The Danelectro 59XT serves up a decadent tonal buffet and a heaping helping of that classic Shorthorn style. Punk rock to surf rock, the 59XT's versatile pickups — a vintage single-coil in the neck and a coil-split Lipstick humbucker in the bridge — are your ticket to a world of squeaky surf cleans and blitzed-out/fuzzed-out punk and psychedelic tones. The 59XT's resonant hardwood body and snappy maple neck operate in perfect harmony, with a pau ferro fingerboard adding to the guitar's overall richness and sustain. A genuine Wilkinson floating tremolo bridge makes the 59XT an even sweeter option for lead players, and whether you play ambient indie music or moderate metal, the Wilkinson will keep you from going out of tune in the heat of a performance. Rounding out this attractive package is a set of die-cast chrome knobs and complementary chrome hardware.
The iconic Shorthorn design makes a triumphant return in the Danelectro 59XT. Tapping the hardwood/plywood body reveals a rich resonance, unplugged or onstage, which is probably why you could formerly see these guitars in the hands of notable axemen like Syd Barrett and Jimmy Page.
The 59XT isn't your grandfather's Dano. This retro reincarnation is a thoroughbred rock stallion, with a snarling single-coil in the neck position and a full-range Lipstick humbucker at the bridge. From sputtering fuzz to aggressive down-tuned chugging, the 59XT didn't let us down for gainier styles of music. The angled pickup design is effective at balancing notes across all strings, giving bridge-position high octaves a bit more warmth, neck-position low octaves a touch more clarity, and so on. What's surprising is how well the humbucker cleans up, especially in split configuration. Engaging the push-pull coil split unearths the surf bite and brightness that classic Danelectros are best known for.
A rock-solid Wilkinson vintage floating tremolo arms the Danelectro 59XT for deeply expressive playing. The arm works in both directions, allowing players to bend notes up or down to pitch. In addition to the standard '80s tricks and more subtle forms of texturizing, players will find this useful for mimicking slide work and vocalizations. Paired with its other assets, there's no question: the Danelectro 59XT from Sweetwater is a lot of guitar for not a lot of dough.
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Number of Strings | 6 |
| Left-/Right-handed | Right-handed |
| Body Type | Solidbody |
| Body Shape | 59XT |
| Body Material | Spruce |
| Top Material | Hardboard |
| Color | Black |
| Body Finish | Gloss Polyester |
| Neck Material | Maple |
| Neck Shape | C |
| Neck Joint | Bolt-on |
| Radius | 14" |
| Fingerboard Material | Pau Ferro |
| Fingerboard Inlay | Dots |
| Number of Frets | 21 |
| Scale Length | 25" |
| Nut Width | 1.650" |
| Nut Material | Graphite |
| Bridge/Tailpiece | Wilkinson Vibrato |
| Tuners | Die-cast Chrome |
| Neck Pickup | Vintage Single-coil |
| Bridge Pickup | Dual Lipstick Humbucker |
| Controls | 1 x master volume, 1 x master tone (push/pull bridge coil-split) |
| Switching | 3-way toggle pickup switch |
| Strings | D'Addario, .010-.046 |
| Case/Gig Bag | Sold Separately |
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