Nat Daniel is often regarded as the godfather of affordable yet high-quality guitars and related products. His designs and craftsmanship encouraged many young people to start playing music. His contributions to the world of music deserve greater recognition.
Nat initially focused on building amplifiers, utilizing his knowledge of electronics. He worked as an OEM for Epiphone in the early days, manufacturing amplifiers. In the 1940s, he established the Danelectro Corporation in Red Bank, New Jersey, where he built amplifiers and other instruments.
Then, in the mid-1950s, he began producing guitars for Sears Roebuck, a mail-order giant. Since Sears was already a customer for his amplifiers, it was a natural progression for Nat to venture into guitar manufacturing at their request, despite it being a new field for him. With his hard work, the business grew significantly by the end of the 1950s, leading to the establishment of a new expanded factory.
I had the opportunity to visit Nat in Hawaii Kai, where he kindly shared his stories with me. The interview took place in the early 1980s, and one particular memory that stands out is when he pulled out a small calculator from his chest pocket and showed it to me. On the back of the calculator, there was still a small piece of paper with a chart for guitar fret spacing. Although he was no longer actively involved in guitar manufacturing at that time, it was heartwarming to see that his passion for guitars never left him.
—to be continued