NAMM 2024: “A successfully to establish and shriek extinct-college tone that embodies the sound of mid-century New York”: D’Angelico’s iconic flagship archtop guitars are relieve – and “higher than ever”

D’Angelico Guitars has reintroduced two of its handiest-selling archtop guitars, the Excel EXL-1 and Excel Fashion B, which now reach loaded with vintage-inspired pickups and a host of alternative original functions. The original builds honor the emblem’s discontinuance to-100-year heritage and can also unprejudiced indifferent feature at NAMM 2024.

The original Excel EXL-1 fashions feature two new colorways: amber with a tortoise pickguard, and a unhappy iced tea burst with a murky pickguard. The 17″ huge archtop guitars are inspired by John D’Angelico’s single-cutaway assemble, which turn out to be first launched in 1947 and went on to be performed by many key jazz gamers of the time.

Its neck shape has been redesigned for “primarily the most lively balance of comfort and heft” whereas both colorways provide varied tonal outputs. The dark iced tea attain comes loaded with a plump-sized Seymour Duncan 59 humbucker, giving a successfully to establish and deep George Benson-esque tone, whereas rolling the tone knob yields a thinner, funkier tone.

“When I first picked up these guitars, without delay I turn out to be impressed by the feel and finishes earlier to I performed a indicate,” says jazz guitar earlier Rodney Jones. “They personal got an handsome sound, however they’ve the vary that enables me to search out my sound. A guitar can sound valid, however if it would now not let me receive my sound, I am unable to utilize it. It gives wings to my coronary heart song, now not hold me play their coronary heart song.”

The Fashion B, meanwhile, aims to be a actual reproduction of John D’Angelico’s rhythm-centered archtop, a bound-to mannequin all the procedure in which thru the ‘30s. An extinct-college non-cutaway archtop, it functions a 24.75” scale length and 20 frets, its tone sitting in a successfully to establish, mellow pocket. It too has a original neck shape for improved hand fit and retain.

A DeArmond Rhythm Chief pickup – a mainstay in the D’Angelico builds of the ‘30s and ‘40s – additionally makes its Fashion B debut. These guitars were in the starting up built to be performed acoustic, however gamers started including Rhythm Chief pickups to the guitars as amplification grew to alter into extra considerable. The floating single coil pickup faithfully amplifies the guitar with minimal obstruction to the wood and its pure, warm and woody tones.

The Fashion B is additionally on hand in the an analogous two colorways, however the DeArmond Rhythm Chief stays as customary in both.

Says Vinny Raniolo: “I’ve constantly been drawn to this older kind of song, it turn out to be so classic and chic and that they had such handsome instruments that did justice to the song. What I no doubt worship about these guitars is that they admire the tradition of the song, however additionally presentations you what skill this musical trend indifferent has. It supplies a successfully to establish and shriek extinct-college tone that embodies the sound of mid-century New York.”

Both archtop fashions feature Grover imperial tuners and hardware, an ebony fretboard and Jescar fretwire. The Excel EXL-1 is on hand for $1,899, with the Excel Fashion B coming in quite of more affordable at $1,699. Both are on hand at outlets worldwide and can also unprejudiced indifferent be on indicate at NAMM 2024.

“We’re gay to as soon as extra provide the EXL-1 and Fashion B in the Excel Sequence,” says Ryan Kershaw, EVP of Product at Bond Audio. “These guitars are the staunch spirit of our imprint, and we’ve labored laborious to hold them sound, feel and express about higher than ever earlier to. These are special instruments, and we’re inflamed to provide them in these original diversifications.”

New York City-primarily based D’Angelico Guitars turn out to be founded in 1932. Its builds personal performed an immense characteristic in shaping the tones of the city’s successfully to establish jazz scene. George Benson, Kenny Burrell, Lou Sosa and Pete Townshend are only possible the most names to personal performed its guitars.

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For added records about the 2 original guitars, head to D’Angelico Guitars.