D'Angelico Guitars

D'Angelico Guitars

Type	Private
Industry	Musical instruments
Founded	1932 (relaunched in 2011)
Founder	John D'Angelico
Headquarters	Manhattan, New York
Area served	Worldwide
Key people	Brenden Cohen, President and CEO, Steve Pisani, President of Sales
Products	Guitars, Archtop, Electric, Acoustic, Basses
Website	dangelicoguitars.com

D’Angelico Guitars is an American musical instrument manufacturer and guitar brand based in Manhattan, New York.^[1][2] The brand was initially founded by master-luthier John D'Angelico in 1932, in Manhattan's Little Italy.^[1] In 1999, Steve Pisani, John Ferolito Jr. and Brenden Cohen purchased the D’Angelico Guitars trademark.^[3][4] Cohen serves as the brand’s President and CEO.^[5] Original D’Angelico guitars are collector’s items and have been used by musicians including Pete Townshend, Eric Clapton, Bucky Pizarelli, Chet Atkins, and Chuck Wayne.^[1][6] Additionally, the D'Angelico Mel Bay New Yorker model was featured on the cover of the Mel Bay Publications' guitar method books for decades.^[7]

History

In 1932, John D’Angelico founded D’Angelico Guitars and opened his first shop at 40 Kenmare Street in Manhattan’s Little Italy.^[1][8] At only nine years old, he became an apprentice to his grand uncle Signor Ciani, an expert violin and mandolin maker. This apprenticeship would become the basis for construction principles he later incorporated into his world-renowned archtop guitars^[9].

D'Angelico instruments were strictly hand-made, and in very limited quantities^[9]. During the late 1930s, when production was at its peak, D'Angelico made approximately 35 instruments per year with the help of only two workers^[10][9]. His recognition as the “finest builder of archtop guitars” later brought offers from larger companies, but ultimately decided to keep his operation under his own name^[9][10].

He built 1,164 instruments before he died in 1964.^[3][5] Following his death in 1964, D’Angelico’s former apprentice, James D’Aquisto, became his successor.^[11] After several years, D’Aquisto left to begin producing guitars under his own name.

In 1999, Brenden Cohen, John Ferolito Jr. and Steve Pisani purchased the D’Angelico Guitars trademark from John Ferolito Sr., co-founder of Arizona Beverages.^[3][8] In 2010, Cohen and Pisani began constructing a new showroom for the brand.^[3] D’Angelico Guitars was officially launched in 2011.^[5] That year, original D’Angelico guitars were honored at the Metropolitan Museum of Art as part of an exhibition titled Guitar Heroes: Legendary Craftsmen from Italy to New York.^[11]

In subsequent years, D’Angelico began broadening their product line, first starting with reissues of original John D’Angelico designs, and then introducing new semi-hollow and acoustic models^[12][13]. A notable number of artists began playing D’Angelico guitars on stage, including Grateful Dead’s Bob Weir, jazz legend Kurt Rosenwinkel, Warren Haynes, Aerosmith’s Brad Whitford, Susan Tedeschi, and many more (see Artists)^[14]. In 2014, Eric Clapton requested a customized model of the classic D'Angelico Style B for touring.^[3][15] That year, D'Angelico Guitars sponsored Mountain Jam, a summer music festival in eastern New York.^[16] The brand launched its first line of acoustic guitars in January 2015.^[5] The line was unveiled at the National Association of Music Merchants' annual trade show in Anaheim, California.^[2]

Instruments

Early

As John D’Angelico’s early experiences with instrument making were studying the construction of violins, his first guitars followed their bracing design^[9]. The first D’Angelico’s also had no pick-ups^[9]. They were built largely to be sturdy and loud enough to be heard in the context of a jazz big band^[9]. After years of unreliable bookkeeping and documentation of his early models, D’Angelico introduced the “Excel” model, a smaller, more streamlined iteration of its predecessors^[9]. It also featured “X” bracing and a truss rod. Later, pick-ups were added to the design, notably the D’Armond floating pickup which allowed for lighter body construction, as heft was no longer the only variable impacting volume^[9]. Over thirty years, D’Angelico most often built “Excel” and “New Yorker” models—each tailored specifically to the artist/player for whom he was building^[9].

Today

Since its resurgence, D’Angelico has offered the DC, a double-cutaway semi-hollow, the single-cutaway semi-hollow SS, and the archtop EXL-1, the last being based off of John D’Angelico’s Excel model^[17]. The SS has been endorsed by artists such as Grateful Dead’s Bob Weir and jazz guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel, both of whom have a signature D’Angelico model^[18][19]. The DH and 175 were introduced as archtop options featuring double humbuckers, while the 59 features P-90 pickups. The Premier Series was introduced to offer well-crafted D’Angelico guitars at a more accessible price point, while the Deluxe Series houses feature-heavy versions of Excel Series favorites^[20]. The Deluxe Series features all unique matte finishes, and models with double-humbuckers come with a six-way toggle switch for coil-tapping capabilities^[21].

In 2016, D’Angelico launched its first electric string since its reformation^[22]. In a collaboration with D’Addario, Electrozinc strings were developed based off of an original design from the two companies’ founders—John D’Angelico and John D’Addario. Electrozinc is a zinc-coated steel string built for loudness and longevity^[22].

Artists

Below is a list of artists who endorse, play, or have played D’Angelico guitars on stage^[14]:

Bob Weir

Kurt Rosenwinkel

Warren Haynes

Brad Whitford

Susan Tedeschi

Kenny Loggins

Cody Simpson

Chester Bennington

Elliot Easton

Nels Cline

Jonathan Butler

Michael Franti

Luke Pritchard (of The Kooks)

Alejandro Rose Garcia (of Shakey Graves)

Bootsy Collins

Mike Brooks

Operations

The brand’s instruments are manufactured in South Korea, Indonesia, China and New York City. Before beginning manufacturing, original guitar models were put through an MRI machine and an x-ray to replicate the instruments accurately.^[8][23] It takes approximately 18 months to two years to create one of their master-builder guitars from raw wood.^[23] D'Angelico Guitars' luthiers produce four to five master-builder guitars a month.^[23] In 2014, the brand had 125 partnerships in the United States and an additional 200 international dealers.^[11] By January 2015, D’Angelico Guitars had 150 guitars on display at the NAMM Show.^[5] In 2016, D’Angelico Guitars won the award for Best in Show for Companies to Watch at the NAMM show^[24].

Notes