Email jeff@jhalemusic
Voice (262) 510-5140
600 Hartbrook Dr.
Hartland, WI 53029

D'Angelico Guitars from J Hale Music

The D'Angelico Guitar Story
Master Luthier John D'Angelico created his first archtop guitar in New York in 1932. From that time, 1164 guitars were made before John D'Angelico's death in 1964. During the 32 year period, there were primarily four archtop guitar models, the New Yorker, Excel, Style A and Style B. However, many instruments were made including double cutaways, electric blues guitars with mounted humbuckers and tone controls, mandolins, and a few eccentric items as well, all of which displayed an "Art Deco" motif. Today the original D'Angelico Guitars are extremely valued as collector's items, and command very high prices.

Now, D'Angelico Guitars Of America has re-introduced the Excel line of jazz guitars. Years of development have gone into these new Korean built instruments and it shows! Delightful to hand, ear, and eye ... these instruments are absolute winners! Whether its a jazz guitar or a blues guitar, the D'Angelico Guitar Excel line is a serious contender. There are several models from which to choose - the EXS 16" archtops, the EXL 17" archtops, the NYSD solid body and the recently redesigned EXSS and EXDC semi hollow models. All are first class instruments. Owner and jazz guitar player Jeff Hale liked the first EXS-1DH so much that he kept it for himself and gigs with it regularly.

We are currently SOLD OUT of ALL D'Angelico Guitars and unsure of when further instruments will become available. We will update our website if conditions change. Thanks. Jeff

SPECIAL J. HALE SET-UP
Your J Hale supplied D'Angelico guitar will be 100% gig-ready right out of the box. Our custom shop setup is very thorough with frets leveled and dressed, individual string height adjusted at the nut, intonation and truss rod adjustments and your choice of strings. Each instrument from J Hale will be fully and carefully inspected for mechanical and electrical integrity. When you receive your guitar it will play beautifully. We will also include our standard, 48 hour approval policy. Please allow up to 10 days from the time of your order for us to complete the setup.

EXL-1DP: Instrument features 17" laminate construction with pressed solid spruce top, flamed maple rims, 3 piece flamed laminate maple back, rim depth is 2 3/4", brass stairstep style tailpiece, compensated ebony bridge, bound stairstep faux tortoise shell pickguard, single floating Kent Armstrong pickup, volume/tone controls mounted on pickguard, 22 fret ebony fingerboard with block abalone inlays, 3 piece figured maple neck, Grover Imperial tuners, nut width is 1 11/16", scale length 25 1/2", Polyeurothane finish. Includes D'Angelico logo hardshell case.

Customized versions of the EXL-1DP are also available as listed below:

EXL-1CC - 17" EXL-1DP with built-in Jason Lollar Charlie Christian 2 Point Pickup $1,895.00
EXL-1SH - 17" EXL-1DP with your choice of built-in Jason Lollar Imperial or Duncan Seth Lover $1,795.00
EXL-1HW - 17" EXL-1DP with Hand Wound Kent Armstrong Floating, Full Size Humbucking Pickup $1,895.00

Click on video below for a demonstration of the standard EXL-1DP with floating Kent Armstrong design pickup. Click on thumbnail pictures for a full size view

EXS-1: Instrument features 16" laminate construction with pressed solid spruce top, flamed maple rims, 3 piece flamed laminate maple back, rim depth is 2 3/4", brass stairstep style tailpiece, compensated ebony bridge, bound stairstep faux tortoise shell pickguard, single floating Kent Armstrong pickup, volume/tone controls mounted on pickguard, 22 fret ebony fingerboard with split block MOP & abalone inlays, 3 piece figured maple neck, Grover Imperial tuners, nut width is 1 11/16", scale length 25 ", Polyeurothane finish. Includes D'Angelico logo hardshell case.

Customized versions of the EXS-1 are also available as listed below:

EXS-1CC - 16" EXL-1DP with built-in Jason Lollar Charlie Christian 2 Point Pickup $1,695.00
EXS-1SH - 16" EXL-1DP with your choice of built-in Jason Lollar Imperial or Duncan Seth Lover $1,595.00
EXS-1HW - 16" EXL-1DP with Hand Wound Kent Armstrong Floating, Full Size Humbucking Pickup $1,695.00

Click on video below for a demonstration of the standard EXS-1 with floating Kent Armstrong design pickup. Click on thumbnail pictures for a full size view

EXS-1DH: Instrument features 16" laminate construction with pressed solid spruce top, flamed maple rims, 3 piece flamed laminate maple back, rim depth is 2 3/4", brass stairstep style tailpiece, compensated ebony bridge, bound stairstep faux tortoise shell pickguard, twin built-in Kent Armstrong pickups, top mounted volume/tone controls with knurled brass knobs and pearl cap inlay, 22 fret ebony fingerboard with split block MOP & abalone inlays, 3 piece figured maple neck, Grover Imperial tuners, nut width is 1 11/16", scale length 25 ", Polyeurothane finish. Includes D'Angelico logo hardshell case. Click on video below for a demonstration of this instrument, click on thumbnail pictures for a full size view

EX-SS: Instrument features 15" laminate construction with pressed solid flame maple top, flamed maple rims, 2 piece flamed laminate maple back, rim depth is 1 5/8", stop style tailpiece, tune-o-matic style bridge, bound stairstep faux tortoise shell pickguard, twin built-in Kent Armstrong pickups, top mounted volume/tone controls with retro black knobs, 22 fret ebony fingerboard with split block MOP inlays, 3 piece figured maple neck, Grover Imperial tuners, nut width is 1 11/16", scale length 25", Polyeurothane finish. Includes D'Angelico logo hardshell case. Click on video below for a demonstration of this instrument, click on thumbnail pictures for a full size view

EX-DC: Instrument features 16" laminate construction with pressed solid flame maple top, flamed maple rims, 2 piece flamed laminate maple back, rim depth is 1 5/8", stop style tailpiece, tune-o-matic style bridge, bound stairstep faux tortoise shell pickguard, twin built-in Kent Armstrong pickups, top mounted volume/tone controls with retro black knobs, 22 fret ebony fingerboard with split block MOP inlays, 3 piece figured maple neck, Grover Imperial tuners, nut width is 1 11/16", scale length 24 3/4 ", Polyeurothane finish. Includes D'Angelico logo hardshell case. Click on video below for a demonstration of this instrument, click on thumbnail pictures for a full size view

Mike Daum lead guitar player in Roster Mccabe demonstrates the new D'Angelico Excel Semi hollowbody guitars from a blues/rock perspective.

Click on videos below for a demonstration of these instruments.

Jazz Guitarist Jack Grassel purchased an EXS-1DH from us and he uses this guitar on nearly all of his gigs. Recently we received the following email from Jack:

Dear Mr. Hale,

I was in Minneapolis for a gig recently and visited all the guitar stores. I came across a DAngelico from the early 50s that had recently been purchased by the store from the original owner. It was the same model that the one I purchased from you is based on. (EXS-1DH)

Since I had never played a "real" DAngelico before, I asked for permission to play it. They said yes, and I spent an hour with the guitar. It felt so much like the new one I bought from you that I began to wonder what it would be like to alternate playing the two guitars. So I brought my new DAngelico into the store.

After going back and forth many times, I could not tell the difference in feel, weight or balance between the two guitars. The necks and bodies felt identical. The old one had a slightly heavier sounding bottom end but mine had a straighter neck, better action and more comfortable finish on the back of the neck. The only real difference was that the old DAngelico 's price tag was $30,000.

Until this amazing opportunity presented itself, I had never played a vintage D Angelico. It increased the respect I have for my new guitar.

I know many guitarists who own new DAngelicos and love them as I do. If someone says something that isn 't positive about the new DAngelico guitars, I suspect that they haven 't played a vintage one. I 'm astounded to realize that these new less-expensive-ones are almost identical to the originals.

Thanks for making the D Angelico available to me. It 's the guitar I play 90% of my gigs on and practice exclusively on. I 'm going to buy another one as a spare.

Jack Grassel

Jack's website is an excellent source for jazz guitarists. See www.jackgrassel.com

NEW!! The New Yorker NY-SD is the Rolls Royce of solid-bodies.

The finest mahogany is used for the arched back & neck, along with a solid, highly-figured, carved maple top that adds both equisite beauty & a signature "snap" to the amplified tone of the guitar. A pair of gold-plated humbucking pickups along with an adjustable bridge & stop-tailpiece produce a classic solid-body sound.

Luxury appointments like the multi-ply binding, gold-plated Grover Imperial tuners & genuine mother-of-pearl split-block fingerboard inlay make this truly a unique gem among other solid-body instruments. Big tone, warm sustain & eye-catching beauty make the NY-SD the perfect guitar whether you're into screaming rock, subtle jazz or anything in-between. The NY-SD is a totally balanced, comfortable & practical work of art. Expertly built in Korea, this is one fine guitar!

Specifications

Neck:
Solid mahogany set-neck construction
Ebony fingerboard
24.75" Scale
1 11/16" nut width
22 frets
Mother-of-pearl split-block inlay
Ivoroid binding
Rosewood headstock veneer

Body:
Arched, solid mahogany back with a solid, figured maple carved top
Single venetian cutaway
14"W x 1 3/8"D at edge
7-ply ivoroid/black binding

Electronics & Hardware:
Dual Kent Armstrong humbuckers
Gold-plated, adjustable "tune-a-matic" style bridge & stop-tailpiece
2 Volume & 2 Tone gold-plated knobs
Gold-plated 3-way switch in upper bass-side bout
Gold-plated 1/4" output jack
Gold-plated Grover Imperial tuners

Actual Weight 8.5 lbs

New Yorker NY-SD: J Hale Price $1,395.00- includes hardshell case and our complete professional setup.

Specify finish color during checkout in "Special Instruction" area. Choose from Natural, Sunburst, Wine Red, Blueburst, Blackburst, Black Cherryburst.

Below are a few pictures of the New Yorker Archtops. These exact models are no longer in production. We are leaving the pictures here for historical purposes.
Click on thumbnails below for full sized pictures.

NYSS Semi Hollowbody has been redesigned by Luthier Bill Comins and is available as model EXSS ... see details near top of this page. Pictures below are of the previous NYSS.