Danelectro First Model (1954)

Sears 1954 Fall & Winter catalog boasted a new product - Danelectro's "First Model" - something that would be rebranded in their Silvertone product line as the Model 1377. These proto-typical models are a bit over built, something that the new Neptune NJ based company would change within only a year or so. It should go without saying that these exciting rock & roll instruments are pivotal in the history of the electric guitar.
This example is one of the coolest electric guitars we've had here, arriving in very good condition. With two archaic pickups, it has a deep, open bell like tone in the neck, a slightly mid-rangey center position (wired in series), and a warm but bright bridge pickup (slightly quieter).

The body is constructed from a poplar frame, with two pieces of masonite for the face and rear of the body. This masonite is covered in a white/tan tweed adjacent material - the sides in a gatoroid faux leather - all of which having held up very well on this example. The First Model has a slightly smaller body than the U models that would follow - the lower bout on this measuring about 13 1/8" across. The chambered design has interesting acoustic properties and makes it a nice and light instrument. A simple white baked melamine pickguard hosting the two single coil pickups, and two concentric pots. The pots on this date accurately to the 22nd week of 1954, and function as they should. Internally one will note the yellow Astron tone capacitors.

Maybe the most unique element of this prototype guitar design is the 3/4" squared aluminum tube that runs the length of the neck all the way to the bridge of the instrument. The aluminum square is flanked by two piece of poplar which is doweled into place, stained and painted. While some of the paint has worn away from the aluminum it appears here in great shape - and has retained a nice neck angle (the neck is affixed in place with two non adjustable screws) - yielding easy to play low action. That said, this guitar has a HEFTY profile to it, measuring a whopping 1" (no taper) the profile feeling a bit unlike anything else, maybe closest to a classical guitar, with its broad shoulder and flat center. Similarly to the classical design, its fingerboard has no radius. The neck is designed with a 25" scale length and 1 21/32" nut width, the action measuring a very playable 4/64" in height at the twelfth fret, which can be further adjusted at the bridge screws if need be. The frets and rosewood fingerboard are very clean showing only very mild wear in the first position. The peg head has an esoteric design with a deep volute. Plate tuners function as they should, the gears slightly worn resulting in a bit of heaviness while turning them. The original bell peg head is painted white with Danelectro name augmented with curly Q - it adorns a child scratched "Hi!" near the 6th string post.
No case.