DANELECTRO 56-U3 ELECTRIC GUITAR


The Danelectro 56-U3 is one of my favorite Danelectro guitars. Although I own a number of rather expensive, high quality, brand name guitars, there is something that is just indescribable about the feel of a good Danelectro guitar. Simply put, a Danelectro is a guitar that is a lot of fun to play. One of my favorite Danelectro guitars is the model 56-U3. Read on, and see why.


However, before getting into a review of the Danelectro 56-U3, I feel it would be helpful to give a little background information on the Danelectro line of guitars, as so few people really know much about them. The Danelectro Company was founded in 1947 by Nathan Daniel. Prior to starting his own company, Mr. Daniel made amplifiers for the Epiphone Company from 1934 to 1946. After forming his own company, Nathan Daniel continued to make guitar amplifiers. However, it was the guitars that were created by the Danelectro Company that made the name Danelectro famous. The first guitars bearing the Danelectro name were produced in 1954. There were dozens of models to be released under the Danelectro brand name, most of which had the signature “Danelectro sound” that was in large part due to the unique combination of “Lipstick Tube” pickups and the unusual construction materials used to construct Danelectro guitars. I will get into a description of the “lipstick” pickups and unusual construction materials as we continue on in this review.


Like most Danelectro Guitars, the Danelectro 56-U3 is a remarkably light guitar. Like most Danelectro guitars, it is made with a Plywood frame, with a Masonite top and back, and the body is hollow. I know, to anyone who is familiar with the choice tonewoods that are typically used in making a fine guitar, this combination of construction materials must sound a bit strange, which in fact it is. However, the hollow body, in combination with the Masonite top, produces a guitar that has a remarkably resonant tonal quality. Even unplugged, the Danelectro 56-U3 sounds unusually good, and it has a sparkling yet resonant quality. The neck is made of a very hard solid Maple, and it has a Rosewood fingerboard. In describing the feel of the neck, I would say that it reminds me a lot of my Fender American Telecaster. This guitar is also so light, that you could play on stage all night, and never feel uncomfortable. It also feels very well balanced to me when playing standing up with a strap.


The neck is a bolt-on design, which is very similar to a Fender Telecaster, and it has a very tight neck joint, which in addition to the all metal bridge, also adds to the sustain and resonance of the guitar. The neck has 21 medium jumbo frets, which makes bending strings an easy chore. The frets on the Danelectro 56-U3 that I am reviewing (which owned by one of my sons) were set in nicely into the neck of the guitar, and there were no sharp overhangs, or dead spots on the guitar. I have run into some people who have complained about the fretwork on some Danelectro’s that they have played, but what manufacturer do you know of who hasn’t produced a lemon or two. I can state with certainty that the neck and fretwork on this guitar were quite good. The generous single cutaway makes reaching even the highest notes on this guitar an easy task to accomplish. The neck has a satin finish, and it is fast and sleek, and makes movement across the neck and fingerboard very quick and effortless.


The Danelectro 56-U3 has an all metal bridge, with fully adjustable saddles, so one can adjust the intonation of each string individually, and setting the intonation is therefore a relatively easy task. The tuning pegs are upscale Gotoh tuning pegs, which I really like by the way, as I find that this brand of tuning pegs holds a guitar in tune very nicely. The Danelectro 56-U3 comes in a variety of colors, including Blue Suede, Limo Black, Commie Red, Black Metal-Flake, Turquoise Metal-Flake, and Silver Metal-Flake.


And now onto the electronics of the guitar. The Danelectro 56-U3 comes with three "Lipstick Tube" pickups, which are quite unique sounding. The wiring of these pickups is also different than on most other three pickup guitars made by other manufacturers. Most every other manufacturer of guitars wires their three pickup guitars in parallel. However, the pickups on the Danelectro 56-U3 are wired in series, and as such, when all three pickups are being used, the sound of the guitar is much stronger than when any of the pickups are being used by themselves.


Because these “Lipstick Tube” pickups are single coil in design, they can produce a sound that is similar to other brand name single coil pickups, most specifically a Fender Telecaster, and to a lesser degree a Fender Stratocaster. These Danelectro Lipstick Tube pickups are capable of producing a very twangy, clean, crisp sound. When all three pickups are set to be active, they are capable of yielding a raunchy overdriven sound, that gives a real Texas Blues sound. Some of you who are reading this may have seen pictures of Stevie Ray Vaughn playing a Danelectro Longhorn Guitar with these very same pickups.


The Danelectro 56-U3 also differs electronically in several other important respects from other guitars made by most manufacturers. Unlike most guitars which have separate Volume and Tone Controls for each pickup, the Danelectro 56-U3 has one “concentric” Volume and one Tone control for all three pickups. Besides having the extra sonic versatility of a third pickup, the Danelectro 56-U3 also has a “Select-O-Matic” switching system, with six different settings, and therefore six different sounds. In addition, there is also a “Blow Switch” which engages all three pickups together in series, which gives the 56-U3 a seventh setting, and gives the guitar a much more powerful and driving sound, which is ideal for a cutting solo. The six settings for the Select-O-Matic Switch are the following:


Position #1: Neck and Bridge Pickup Together.
Position #2: Neck Pickup Alone.
Position #3: Neck and Middle Pickup Together.
Position #4: Middle Pickup Alone.
Position #5: Middle and Bridge Pickup Together.
Position #6: Bridge Pickup Alone.


Remember, unlike a guitar that has its pickups wired in parallel, like a Gibson for example, a guitar whose pickups are wired in series like the Danelectro 56-U3, produces a higher output when all the pickups are engaged. The simple rule is this, with a guitar whose pickups are wired in series, the more pickups that are engaged, the louder or more powerful the sound. Thus, when the “Blow Switch” is clicked on, the Danelectro 56-U3 is instantly significantly louder than with any one or two pickup combinations. This makes playing leads an easier chore, as the guitar is automatically louder when the Blow Switch is engaged, and it automatically goes back to the settings you had previously on the guitar when you flip it back to the original position.


And now on to the playability and sound. As I mentioned earlier on in this review, the neck on the Danelectro 56-U3 is fast and sleek, and it has a nice clear satin finish. The neck has a feel that is very similar to my Fender American Telecaster. The Gotoh tuning pegs are quite good, and the 56-U3 held its tune very well, despite much string bending and hard power chording. The metal nut and metal bridge adds both to the twang and sustain of the 56-U3 as well, and the resonance, sparkle, spank, and raunchy tones this guitar is capable of are simply great. I was also very impressed with the sonic versatility of the Danelectro 56-U3. Because of the versatility of the Select-O-Matic Switching system and the Blow Switch, I was able to get the 56-U3 to produce a crispness and presence that was very similar to a Fender American Telecaster, and it sounded terrific for Texas style Blues. With a bit if tweaking, I was also able to produce warm jazzy tones, twangy surf style guitar sounds, percussive funky sounds, and a rich sparkling jangley sound that was great for country style music.


Who is the Danelectro 56-U3 best suited to? This is a question that has multiple answers. A Danelectro 56-U3 in excellent condition can be found on EBay for about $300.00. That makes it affordable to most people, and in that price range it could be a good guitar for a person who is a serious beginner. It is also light and easy to play, which also makes it a good choice for a beginner. But this is not just a guitar for a beginner. Musicians like Jimmy Page occasionally use a Danelectro in their live performances. That being the case, it is also a good second guitar for a more advanced guitarist who typically uses a guitar with humbucking pickups, and who wants a different sound for different songs. It also sounds great when used for playing slide guitar. One of the best guitarists that I know uses a Danelectro 56-U3 as his main guitar, and uses a Fender Telecaster as a backup. This is a great guitar to use in the studio as well, as it is capable of producing a really different sound than most other name brand guitars.


Well, I would like to thank you very kindly for taking the time to read my review of this fine musical instrument. But now if you will excuse me, I really must get back to my practicing.


Recommended: Yes

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