Catalogued as the top of the line in the Durabody series, the sleek 1967 Danelectro 3N Slimline was purposely designed as a budget alternative to Fender’s legendary Stratocaster. Featuring a Comfort-styled body neatly wrapped with contrasting white vinyl edging, and a list price of $119.00, you could, as it states in the 67/68 catalog ad, "Enjoy that famous Danelectro quality at a popular price". For an extra $20.00 you could equip’ your shiny new Dano’ with a vibrato [model 3V, $139.00], and another $30.00 bought you a hardshell case covered in "Deep Grained Charcoal Grey Vinyl" totalling $169.00 complete. In comparison, a "67" Strat* w/case had a list price of $357.00. The Durabody line also offered a two pickup 6 string model 2N at $99.00, a model 2V w/vibrato at $119.00, a two pickup twelve string model 2N12 at $109.00, a three pickup twelve at $129.00.
Available colors were White w/Black trim, Midnite Green w/White trim, and Black and Yellow Sunburst w/White trim. My Sunburst example [pictured] is actually a 3-tone with some Red layered between the Black and Yellow, similar to that late 60’s "Bullseye" Sunburst from Fender.
The control layout features an On/Off slider switch for each pickup, a Volume control for each pickup, and an overall Master Volume which puts a juicy palette of lipstick tones at your fingertips! The three lipstick pickups are mounted in the clear plexi’ pickguard which is painted white on the underside with a black pinstripe around the perimeter, also notice the decorative chrome pickup surrounds seen on some Danelectro and all Coral branded Dano’s. The tuners are the "Skate-Key" type and the only obstacle keeping it from being well behaved in the tuning dept.
There’s a great range of sounds that can be coaxed out of these three pickup wonders, from nasty and rude, to the cleanest of clean, the 3 pickup Slimline has it all! --- Doug Tulloch
Photos: Doug Tulloch