final verdict

Which old-school electric is the right one for you?

With guitars like these, you’ve got to assess your needs. What are you going to be playing? If the answer to this isn’t death metal, then one of this group is going to make a very persuasive case for being ‘the one’. For those with a little extra cash and don’t mind shelling out the extra £200, then the Supro offers a truly unique piece of American vintage guitar. It’s a player and a workhorse; its pickup position finds a sweet spot somewhere past the bridge, and brings both brightness and warmth. The ideal surf rock guitar? Maybe, but then you’ve got the Danelectro, which is just begging for a Fender Twin and a little tremolo for a spot of surf action, and then, with a more svelte neck, its off-kilter looks, and a little more tonal range, it might be a better bet.

The sophisticates might boil this test down between the urbane Swede, the Hagstrom, or the classy American hot-rod, the Gretsch. If you’re looking for a guitar with unbeatable cleans, then go for the Hagstrom, but if you wanted that versatility and the kudos that comes with a Gretsch, well, we wouldn’t think ill of you. Indeed, it’s hard to look past that finish, that build, and that tone.

Ultimately, you can’t go wrong here. Without breaking the bank, you could get yourself some old-school tone, old-school cool. And you know what they say about the classics: they never go out of style.