Danelectro Factory

[Alan Peterson]

Every web page that has anything to do with Danelectro guitars always mentions the factory in Neptune NJ.

Anyone know what the actual address was? And what might be there now?

[Jim McConkey]

From The Blue Book of Guitar Values

In 1959 or 1960 the company moved to 207 West Sylvania Avenue in Neptune City, NJ, where it remained until its demise in 1968.

[JC Whitney]

... as to what's there now, Google Earth's imagery suggests that 207 West Sylvania Avenue doesn't really exist anymore. Current addresses jump from 203 (Knights of Columbus) to 209 (Hoffman Co, a commercial building that looks like it was built during the last few decades).

[Alan Peterson]

Thanks very much for providing that address.

In viewing the block from overhead using Bing.Com/Maps "Birds Eye View", I noticed a rather sprawling factory complex somewhat set back from the street, sandwiched between W Sylvania and TFH Way. The easternmost addition appears to be the original building and looks very much like it might be the old Danelectro HQ ... at least compared to the very optimistic architectural drawing of the factory on the DanGuitars website.

I want to believe the building is still there, but the Google street image dates to 2013, and a lot can change in that time.

Thanks again, Jim and JC.

[Jim McConkey]

Google is your friend!

It looks like the factory is still there. This site provides an image of the Danelectro factory (linked image):



If you look on Google maps, it looks like the building is set back on the northwest corner of W. Sylvania and TFH Way. If you position the street view to the parking lot entrance on W. Sylvania north of that intersection just past the building on the corner (right by the tail end of the red truck on the road), and turn the view to face west, you can see the front of the building, which bears a high resemblance to the picture above. The parking lot is overgrown, there is a No Trespassing sign at the entrance, and there is a For Sale or Lease sign there, too. Looks pretty abandoned to me. Maybe you can pick up a guitar factory cheap!

[Alan Peterson]

Unless you're a builder and understand the process, many players like to dream about where their babies came from and how they arrived --- among the most memorable images I can think of are the Martin windmill gluing press in Nazareth, the old-world craftsmanship seen inside the Hofner factory, and the exterior of the old Ovation factory, based in Connecticut.

But what can one say about 148 Los Molinos, San Clemente, Calif, the birthplace of the Swagerty Treholipee? Its a karate center now. What do they do, cut boards with their bare hands?

John D'Angelico's shop at 40 Kenmare St in NYC was torn down and replaced by a more modern building. Fender's former complex at 1300 E. Valencia in Fullerton Calif was similarly razed some years ago, while his old original radio shop at 107 Harbor Blvd. still stands, sandwiched between a tattoo parlor and dance academy. Fortunately for music fans everywhere, California designated this address as a local historical landmark and is nominated to be a National Historic Place (http://www.nps.gov/nr/feature/places/13000511.htm), so hopefully demolition seems unlikely.

[Alan Peterson]

...and then there is the former factory, offices and showroom of the Epiphone company at 142 W. 14th street in NYC, now Artie's True-Value Hardware:

Google Maps 40.738160, -73.998826