2025 Otto D'Ambrosio Allegro Model

[Gitpicker]

I recently acquired my new Allegro model from Otto after a nearly three year wait. To be fair I had told Otto to take his time as I wasn't in a hurry. I am happy to say the instrument has met and FAR exceeded my expectations! In the near future there will be a more in-depth write up on this instrument in Jazz Guitar Today where I will lay out more of the back story including where the wood came from as well as a few hidden details.

In the meantime, each photo is worth 1000 words at least. Some simple specs are: 16" bout, 25" scale, and highly flamed Maple as you can see. The fingerboard, bridge, finger rest, head plate, binding are all Snakewood. The pickup is a Lollar Goldfoil and the controls are mounted on the tailpiece as you can see, which means the ONLY thing in contact with the top is the bridge.

The sound is vibrant, punchy, on the dry side like a fine Bordeaux, it's extremely balanced and the bass notes are clear as bells. I have not recorded much with it yet but I did make a video, which I'll post following the photos, which was recorded purely acoustic. This is the nicest acoustic guitar I've ever owned and it is everything I had hoped for and more. I do HIGHLY recommend checking out Otto's designs! It looks like he's in the process of updating his website but there are some other examples there as well: Welcome to D'Ambrosio Guitars

Doug Martin

[Gitpicker]

A video I recorded with a mic and my MacBook!

[Sigmund451]

Beautiful and I love the understated pick guard

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

Wow - that has a quiet elegance with just enough subtle bling. Vid sounds great. He really has the touch (and so do you).

I love his approach to style. My 20+ year old El Rey (originally Jeff Hale's and said in a communication from Eastman to a prior owner to be a probable 7 string prototype, based on the serial #) has a lot of similar sonic and aesthetic touches. Its acoustic voice is amazingly full and powerful, especially for or a 14" body. OD really understands how to design carved tops for great tone.

Now that the ER has become my default gigger, I've been thinking about selling my 17" Eastman and ordering a luthier built masterpiece as my final new guitar purchase. I love Dale Unger's work and was set on one from him. But now I'll have to get to CA to see and play a D'Ambrosio before deciding.

Could these be the next "D'A" s?

[dmorash]

Lovely - maybe he and Eastman should make a production model based on this design.

[Cunamara]

A video I recorded with a mic and my MacBook!

Is this the acoustic sound or are you using the pickup and miking the amp?

[Stringswinger]

Those Bach inventions are really good for keeping one's reading chops up.

Great player and a great guitar. Bravo!

[rlrhett]

That’s a pretty wacky tailpiece. What’s the story on the wooden knobs on it?


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[Sam Sherry]

That’s a pretty wacky tailpiece. What’s the story on the wooden knobs on it?

Volume and tone pots not drilled into the top.
Not mounted on the pickguard.
Not thumbwheel mini-pots on the pickguard.
If the pickup is mounted to the fingerboard extension you could take the pickguard off and still leave the pickup and pots mounted.

IMO it's fun and practical but that's me.

[marcwhy]

Gorgeous guitar! Wow!

Ricardo Grilli on his:

[Gitpicker]

Wow - that has a quiet elegance with just enough subtle bling. Vid sounds great. He really has the touch (and so do you).

I love his approach to style. My 20+ year old El Rey (originally Jeff Hale's and said in a communication from Eastman to a prior owner to be a probable 7 string prototype, based on the serial #) has a lot of similar sonic and aesthetic touches. Its acoustic voice is amazingly full and powerful, especially for or a 14" body. OD really understands how to design carved tops for great tone.

Now that the ER has become my default gigger, I've been thinking about selling my 17" Eastman and ordering a luthier built masterpiece as my final new guitar purchase. I love Dale Unger's work and was set on one from him. But now I'll have to get to CA to see and play a D'Ambrosio before deciding.

Could these be the next "D'A" s?

There is definitely something special to guitars that start with D'A.... haha if you can get to CA I do highly recommend trying out some of his guitars. If you pass through Beijing, China, you can come to my house and try mine too

[Gitpicker]

Is this the acoustic sound or are you using the pickup and miking the amp?

Acoustic. Just an AKG mic in front of the guitar

[Gitpicker]

That’s a pretty wacky tailpiece. What’s the story on the wooden knobs on it?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Utilizing the tailpiece as a mounting point for the volume/tone controls to eliminate one less component from being mounted in the top. It has also been done with thumb wheel controls on the finger rest but this way you can use full size pots and it looks clean.

[Gitpicker]

Gorgeous guitar! Wow!

Ricardo Grilli on his:

Ricardo is a killer for sure!!

[Gitpicker]

Those Bach inventions are really good for keeping one's reading chops up.

Great player and a great guitar. Bravo!

Myself being more a plectrum player, the Bach inventions are definitely a lot of fun and suitable to practice my reading on both guitar and mandolin!

[RicardoGrilli]

Woooo go Doug! Sounding great man and congrats on the new guitar!

[RicardoGrilli]

1421980[/URL]]Gorgeous guitar! Wow!

Ricardo Grilli on his:

Thank you Marc!

[Cunamara]

Acoustic. Just an AKG mic in front of the guitar

I really like the acoustic sound you get with that guitar! So many archtops have a rather pinched sound lacking in lower frequencies, giving a cutting but not really full sound. This has such a nice balance of clarity and fullness (of course that's with you playing it, the guitar doesn't sound like anything by itself).

[Gitpicker]

I whipped out another one of these duets because this guitar is too fun

[Max405]

A beautiful guitar that went to an even more beautiful person.
Doug, you can make an old alternator with cut wires hanging off it sound great.
This guitar very much lacks that nasally sound found in so many smaller archtop acoustics.
Even though it’s the Indian, not the arrow that makes it happen, this guitar sounds great. You bring out the best in any guitar. Even ones you have to climb on to play!
Terrific stuff Doug.
Joe D

[Gitpicker]

A beautiful guitar that went to an even more beautiful person.
Doug, you can make an old alternator with cut wires hanging off it sound great.
This guitar very much lacks that nasally sound found in so many smaller archtop acoustics.
Even though it’s the Indian, not the arrow that makes it happen, this guitar sounds great. You bring out the best in any guitar. Even ones you have to climb on to play!
Terrific stuff Doug.
Joe D

Ahhhhh thank you Joe, the feeling is definitely mutual my friend! The guitar and I are bonding more each day. More videos coming soon got some special projects in the works!

[Gitpicker]

A few of Otto's guitars on display at the Fretboard Summit this past weekend. (photo stolen from Peter Henriksen's Facebook).