Danelectro Convertible

[trevorc4113]

nice neutral milk hotel riff

[sonapipian]

OMG! acoustic tone is beautiful!!!!

[SerterSerter]

Hey there, cool demonstration! I was wondering where you got this guitar, since I've been looking at getting one too but I can't find it anywhere. Did you get it online, or at some local store?

Thanks in advance!

[Stripestore]

I found this one for $270 used at Parkway Music in clifton park NY. They don't make them anymore unfortunately so you'll just have to check ebay/craigslist/local shops often. While I wouldn't recommend paying more than $350 for any non vintage danelectro, I will say that it's one of the guitars that I would not sell, as it is so small (for an acoustic), easy to play, and the sound is good and just loud enough to keep up with full acoustic instruments if you play it hard enough.

[vincentpoprocky]

Hey, can some one tell me what the finger picked song is that starts at 3:04? It's so familiar...

[Stripestore]

It's the first level music from Super Mario Bros 2. I've been told it sounds like other songs though so maybe Nintendo took it from somewhere else

[vincentpoprocky]

Ahh, thanks much. That's definitely where I've heard it, but I have heard similar things to it too. Specifically an acoustic guitar piece from the soundtrack of the television series Arrested Development (granted this was obviously many, many years after SMB2).

My theory is that it may draw heavily from some gypsy jazz standard, but who knows.

Thanks again!

[spoonido]

Cool. I got the original in 1967 for $27. It was my first guitar. I still have it! I still play it!!!!!

[greenfish88]

not gonna be able to demo it plugged in?!

dude, get your amp retubed and then demo it. what's the point if you can't demo and dano plugged in?

[Stripestore]

Amp is retubed and fixed, however the guitar actually belongs to my girlfriend who lives out of state (the video was made a few days before I gave it to her), so making another demo right now would be impossible. When she (and the dano) moves back in I'll get one up.  However this is a danelectro's acoustic guitar after all and there are plenty of other videos of what it sounds like plugged in, so I figured this video might be helpful to those wondering its capabilities as an acoustic guitar.

[notaphaser]

Holy crap, man, you stole my guitar strap.

[hlaakso]

that is one beautiful guitar

[sansome]

my danelectro screws come out that back

[kcrock585]

the screws arnt supposed to come out through the back

[Stripestore]

The screws have springs to hold up the pickup, so if you push down the pickup like I was in the video, the screws will push through the back. That's how the pickup is mounted. No it's not something that really matters at all in playing it, it was just my way of showing how the pickup was mounted in the video.

This is my 3rd of 3 danelectros I've owned, I'm pretty sure I know what I'm doing by now.

[kcrock585]

i wasnt being mean you dont have to act like that its just i have a donelectro convertable and that dosnt happen

[Stripestore]

Is yours a vintage model? Those have the screws on the top of the body instead of the back. The only way a 90's reissue convertible wouldn't do that is if the springs were replaced at one point or another with rubber tubing, like Wellspout suggested further down in the comments, or of course if the pickup was replaced (you'd be hard pressed for something that fits in the tiny soundhole.

Didn't mean to come off snappy. I'm a bit of a gear snob, sometimes it just comes out that way ;).

[kcrock585]

its fine mine looks a little different it dosnt have that D on it its tan but it pretty much looks the same

[m3ggaboo]

i just got a danelectro...i've been waiting to get one for a really long time...my teacher used one and i bought it off him, i freaking love it

[kcrock585]

yeah cool i have a skin colered one

[wellspout]

surgical tubing to stabilize lipsticks is the ticket

[forestghost7]

I keep my convertible in DADGAD tuning its way fun

[forestghost7]

hey I have a Purple Sparkle convert just sold a Blueburst to a friend. I put DR Sunbeam acoustic 11's on it...sounds WONDERFUL plugged & not ..great sustain now

[z0mz0m]

I want one of these now.

I bet it sounds great when plugged in, too.

and I dig the NMH reference.

[Bigmattd121]

I been hunting for one of these like they did to the Doedoe birds! I can't find one of them! where the hell did you get yours!

[Stripestore]

I found mine at a local music shop 6 months ago, it ran me about $275. it's in decent shape. They actually had it there for at least a month before I snatched it up. Just 2 weeks before this, I stupidly passed up a surf green one on ebay in better shape for $199 BIN. Oh well, the owner of this guitar likes the metallic purple better anyway :-)

[forestghost7]

theyre on Ebay sometimes ... be careful!

[StratomasterT]

The input jack in the strap buttons seems like it would keep the chord out of the way. However, does it exclude the use of strap locks?

I recently got a Danelectro Dano Pro. I love these guitars. Very different styling, and I like the short scale neck.

Interesting video and nice playing.

[Stripestore]

If you're talking about regular schaller or dunlop straplocks then yes, unless you modify the guitar for a 2nd endpin or relocating the input jack.

The strap button is really big enough and the guitar is so light that I wouldn't worry about it dropping, but if you're set on locks, Planet Waves makes a strap with locks built into it that will work with any guitar (it's a ratchet system that works like handcuffs around existing strap buttons on any guitar)

[Levesque999]

That thing looks like it could shoegaze nice.

[Levesque999]

Also, Mario 2! Rock!

[Cowbell123]

Those pegs on the headstock, if you turn them they will tighten the strings or loosen them changing the pitch, therefore "tuning" the guitar. FYI.

[AkKrock]

Nice inroduction!

[t2t80]

I didnt mean to imply that you were ignorant. I used no harsh words in my post. And i never claimed that you werent telling the truth. I was mearly trying to offer information on some things that you talked about in the video, not everybody knows that the parts are supposed to be like that. An inexperienced person might think that these are defective or broken. I didnt mean to offend you. And, is that a hagstrom hanging in the backround? I used to have like that back in the 70's

[Stripestore]

Fair enough, understood.

And yes that's a Hagstrom Viking II in the background circa 1968

[t2t80]

The reason that the screws go out the back when you push down on the pickup is because theres springs around the threads. They are the pickup height adjustment screws. Also, the bridge is not supposed to be glued down, it is supposed to be able to move, its so you can set the intonation.

[Stripestore]

The pickup spring thing is obvious, I figured some people who might not have played one would care to see how the pickup is mounted since there are no screws on the front.

I know how these bridges WORK, and I have a few archtops with wood bridges, but I decided to make note of this because

1)The tailpiece on this guitar doesn't put enough tension on the bridge to keep it from moving easily when the strings are fully tuned. It's a flat top with a flat neck so there's very little angle.

[Stripestore]

And

2)The 3 height adjustment screws only rest on the body itself, scratching it up when it moves. Most wooden bridges are flat and only leave a discoloration after decades of staying in place.

I've been playing for 12 years, and have owned 25+ guitars (between buying/selling/trading) all of which I've set up and most of which I've modified. Don't assume ignorance when detail isn't provided, because everything IN this video is factual.

[t2t80]

Once you have it in the right spot and the intonation is on, the string tension will keep it in place. Also, putting bronze strings, even a light gauge (12's) could seriously warp the top. Its meant to have a light to medium to guage electric strings, 10's are best. And what was that first song you played?

[Stripestore]

As you can see around :50 the string angle over the bridge has to be very slight in order to have low action. If this were my guitar I would probably shim the neck and raise the saddle height but until my girlfriend learns to play it I won't bore her with setup details.

[Stripestore]

If I were to ever try bronze strings on it, I'd use extra light (10's). I don't consider 12's light as 13's are the heaviest most stores carry and there's still 2 lighter gauges available. Masonite's surprisingly durable, I'm sure acoustic 10's wouldn't kill it.

First song is Blackbird by The Beatles

[occupiedbytim]

you have great taste in music man :)

i was skeptical at first about the convertible. now i want one a lot! i can think of a few ways to put it to great use!

[jonnda]

nice guitar, what whas that old jazzy thing you played called?

[Stripestore]

If you're talking about the song I play after Message In A Bottle, I don't know the name if it has one, but it's the first level music from Super Mario Bros. 2

[jonnda]

Oh yeah, that's why I thought it sounded familier.

[YaySteaks]

Hurt. Trent Reznor.

I should wait a minute or two to post, huh?

[YaySteaks]

What is that last song you played???

I remember the riff, and that I loved the song.

But can't remember what the heck it is!!

[mavis41558]

I like your guitar - mine is hot rod metallic purple. I made a teensy mistake and took off the (off) white binding strip all around the body. I do like the look better and who ever sells anything for what they "think it's worth?" Thanks again.

[insecureshoe]

1UP

[shadlzrng]

HOT CUZ IT'S FLY SLIPKNOT RULES