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c. Late 50's D'Angelico Double Electric

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Body size at lower bout: 16 3/4" Scale length: 24 3/4" Nut width: 1 13/16" Body Depth: 3 3/8" Neck depth, 1st/10th frets: .94/1.05"

Materials: Arched tiger flame maple body; solid rock maple neck; dark ebony fingerboard with mother of pearl block fingerboard inlays; engraved pearl peghead inlay; bound body, fingerboard and headstock.

Hardware: Original hardware includes twin Franz handwound single coil pickups with cream covers, and cream Bakelite volume and tone knobs; engraved nickel art deco stairstep tailpiece, nickel Grover G-98 Sta-Tite open-back tuners, compensated adjustable Brazilian rosewood bridge; aluminum 'Chrysler Building' truss rod cover. Vintage correct bound dark tortoise pickguard, with original bracket.

Notes: The instruments of master builder John D'Angelico are widely regarded as representing the pinnacle of the modern luthier's craft. Born in New York's Little Italy in 1905, he was apprenticed at age nine to his grand uncle, luthier Raphael Ciani. On Ciani's passing, John assumed the position of foreman for the dozen or so workers at the shop, though still only a teenager. One of the craftsmen there was an Italian immigrant named Frank Forcillo, who may have stayed on in D'Angelico's own workshop for a some time after its opening in 1932.

By the 1950's D'Angelico began to receive requests for electric guitars similar to popular models produced by Gibson, Guild and others. With arched laminate bodies less likely to crack or warp, these instruments also offered enhanced sustain and resistance to feedback. To meet demand, D'Angelico gave specifications for full depth Venetian cutaway archtop bodies to his old employee Forcillo, now a partner in the United Guitar Corporation, across the Hudson in Jersey City. Many were graced with highly figured curly maple, with the Maestro fashioning a neck by hand, and attaching hardware typical of his Excel and other models.

Dating D'Angelico's electrics precisely is a matter of guesswork, but at least one example has a sales receipt from 1960, so it's likely these instruments span from the late 50's to the early '60's, before D'Angelico's passing in 1964. Total production is also unknown, but certainly quite small: it's been reported that only nine 'double electric' D'Angelico's were ever built in total.

This rare example is fitted with a full depth body almost 17" at the lower bout, and is crafted of arched tiger flame maple laminate of striking depth and intensity. Original hardware includes the iconic art-deco stairstep tailpiece and truss rod cover, Grover G-98 Sta-Tite tuners, adjustable Brazilian rosewood bridge, and twin single coil pickups with adjustable polepieces. Stamped 'Fransch Electric Company, Woodside, NY', these pickups would be later known as Franz, and provided the signature tone of the earliest Guild hollow bodies. Long treasured with a cult following, these rare originals have since been reproduced by boutique winders like Curtis Novak.

With cream covers and matching Bakelite knobs, these unpotted, surface mounted pickups measure 6.03K at the neck and 7.47 at the bridge, providing a distinctly clear and detailed voice, with microphonic fidelity to the resonance of the full depth body. Carefully maintained, the guitar is remarkably free of cracks, pick, thumb, buckle or fingerboard wear, with high, undented pro fretwork. The deeply ambered natural blonde finish is all original as well, with fine replacement binding all tight to the body. Typical of old DA's, some light tan lines shadow the original nitro binding, which long ago gave up the ghost. With a fingerboard of solid dark ebony, the neck is fitted with block inlays of lustrous pearl, and the peghead is adorned with the classic script logo and floral motif, as seen on the maker's Style A, B and Special models.

The neck has a classic full 'C' profile, solid in the hand, with a generous 1 13/16" nut, and smooth, low action over a fresh high-precision setup. Both neck angle and bridge height are excellent, with ample room for action adjustment to player preference. A special plus is the fine original brown Lifton plush lined hardshell case, just as nicely preserved as the guitar itself.

A vanishingly rare find from the Maestro of Kenmare Street, and a first rate working instrument, for the player or collector alike. One only, call now.

Setup: Truss rod and bridge height adjusted; bridge compensation set; string slots at nut and bridge inspected; bridge foot contour inspected; bridge radius inspected; bridgewheels and tuners lubricated; fingerboard and bridge conditioned; body and neck cleaned and hand polished. Pickup polepieces balanced, pots cleaned, electronics and grounding tested.

This instrument is strung with medium gauge nickel roundwound strings. The guitar will accommodate lighter or heavier gauge strings, according to preference. String action is set at 4/64" to 5/64" at the 12th fret, with light relief for acoustic playing with medium strings. The action may be lowered or raised to your requirements with the adjustable bridge.