D'Angelico NYL-4 18" Blue Archtop made in 2002 by Vestax - Blue Burst

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"This rare 2002 D'Angelico 18" archtop is in excellent near-mint condition, very seldomly played and a great deal. It sounds great and plays amazingly!

Serial #: 002120102, label signed by master luthier Hidesato Shiino

Body size at lower bout: 18". Scale length: 25.5" Nut Width: 1 11 1/6"

Materials: Solid bookmatched X-braced spruce top; flame maple back, sides and neck; solid ebony fingerboard with pearl slashed-block inlays; seven ply top binding; three ply binding; triple bound back, headstock, fingerboard and f-holes.

Hardware: All original hardware including inlaid adjustable compensated rosewood bridge; gold stairstep DA logo tailpiece; quintuple bound tortoise art deco pickguard; gold Grover Rotomatic sealed back tuners with Imperial keys; gold plated floating Johnny Smith style adjustable humbucking pickup with volume control mounted to pickguard.

Notes: The D'Angelico NYL-4 is a tribute to the flagship model of legendary luthier John D'Angelico, the godfather of archtop builders worldwide. With its commanding 18" body and perrless art-deco design, the New Yorker set the standard for power, elegance and prestige.

The solid spruce top is X-braced for warm, woody tone with superior feedback resistance, and the gentle C neck profile is finely balanced for ease of play with effortless action. This example is an original Vestax built model, signed by master luthier Hidesato Shiino of the Terada workshop near Nagoya, Japan. The guitar is in glorious 100% original condition, without pick, buckle, thumb or fingerboard wear, with all original hardware, and plush original deluxe hardshell case.

This remarkable example shows exceptional figure in the tiger flame body throughout, and the X-braced solid spruce super jumbo soundboard produces a rich, deep voice, smoothly amplified by the Armstrong Johnny Smith pickup. Action is low and easy over immaculate original fretwork, and the gentle C profile neck glides effortlessly through the palm. No longer in production, these guitars are scarce on the vintage market, and have become highly sought after by players and collectors alike."