Elegant in appearance and subtle in sound, D’Angelico has long offered a benchmark for archtop construction and is as firmly planted in the American tradition as jazz itself.
Born in New York’s Little Italy and raised on the violin and mandolin craftsmanship of his great uncle, John D’Angelico’s company has found itself in a renaissance after nearly fifty years in hibernation. Born anew with a stunning showroom in Manhattan, and favored by the likes of Bob Weir, Brad Whitford and Susan Tedeschi, the buttery sound of D’Angelico is back in a big way.
Reverb visited the D’Angelico showroom and custom shop for an inside look at how the company currently operates. In the custom shop, head luthier Victor Baker articulates the nuances of archtop construction, including wood consideration, dimensions and why D’Angelicos sound so good. In the showroom, co-owner Steve Pisani runs us through a history of the company and pairing a traditional aesthetic with contemporary design. Plus, Tommy James of Tommy James & the Shondells offers his personal recommendation.
Take a look above for the video tour and watch the demo of the D’Angelico EX-SS semi-hollow body below for a feature overview and test with a band.