PIONEERS OF THE ARCHTOP GUITAR FOR DECADES, D'ANGELICO NOW PRODUCE SOME OF THE MOST STRIKING GUITARS ON THE MARKET - THERE'S SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE. AND WE’RE THRILLED TO NOW STOCK ONE OF THE UK’S BIGGEST SELECTION OF D’ANGELICO GUITARS – CHECK IT OUT!
The company originates in NYC’s Little Italy. They originally made a name for themselves as one of the finest archtop guitar manufacturers in business; their hollow-body instruments have remained highly sought-after for decades.
Fast forward to the ‘00s, and the brand revamped its line-up to include solid-body guitars. Now their range features a huge number of shapes, pickup configurations and styles to suit every player – from hard rock to swing jazz! Their line-up can be separated into 3 distinct parts:
Let’s take a closer look at what's on offer…
Like their famed hollow/semi-hollow instruments, D’Angelico’s solid body guitars are colourful, eye-catching and versatile enough to suit every player’s style. From their mid-range Premier Bedford offsets to the stunning Seymour Duncan-equipped Deluxe Brighton, D’Angelico solid bodies are easy on the eyes with a hard-hitting sound.
The Atlantic is D’Angelico’s singlecut solid body. Slick curves, great fretboard access, a chunky tonal palette and their signature F-hole pickguard.
The Brighton is the D’Angelico solid-body doublecut. It features similar appointments to the Atlantic, but with a gorgeous symmetrical body shape that’s lightweight and accessible.
The Bedford stands out as one of D’Angelico’s most offset designs. With slanted curves, great upper-fret access and a pronounced upper horn, it’s bold in both looks and sound.
The D'Angelico Premier Ludlow breaks the mould with a body shape you won't find anywhere else. But it's more than just an obscure shape; with its dual Duncan-Designed (Premier models) or Seymour Duncan USA (Deluxe models) humbuckers and a slim, unfinished neck, this guitar offers a versatile sound with comfy modern playability. If you want to turn a few heads, look no further than the D'Angelico Ludlow!
Class-leading archtop designs put D’Angelico on the map. Nowadays, their hollow and semi-hollow instruments are every bit as popular as they were for the best part of the last Century. From gorgeous big-bodied jazz boxes (the Excel EXL-1) to resonant hard-rock machines (the Premier DC), there’s more to D’Angelico’s hollow offerings than meets the eye!
As the name suggests, this is the D’Angelico doublecut semi-hollow. Expect great resonance that can go from jazz to rock ‘n’ roll snarl in an instant. Hot pickups offer a great contemporary tone. Available with either stairstep or stopbar bridge, with Premier, Excel and Deluxe models for different specs and price points.
In addition, the Shoreline models come with dual P-90 pickups and Bigsby B-50 bridges for a retro spank with D'Angelico class.
The SS is D’Angelico’s singlecut semi-hollow. Gritty Seymour Duncan / Duncan-designed pickups contrast with its broad semi-hollow resonance, resulting in a truly versatile instrument. Available with either stairstep or stopbar bridge.
In addition, the Shoreline models come with dual P-90 pickups and Bigsby B-50 bridges for a retro spank with D'Angelico class.
The EXL-1 is modelled on the original D’Angelico archtop. Beautifully understated, its big-body hollow design offers buckets of warmth, complemented by a single floating neck pickup.
Modern tone, classic shape. The D’Angelico Excel 175 is in many ways an understated design compared to its contemporaries, all while delivering delicious high-output goodness.
The archtop, bigsby-equipped construction is usually reserved for bluesy, old-school playing styles. But that’s certainly not the aim here. Players who appreciate a bit of classy art deco aesthetic with their crunchy character will find it all right here.
Originally designed by master-luthier John D’Angelico in 1959, the Deluxe 59 is a classic 17-inch-wide archtop but equipped with DA-90 pickups, co-designed with Seymour Duncan.
Its larger body and signature over-sized headstock come together to create remarkable balance. A true replica of the original Excel 59, this reissue keeps the fifties flair, accentuated by the absence of a pickguard and complete with retro-vibe volume and tone knobs.
The Style B is a classic big-body archtop that’s based on an original 1936 design by John D’Angelico itself. With a comfortable slim neck profile, distinct headstock design (even for D’Angelico!) and a floating mini-humbucker, the Style B offer timeless jazz box vibes with a dash of luxury.
The DH serves up the very best of classic D’Angelico design and contemporary performance. With the unique headstock design, art deco gold hardware and Mother of Pearl/Abalone block inlays, it’s every bit as luxurious as you’d expect. Add dual Seymour Duncan ’59 humbuckers to the mix and you’ve got a guitar that’s sounds as classy as it looks.
You may have noticed that alongside their body shapes, D’Angelico’s range is divided into a few sections. Like many manufacturers, this outlines different specs and price ranges.
Premier – the most affordable of the bunch, D’Angelico’s Premier guitars combine affordable materials with versatile electronics, including Duncan-Designed pickups in many models. There’s a huge amount of variety within the Premier range, both in terms of model and finish.
Excel – the next step up in terms of specs, D’Anglico’s Excel range exclusively features hollow/semi-hollow models. Expect more premium appointments like full-body binding, gold hardware, beautiful woods and USA Seymour Duncan pickups.
Deluxe – the cream of the crop, featuring both solid and hollow models. Locking tuners, luxurious tonewoods, 7-ply binding, eye-popping finishes and beautiful inlays. Truly beautiful instruments!
