Danelectro Innuendo

I Play Surf, Country, classic Rock. Almost anything fingerstyle

I bought it on eBAy, almost by accident. I was looking at Mosrite guitars but the prices are much too high for my budget. I saw the Danelectro auction, did some checking on the internet and ended up being the high bidder... ooops!

Excellent Value! I especially like that it NOT A STRAT! Everybody plays a Strat, or Tele or a Paul and so have I. I really wanted something different, but not one of those wild shapes that look like they could hurt someone and are impossible to find cases for.

I have tried other guitars with built-in effects and they were OK, but nothing special. Some of the new guitars have so many options you can get lost in the settings and the band has to wait 5 minutes while you get your act together- I'd almost prefer popping a string!

Anyway- the Innuendo has 4 buttons and 2 effects controls. Very Simple!! The distortion/fuzz is the least useable but, if you like the SUNSHINE OF YOUR LOVE sound, it'll do it! The other sounds are Very Nice and I like the rotating speaker-type sound you get if you use the CHORUS and TREMOLO together.

I really like that there are 2 outputs. Plug into 2 amps, one with the Innuendo effects and the straight signal into a floor pedal or two and you can really get some interesting sounds!

The pickups are standard- they sound a litle hot. I wish they had mounted them MOSRITE-style. Maybe I will change them out someday.

I love the colors! Mine is the brown burst with those little sparklies that flash pretty good! Looks nice! I am partial to blue guitars and I have been shopping for one of those on eBay.

Why can't factories do a decent setup? It just ain't that hard! Especially at the nut end. This was WAY TOO HIGH! You needed Vise-Grips to make barre chords at the first 5 frets, until I spent some time and filed the slots down.

The knobs were kinda cheap- I got some replacements. I've had to use contact cleaner on the pots and on the little mini effects switches 2 times in a year.

Fit and finish were excellent! Tight neck pocket. Excellent tuners and graphite nut.

The finish is nice! Thick clear coat over the whole guitar. the sparklies are seald in.

I was surprised the first time I opened it up fully and found out that the body is plywood! But it's a high grade plywood and rather dense. Control cavity was shielded with conductive paint. The electronics look solid, but they could have used better quailty pots and switches. Overall, even with some niggling comments, I rate guitar this very high. And it's NOT A STRAT!

A great guitar to have fun with!

I have taken it all around. If I am asked to sit in, I usually get stuck with the SPARE amp- you know, the one with just tone and volume controls. I start the Innuendo straight and, when my chance to play comes around, I tap 1 or 2 or 3 of those buttons and wail away! I can't count how many times someone has come up after and asked what the ^%($% is in THAT guitar!

Plays great, sounds great, looks great, and it didn't cost much!

This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

Purchased 9/13/02 from "Musician's Friend" at a close-out price of $149.99(and freight prepaid)!! Having seen and played an "Innuendo 6" locally, I was impressed with the features,look,and over all quality to price point value of these adorable little "cheese-logs", even at the original LIST price. Being a guitar and bass player, the idea of a baritone intrigued me; the fact the "Innuendo 6" got a "Guitar Player Editors Pick Award",and the low price made it a no-brainer/low risk acquisition.

Basically,what's NOT to like?? IMHO,this guitar is BRILLIANT!! A departure from Evets Company's (owner of the Dano trademark who brought us those horrible little "Qwik-Tune" guitar/bass tuners in the '90's)earlier re-issue's of original vintage '50's Dano's, the "Innuendo" retains a vintage vibe with it's "Reversed Stratish"/Mosrite "Ventures" body style and "Coke-bottle" 3 on-a-side headstock.
However, the three ceramic passive single coils in a "Stratish" configuration with a standard 5-way switch provides a wider usable tonal range than the prior dual"lipstick" models(and contrary to "Guitar Player's" review of the 6 string version,I don't find the 5-way in an "awkward" position; it takes some getting use to, but it isn't in the way).
The real "thrill'a" of this unit is the four white on-off buttons just "north" of the four rotary controls which activate (from top to bottom)#1.A high gain preamp/overdrive circuit with a variable "resonance" control (rotary control#3), #2.A set-rate/set-depth chorus, #3.A set depth/variable speed tremelo (rotary control #4),and #4.A "slap-back" Echo. The other two rotary controls are Master Volume(#1)and Tone(#2).
BE FOREWARNED!!REDUCE VOLUME TO 0 BEFORE ENGAGING THE PREAMP/OVERDRIVE CIRCUIT! This thing has GOBS of gain and inadvertantly turning it on (especially if the "resonance" control is on it's high side)is guaranteed to raise sonic anarchy from Hell immediately. Once tamed, this is way hip- it's basically what you get when you kick in a a "wah" pedal and use it as a "fixed" filter(a'la Jeff Beck). Sweeping the rotary control goes from a low, somewhat muddy wah growl to unbelieveably edgy "ice-pick-in-the-ears" treble boost, with variable TASTY tone spots between.The amount of boost available is incredible and capable of punching an amp's front end hard;GREAT if your using tube amplification (probably dog-doo with solid state).
The chorus(#2)is good although it's speed and depth are both preset (fortunately, it's a good overall setting). I've heard it described as "lumpy" which I couldn't envision- the sweep is smooth and the effect quality is good. I've heard better, I've heard WAY worse. The tremelo (#3),which is also a set depth but IS speed adjustable, can be combined to get some interesting faux "rotating speakerish" sounds. On it's own it's great for Spagetti Western soundtracks, Tommy James wannabees, surfdudes,or anyone wanting that "PULSE".
Finally, the "slap-back" echo is just that- as with the chorus, it's parameters are "set", but it sounds good and by itself conjures up the early "rock-a-billy"/Sun Studio room ambiance.
There are two side mounted 1/4" output jacks; one bypasses the effects, the other "engages" them (be sure and remove your cable when your done playing or it'll eat the battery). Both can be run at the same time, although I haven't tried it yet.
The vintage 6-screw "Stratish" style vibrato/bridge is obviously NOT going to hold tune under EVH-type whammy histrionics, but seems to work well for slow swells and pitch "quivers",which works for me.


I have very few faults with this guitar. With it's 30" scale, the neck length makes it a "long neck goose", which takes some getting used to (suprizingly, it balances fairly well). Also, finding string sets can be problematic (it uses .013-.070 gauge sets). And somewhere down the line, I'd like to install a humbucker in the bridge position for "more nuts", as I'm a S/S/H guy.
I'm betting most guy's into the current de-tuned metal (Korn/Coal Chamber/etc.) WON'T like this guitar as it sits- with the three single coils it wouldn't be thick or heavy enough. However, with a switch of pickups, I think it could grind with the best of 'em (and maybe better). The low end chunk from the 30" scale and .013"-.070" string sets thru a good full size humbucker would be skull crushing!


Manufactured in Korea (which isn't the stigma it used to be- the quality keeps increasing);30" scale/24 fret unbound maple bolt-neck with adjustable truss rod (at the body end, unfortunately),rosewood fretboard,pearl dot position markers,and a "Coke-bottle" 3 on-a-side headstock with chrome Gotoh or Ping diecast machine heads. The fretwork is good without ragged ends protruding from the side of the neck and the machines work fine. The nut is of the black plastic/graphite(?)variety and was cut fairly well.
The solid body is carefully carved/routed out of the finest Korean solid core multiply laminate (i.e. plywood)money can buy (they actually did an amazingly good job of routing it out for the electronics) and the "Red Sunburst" partial transparent finish (it's a solid red around the edges and where the bodies tapered for an armrest to conceal the plywood of the body) is well applied, glossy and attractive with no runs,streaking, or "orange peel" that I could find. The pickguard's a single ply white pearloid (Mutha'of toilet seat-strangely,the trem spring cover and battery cover are non-matching single ply solid white). The pup covers,selector switch tip,whammy tip and knobs are all the standard white plastic "Stratish" copies and the chrome vintage type bridge/vibrato is your basic serviceable import unit. The strap buttons are nice metal ones, not the cheesey plastic ones they used on the vintage reissue models.
The overall build quality is excellent for a guitar at this price point. No burred screw heads,the neck pocket is tight and everything lines up great. The pickups sound o.k. to good, and the quality of the electronics seems to be o.k.(typical dime size import pots,etc.- With four built in effects, there's quite a bit of circuitry under the pickguard on stacked circuit boards). They even inset brass bushings in the body for the battery cover machine screws so they wouldn't strip-out over time. Nice touch!


I've been playing guitar on and off since I was 8 years old,did weekend casuals before I was out of high school,picked up the bass in the '70's, and have done some roadwork.I worked in a music store for 6-7 years in the '90's, doing all the tech and repair work. My personal instrument stash of guitars and basses is now over 24,with a fair amount of high-end units.
I was looking for something unusual when I bought this- a "color" instrument in a manner of speaking. Having never played a baritone and considering the price, I decided to go for it and I'm damn glad I did. While it did need a good set-up when received (just as almost ALL new instruments do), it's an amazing instrument and WICKED cool fun!!
In fact, I liked it so much I ordered an "Innuendo 12" as soon as I could find one. Unfortunately, I think Evets has discontinued importing the "Innuendo's" as I don't see anyone advertising them now, which is a bloody shame.
Considering it's build quality, ESPECIALLY for the price point, and taking into account it's fun factor, I gotta give it a Five.




This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

Purchased from Dawsons in Liverpool (UK) in October 2002 for £129 in sale. A bit of an impulse buy.

Great variety of tone from the three single coil pickups. This coupled with the on-board special effects providing distortion, chorus, tremelo and echo make the instrument very versatile. Also it is easy to play and was well set up requiring minimal tweaking from the outset. Slightly odd looking guitar and very much in line with the Danelectro style of producing distinctive and unique guitars. I also have a Danelectro U2 which is superb for blues. The Innuendo is quite a heavy guitar but well built and by no means too heavy to be comfortable. Suitable for home, studio or stage. Strat type tones are all there but it distorts pretty well also. Main like though is the inspirational range of sounds that can be conjoured up once you are familiar with the settings.

It would be nice to save 5% on the weight and the colours are rather restricted - mine is a gold/black sunburst type effect with silver sparkles - not exactly my favourite colours but certainly distinctive and I will live with it because the guitar sounds great.

Solid body, maple neck and rosewood fingerbaord. Three single coils, five way selector, volume and tone control, four on board effects and two effects controls. Two outputs one with effects and one without. This means you can play through two amps and get different effects through each. Generally appears well built. Effects driven by a single 9v battery.

Very pleased with the guitar - especially at the sale price. I like guitars that are a bit different and this certainly is different. Plays well, sounds great and should provide years of good service. Plays far better than some Fenders I have had over the years.

This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

Recently retired and having a lot of free time decided to purchase a new guitar. The Danlectro Innuendo was my choice. Purchased from 12Fret in Toronto, $379CDN a good price considering what some other dealers were asking for it.

It comes in three colors. Midnight blue/silver sparkle, Gold burst sparkle and Limo black. I opted for the black and it was the right choice!
The guitar is heavy and the design of the body reminds one of an upside down strat, with the bottom body extension longer than the top. It has 3 single coil pickups with the middle pickup reverse wound. A five position selection switch makes for a diverse number of sounds when used in conjuction with the onboard effects.
The effects are not "cheapish" but it does take some adjusting to get subtleness to the sound. Controls are Volume, Tone, Distortion, Tremolo speed, effects On/Off buttons for Distortion, Chorus, Tremolo and Echo.
The Chorus when used in conjunction with with the echo gives an amazingly rich sound. The tremolo is as good as any I've ever used and the distortion will blow you away if that is your thing. The echo is slap back type and quite subtle, very pleasant.
There are two jacks, one bypass and one effects. The bridge is fulcrum style tremolo.





I really don't have any dislikes. It comes with round wound strings, I would prefer flat wound which would cut down on some minor buzzing of the frets. After the new strings have stretched a bit it holds its tuning as good as any other guitar that I have owned. (you play a lot, you tweak your tuning)
The volume control is close to the bottom E string and consequently when picking you can hit it by mistake turning it up or down.
Adjusting the neck requires you remove it from the body.



Solid body, contoured front and back, with neck of hard maple w/rosewood fingerboard. Overall quality is excellent!




The Innuendo is a real sleeper, surprisingly responsive. If setup properly by your dealer, you won't be disappointed!

This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com