-bridge&h=375&w=500&sz=35&tbnid=4bOJjvJpKZyyyM:&tbnh=90&tbnw=120&prev=/search%3Fq%3Ddanelectro%2Btremolo%2Bbridge%26tbm%3Disch%26tbo%3Du&zoom=1&q=danelectro+tremolo+bridge&usg=__e9iF1co2uSUGWV_kFROcYuZWjwI=&docid=2AZJO9pgIv1ooM&sa=X&ei=mUETUt30IMLN2QW8jYHIDg&ved=0CG4Q9QEwCg&dur=1522#imgdii=_

Installing something different depends on how high the current bridge is off the body and what kind of wood block is below the surface. Any kind of Floyd or Fender bridge would require major routing which would destroy the instrument, especially since they are made of Masonite (a pressed cardboard top and back) so I wouldnt even attempt to route anything. You could probibly mount a Bigsby type bridge, but you'd need to install a separate bridge on the guitar. I dont think the instrument is worth having a $300 Tremelo installed myself. Maybe you can find a generic one.

Given the instruments instability tuning, Its not the best instrument I'd choose for a whammy. You can get the instrument in tune but a Dan o has a lot of flex due to the body composition. I'm afraid what would happen is once you press the whammy down the temper from the strings flexing the neck and body wouldnt allow the instrument to return to tune every time. A guitar has to have a rock solid neck and body to return to exact tuning and I'm afraid a Dan o just doesnt qualify in my book. 

You do want to stick with a top mount setup. If you use a separate bridge make sure its a roller type bridge to reduce friction. My old Moserite had a really good whammy for semihollowbodies. They use a lighterweight bigsby type bridge that worked very well. maybe an older SG whammy with the spring steel whammy plate would work as well. The bridge height would be the issue though. Ihe neck may require tilting back to get a TOM type bridge under there, then you have limited pickup height adjustment with the lipstick pups to deal with.

What I'd do is just buy another instrument with the whammy built in already. Its cheaper and likely more relyable. If I had a Dan o I'd convert it to an electric Sitar wit a Gotah Buzzing bridge and tailpiece like this.

http://www.google.com/search?q=gotoh+buzzing+bridge&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=WEQTUof1NeTd2QXoxYGgCA&ved=0CFYQsAQ&biw=1680&bih=863

 

 

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