TYPE
Electric Hollow Body Single cutaway guitar
FEATURES
Poplar and masonite body, maple neck
Rosewood fretboard
Two Danelectro lipstick single-coil pickups
INFORMATION
The year 1956 was a miracle year Elvis Presley recorded Heartbreak Hotel, IBM developed the first hard disk and the electric guitar became dominant in pop music. Nathan Daniel, the founder of Danelectro, designed and built cheaper guitars for outlet stores such as Sears & Roebuck, by using a poplar frame and a body construction of masonite. Sears was one of Danelectro’s largest distributors and only sold instruments under the Silvertone name.
The U-2 first appeared in the Danelectro catalog around 1956 and could be ordered until 1958. The introductory price was $ 100 and an optional soft cover was available for an additional $ 15. The classic shape and one cutaway, two “lipstick” single-coil pickups, flat fretboard and the light weight made this instrument a true Danelectro classic.
Early specimens have a large bell-shaped head, but in late 1956 this changed and the instrument received the classic ‘Coke-Bottle’ profile, one of the most recognizable features of the brand. Later, finishes were available in colors inspired by the automotive industry, such as Jade Green, Bermuda Coral and Gleaming Black. All this made the U-2 one of the most colorful models produced by Danelectro.
