D'Aquisto anyone?

[PascalD]

Here is the story. I started to resell Benedetto last year in Europe as those guitars were impossible to find over here. My aim is to get those guitars in stock, ready to be played and tried by the jazz guitar lovers in and around Belgium (Netherlands, Germany, France). Although I draw the attention of customers in Scandinavia and even Lebanon!

Look at my website : Exxbox Guitars

As you know, recently Benedetto changed its dealer policy, moving to a direct model, except for the Flagship Series. I'm not judging their move and I understand why they need to do this, but for me , I'm forced to look for other archtops to continue my crusade (getting archtop guitars to Europe).

Does anyone has experience with D'Aquisto ? I am aware of the history, I'm in contact with the D'Acquisto factory in Japan and they seem open to work. But I would like to get some info on sound, playability, setup, finish from you all. Again, those guitars are impossible to get in Europe, so I have no means to get close to one to try it.

While you might respond to this post: any similar thoughts on Heritage?

Thanks!

Pascal
Exxbox Guitars

[kris]

I used Fender D'Aquisto /1984/ arch-top for about 12 years.
Nice jazz box.

[Pierrot]

Here is the story. I started to resell Benedetto last year in Europe as those guitars were impossible to find over here. My aim is to get those guitars in stock, ready to be played and tried by the jazz guitar lovers in and around Belgium (Netherlands, Germany, France). Although I draw the attention of customers in Scandinavia and even Lebanon!

Look at my website : Exxbox Guitars

As you know, recently Benedetto changed its dealer policy, moving to a direct model, except for the Flagship Series. I'm not judging their move and I understand why they need to do this, but for me , I'm forced to look for other archtops to continue my crusade (getting archtop guitars to Europe).

Does anyone has experience with D'Aquisto ? I am aware of the history, I'm in contact with the D'Acquisto factory in Japan and they seem open to work. But I would like to get some info on sound, playability, setup, finish from you all. Again, those guitars are impossible to get in Europe, so I have no means to get close to one to try it.

While you might respond to this post: any similar thoughts on Heritage?

Thanks!

Pascal
Exxbox Guitars

Are you sure?

Estudio 54: daquisto

This is Santiago de Compostela, northwest of Spain.....(¿Europe?)

About these guitars: I tried both the Jazzline and the NewYorker (the ones shown on the pics of the site) and liked the Jazzline very much. One of the best and easier to get jazz sounds I "had in my hands".

[cmajor9]

The Aria D'Aquistos seem to have a pretty good reputation, if somewhat less than the Fenders. Heritages are few and far between in Europe from what I can tell (I'm in Germany), so distribution would be welcome.

BTW that Opulent Brown Bravo on your sight is gorgeous!

[spiral]

Does anyone has experience with D'Aquisto ? I am aware of the history, I'm in contact with the D'Acquisto factory in Japan and they seem open to work.

I have no direct experience playing an Aria-made D'Aquisto, because they are even more rare in the US. I have been reading about them for a long time now and as cmajor9 said, the reputation is very high. Anyone who has owned one has been impressed with the build and playability.

At least in the US, some negatives are that the prices are a little high for what is a production and pressed-top guitar. For example, i have been looking for a D'Aquisto Solo for over a year and the retail on that is $4,200. For that much money, you could get a pretty great, carved guitar, to your specs. On the up side, i believe they are made in the Terada factory which also makes Sadowsky, and some of the higher-end Gretsch archtops.

If you do a search for D'Aquisto on this board, i think you will find a few discussions about the New Yorker, Avant Garde / Solo, and Centura.

Sorry i couldn't be of more help but i'm still trying to find a D'A Solo in driving distance!

[PascalD]

You are right. You can find a few in the UK as well. Thanks for the link
Pascal

[PascalD]

I have no direct experience playing an Aria-made D'Aquisto, because they are even more rare in the US. I have been reading about them for a long time now and as cmajor9 said, the reputation is very high. Anyone who has owned one has been impressed with the build and playability.

At least in the US, some negatives are that the prices are a little high for what is a production and pressed-top guitar. For example, i have been looking for a D'Aquisto Solo for over a year and the retail on that is $4,200. For that much money, you could get a pretty great, carved guitar, to your specs. On the up side, i believe they are made in the Terada factory which also makes Sadowsky, and some of the higher-end Gretsch archtops.

If you do a search for D'Aquisto on this board, i think you will find a few discussions about the New Yorker, Avant Garde / Solo, and Centura.

Sorry i couldn't be of more help but i'm still trying to find a D'A Solo in driving distance!

Thanks! That is good news.
For Spiral : have you tried ariaUSA site?

Pascal

[spiral]

For Spiral : have you tried ariaUSA site?
Pascal

If you mean emailing: yes. I talked to a few people at Dana B Goods (US distro) and they told me no more Solos in the US this year ... maybe forever. I know where i can buy a few used but they are too far away for a saturday jaunt; so i wait.

[PascalD]

If you mean emailing: yes. I talked to a few people at Dana B Goods (US distro) and they told me no more Solos in the US this year ... maybe forever. I know where i can buy a few used but they are too far away for a saturday jaunt; so i wait.

Spiral
There are some factors that might make it difficult for Dana B Goods to get the Solo :
1) the lead time is minimum 6 months
2) they probably need to order more than one, and the Solo being acoustic only, it might not be the easiest guitar to sell...

And by the way, I fully understand the importance of playing an instrument before buying; That's exactly what I want to do in and around Belgium (I know that doesn't help you...).

Pascal

Exxbox Guitars

[spiral]

Spiral
There are some factors that might make it difficult for Dana B Goods to get the Solo :
1) the lead time is minimum 6 months
2) they probably need to order more than one, and the Solo being acoustic only, it might not be the easiest guitar to sell...Exxbox Guitars

Thanks. Yes i'm guessing acoustic archops are a niche of a niche ... especially ones in the $4k range ... so it is likely not a hot seller.

If you are looking for a production guitar line to replace the Benedettos, have you considered Eastman? They have a more complete range like Benedetto. Or, Hofner would have a similar quality to Benedetto, but less variety than Eastman.

[NiAg]

Regarding the Benedetto dealer channel:

I understand the factory frustration of managing a dealer sales channel with its sometimes-elusive value.

On the other hand, just having your product "out there" can drive many eventual sales as many companies in many industries have found.

It seems to do considerable harm to flip-flop on a direct vs. dealer sales model. So I sure hope that Benedetto (& Co.) are not making a "late-recession" move that they may later regret.

I understood their original concept was to expand and reach a broader market, which may have been since modified over the past 12 to 18 months.

[PascalD]

Thanks. Yes i'm guessing acoustic archops are a niche of a niche ... especially ones in the $4k range ... so it is likely not a hot seller.

If you are looking for a production guitar line to replace the Benedettos, have you considered Eastman? They have a more complete range like Benedetto. Or, Hofner would have a similar quality to Benedetto, but less variety than Eastman.

I have considered Eastman, but as I wrote earlier, this is a side activity (in a niche-niche, but nice) market. I don't have a shop. Eastman requires to have a shop.
Thanks for the Hofner lead. I'll contact them.

[PascalD]

Regarding the Benedetto dealer channel:

I understand the factory frustration of managing a dealer sales channel with its sometimes-elusive value.

On the other hand, just having your product "out there" can drive many eventual sales as many companies in many industries have found.

It seems to do considerable harm to flip-flop on a direct vs. dealer sales model. So I sure hope that Benedetto (& Co.) are not making a "late-recession" move that they may later regret.

I understood their original concept was to expand and reach a broader market, which may have been since modified over the past 12 to 18 months.

Yes, I agree. Don't get me wrong. I'm not blaming anyone for the Change of Benedetto's policy. I understand why they do it.

A small note on the dealer "sometimes-elusive value". The service I could bring to customer in and around Belgium was the availability of the guitars, ready to be tested, and at a competitive price (in europe). Customers in Europe need to take into account when they buy a guitar from an US (web)shop, they pay the price + shipment + VAT + import taxes. That is a whole lot of additional change!

Exxbox Guitars

[spiral]

I have considered Eastman, but as I wrote earlier, this is a side activity (in a niche-niche, but nice) market. I don't have a shop. Eastman requires to have a shop.
Thanks for the Hofner lead. I'll contact them.

Hofner tends to be more expensive for the US market, but the quality per dollar/euro/pound in Europe is very high. I think they are on par, quality-wise, with Benedettos. The nice thing is, they have an affordable Chinese-made product line as well. I don't think you will find anyone that has been unhappy with a Hofner.

A member here, Hammertone, works for Hofner Canada. You may want to PM him.

[NiAg]

>>> The service I could bring to customer in and around Belgium was the availability of the guitars, ready to be tested, and at a competitive price (in europe).

Ik begrijp. Ik leefde in België in het verleden (Zoersel, in de Kempen) - moeilijk om een goede gitaar te vinden om te proberen.

[jzucker]

Hofner tends to be more expensive for the US market, but the quality per dollar/euro/pound in Europe is very high. I think they are on par, quality-wise, with Benedettos.

No. Hofner is a factory made instrument. The benedetto is a hand made instrument. Not in the same league.

The problem with many of the german hofner guitars is the 25.5" scale length combined with 24 frets and an odd sized mini humbucker. The combination makes for a very bright instrument IMO.

[thenoviceguitarist]

I've been shopping around a bit, and I spent a lot of time looking at Hofner reviews. It seems that the biggest complaint has been with their amplified tone. The 2 extra frets force that neck p/u into an awkward position. At least that's what I've taken away from some of the discussions I read over at Harmony Central.

I've also heard the inconsistency is more prevalent since manufacturing moved some operations to China. Could all be hearsay, just thought it was worth mentioning.

[Baltar Hornbeek]

From what I've been told, Hofner ranks of low regard among the European players. I've never played one but they do look purty in the pictures.

[spiral]

No. Hofner is a factory made instrument.

I owned a New President and it was comparable to guitars in the multi-thousand range. I was under the impression that Hofners were hand-made in Germany:
"All Hofner jazz guitars and basses are hand made with the Chancellor, New President and Jazzica guitars having hand carved, tap tuned tops." There are Chinese-made Hofners are well, of which i am not a huge fan. I think the Hofner Diamond pickups sound superb. They are more in the DeArmond range of tonality, so if you like that rolled back tone sound, i could see where you would think it is bright.

Hopefully Hammertone could clarify.

[Pierrot]

My thought is that their market is mainly the German one, with very few exceptions outside. At least, here in Spain, their penetration in the "archtop market" is very low.

[kris]

I dream about perfect guitar...but where it is?:-)

[NiAg]

>>> Hofner is a factory made instrument. The benedetto is a hand made instrument. Not in the same league.

"League" is a matter of opinion of course.

I love the Pro series Benedettos, and certainly consider them to be very nice production guitars.

But in my opinion, the Hofners that I have seen and played exhibit about the same level of hand-made-ed-ness.

If anything, I notice the Hofners to have an unusual level of hand finishing of the fret ends for a production guitar. It seems very clear that each fret end was taken care of by hand on the Verythin JS I used to have, and on the guitars I have seen and tried.

I mean no knock of the Benedettos at all - just respect for the two luthiers at Hofner and their clear handi-work.

>>> The 2 extra frets force that neck p/u into an awkward position.

Yeah, too bad they do that. I think they would definitely sound better (to my ears anyway) with the PU away from the bridge a bit more.

I find the Byrdland to also suffer from having the neck PU too far downrange - granted the reasons for the neck PU position on the Byrd are different.

[Sphereacidburn]

DO NOT purchase the Japanese D'Aquisto's because at this point it isn't any thing fancy they are just run of the mill guitars nothing special. I have nothing against guitars made out of this country but the new D'Aquisto's play so horribly it puts Jimmy D'Aquisto's name to shame in my opinion.

[jzucker]

DO NOT purchase the Japanese D'Aquisto's because at this point it isn't any thing fancy they are just run of the mill guitars nothing special. I have nothing against guitars made out of this country but the new D'Aquisto's play so horribly it puts Jimmy D'Aquisto's name to shame in my opinion.

untrue

[NiAg]

>>> D'Aquisto's play so horribly

Wow Sphere. I'm sure you have had a genuinely disappointing D'Aq experience, but is it possible that your extrapolation is a little excessive?

In my opinion it is almost impossible to find a systematically bad guitar line anymore.

Sure we all have our favorites and our un-favorites. But unlike days of yore, even some of the really budget conscious brands of guitars are rather consistent, and consistently competent.

In contrast, I'm thinking back to brands like Hondo II (that's one better than a Hondo) where they were profoundly and fundamentally awful (I had to do waranty service on them).

Now you can find some systematic problems, like protruding shark-attack fret ends, on guitars made in high humidity, then shrunk in a dry Guitar Center. But this and other typical issues are all easily fixed in a decent setup. And it is best to plan on a good setup on ANY GUITAR, in my opinion.

Anyway, I am sure you have genuine cause for your D'Aquisto views, but they strike me as quite inconsistent with the general state of affairs even from budget boxes, nevermind a modest mid-range D'Aquisto.