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Tonight a total hypothesis came over me while I was playing. Here I am, Killing it on my Gibson Johnny Smith. Guys, seriously. Killing it. I never threw down so good. As I am playing, I came to the realization that both Johnny’s, and believe it or not, my Tal are the only guitars that truly make me happy anymore. In the hopefully not-so-distant future, I have my sights set on another Johnny, another Heritage DA and an L5. And then, it dawned on me..
Do you think I could possibly snag an original cutaway 1950’s D’Angelico, that’s become de-collectorized for around $20,000?
When I say de-collectorized I mean, refinished. Made to look new. Of course it must have all the D’A trinketry like the tailpiece, the headstock, the John D’Angelico hand carved neck/body/top. But maybe at one time it was trashed. Perhaps a broken headstock. New full thickness fretboard. But ultimately it was or can be restored to its original glory. (Ohhh Cris Mirabella...) But there must be enough still there for it to be considered an original John D’Angelico cutaway masterpiece.
Then I can close the loop on having the most amazing archtop guitars that my playing style can handle.
I’d love have some fun to get your thoughts.
And Jack Zucker, we are talking about not shiney and new guitars, (well at least until I get my hands in it) so get your ass back in here and contribute! For me bro..
Thanks in advance.
Joe D
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08-28-2018 08:07 PM
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Plus one on the D'angelico I saw this and would buy it in a hearbeat if I had the money. This is a killer guitar Joe buy it.........…
1958 D'ANGELICO Excel Blonde > Guitars Archtop Electric & Acoustic | Lark Street Music
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Maybe for a 17" Excel like the one linked, but probably not for an 18" NYer
You're looking @ about 30-40k for a straight Excel depending on how clean, so yeah it's possible for one w/a headstock repair or refin.
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That beautiful blonde the Deacon and XKE posted fits the bill.
Speaking of Mirabella, I was playing his new guitar, The New Yorker, and it's superlative, electrically and acoustically. A friend of mine bought one, and I had trouble putting it down, the first time I played it.
You could always check out the Borys B-420, Roger's take on the D'A New Yorker, and every bit as good. His version of a D'A had me going through a time machine, back to playing my first guitar teacher's D'A.
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JD,
Originally Posted by Max405
The guitar at Lark Street is priced at about 50% of where it would be without that headstock repair. That seems like a big hit for a headstock repair, but collectors do not want players guitars. That sure is lucky for us players!
My 3 Non-cut DA's do the job for me just fine. While a cutaway would be better, the price (even around 20K) is too much dough for my sensibility. My gigs are in restaurants and bars, not a controlled concert stage. And I have found that I like playing a 175 on the gig in any case. The DA's are great for acoustic playing in my living room and taking out once in awhile to a wedding or corporate gig where I can feel comfortable with a 10K guitar on the gig (I simply do not feel I would ever feel comfortable with a 20K guitar on the gig). But a cutaway is important to you (probably why you sold me the 35 DA Excel I am guessing), so you will have to decide if it is worth it to you.
If a refinish or headstock repair is OK, you most certainly will be able to score a cutaway DA in the 20-25K range (an Excel, I am guessing a New Yorker would be a bit more, around 30K).
It sounds like the GAS still has you going (nothing wrong with that, life is short. Get your bucket list stuff when and while you can). I am pretty satisfied with the guitars in hand and want to sell one or two.
But that DA at Lark Street looks sweet. Someone here should call Buzzy and get more info and share it with us here.
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One thing Joe, the late 40s - mid/late 50s is the era when unknown to him, John was using bad binding, so a guitar from this period will either have had it replaced or it's gonna need it sooner rather than later.
Jimmy D'Aquisto also used it for a time in the 70s-80s so some guitars from that era usually need it replaced but it never stopped me from buying one, it's to be expected like a bad guard.
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Enablers! I love you all.
So it can be done. No promises as to when, or even if I do it. But it just seems right to me.
That guitar at Lark Street (where I got my GJS refretted), would fit the bill perfectly.
And Mikey, it’s just a plan. You know more than anyone, a lot of things need to happen 1st.
But I would take it and a couple of thousand dollars over to Cris Mirabella and ask him to make it perfect.
And then, I’d work like hell to deserve it.
Thank you all.
Joe D
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Joe that is one awesome guitar. I had a tobacco burst 165 with a headstock repair and didn't notice it a bit. If I had extra 20 floating around I would definitely consider it.
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Joe, don't you know that guitarist and enabler are synonyms? You should, you're one yourself.
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Joe, I agree that it can be done. I agree that you should pursue either this Lark Street one or another D'A and that taking it to Chris M is a no brainer.
Another thing that just occurred to me is if it were me, I'd want to know the whole story, or as much as I could about each instrument. If it had a headstock repair, do we know how it broke, or who broke it, who fixed it, who refinished it etc etc etc ? Maybe you'll need to hang your hat on to both a D'A and the ( good enough ) story that goes with it.
I wonder, if push came to shove, for me anyway, maybe I'd buy the one with the best provenance, rather than one that 'just came in', or ' some guy owned it ', don't know who etc. etc. If you're in for 20k+, and another 5K buys you a one owner heirloom, maybe - -- ( ? )
But good luck Joe. Hope you keep us posted.
Dennis
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Joe, better than anyone yoremember me Laying out my plans to: get divorced, get my share of my inheritance and get Fran Amato to sell me the 17 inch Unity and other guitars.
These things can happen, you used to tell me I was crazy. Well you’re crazy too. Good Crazy.
I’m a Believer... Why Not ???
Go get em buddy
?Big
Originally Posted by Max405
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Mikey,
Yes I remember. It all starts with a plan. Then you start checking off boxes. You did it right.
Just some points I'd like to make.
I had a 1935 D'Angelico and I loved it. I was never more proud to own any material possession. But I was afraid to play it. It was a masterpiece to me. That guitar proved to me that vintage D'A's are different and that makes me continue to want another one. I miss the "ghosts" that use to fly out of the that guitar. My wife told me one night on the couch that she hears voices mixed in with guitar sounds when I played it.
Do I NEED a cutaway? No. But I go up high on a lot stuff that I play and for me to consider a guitar a "Go-To" guitar, it should have no limitations. My D'Angelico should be like Johnny's D'Angelico. No compromises.
I would much prefer a D'Angelico that has been modernized. And if it hasn't been modernized, I will have it modernized. I want a solid guitar that I will play with no fear of it breaking in my hands. The neck, fretboard and angle should be able to take low action like my Johnny's do. A truss rod would be nice.
I have really no plans of selling this guitar. Like all my other cherished guitars, I plan on passing these treasures onto my son. There will be plenty of proof recorded that shows what the guitar can do. If he decides to sell it for some reason, its up to him. If its for reasons I don't agree with, I will haunt the shit out of him.
If this cant happen, its only because I am unable to pull it off. Its gonna take a while. And many other guitars might pass through between now and then. It could take years.
Right now, I am dreaming.. And I like dreaming.
Thanks everyone.
Joe D.
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I wonder what happened to the peg head. It's difficult to see from the pics exactly how the damage occurred. That would be a useful piece of information. Oh, and who repaired it. Originally Posted by customxke
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JD, Originally Posted by Max405
These old DA's do have a "vibe". They are icons of our craft, guitars built by one of the masters, fine instruments for the ages.
And John D'Angelico would probably be the first one to advise doing whatever maintenance was required to keep his guitars in tip top shape whether we are talking about refinishing or retro-fitting a truss rod.
Guitar collectors who insist that everything be original, down to the last screw, even if the instrument's performance suffers are sorely missing the point. Guitars are a tool for a musician to use when making music.
And John D'Angelico made one hell of a tool for that purpose.
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And furthermore, The last one was made in 1963.
That makes the newest one 55 years old. I am not sure of any other mechanical device that is expected to last that long.
I think you are right SS. John would be tickled pink knowing that his masterworks are being refurbished to the level of their old glory.
The more I think about this, the more excited I get.
Thanks, Joe D.
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The last DA's were made in 1964. Well actually 1995 if you count Jimmy D'Aquisto's guitars. And I do. Originally Posted by Max405
There are many great modern luthiers, but for me archtops made by Gibson or either DA are the stuff. Just as jazz guitar made by Wes Montgomery, Joe Pass and Johnny Smith is the stuff.
JD, I am hoping that one day another DA will sit in your lap. You are the right guy for it.
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Joe's right; we are enablers. We're dealing with a man whose GAS makes even the Gold Supporting members of TGP look like mere children. Couple that with the fact that his solo guitar playing skill is off the charts, and we have here one of the most legendary cases of GAS in jazz guitar history.
Like me, he had a 1935 D'A, but he paid for it; I inherited mine from my father. Then, in a matter of months, he sold the D'A, forcing the first meeting of the D'A Club since Vinnie1K sold his D'AQ!
Vinnie1K was found innocent due to the laudatory rationale that he needed the bread to pay for his child's education, but Joe D offered no such defense. He was found guilty, and only because of expert pleas from his counsel, SS, he was let off with a mere slap on the wrists.
Now he comes to us with a plan to purchase the absolute King of classic jazz guitars for a mere
20K! Our minister of Religion, The Deacon, and XKE present him with a perfect candidate for his mad scheme, and Sam Sherry (a pseudonym if I ever heard one 
) links him to some likely candidates on Reverb, yet he shrugs them off with nary a comment.
I tried to get him to seek 'professional help' from two 'keepers of the flame', KM and RB (who would probably wind up just trying to sell them some of their wares
), but he has refused such counseling.
In the end, we know what this GAS-inflicted patient is after: the guitar that the Master himself played, or something very close to it.
Good luck with that! I've suffered from that mania myself, and the only known cure is to just stop listening to his records for an extended period of time, and we know how hard that is to do...
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That link is for Gbase. The listing on the Lark Street website itself still mentions the DeArmond, but the photos reveal that it's been removed (and the holes look filled). Originally Posted by deacon Mark
http://larkstreetmusic.com/list/pict/MAffio.jpg
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Oops, I was off by a year.. Originally Posted by Stringswinger
Our tastes are almost identical. I will say without question. I love my Heritage Johnny Smith and I will die with it. But the best guitar I have ever owned (well, right now anyway) is my Gibson Johnny Smith. That is in a class of its own.
And thanks for saying I'm the right guy for it. I appreciate that brother.
SG, Thanks for what you said about my playing. I appreciate that. Originally Posted by sgcim
Joe's right; we are enablers. We're dealing with a man whose GAS makes even the Gold Supporting members of TGP look like mere children. Couple that with the fact that his solo guitar playing skill is off the charts, and we have here one of the most legendary cases of GAS in jazz guitar history.
Like me, he had a 1935 D'A, but he paid for it; I inherited mine from my father. Then, in a matter of months, he sold the D'A, forcing the first meeting of the D'A Club since Vinnie1K sold his D'AQ!
Vinnie1K was found innocent due to the laudatory rationale that he needed the bread to pay for his child's education, but Joe D offered no such defense. He was found guilty, and only because of expert pleas from his counsel, SS, he was let off with a mere slap on the wrists.
Now he comes to us with a plan to purchase the absolute King of classic jazz guitars for a mere 20K! Our minister of Religion, The Deacon, and XKE present him with a perfect candidate for his mad scheme, and Sam Sherry (a pseudonym if I ever heard one ) links him to some likely candidates on Reverb, yet he shrugs them off with nary a comment.
I tried to get him to seek 'professional help' from two 'keepers of the flame', KM and RB (who would probably wind up just trying to sell them some of their wares), but he has refused such counseling.
In the end, we know what this GAS-inflicted patient is after: the guitar that the Master himself played, or something very close to it.
Good luck with that! I've suffered from that mania myself, and the only known cure is to just stop listening to his records for an extended period of time, and we know how hard that is to do...
I did acknowledge the guitar that XKE and Deacon Found. And I liked there posts. I will get back to Sam. I intended to for sure.
I think once you live with one of these guitars for a period of time, the MoJo rubs off on you. When I play, I try to find new levels in my ability every time. I also do that with the sound. I was playing some George Benson the other night In particular, "Affirmation" and I managed to hear some the same aftertones that I heard in his playing. It was mainly because I was playing the same guitar he was playing when he recorded it originally. It is so cool to be able mirror the greats for even just fleeting moments. I get such a kick out of that. You will never bottom out a Gibson or a D'Angelico. I've tried and I cant. I have bottomed out some lessor instruments..
Thanks, Joe D.
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Joe - no guitar could ask for a better caretaker than you. Fact. Plan well!
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Thanks XKE. I'm sorry I didn't acknowledge this last night. Its tough to find the time. I appreciate it though. Originally Posted by customxke
Deacon Mark, If you like it then its one I would strongly consider. Originally Posted by deacon Mark
I would have bought it already if I had the scratch. In due time. In due time.. Thanks Buddy.
That was funny. Yep.. Guilty as charged! What can I say, I'm a pig.. Oink, Oink!! Originally Posted by mr. beaumont
I would absolutely have Ian do the setup work on the guitar. He is an asset to Lark Street! Originally Posted by neatomic
Thanks Wintermoon. I think a 17" would do the trick. An 18" would be asking for too much. Originally Posted by wintermoon
JD
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Sam, I don't need a cutaway. But for this guitar I'd prefer one. I play a lot up there and it would make more sense to have a cutaway. Thanks for the options though! Ian did my fretwork on my GJS. He is a great resource who works at Lark. Originally Posted by Sam Sherry
Joe D
Great advice. Yeah, I'd rather not worry about the binding so I'd have Cris re-bind the right guitar. Its funny, I was thinking the same thing and I never typed it. Originally Posted by wintermoon
JD
165's are excellent guitars. My Tal (BooBoo) has a headstock repair and you can't even tell. Thanks No Disc! Originally Posted by no disclaimer
Ha! That is so true. So true. Originally Posted by sgosnell
Joe, don't you know that guitarist and enabler are synonyms? You should, you're one yourself.
One of the best things about buying a high end vintage guitar is the stories they tell. I would try to find out as much as I could about it. But the most important thing to me would be, its a D'Angelico. A real one. Originally Posted by Dennis D
Oh, GT, You better believe it bro. In fact, I would try and figure out how to resurrect Cecil B DeMille so he do my videos with this guitar! Originally Posted by Greentone
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Yeah, I'd do some digging. It looks like the repair was very well done. In fact, it might not need any additional work on the headstock. Originally Posted by D'Aquisto Fan
RP, Thanks for that. Those closeups put a whole new perspective on that guitar. I think I've seen the guitar before. In fact it was in his shop. I remember the Eye Hook. Mmm.. And I am OK with the pickup gone. I'd probably rather put a Gibson Johnny Smith pickup on it anyway. I know, I know.. I will catch shit for that statement.. Thanks RP. Originally Posted by rpguitar
Thank you C74! Its gonna take me a while. If it happens, I will be blessed! Originally Posted by citizenk74
Joe - no guitar could ask for a better caretaker than you. Fact. Plan well!
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Straight from the Lark Website..
D'ANGELICO Excel, 1958, Blonde cutaway, purchased from the original family,
carved Spruce top, carved curly maple back and sides, peghead perfectly
repaired, 24 3/4" scale, 1 11/16" nut, gold Imperial tuners, DeArmond Rhythm
Chief floating pickup with volume and tone controls under the pickguard,
all original hardware except for a repro pick guard, original
Alligator brown case, exc........$22,500
I wish I never saw this guitar. Because I want it now!!!
Can you imagine? 24-3/4" scale? Close inspection of the pictures show no signs of binding issues, no cracks. It looks like virtually nothing has to be done to the this guitar. I think this guitar has been there for a while..
Im in trouble..
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