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That is awesome.
I can hear it, just by looking at it.
Pickguard aside, that's a piece of history and a player.
I appreciate you showing me the pictures.
One day..
JD
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09-25-2015 02:51 PM
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cool little snakehead DA, lots of mojo on that one.
Originally Posted by sgcim
was your dad the original owner?
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Wow, you know your D'As! Originally Posted by wintermoon
It is indeed a snakehead D'A. Bucky thought it was made in 1935, because his snakehead was made before it in '34.
My dad bought it from one of his best friends, a jewelry designer/guitarist named Hugo Cimelli, but his professional name was Duke Martin.
Duke was the guy that designed the New Yorker Hotel headstock logo on the D'A New Yorker; that's how things were done back in those days; craftsmen would work together on things.
My father lived on Elizabeth St. in Little Italy (back when Italians used to actually live there- now there are just a few restaurants), and my father used to hang out at John's shop.
He remembered the little kid who used to sweep up the shop, and was amazed to find out it was Jimmy D, when he visited his shop in Huntington.
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I like the Monel .12 steels for acoustic playing (13 and 17 top strings.) I did a couple of rhythm gigs over the weekend with my guitar mic'ed and the Monel strings, sounded great. Much louder acoustically than nickels. Originally Posted by Klatu
The E and B strings are a bit like 'hello' when you use a magnetic pickups, but not too bad if you aren't up loud on the amp..
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Is yours the same specs as mine? Originally Posted by destinytot
What sort of strings are you using?
How has it matured?
What band environment are you using it in?
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Hi guys,
I finally bought a used Campellone Standard right here on the forum
Cant wait for it to arrive ...
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Just curious - what made you decide to go for the Campellone? Originally Posted by MacFever
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This forum ! Originally Posted by JazzNote
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Benedetto La Venezia - made for it.
Also - Cremona
La Venezia? Guitar | Benedetto Guitars
Cremona? Guitar | Benedetto Guitars
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well, my question was rather meant to inquire which features of the Campellone made you chose it over the others that were discussed. Originally Posted by MacFever
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It was a combination of things actually : Originally Posted by JazzNote
- comments found on various fora concerning unamplified tone
- availability : this is a used one that was on sale here and therefore directly available
Commissioning was going to take something like a year
- price : since this one is used I got a good discount compared to new
- I also prefer used because the guitar is already broken in and "should" sound better than when it was new
- the guitar has the right specs (for me) : 1,75 nut (this is what I use to play on my other guitars) and 25" string lenght
I hope that the guitar will be what I expect ...
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I think that with the Pavillion, the Brno House, and a pile of other projects, theirs was truly collaborative effort. Similar in a way to the collaboration between the other great 20th Century design couple, Charles and Ray Eames. As Charles Eames famously said: "Anything I can do, Ray can do better."
Last edited by Hammertone; 10-10-2015 at 06:18 PM.
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Remember this?
Originally Posted by Hammertone
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I have thought about which acoustic archtop that I have played sounds the best. That could be easy to answer but nearly impossible to answer accurately. Here's why.
1. Memory is greatly affected by the context of the situation. We think that we are so smart that we won't be biased by expectations and settings, but we are all of the time. We can't not be influenced. As an example, I played this old L-5 as a kid. Then a true jazz master picked it up and played it. The tone was dramatically better to my ears even though it really hadn't changed. But he added complex melodies, harmonies and modulations that changed the context of the tone and made it sound great.
2. Memory warps over time.
3. Strings, picks and technique affect tone.
4. The acoustics of the room and ambient distractions are factors.
5. In the end the judgment is completely subjective anyway and cannot be put into words very well. And what is considered ideal changes over a person's life.
I still don't have an answer as to which archtop I've personally played that sounds the best. The Heritage American Eagle is a contender for sure. JP Moats, who launched the Citation for Gibson, did most of the build and completed the guitar. Aaron Cowles did the bracing and tuning. Marv Lamb did the neck. For a group effort this came out really well and represents what these builders can do if time and resources are unlimited.
I've had some good ones over the years. I'd like to say several of them deserve top billing. But that would just be a feeling, not a verifiable fact.
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MG, You are absolutely right. Memories and feelings are not verifiable facts.
I dont even think that you can pick a winner if you had them all lined up next to one another. You have to live with them. Because they change as you change. One day you pick up a guitar and it doesn't even feel like the one you fell in love with the night before.
A lot of people think the best Acoustic Archtop is the one they want to be the best. I caution myself against doing that with my D'Angelico Excel. I always approach with the feeling that, "its not all that's cracked up to be". And after I play it for a minute, it always reminds me why it is the legendary archtop that it is..
I pray one day you get one.. The search will be over.
Joe D.
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Originally Posted by Joe DeNisco
Joe, there is only one certain way you can make that prayer come true. But I won't allow it. Even if a large box arrives from you on my doorsteps, I may just refuse it. I might peek inside I guess.
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A great sounding Campellone, along with a really nice original tune:
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If you think that
1. only a guitar maker with a great knowledge of violin making procedures will be able to make superb acoustic archtop guitars in a somewhat consistent way,
2. any comparison test of top notch acoustic archtop guitars will be meaningful only (at least for yourself), if it is personally and consecutively performed (test guitar#1 on your lap, right after this the guitar #2 - and so on), but also done as a listener standing 20m or more in front of the actual instrument play-tested by your friend, under widely standardized conditions (guitar set up), in a relaxed atmosphere, and all of this preferably repeated several times over the years,
3. Joe D’Angelico was the Stradivarius of archtop guitar making (Lloyd Loar corresponding to Nicola Amati),
there is only one Guarnerius del Gesù in the acoustic archtop guitar realm:
Neither did Lang bother much about copying or just refining already available archtop guitar concepts, nor about promoting his own products - you’ll never find an 'original' Lang ad like pictured above, admittedly challenging for some. In the mid 1930s Lang (1909 -1975) was obviously discontent with the luthier biz and retrained for a job in a sophisticated aircraft factory. Later he helped to build Messerschmidt Me-262 fighter jets. The comparison may be flawed, but D’Angelico (1905 - 1964) - if he had been in a similar situation at that time - would still have assembled North American P-51 prop planes. After 1945 Lang was for years in Russian captivity, traumatized and expelled, and after his return had to cope with considerable material and economical restrictions in the 1950‘s Germany, poor in jazz guitar performances. All this, however, did not too much compromise his capacity as a custom maker of fine acoustic archtop guitars who - similar to the old master violin makers - thought through every little detail of his instruments.Last edited by Ol' Fret; 02-08-2016 at 02:30 PM.
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Ol' Fret raises the very point that has me flummoxed on this issue, namely, that the arch-top (and preferably back) guitar sounds completely different from the respective perspectives of the player and the listener. Whenever i am visited by another guitar addict, I always cajole them into playing one or more of my instruments. I am always moved by how much richness and depth is revealed by a little distance and the right positioning (in regard to recording techniques, Les Paul was said to have said "distance equals depth"; I have found this to be true).
I am grateful for all of those richly blessed with top-notch handmade instruments who generously share their playing with us. Makes the world a little better place.
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I recently traded away a Santa Cruz flattop. When the guy finger styled a few notes, I was blown away. The guit didn't sound anywhere like that when I listened as I played all the years before. Originally Posted by citizenk74
Ol' Fret raises the very point that has me flummoxed on this issue, namely, that the arch-top (and preferably back) guitar sounds completely different from the respective perspectives of the player and the listener. Whenever i am visited by another guitar addict, I always cajole them into playing one or more of my instruments. I am always moved by how much richness and depth is revealed by a little distance and the right positioning (in regard to recording techniques, Les Paul was said to have said "distance equals depth"; I have found this to be true).
I am grateful for all of those richly blessed with top-notch handmade instruments who generously share their playing with us. Makes the world a little better place.
The guy works at a guitar store that gets all types of top notch acoustic guitars, so he probably knows how to coax some good tones, but I don't think his fingers were so magical to have made that much of a difference.
I'm sure a lot of it had to do with me sitting in front of the guitar with ample space between us vs being right on top of it when playing.
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If you want to hear what your acoustic archtops sound like, just position yourself facing a corner, a few feet away, and and play - the sound will bounce right back at you.
As far as the BEST or even BESTEST acoustic archtop is, that's easy - it's whichever one I am selling at any given time.
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Hey all,
I might be a bit off-topic, yet I think (hope) I’m close…
I’m not a guitar player (not yet anyway), but I am slipping down the beautiful rabbit hole of Jazz and the absolute wonderful sounds and variations. Which, leads me to share: the Baritone Uke and how much Ukuleles lend to Jazz.
I poured over a good deal of this older thread, but didn’t find any posts concerning Ukes; not surprisingly so due to this being a guitar site and thread; however, isn’t a Baritone Uke basically a guitar and man is it warm….. Mine is tuned DGBE…. And, my good buddy Uncle Kimo Hussey favors warm and mellow; something that has rubbed off on me. Uncle Kimo is ALL about JAZZ!!!! He’s someone I’m aspiring to play like.
Has anyone enjoyed their Jazz journey playing Ukulele and consider it a valid Jazz instrument?
I had a chance to play a Devine Baritone Ukulele, and it lived up to his last name. I would love to learn more about the world of acoustics concerning Jazz.
https://youtu.be/bHKoOHG-Ngw?si=NfqpovY8RFPhxj9a
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