DANELECTRO DC-3 GUITAR
The Danelectro DC-3 is possibly my favorite Danelectro guitar. I must say possibly, because I am a fan of Danelectro’s, and I own quite a few, as do a number of my family members and friends. The sound of the Danelectro DC-3 is addictive, haunting, and unique. However, before getting into a review of the Danelectro DC-3, 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. The rest is history. There is simply no guitar that I know of that sounds so good, plays so well, and sells for a lower price than a Danelectro.
Does that mean that I prefer a Danelectro to my Gibson Les Paul’s, Gibson SG’s, or the various Fender guitars that I own? The comparisons are not really appropriate. This would be like asking a carpenter to chose whether they prefer a screwdriver over a hammer when they are building a cabinet. A good carpenter will tell you that they will use whatever instrument or tool is most appropriate or suited to achieving the desired goal for the specific task that they have in mind. In the same way, a good guitarist will probably tell you that they prefer to use whatever instrument is most suitable to enhance the quality of their performance, and achieve the specific sound required to do the best job on the song that they are playing on or recording at that particular moment in time.
Most people who think of Danelectro guitars immediately think of the double cut model 59-DC played by Jimmy Page. Of course, like anyone who is familiar with Led Zeppelin knows, Jimmy Page used a Danelectro model 59-DC for live performances on stage for a number of songs, such as White Summer/Black Mountain Side, In My Time Of Dying, Babe I'm Gonna Leave You, and sometimes for Kashmir. The model 59-DC Danelectro is adorned with the unique lipstick pickups that Danelectro is famous for. Other than the Danelectro Longhorn, the 59-DC is probably the most recognizable of the Danelectro line of guitars. But enough of the background and history lesson, let us get on to the review of the Danelectro DC-3 Double-Cutaway Electric Guitar.
The DC in the Danelectro DC-3 stands for, you guessed it, “Double Cutaway.” The DC-3 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, this sounds like I am describing a lower-end kitchen counter top, but it I assure you this guitar sounds a lot better than a kitchen countertop. The hollow body, in combination with the Masonite top, produces a guitar that has a remarkably resonant tonal quality. Even unplugged, the DC-3 sounds unusually good, and it is also louder than you would expect. The neck is made of a very hard solid Maple, and it has a Rosewood fingerboard.
The neck is a bolt-on design, like a Fender Stratocaster, 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 DC-3 that I am reviewing (and which I also happily own) were set in nicely into the neck of the guitar, and there were no sharp overhangs, or dead spots on the guitar. The double 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, sleek, and feels very comfortable in my hand. This guitar is also so light, that you could play on stage all night, and never feel uncomfortable.
The Danelectro DC-3 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 DC-3 comes in a variety of colors, including Blue Suede, Limo Black, Commie Red, Black Metal-Flake, Turquoise Metal-Flake, and Silver Metal-Flake (I own a Silver Metal-Flake DC-3).
And now onto the electronics of the guitar. The Danelectro DC-3 comes with three "Lipstick Tube" pickups. The story behind the design of these pickups is quite unusual and fascinating. These pickups were designed by Nathan Daniel, the founder of Danelectro. At the core of these pickups is an Alnico V bar magnet, with a copper coil, wrapped in electrical tape. Nothing too unusual or unique there. However, as the story goes, Nathan Daniel was trying to figure out what to use for a cover for his pickups. He got wind of some information that a local cosmetics manufacturer had a surplus of unused brass lipstick tubes, and so, Mr. Daniel decided to purchase these surplus lipstick tubes in quantity, and see how they might work as pickup covers. The pickup was then fitted into two halves of the surplus brass lipstick tube covers, and low and behold, they worked. The rest is history. These same style pickups are used on all Danelectro musical instruments, including their line of guitars, baritone guitars, and basses, with very few exceptions (i.e., the Danelectro Innuendo and Hearsay model guitars, and Rumor Bass).
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 DC-3 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. Like many good single coil pickups, these Danelectro Lipstick Tube pickups produced a very twangy, clean, crisp sound. When the Volume and Tone controls are set just right, they are capable of even producing Stratocaster like sparkle and bell tones. However, the neck pickup is also capable of producing a surprisingly warm sound that could definitely be used for a jazzy mellow sound.
The Danelectro DC-3 also differs electronically in several other important respects from the 59-DC. Unlike the 59-DC which has separate Volume and Tone Controls for each pickup, the DC-3 has one “concentric” Volume and one Tone control for all three pickups. Besides having the extra sonic versatility of a third pickup, the DC-3 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 DC-3 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 DC-3, 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 DC-3 is instantly significantly louder than with any one or two pickup combination. 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. I was simply amazed with the sonic versatility of the DC-3. Because of the versatility of the Select-O-Matic Switching system and the Blow Switch, I was able to get the DC-3 to produce Stratocaster like bell tones, warm jazzy tones, twangy surf style guitar sounds, percussive funky sounds, and a rich sparkling jangley sound that was great for country style music. It also sounded terrific for playing blues, and sounded especially good when played with a slide.
Regarding playability, as I mentioned above, the neck on the DC-3 is fast and sleek, and it had a nice clear satin finish. The neck has a feel that is sort of like a cross between a Fender Telecaster and a Stratocaster. The guitar also holds 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 DC-3 as well, and the resonance and spank are simply great.
Who is the DC-3 suited to? Well that is a good question, and an easy one to answer. Because a DC-3 in excellent condition can be had on Ebay for about $300.00, it is a suitable good guitar for a serious beginner, as it will not break the bank. It is also a good second guitar for a more advanced gigging musician. It is also a good guitar for someone who is an advanced guitarist who typically uses a guitar with humbucking pickups, and who wants a different sound for different songs. If you doubt that is the case, try speaking to Jimmy Page and Joe Perry, and ask them why they occasionally use a Danelectro in their live performances, and in the studio.
I would like to thank you very kindly for taking the time to read my review, but now if you will excuse me, I really must get back to my practicing.
