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c.1961 D'Angelico Excel Cutaway
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Serial number: #2135, recorded in builder's ledger
Body size at lower bout: 17" Scale length: 24 3/4" Nut width: 1 23/32" Neck depth: .81/.90, 1st/10th frets
Materials: Solid handcarved tiger flame maple back and sides; solid bookmatched handcarved Adirondack spruce top; solid two-piece flame maple neck; solid ebony fingerboard; mother of pearl block fingerboard inlays; engraved pearl peghead inlay; 7-ply body binding, triple-bound f-holes, fingerboard and headstock.
Hardware: All original gold hardware includes engraved stairstep trapeze tailpiece, Grover Imperial tuners, bound tortoise stairstep pickguard, compensated adjustable ebony bridge. Vintage correct bound tortoise stairstep pickguard (original guard included). Original gold DeArmond 1100 Adjustable Rhythm Chief floating pickup with volume and tone controls, 1/4" jack in custom housing.
Notes: For discerning players, this splendid instrument checks off all the boxes. It is blonde. It has a cutaway. It is crafted of tonewood of exceptional brilliance, with an X-braced soundboard, and fitted with the most coveted pickup in the archtop world. And most of all, it was built by the Maestro himself, in the last and arguably greatest era of his work.
D'Angelico's Excel model was his flagship 17" guitar, and most popular offering over the course of his storied career. This handsome instrument has been kept in outstanding condition, without cracks, buckle or thumbwear, and shows only a few incidental pick marks in its deeply ambered blonde finish. All original gold hardware includes the engraved art deco stairstep tailpiece, Grover Imperial tuners, and adjustable compensated ebony bridge.
A vintage correct bound tortoise stairstep pickguard is attached, with the floating DeArmond 1100 Adjustable Rhythm Chief pickup, and custom control box with 1/4" output jack. The original multi-ply binding remains tight to the body, and the finish shows a bit of scattered age checking, protected on top with a light dusting of clear true nitro lacquer.
Even the truss rod cover echoes the art-deco styling, with a 3D profile reminiscent of Manhattan's iconic New Yorker hotel. The gentle D profile neck is easy and contemporary in feel, with smooth low action over a fresh high precision setup on the solid ebony fingerboard. The voice is supple and woody, with the depth and refinement of the tap-tuned X-braced soundboard. And the sound through the pickup is simply gorgeous: clear, detailed, and highly faithful to the acoustic voice: the very epitome of bop-era tonality.
From the Stradivarius of the archtop guitar, truly a pinnacle of modern archtop luthiery. One only: call now.
Setup: Truss rod and neck relief adjusted; bridge height adjusted; bridge compensation strobe tuned; 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.
This instrument is strung with medium gauge nickel roundwound strings (.013-.056). 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 moderate relief for acoustic playing with medium strings. The action may be lowered or raised to your requirements with the adjustable bridge.
Case: Original deluxe black arched Lifton plush lined hardshell case.
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