vintage tone redefined beautifully

Danelectro ’59M NOS+ Review

Before sound meets soul, there’s a guitar that whispers clarity—discover the Danelecto '59M NOS+ and feel its quiet resonance.

  • Overall Rating
  • Build Quality
  • Performance
  • Value for Money
  • Design
4.4/5Overall Score
The Danelectro '59M NOS+ is a lightweight electric guitar designed for balanced comfort and expressive playability. With its twin NOS+ lipstick pickups and smooth maple neck, it delivers clear, articulate tones suitable for both beginners and intermediate players. Its vintage-inspired design and affordable price make it an appealing choice for those seeking quality without extravagance.
Specs
  • Weight: 6.16 pounds
  • Material: Spruce body, hardboard top, maple neck, Pau Ferro fretboard
  • Color Options: Keen Green
  • Warranty: Covers defects in materials and workmanship, requires registration
  • Brand: Danelectro
  • Model Number: '59M NOS+
  • Compatibility: Not suitable for left-handed players
Pros
  • Lightweight at 6.16 pounds, making it easy to handle and play for extended periods.
  • Equipped with two NOS+ single-coil lipstick pickups that provide bright highs, punchy mids, and fuller lows.
  • Smooth maple neck and Pau Ferro fretboard ensure comfortable playability and a warm tactile response.
  • Simple stacked tone and volume controls offer functional performance without unnecessary complexity.
  • Vintage Shorthorn design and Keen Green finish make it an aesthetically appealing option for players.
Cons
  • Not featured among the best electric guitars, indicating a niche appeal.
  • Does not come with a case or gig bag, requiring separate purchase for transport.
  • Designed exclusively for right-handed players, limiting accessibility for left-handed musicians.

The Danelecto ’59M NOS+ weighs just 6.16 pounds, its spruce body resonating with airy openness, akin to a quiet breath before speech—lightness enabling mobility, mobility fostering expression. Twin NOS+ lipstick pickups deliver clear, balanced tone, each note articulate, a reminder that simplicity often carries the deepest truth. Maple neck, Pau Ferro fretboard—smooth, enduring surfaces guide the hand, like steady faith guiding motion. A guitar built not for spectacle, but presence.

Key Takeaways

  • The Danelectro ’59M NOS+ features a lightweight spruce and hardboard semihollow body weighing 6.16 pounds for balanced comfort.
  • It’s equipped with two NOS+ single-coil lipstick pickups delivering bright highs, punchy mids, and fuller lows.
  • A maple neck and Pau Ferro fretboard ensure smooth playability and durable, warm tactile response.
  • Simple stacked tone/volume controls and a fully adjustable wraparound bridge offer functional, no-frills performance.
  • With its Keen Green finish and vintage Shorthorn design, it’s an affordable, stylish option for beginner to intermediate players.

Design and Build Quality

The Danelectro ’59M NOS+ emerges as a quiet affirmation to balanced craftsmanship, its shorthorn body—a silhouette drawn from mid-century dreams—carved from spruce and capped with a hardboard top, lending both resonance and resilience, akin to roots grounding a tree in shifting soil. The maple neck, smooth and steadfast, guides the hand with clarity, a reminder that integrity in structure fosters freedom in expression. Pau Ferro fretboard—often mistaken, yet true—offers warmth beneath fingertips, inviting mindful connection. The fully adjustable wraparound bridge guarantees stability, a lesson in precision serving purpose. Stacked controls, simple yet profound, place tone and volume within reach—tools not for show, but for stewardship of sound, service, and shared silence. Despite its vintage-inspired design, the ’59M NOS+ stands apart in today’s market, though it is not featured among the best electric guitars due to its niche appeal and retro-focused tone.

Sound and Electronic Performance

Two NOS+ single-coil lipstick pickups breathe soul into wire and wood, their higher output and refined tonal response not merely amplifying sound but revealing intention, akin to a lantern illuminating the unseen path—each note sharpened with clarity, yet softened by resonance, a reminder that power without presence lacks purpose. Engineered for punchier mids, brighter highs, and fuller lows, they serve both rhythm and lead with unwavering honesty—like a steady hand in quiet service. The electronics, simple yet profound in stacked tone/volume controls, invite focus over flourish, honoring intention behind each touch. Clarity arises not from complexity, but from design that listens—responding with a voice both vintage and essential, a conduit for truth spoken softly, heard deeply, and given freely.

Playability and Comfort

Balance, like breath, begins where weight and form align—6.16 pounds cradled in contours of spruce and hardboard, the semihollow body resting easy against the ribcage, a fulcrum for movement, not resistance. The maple neck, smooth and swift, guides the hand like a steady hand in prayer—sure, unyielding, yet kind. Pau Ferro’s firm grain under fingertips speaks of consistency, akin to daily devotion. The shorthorn body moves with the player, not against, a reminder that service flows best when unburdened. Lightness does not mean lack; rather, it teaches how little we truly need. Every curve, every edge, humbly placed—so the music, not the instrument, may lead.

Unique Features and Aesthetic Appeal

Danelectro’s shornhorn silhouette, its lines sharp yet welcoming, carries the quiet confidence of a well-worn compass—pointing true without need for ornament. The Keen Green finish, vibrant yet earth-toned, reflects light like morning dew on pasture grass, a reminder that beauty serves best when unassuming. Its spruce body, capped with hardboard, resonates with airy warmth, akin to a voice finding clarity after stillness. The maple neck, smooth and steady, guides the hand with integrity—like principles passed down through seasons. Pau Ferro fretboard, rich and resilient, responds to touch with precision, an emblem of stewardship in craft. Every stacked control, every lipstick pickup, humbly amplifies purpose: to connect, to uplift, to make melody accessible.

Value and Market Position

A singular presence among entry-level electrics, the Danelectro ’59M NOS+ carries forth its legacy not through extravagance, but through purposeful design — the 6.16-pound spruce body, hollow yet resonant, breathes with an openness akin to morning light spilling across open fields, reminding the player that lightness need not sacrifice depth. Its NOS+ lipstick pickups deliver clarity and harmonic richness, a reminder that simplicity, when tuned with intention, can uplift any room, any heart. The fully adjustable bridge and stacked controls offer precision, akin to daily acts of service — small, consistent, and deeply impactful. Priced accessibly, it stands not as a compromise, but as an invitation: to create, to give, to begin. While not featured in a guide on the best electric guitars for beginners, the ’59M NOS+ remains a strong contender for best electric guitars.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Fretboard Made of Pau Ferro or Maple?

The fretboard is made of pau ferro, not maple, despite occasional mislabeling. This material provides a smooth playing surface with warm, resonant tone, benefiting players seeking expressive, dynamic performance and enduring comfort during extended musical service.

Does the Guitar Come With a Case or Gig Bag?

The guitar does not include a case or gig bag. It is shipped in protective packaging. Owners seeking safeguarding during transport are advised to purchase a suitable case separately to guarantee the instrument’s preservation and longevity.

How Is the Warranty Activated and What Does It Cover?

Warranty activation requires registration through the manufacturer’s website. Coverage includes defects in materials and workmanship. Proof of purchase is needed. The warranty supports longevity and reliability, reflecting commitment to user support and instrument integrity.

Are Replacement Parts Like Pickups Easy to Find?

Replacement parts, including pickups, are readily available through major guitar component retailers and online marketplaces, ensuring accessibility for maintenance and repairs without reliance on proprietary supply chains or specialized distributors.

Is This Model Suitable for Left-Handed Players?

This model is not suitable for left-handed players, as it is designed and manufactured exclusively in a right-handed configuration, limiting accessibility for those seeking intuitive, comfortable play in service to musical expression.

Conclusion

The Danelectro ’59M NOS+ sings with clear, balanced tones—its lipstick pickups capturing light like morning dew on steel strings, akin to truth revealed. Lightweight at 6.16 pounds, it rides the body like a trusted companion, reminding us that strength often dwells in simplicity. A maple neck, Pau Ferro fretboard, and adjustable bridge offer precision, a reminder that growth flows where support is steady, yet open to refinement.

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