Silvertone electric guitars' heyday was certainly in the 50s and 60s. The coolest, most innovative features (frequently borrowed from the 'big names' of the day) were right there in guitars manufactured by Danelectro, Kay, Harmony, and to a lesser extent National. Featuring single coil and humbucker pickups, Bigsby and other (less than perfect) tremolo units, as well the famously unique 'lipstick tube' pickups (featured on a family of Dan-o axes), the Silvertone line of guitars educated the playing public to the possibility of the electric sounds of the guitar. If you were any good, you'd usually graduate to a Gibson, Fender, Gretsch, or other 'better' guitar. Regardless of where you went, you always remember (and a lot of artists are 'coming back') to the sound of your first electric Silvertone.