The Danelectro 59X12 is a unique electric 12-string guitar known for its exceptional build quality and distinctive sound. Unlike traditional 12-string guitars, the Danelectro 59X12 features reversed string order, with the octave up string being struck first. This arrangement adds a bright attack and extra chime to the sound, giving it a unique character and resemblance to Nashville tuning.
One of the standout features of the 59X12 is its pickup configuration. It is equipped with a bridge double lipstick humbucker with a split coil push-pull switch, along with a dog ear single coil at the neck. This setup offers a wide range of tone combinations, allowing players to achieve different flavors of chime and jangle. Additionally, the unsplit humbucker and the single coil pickups are capable of handling distortion exceptionally well, making the 59X12 a versatile instrument for various musical styles.
When playing the Danelectro 59X12, you may find yourself using the tone control more prominently, especially when utilizing the coil split feature, as it can produce a overly trebly sound. It is worth noting that the tight arrangement of the saddles on the guitar can make setup a bit challenging.
In terms of amplification, my favorite chime setting involves using the bridge and neck pickups together, with the coil split engaged. This configuration delivers articulate yet throaty chime or jangle, depending on the amp and settings. Amp choices that complement the 59X12’s sound include treble channel Voxy amps with a touch of tremolo and reverb for chime or a Fender Twin style with the gain set at 7. A more modern sound would be a crystal clean amp like a JC120 with a touch of chorus. The JC 120 always sounds a little clinical to me, so I opt for a very clean tube amp like a Soldano on low gain. Adding the chorus to the signal can result in a tone Andy Summers might approve, or fit with a clean section of a metal song.
Whether played through traditional amplifiers or amp simulations, the Danelectro 59X12 offers a unique sonic palette with its incredible chime, jangle, and distortion capabilities. I obviously don’t own all the above amps, so I create most of the amps sounds using sims. If you’d like to hear and see different setups for the 59X12, I recommend checking out the “All That Jangles does not Chime” video on my Digital Guitarist Youtube Channel (link).