CRAVE Guitars says…
Thumbs up: Quirky Danelectro design, standard scale neck, pickups, weight, tone, affordable vintage, all original, complete with ‘amp‑in‑case’, amp features
Thumbs down: Crude construction, headstock shape (and fix), reverse‑gear tuners, no amp footswitch, US amp voltage
Decree: A really cool and accessible cult classic in a great original package
Model Description:
Danelectro manufactured Silvertone-branded guitars between, roughly, 1962 and 1968 for the American Sears, Roebuck & Co. department stores and mail order catalogue. While the short scale Silvertone 1448 had a single pickup and 19 frets, the ‘upmarket’ 1449 features a full 25” scale neck with 21 frets and twin pickups. The black sparkle 1449, introduced in 1963, was superseded the following year by the 1457 (1964‑1966), which was restyled in red burst finish and a new scratchplate to differentiate it from the base model, so the short-lived 1449 is actually relatively scarce and is the rarest of the breed (within the context of a mass-produced product). The 1449 was manufactured by the original Danelectro company before it was taken over by the now‑defunct media giant MCA (Music Corporation of America) in 1966. The model was revived, reinterpreted and reissued by Danelectro in 2008 as the Dano ’63 without the amp‑in‑case (or in fact any case at all) and with the 1457‑style pickguard surrounding the neck pickup.
The guitars were sold as a set, complete with the ‘amp-in-case’, described as an inexpensive ‘all‑in‑one’ solution for beginners, which proved highly successful for Sears. While the 1448’s amp was a simple affair, the 1449 had a 5‑watt valve amp into an 8” speaker and also included a footswitchable tremolo effect. The amp’s electronics and speaker were cleverly integrated into the surprisingly slim and heavy guitar case. While not the first or last appearance of a combination package, the guitar and ‘amp‑in‑case’ was an ingenious innovation for the American mass market from over half a century ago.
Guitar Description:
Silvertone by name, silvery tones by nature. What a vintage classic vibe from Danelectro. This modest little guitar is finished in its original ‘black sparkle’ finish and is achingly VERY cool indeed. OK, so it was manufactured over 5 decades ago to a budget and it sold in large numbers at a reasonable price ($99.95 USD) through a catalogue. So what? It is still an American‑built Danelectro through and through, despite the Silvertone brand on the headstock. This particular guitar was born in the 30th week of 1964 (July) in New Jersey, USA. Those who overlook the lower end of the vintage guitar market are missing out big time on some real gems – this is one of these hidden, overlooked treasures. Make no mistake, this is a true vintage instrument, complete with a distinctive tone and a feel all of its own. The unique construction makes the guitar very light and very resonant, as well as great fun to play. The guitar is in very good condition and is all original, including the iconic Danelectro ‘lipstick’ pickups, vinyl tape binding, stacked, dual‑concentric knobs and the somewhat eccentric reverse-gear (and ungainly) tuners. The black paint and Brazilian rosewood contrasts beautifully with the white plastic and chrome – very 1960s. There is an old crack on the bass side of the headstock along the line of the tuner holes but it is solid and stable.
Amp Description:
The valve amp, still with its Silvertone‑branded tubes, is also all-original bar the speaker. It is remarkable for what was basically a practice amp at the time. Plugged in, the sounds are sweet, full of Danelectro’s distinctive sparkle and jangle, very evocative of the era and, ironically, very modern‑sounding in the burgeoning 21st century indie/garage scene, where Danelectro is experiencing a major renaissance. A vintage guitar AND valve amp, all for less than many other early 1960s classics… what on Earth are you waiting for?
Features:
Guitar
- Double‑cutaway offset body
- ‘Black Sparkle’ nitrocellulose finish
- Poplar frame with ‘centre block’ and Masonite (hardboard in the UK) front/back
- Reinforced poplar bolt‑on C-profile neck with aluminium nut (no truss rod)
- Inline enclosed tuners with stamped ‘skate key’ knobs
- Scale length 25” (635mm)
- Unbound Brazilian rosewood fingerboard with 21 frets and white dot markers
- Neck/tilt adjustment
- Original chrome hardware
- Original Brazilian rosewood/metal integrated bridge/tailpiece
- Original black/white 2‑ply baked melamine scratchplate
- Original vinyl body‑edge binding tape
- Original twin ‘lipstick’ single coil pickups wired in series
- Original stacked dual-concentric volume and tone controls
- 3‑way pickup selector switch
- Weight: 5lbs (2.3kg)
- Original ‘amp‑in‑case’ (see below)
Amp-in-Case
- Original 5W valve amp integrated into the guitar case
- Original Silvertone valves – 2x 12AX7, 1x 6V6GT and 1x 6X4
- Replacement 8” Weber speaker
- Beige/gold speaker cloth on the outside of the case
- 2x ¼” input jacks and footswitch Jack (footswitch not present)
- Controls: On-Off switch, Volume, Tone, Tremolo Strength and Speed
- 110V American power supply (with 240V‑to‑110V step-down converter for use in the UK)
- Weight: 18lbs (8.2kg)
Artists:
- Beck
Detail Gallery:
Guitar
‘Amp in Case‘
