Vintage D'Angelico electrics

**customxke** · 05-14-2013, 12:58 AM

A few months ago, I bought a vintage D'Angelico electric. I've tried to find out as much as I could about them, but not much is written, and there seems to be about as much confusion as fact out there. Most had plywood bodies supplied by United (Premier, Univox and others) or Code (pronounced Co-Day). Most had Fransche/Franz pickups, either white pick-guards, or single-bound tortoise. Hardware varied. Some had "classic" tailpieces, others didn't. Some had New Yorker truss rod covers, others didn't. The necks were 100% Kenmare street John D'Angelico. Most bodies were maple laminated, and a lot were flamed like crazy. Often called G7s, it seems likely that is the notation by the body supplier, and not by D'Angelico. Here are some pics I've collected.
First is mine:

This one looks like it might be spruce, and the body is shaped a little different than most. Has the electric style neck though:

Interesting tailpiece on this one, and replacement p90s:

Small body, DeArmond pickup. Altered Guild tailpiece is likely original:

Beautiful sunburst, older style tailpiece.

Super flamey single pickup, older style tailpiece:

ignore this one...it's an Excel that someone electrified. I'd hit it. I love this one, although the concept would make many cringe I'm sure.

Last seen in Japan, this beauty has uber-rare Gold Franz pickups, and an old style tailpiece.

Angled bridge pickup....not sure if it had a neck pickup, tailpiece replaced by a Bigsby....if you're going to play Stooges covers on a guitar that's arguably on the level of a Stradivarius, this would be your first choice.

Beautiful sunburst, classic tailpiece, replaced pickups.

Thats it for now. I'm still looking for a clean photo of Joe Beck's....his had a unique headstock shape (open book)

I'd love if anyone else has photos or comments to share about these rare red-headed step children.

**customxke** · 05-14-2013, 01:07 AM

This one also doesn't count, because it wasn't born an electric, but it's such a cool and important piece, I thought I'd slip it in here. Chet's:

**indigobandit** · 05-14-2013, 06:04 AM

Absolutely beautiful guitars!

**customxke** · 05-14-2013, 11:20 AM

Small body, some changed parts:

**customxke** · 05-14-2013, 11:53 AM

Another small bodied single pickup blonde:

**wintermoon** · 05-14-2013, 01:46 PM

yours is the best looking of the bunch and the Excel t.p. is cool, not often seen on these models.
the only thing for me is that the necks on these electrics are 'real' DA necks, but the magic in a D'Angelico's sound is in the body carving. and since these are laminated bodies not made by him some of that magic is lost IMO.
certainly doesn't mean they can't be an attractive, good sounding guitar though, which I bet yours is.

**Woody Sound** · 05-14-2013, 02:14 PM

Wow - yours is the nicest looking of all - fancy wood, elegant understated appearance. Except for the chickenhead knob.

**wintermoon** · 05-14-2013, 02:17 PM

I like the chicken head knob!
think Barney Kessel.

**customxke** · 05-14-2013, 02:46 PM

Originally Posted by Jabberwocky

I kinda share the same sentiment but didn't want to come off as a wet blanket. Take away the headstock, tailpiece, maker's logo and the neck, what really lies in between?

I guess even John D'Angelico had to give the people what they wanted for business reasons and knock off a few for his admirers. Were these laminated bodies pressed and formed according to D'Angelico's design and specifications or were they bog-standard ones with a D'Angelico neck grafted on each of them?

I write this because sellers often want silly money for them due to the D'Angelico association but what is their value as guitars to be played?

I understand the sentiment, and to a certain extent, agree, but take away the neck, tailpiece, headstock, and logo of any guitar, and what do you have? I think of these more like ES-350s, or 175s, but with a pedigree. Also....the neck is an important part of a tone engine, especially on an amplified electric guitar. As for people wanting silly money, I see that as well, but I also see Guilds with United bodies (unconfirmed, but some early Guilds have the EXACT same shapes as some of the Code/United guitars) selling in the same price-range. Heck...a new Guild Patriarch archtop M75 (laminated), equipped similarly, lists at more than these usually sell for. I can't imagine that I'm in the minority of prefering a D'Angelico from the 50s to a Guild, although Guilds are fine instruments, and I think undervalued in the vintage market. It wasn't my intent, however, to compare the quality of these plywood D'As to the graduated carved tops that the workshop on Kenmare street was renowned for putting out. I suppose I'm sounding a little defensive; I just think these are pretty cool guitars, and most people talk about what they're not, as opposed to what they are. Of course, I realize, these are just my oppinions, and probably not shared by most.

**customxke** · 05-14-2013, 02:47 PM

Originally Posted by Woody Sound

Wow - yours is the nicest looking of all - fancy wood, elegant understated appearance. Except for the chickenhead knob.

Thanks!

Originally Posted by wintermoon

I like the chicken head knob!
think Barney Kessel.

Thanks even more!

**hot ford coupe** · 05-14-2013, 04:07 PM

Way cool. Anything that comes out of 40 Kenmare is a treasure since there are so few in the world. Enjoy.

**floatingpickup** · 05-14-2013, 10:49 PM

Originally Posted by customxke

I understand the sentiment, and to a certain extent, agree, but take away the neck, tailpiece, headstock, and logo of any guitar, and what do you have? I think of these more like ES-350s, or 175s, but with a pedigree. Also....the neck is an important part of a tone engine, especially on an amplified electric guitar. As for people wanting silly money, I see that as well, but I also see Guilds with United bodies (unconfirmed, but some early Guilds have the EXACT same shapes as some of the Code/United guitars) selling in the same price-range. Heck...a new Guild Patriarch archtop M75 (laminated), equipped similarly, lists at more than these usually sell for. I can't imagine that I'm in the minority of prefering a D'Angelico from the 50s to a Guild, although Guilds are fine instruments, and I think undervalued in the vintage market. It wasn't my intent, however, to compare the quality of these plywood D'As to the graduated carved tops that the workshop on Kenmare street was renowned for putting out. I suppose I'm sounding a little defensive; I just think these are pretty cool guitars, and most people talk about what they're not, as opposed to what they are. Of course, I realize, these are just my oppinions, and probably not shared by most.

I think they are very cool. I have played a few over the years and they were quite nice. As you said, something like an ES-350 or and ES-175 but from John's shop, and no more expensive than laminated Gibsons, etc. Enjoy that guitar!
keith

**cmajor9** · 05-15-2013, 10:45 AM

+1 Thanks for sharing these not-well-known guitars!

**customxke** · 05-15-2013, 11:26 AM

I found this one on instagram...it could also be the same guitar as the one above that has the Bigsby, but I'm not positive. Probably not the ideal jazz box as is, but I still think its cool.

**customxke** · 06-19-2013, 08:18 PM

This one has some serious weirdness going on:

This one started out as a 50s White Falcon, but then John D'Angelico worked some magic on it.

I'm not sure if this one started out as an electric, but it ended up as one, and it does have the typical electric-style headstock. Allegedly stolen in 1970, from this guy:

**fws6** · 06-20-2013, 12:36 PM

sure John Dangelicos shop was a repair shop as well . he did many refins and renecks too on all kinds of guitars, that at the time were not ceollectables but just instruments in need of a new / better neck.

the falcon was on ebay not so long ago. I have also seen a martin acoustic, gibson super 400 ,etc, with dangelico necks

**customxke** · 06-20-2013, 09:54 PM

Joe Beck's.....United body, old style tailpiece....early New Yorker shaped headstock.

**customxke** · 12-03-2013, 06:09 PM

Found another on Instagram.

**customxke** · 12-04-2013, 12:14 AM

I'm just going to throw this one up again, because the flash caught it just right.

**customxke** · 02-03-2014, 10:45 PM

Here's another.... Refinished and humbucker'd .

**jads57** · 02-04-2014, 05:13 PM

I do agree that the hand carved D'A guitars are probably the more magical guitars overall. But they were acoustic instruments vs. laminate boxes which were designed to be played at loud volumes. There's a great book I bought a couple of years back by Paul Schmidt? "Aquired of Angels". It discusses both John and Jimmy D'A and much more w/ great examples of each!

**customxke** · 02-04-2014, 06:29 PM

I've got that book. It's a great read, although there are a few inaccuracies. I wish it had more photos!

**customxke** · 04-01-2014, 06:33 PM

My favorite so far....

**gcb** · 04-01-2014, 07:10 PM

Customxke I really like your guitar. All of it, the fingerboard, that seems to have a generous width at the nut, the inlays, the laminated flamed body, the pickups, and also the chickenhead selector!

Very nice, congratulations.