Danelectro offers many stellar reproductions of their iconic guitars, most notably, The ‘64, ’66 and 1959 guitars, which many hip musicians and garage rockers have adopted as their...
Danelectro offers many stellar reproductions of their iconic guitars, most notably, The ‘64, ’66 and 1959 guitars, which many hip musicians and garage rockers have adopted as their primary go-to guitars.
But if you ask me, a few of my favorite Danelectros are the specialty ones like their 12 String guitar and Baby Sitar that I’ve often used in serviceable roles for live performances and in the studio. These two instruments come complete with modern updates, captivating tones and solid intonation that make performing with them an upbeat experience.
Lately I’ve been playing a lot of slide guitar, which has put me on the hunt for an affordable resonator-style six-string with electronics. I didn’t have to look far because Danelectro released their brand-new ’59 Resonator, a bright-sounding resonator with powerful pickups that will certainly appeal to those of us who love the steel guitar tones found in Mississippi Delta blues music and bluegrass.
FEATURES
The ’59 Resonator looks similar to the Danelectro 1959 model with a double-cut shorthorn shaped hollow body that gives the guitar its total retro charm. The ’59 features a spun cone biscuit resonator, a perforated diamond plate cover, 25-inch scale length, 21 frets, clear satin maple neck with rosewood fingerboard, polished aluminum nut and vintage-style tuners.
The heart of the ’59 is its electronics that combine a Danelectro ’56 lipstick pickup in the neck position and a “special design” Schatten piezo pickup mounted inside the resonator cone. The guitar has three oversized knobs for volume and tone, and a blend control for either the lipstick or piezo. The blend knob has a center detent for a 50/50 mix of the two.
PERFORMANCE
What’s immediately noticeable is the ’59 Resonator’s spot-on setup and easy playability. The action is set at a comfortable height