Original D'Angelico guitars (pre-1965)

**wintermoon** · 02-24-2022, 02:10 AM

I'm usually against refins unless absolutely necessary, no matter how worn, playing wear is fine imo. But I guess someone wanted a Gobel DA.
This was a prime resto candidate, good decision.....

**JazzIsGood** · 03-01-2022, 01:14 AM

Spotted in the wild-

Does it look like a new Korean one or an original?

**floatingpickup** · 03-01-2022, 12:46 PM

Originally Posted by JazzIsGood

Spotted in the wild-

Does it look like a new Korean one or an original?

Thats not a Korean one. Looks like an original to me.
Keith

**Stringswinger** · 03-01-2022, 12:52 PM

Originally Posted by floatingpickup

Thats not a Korean one. Looks like an original to me.
Keith

It is not an Asian made guitar (the tailpiece is different on the Korean and Japanese DA's), but I think that it could be a Triggs branded guitar (Jim has made many New Yorker style guitars) or a US made replica.

Does anybody here know who the guitarist in the video is?

**deacon Mark** · 03-01-2022, 01:09 PM

I would like to know the answer to those questions it does seem to have the original look. I keep focused on the guitar because the singers drove me nuts and look pretty silly.

**wintermoon** · 03-01-2022, 01:22 PM

all I know is I was getting seasick watching that corny video, that's a few minutes of my life I'll never get back.

**citizenk74** · 03-01-2022, 01:25 PM

Originally Posted by Stringswinger

It is not an Asian made guitar (the tailpiece is different on the Korean and Japanese DA's), but I think that it could be a Triggs branded guitar (Jim has made many New Yorker style guitars) or a US made replica.

Does anybody here know who the guitarist in the video is?

Agreed. That tailpiece looks like what I've seen on Triggs D'As. It is flat and the bars are wide relative to the originals. Still a beautiful design!

**JazzIsGood** · 03-01-2022, 02:16 PM

I dont know who the guitarist is. I was trying to scope out local venues near my house for potential gigs and I spotted this guitar, and I was pretty surprised. I've never seen a DA on the west coast and I've been here for 15 years. The band seemed like hobbyists and not that serious so I was not expecting to see a DA. I cant tell the real deal from the Korean ones, not that experienced yet. I did notice the input jack is in the strap post, which is different that the Korean which has it in the bottom right side.

**Stringswinger** · 03-01-2022, 04:20 PM

Originally Posted by JazzIsGood

I dont know who the guitarist is. I was trying to scope out local venues near my house for potential gigs and I spotted this guitar, and I was pretty surprised. I've never seen a DA on the west coast and I've been here for 15 years. The band seemed like hobbyists and not that serious so I was not expecting to see a DA. I cant tell the real deal from the Korean ones, not that experienced yet. I did notice the input jack is in the strap post, which is different that the Korean which has it in the bottom right side.

There are more possibilities than real DA or Korean (Japanese, Indonesian, Chinese, American replicas, Triggs branded, etc...).

**AKA** · 03-10-2022, 09:57 PM

[QUOTESwitching gears, a close guitar friend in the Bay Area had the the foresight to purchase a couple of DA’s years ago - a beautiful Excel and a Style B. Sadly, he passed away about 5 years ago and his 30+ instruments were divvied up among his 3 brothers. The Excel and Style B have been hanging on the wall overlooking the SF Bay for a while. The owner does not not play and they are gathering dust. I can play them at will, but have not inquired regarding purchasing either. I will ask if there is an interest in selling them and if so, I’ll past this information along.AKA[/QUOTE]

This is a photo of the two DA’s I mentioned. They are still hanging on the wall - essentially unplayed. The owner says he has no intention of selling, but encouraged me to come by and play them whenever I’d like.

The 175 is an early model. He retrofitted with a humbucker. This was his grab and go guitar.

AKA

**wintermoon** · 03-10-2022, 11:52 PM

What a shame

**AKA** · 03-11-2022, 02:14 PM

Originally Posted by wintermoon

What a shame

If you zoom in you can see the rust build-up on the strings. I’ll make a trip down soon and replace them.

I recall several years ago luthier Michael Lewis spent quite a bit of time blueprinting the Excel.

AKA

**Stringswinger** · 03-13-2022, 04:19 PM

Originally Posted by AKA

If you zoom in you can see the rust build-up on the strings. I’ll make a trip down soon and replace them.

I recall several years ago luthier Michael Lewis spent quite a bit of time blueprinting the Excel.

AKA

That Style B has a Gibson bridge and has been refinished. The Excel looks to have a replaced pickguard. Sadly, many original DA's are sitting in collections and are rarely played.

When GHS strings owned the D'Angelico brand, they hired two luthiers to build high end, American made D'Angelico replicas, Arturo Valdez and Michael Lewis. If Michael spent some time studying your friend's Excel, that speaks highly of Michael's regard for the task. I played one of Michael's DA replicas a few years back and can report that it was an exceptional guitar. I offered 7K for it (it had had a headstock repair) and someone made a higher offer than me and got it.

**floatingpickup** · 03-13-2022, 08:47 PM

Originally Posted by Stringswinger

That Style B has a Gibson bridge and has been refinished. The Excel looks to have a replaced pickguard. Sadly, many original DA's are sitting in collections and are rarely played.

When GHS strings owned the D'Angelico brand, they hired two luthiers to build high end, American made D'Angelico replicas, Arturo Valdez and Michael Lewis. If Michael spent some time studying your friend's Excel, that speaks highly of Michael's regard for the task. I played one of Michael's DA replicas a few years back and can report that it was an exceptional guitar. I offered 7K for it (it had had a headstock repair) and someone made a higher offer than me and got it.

The Style B looks like an 18” guitar to me.
Keith

**ksihlanick** · 03-24-2022, 10:46 AM

Has anyone played this 1943 Excel at Mirabella? 1943 D’Angelico Excel | Mirabella Guitars and Restorations | Reverb

I keep looking at it and thinking about selling everything I own and making an offer.

**wintermoon** · 03-24-2022, 11:22 AM

Originally Posted by ksihlanick

Has anyone played this 1943 Excel at Mirabella? 1943 D’Angelico Excel | Mirabella Guitars and Restorations | Reverb

I keep looking at it and thinking about selling everything I own and making an offer.

Insane price for a non cut Excel

**ThatRhythmMan** · 03-24-2022, 11:26 AM

Originally Posted by wintermoon

Insane price for a non cut Excel

And how about this one? I don’t know if any are selling, but I sure feel lucky to have gotten my D’As for what I paid.

RetroFret Vintage Guitars

**wintermoon** · 03-24-2022, 11:37 AM

Originally Posted by ThatRhythmMan

And how about this one? I don’t know if any are selling, but I sure feel lucky to have gotten my D’As for what I paid.

RetroFret Vintage Guitars

Equally insane imo. I see these prices for DA's but I'm not seeing them sell

**ksihlanick** · 03-24-2022, 11:44 AM

Yeah... If I were more serious I'd try to make some sort of offer. I don't know where things are actually selling lately. I do have a style A already that was about 10 or 11 or so but that was some years ago.

**Stringswinger** · 03-24-2022, 12:34 PM

The price of Vintage DA's is always about what a willing seller and a willing buyer agree upon. The only thing that is certain is that there are a pretty limited supply of them.

**citizenk74** · 03-24-2022, 01:06 PM

Originally Posted by ksihlanick

Has anyone played this 1943 Excel at Mirabella? 1943 D’Angelico Excel | Mirabella Guitars and Restorations | Reverb

I keep looking at it and thinking about selling everything I own and making an offer.

**Stringswinger** · 03-24-2022, 02:04 PM

Here is an old video of the late great Mundell Lowe playing his DA (which is for sale by a German Guitar dealer on Reverb at a pretty high price).

**floatingpickup** · 03-24-2022, 09:13 PM

Originally Posted by Stringswinger

Here is an old video of the late great Mundell Lowe playing his DA (which is for sale by a German Guitar dealer on Reverb at a pretty high price).

Beautiful guitar! He sure has a lot of distortion going on.
Keith

**Ukena** · 03-24-2022, 10:18 PM

The host of that series (from which the video focusing on Billy Taylor was taken) was Gilbert Seldes (father of Marian Seldes, the celebrated actor). He was a very interesting guy, and was an important advocate for jazz in particular and popular culture in general.

This is a quote:

The lively arts are created and admired chiefly by the class known as lowbrows, are patronised and, to an extent enjoyed, by the highbrows; and are treated as impostors and as contemptible vulgarism by the middle class, those who invariably are ill at ease in the presence of great art until it has been approved by authority.

**JazzIsGood** · 03-23-2023, 11:46 PM

Originally Posted by floatingpickup

Thats not a Korean one. Looks like an original to me.
Keith

And you are correct. It's an original.

I went out and saw some live jazz and this same guy was there with this same guitar. He even let me play it. It's an old original D'Angelico.

I found another video on YT that is an original for sure also.