Danelectro DCV56CR Convertible review

Roof down, surf's up with this hollowbody electric

  • £599
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It features a hollow Shorthorn body and our example is finished in a suitably vintage white

MusicRadar Verdict

We like the Convertible but, at £599, we can't really get too excited - it's a lot to pay for a relatively niche sound.

Pros

  • +

    Lipstick pickup sounds good.

Cons

  • -

    Not representative of the value we've come to expect from Dano. Some build issues. Piezo tones could be better.

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The Convertible is Dano's take on an electro-acoustic, and revisits an original design that was first introduced way back in 1959.

It features a hollow Shorthorn body and our example is finished in a suitably vintage white. The neck maple is unfinished, save for a thin satin coating, which results in a slick playing feel, while the long heel has been reinforced with an internal multi-laminate maple block.

"The neck maple is unfinished, save for a thin satin coating, which results in a slick playing feel"

Electrics comprise a '56 lipstick pickup and a piezo strip set under the single saddle in the rosewood bridge; the lipstick's height can be adjusted via two spring-loaded screws set into the body's rear, while the bridge is fitted with three micro-screws for the same purpose. Controls comprise a volume, tone and centrally notched blend pot.

Projection certainly isn't a problem when playing the Convertible acoustically, and the guitar would surely be suitable for those campfire moments.

We'd suggest that it's more of a strummer than a fingerpicker, owing to the electric-style string spacing, but it stays in tune, makes for a nice player and it's serviceable unamplified.

Plugged in, the lipstick has a nice warmth, and possesses a solid vintage-style sound, especially with a touch of amp drive.

The piezo does its job adequately without really excelling, and we find it works best when used to add extra zing to the electric tone, rather than to provide a realistic acoustic voice.

Simon Bradley

Simon Bradley is a guitar and especially rock guitar expert who worked for Guitarist magazine and has in the past contributed to world-leading music and guitar titles like MusicRadar (obviously), Guitarist, Guitar World and Louder. What he doesn't know about Brian May's playing and, especially, the Red Special, isn't worth knowing.