D'Angelico Style A. and Excel

[Cunamara]

The D'A on the box set appears to be the 30s Excel he borrowed from John Collins in 1951 after his own D'A burned in a house fire. He used that guitar through 55 when he got his 17"/25" scale/etc. D'A.

The '55 appears on "Guitars and Strings" (as mentioned by sgcim below) as a blonde. The guitar had been dropped, cracking the top which was replaced by D'Angelico. Smith picked it up with just a sealer coat on the new top for a gig at Birdland and played it that way for a while until he had D'Angelico complete refinishing it (this happened after his move to CO). The '55, according to Flanagan, had 20 frets. There are photos of it with a neck mounted mini humbucker. The pickguard had a couple extra steps in it which is a quick way to differentiate it from the Collins guitar.

The point about the fret marker with his name inlaid is something I didn't know about, but D'Angelico did that on other guitars so it makes good sense. And Johnny specified the serial number in his documentation for Hank Risan.

In any event I don't think the guitar in the ad is Johnny's '55. It might be a great guitar and it might even have been owned by him, but without the serial number verification...

I just listened to the Blue Guitar album today which I think was done with the '55. Good grief, what a tone!

[sgcim]

he had at least 2 DA's that made it onto record covers, an Excel shown on the Mosaic box set and his famous '55 New Yorker Special shown on the Roost lps
the latter had his name engraved on a a blockmarker in the fingerboard

Actually, according to the Lin Flanagan book, the best picture of his '55 D'A is on his "Guitar and Strings" LP, which I mentioned in another post.
For some reason, he put a humbucker on it, and though the playing is excellent, the sound isn't as good, IMHO, as his earlier records with the DeArmond on it.

Even the other record he made with strings, "My Dear Little Sweetheart", is better guitar sound-wise than the Guitar and Strings LP, IMHO, although he plays much less on the MDLS LP.
Both are not included on the Mosaic set, so you had to brave the dusty record bins of used record stores to find those two gems.

[Max405]

Hi guys, the style A, my guitars mate is still for sale.
Darren Kippner, couldn't be a better guy to deal with. He is putting a pretty nice package together.

Manufacturer D'Angelico Model Style A Year 1935 Serial Number 1148 left-handed? No Case Hard shell Asking Price 9500 I'm thinking to: Sell outright Description Finish checking but crack free, replaced pick guard / bridge. Also comes with DeArmond Rhythm Chief pickup and 1948 National Amp ( $1,000 value)

Here are pictures if you are interested.

[Eddie Lang]

Hi guys, the style A, my guitars mate is still for sale.
Darren Kippner, couldn't be a better guy to deal with. He is putting a pretty nice package together.

Manufacturer D'Angelico Model Style A Year 1935 Serial Number 1148 left-handed? No Case Hard shell Asking Price 9500 I'm thinking to: Sell outright Description Finish checking but crack free, replaced pick guard / bridge. Also comes with DeArmond Rhythm Chief pickup and 1948 National Amp ( $1,000 value)

Here are pictures if you are interested.

Oh man! I kept looking at that guitar when it was for sale with the Excel. Were it not for the terrible way the exchange rate from CAD to USD has been going in the last months, I may have jumped on the A even before you grabbed the Excel. (Congrats! BTW ). I looked for it again and felt releived that i couldn't find it on ebay or reverb anymore.

I really don't need new reasons to be unable to sleep at night! Were it not for that D'A Style A, I am pretty sure that I could declare myself unconditionally cured from GAS... Seriously! And the DeArmond and amp as case candy don't help either! At least tell me this one is not a 16" archtop, or that the seller said it was a dud, it would put that thought to rest for me for good. (I am very fortunate and grateful that I have the guitars and amps that I have. A 16" D'A is the last guitar that I would really pine for. Otherwise I am definitely all set with what I have, and I should even probably par down just a little.)