With their lightweight bodies and distinctive lipstick-tube pickups, the original Danelectros of the early to mid-'60s created a sensation amongst budget rockers and pros alike. Now the the popular semi-hollow 1449 model has been brought back to life as the Dano '63.

Danelectro. The very name conjures up images of Sears catalogs and "all-in-one" amp-case and guitar sets; of black-with-silver-sparkle, 45 rpm how-to-play records and endless surf parties.

But it wasn't just twang kings like Dick Dale and his ilk that celebrated the wonders of the Danelectro; players as disparate as Jimmy Page and Elvis Costello revered the 3/4-sized guitars and coaxed unearthly sounds, both impeccably clean and gloriously gritty, from their chambered little bodies. The Dano '63 is a deliriously fun ride back in time that feels strangely current.