Danelectro has by no means been an organization notably interested by following the traditional electrical guitar rulebook. From its distinctive physique building and splendidly eccentric styling to the unmistakable sound of its traditional lipstick pickups, the model has constructed its repute on devices that possess character in abundance. The Danelectro Dan O Mano continues that philosophy, however with one notably vital change: as an alternative of the lipstick pickups most gamers instantly affiliate with Danelectro, this mannequin is provided with a pair of P90-style single coils.

The result’s a guitar that retains a lot of the light-weight, resonant persona that makes a Danelectro immediately recognisable whereas introducing significantly extra midrange muscle, chew and drive. Constructed across the acquainted double-cutaway Brief Horn format, the Dan O Mano combines a semi-hollow building, 25-inch scale, maple neck and rosewood fingerboard with some splendidly retro appointments, together with the Full Bell headstock, Skate Key tuners and conventional rosewood saddle bridge.

Physique

On the coronary heart of the Dan O Mano is a building type that’s quintessentially Danelectro. Moderately than following the traditional stable timber formulation, the guitar employs a semi-hollow physique with a stable spruce body and hardboard prime and again. This contributes enormously to each the bodily really feel and acoustic character of the instrument. The result’s a light-weight guitar with a direct sense of resonance. Even unplugged, there may be loads of acoustic response beneath the palms, and that vigorous character interprets effectively when amplified. Premier Guitar equally famous the instrument’s resonant unplugged response and acquainted Danelectro really feel.

Visually, the traditional double-cutaway Brief Horn define stays unmistakably Danelectro. The retro styling is strengthened by the massive pickguard, outsized controls, Full Bell headstock and Skate Key machine heads. It’s quirky with out changing into novelty-like and manages to look authentically classic with out merely being a slavish recreation of an outdated mannequin.

One other notably attention-grabbing characteristic is the bridge. The guitar arrives with a conventional rosewood saddle bridge, a design that dates again to Danelectro’s Nineteen Fifties devices. Nonetheless, an adjustable six-saddle steel bridge can also be provided for gamers who need better management over particular person string intonation. It is a considerate inclusion, permitting gamers to decide on between most classic authenticity and better trendy adjustability.

Neck

The bolt-on laborious maple neck includes a snug C-shaped profile, offering a taking part in expertise that ought to really feel instantly accessible to most guitarists. There’s nothing excessively chunky or aggressively trendy concerning the profile. As an alternative, it enhances the general persona of the guitar extraordinarily effectively. Danelectro has retained that barely old-school really feel whereas making certain that the Dan O Mano stays snug sufficient for modern taking part in kinds.

The rosewood fingerboard carries 21 medium-jumbo frets, whereas an aluminium nut provides one other distinctly Danelectro contact. The comparatively uncomplicated neck specification fits the instrument: this is not designed to compete with ultra-thin shred guitars, however it actually would not limit you to primary rhythm work both. Chords, bluesy bends, double-stops and melodic lead taking part in all sit naturally beneath the fingers.

The return of the 1954-style Full Bell headstock can also be a superb aesthetic choice. Mixed with the 1958-inspired Skate Key tuners, it offers the Dan O Mano an id that feels linked to Danelectro’s historical past from the second you choose it up.

Pickups

That is the place the Dan O Mano actually distinguishes itself from the archetypal Danelectro formulation. Moderately than lipstick pickups, the guitar options two P90-style single-coil pickups, managed by a grasp quantity, grasp tone and three-way pickup selector. The change has a big impact on the guitar’s persona. Conventional Danelectro lipstick pickups are usually related to comparatively low output, vibrant assault and an ethereal, wiry high quality. The P90-style models within the Dan O Mano carry extra midrange, thickness and aggression to proceedings.

The bridge place retains sufficient treble response and semi-hollow resonance to supply convincing twang, however there may be extra substance behind every notice. Dig into the strings and there’s a satisfying bark that works brilliantly for rock ‘n’ roll, storage rock, blues and rootsier kinds. Add overdrive or fuzz and the extra midrange of the P90 format turns into notably helpful, producing a much bigger and extra assertive sound with out fully sacrificing the hole character of the guitar. Premier Guitar discovered that the P90s retained the instrument’s twang whereas providing thicker lead sounds and dealing notably effectively with acquire.

Transfer to the neck pickup and issues develop into hotter and rounder. Clear chords have an interesting openness due to the physique building, whereas single-note traces have extra weight than you would possibly historically count on from a Danelectro.

The center setting offers one other helpful flavour, combining the definition of the bridge with the physique of the neck pickup. Total, the Dan O Mano could not present the archetypal lipstick-equipped Danelectro sound, however that is actually the purpose. It is a totally different interpretation of the corporate’s recipe quite than a substitute for it.

Scale Size

The Dan O Mano makes use of a 25-inch scale size, putting it between the acquainted 24.75-inch and 25.5-inch scales discovered on many mainstream electrical guitars. It is a superb center floor. There’s sufficient string rigidity to maintain rhythm taking part in feeling crisp and outlined, however bends stay snug and expressive. Gamers shifting throughout from both of the extra widespread scale lengths ought to adapt in a short time. Mixed with the light-weight, resonant physique, the 25-inch scale contributes to the Dan O Mano’s sense of immediacy. Chords have loads of snap, whereas lead taking part in retains a forgiving really feel. It is a specification that is sensible for a guitar meant to cowl the whole lot from jangly clear work to soiled garage-rock riffs.

Fretboard Radius

Maybe one of many extra trendy parts of the specification is the 14-inch fingerboard radius. That is comparatively flat in contrast with many vintage-inspired electrical guitars, and it offers the Dan O Mano a surprisingly accommodating platform for lead work. String bends really feel snug, notably increased up the neck, whereas the flatter floor lends itself properly to sooner single-note passages. Importantly, the 14-inch radius would not make the guitar really feel scientific. Mixed with the C-shaped maple neck, rosewood fingerboard and 25-inch scale, it merely provides a little bit trendy practicality to an in any other case strongly retro-inspired instrument.

Total

The Danelectro Dan O Mano succeeds as a result of it would not attempt to disguise what it’s. That is unmistakably a Danelectro, from its light-weight semi-hollow building and Brief Horn silhouette to its rosewood bridge, Full Bell headstock and splendidly distinctive {hardware}. However the choice to suit P90-style pickups offers the guitar a persona of its personal. These anticipating the intense, wiry sound of conventional Danelectro lipstick pickups will instantly discover the distinction. The Dan O Mano is thicker, punchier and extra mid-forward, with a very pleasurable potential to push overdrive and fuzz whereas retaining the vigorous resonance related to the model’s building. On the identical time, specs such because the snug C-shaped maple neck, 25-inch scale and 14-inch fretboard radius make this excess of an train in retro styling. It’s snug, sensible and versatile sufficient to work as a real on a regular basis instrument.

Maybe most significantly, the Dan O Mano has persona. In a market full of guitars that refine acquainted designs by more and more small levels, Danelectro continues to supply one thing genuinely totally different. The Dan O Mano takes one of many firm’s most recognisable formulation, provides the additional muscle and perspective of P90-style pickups, and creates a guitar that feels concurrently nostalgic and refreshingly unconventional. For gamers who love the visible and resonant character of a Danelectro however need one thing with extra punch than the standard lipstick-pickup recipe, the Dan O Mano makes a compelling case for doing issues a little bit in another way.

For extra data, go to Danelectro’s web site.