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D'Angelico intel?

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  • Condemned soul
    replied
    Eastman makes an excellent version of the ES-339 and someone put some thought into the pickups for this guitar. It has a SD Jazz in the neck and 59 in the bridge.

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  • ThreeChordWonder
    replied
    ^ Or amplifiers made by Jim Marshall himself, for that matter.

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  • nexion218
    replied
    I'd say that when the sales and profit becomes the main driving force. Then of course brands can be of any quality. They could be like Ferrari or they could be some inferior crap. Look at Marshall... It's much more than a great amp. There's something for everyone. Well some of.it is crap, but its Marshall, so ppl are buying. But beyond that, you get tonlive the whole Marshall lifestyle: you can strum away to your favorite tunes while listening to your Marshall bluetooth speaker, on your Marshall barstool in your marshall trucker hat and shirt and take your favorite Marshall sounding rock albums with you on the road by using the new Marshall headphones that you keep in your Marshall backpack (btw I have a pair of Major IV, they are awesome! ). Nothing wrong with all this, but in the D'Angelico case, the original luthier duo and the current brand holding their name is like apples and orange juice to me, because I think it was never a brand in the above described sense to begin with, so it could 't have been dying and saved, and the products themselves have not much in common except for some visuals. Which is fine by me, it piqued my interest because of that visual similarity. If it' s good, it' s good. Not because of where its made but because it's good. If its crap.... well, you get my drift. So we're on the same page I guess, I was just thinking aloud about this brand-thing and how does or does not apply to something like the guitars made by D'Angelico and D'Aquisto

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  • NegativeEase
    replied
    Originally posted by ThreeChordWonder View Post
    Rolls Royce haven't built a decent car since the 1926 Silver Ghost...
    Pretty harsh criticism considering the Silver Ghost is regarded as the greatest car ever made...... so I mean,.... how were they going to do better?

    Relatively speaking everyone is suckin' since that car

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  • ThreeChordWonder
    replied
    Rolls Royce , Ferrari, Bentley and dozens of others used to make cars in single digit numbers. When my grandfather worked at Bristol Cars his quota of handfinished, hand assembled gearboxes was one a week.

    I'd definitely call all of those "brands", and I question when a generic, loose term like "brand" comes into play. Is there some predetermined magic number? I don't think so.

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  • nexion218
    replied
    Originally posted by NegativeEase View Post

    Did you change topics or did I miss something -who's building 10-15 guitars?
    D'Angelico and D'Aquisto was. At least that's what I heard in the video I linked. Sorry I wasn't clear.

    I was trying to say that while D'Angwliconmight be a brand now, but it sure wasn't back in the day, methinks.

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  • ThreeChordWonder
    replied
    Originally posted by NegativeEase View Post

    It's well established on this forum that a guitar constructed in China, Indonesia, Malaysia, or Korea is not a reason not to purchase a guitar in today's market -they can all make exceptional guitars at beyond exceptional value -it's all about what QC from the OEM at the factory and then the label checking them when they land as an import that matters.

    Companies like Gretsch and Guild are doing a stellar job at this.
    Agreed.

    Amazing how much derision is poured down on guitars built in the Far East, often by Kia drivers, I suspect...

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  • ThreeChordWonder
    replied
    Rolls Royce haven't built a decent car since the 1926 Silver Ghost...

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  • NegativeEase
    replied
    Originally posted by nexion218 View Post
    To be honest, I wouldn't call a guy building 10-15 guitars a year to the individual appointments of a select few customers a brand. My idea could be tainted by the modern strategy that a brand is not just a product with a name on it but a whole business and marketing concept - which description fits Marshall, Levi's, Fender and many others perfectly...
    Did you change topics or did I miss something -who's building 10-15 guitars?

    And yeah, a brand is just a marketing device irrespective of mfg, supply chain etc etc

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  • nexion218
    replied
    To be honest, I wouldn't call a guy building 10-15 guitars a year to the individual appointments of a select few customers a brand. My idea could be tainted by the modern strategy that a brand is not just a product with a name on it but a whole business and marketing concept - which description fits Marshall, Levi's, Fender and many others perfectly...

    Leave a comment:


  • NegativeEase
    replied
    Originally posted by ThreeChordWonder View Post

    Most Gretsch guitars are made I'm the Far East. Fender's budget brand, Squier, and Gibson's Epiphones likewise.

    My Marshall Origin was put together in Vietnam to a spec from Marshall UK. IIRC most mid to low end Blackstars and I daresay most mid to low end Fender amps are put together in the Far East as well. Then there's Boss, Yamaha, ...

    Celestion speakers are mostly made in China to UK specs.

    The list goes on.

    Oh. And I'm typing this on an Android phone made in China, sitting on a Macys bought patio couch made in China, wearing Levi's made in The Phillipines...
    It's well established on this forum that a guitar constructed in China, Indonesia, Malaysia, or Korea is not a reason not to purchase a guitar in today's market -they can all make exceptional guitars at beyond exceptional value -it's all about what QC from the OEM at the factory and then the label checking them when they land as an import that matters.

    Companies like Gretsch and Guild are doing a stellar job at this.

    Leave a comment:


  • ThreeChordWonder
    replied
    Originally posted by ICTGoober View Post
    Before someone thinks I'm anti-Asian guitars, I should tell you I love my Eastman archtops. And my Ibanez stuff, and my Washburn stuff, and Dean stuff.... you get the idea.
    Most Gretsch guitars are made I'm the Far East. Fender's budget brand, Squier, and Gibson's Epiphones likewise.

    My Marshall Origin was put together in Vietnam to a spec from Marshall UK. IIRC most mid to low end Blackstars and I daresay most mid to low end Fender amps are put together in the Far East as well. Then there's Boss, Yamaha, ...

    Celestion speakers are mostly made in China to UK specs.

    The list goes on.

    Oh. And I'm typing this on an Android phone made in China, sitting on a Macys bought patio couch made in China, wearing Levi's made in The Phillipines...

    Leave a comment:


  • ThreeChordWonder
    replied
    Originally posted by NegativeEase View Post
    IME, I think these modern D'Angelicos play poor and have that ratty resonance like a pawn shop import from the 80s. but some people really love that thing....

    Granted, I've played maybe 20 of them in the last 7-8 years in stores and none was setup like I would like, but then again none of them approached the feel of an Ibanez, Guild, Gibson or Gretsch under the same constraints.

    If it were me, I'd look at Guild Starfires -they are not expensive (half the money of a D'angelico and much better guitars in my experience -and have a cool sound

    I think modern d'Angelicos sell as much on bling as they do on substance. Hence, perhaps, why the Aspen, CO store does so well.

    If bling's your thing, go for it, but there are, perhaps, better MUSICALLY speaking at least, better options out there.

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  • ThreeChordWonder
    replied
    Originally posted by ICTGoober View Post

    DUDE. A dying brand? You realize John D'Angelico was ONE GUY making the finest guitars on the planet in New York up until he died in 1964? And then his apprentice - Jimmy D'Aquisto took over and built the finest guitars on the planet until his death in 1995? Again - ONE GUY.

    You probably didn't mean to sound so callous or clueless - but your lack of history obscured your view. D'Angelico and D'Aquisto guitars are still selling for $40,000 when you can find one for sale. They are instruments that are beyond "brands" because they are so far above a factory made guitar that will NEVER be as valuable as the REAL DEALS.

    John and Jimmy's instruments are NOT dead and NOT dying. They will live on longer than anything made in the last 5 years by that Asian company. Show some respect, man.
    Some bloke called Stradivarius used to make violins. His violins are still out there, and command eye watering prices, but the brand is no longer in existence.

    Note also Leo Fender isn't around any more, nor is Orville Gibson, and both those brand names have passed through several owners in the past three or four decades.

    Prior to the deaths of d'Angelico and later d'Aquisto, the brand was probably best described as boutique or rare or exclusive. Rightly or wrongly d'Angelico guitars certainly didn't sell in the numbers that Fender, Gibson, Gretsch, etc. did. And still do.

    d'Angelico died, his apprentice took over, then died himself. d'Aquisto actually lost the rights to the brand name, I'm not sure how or why, but the brand name ended up being owned by the head of a brewing company. In the second half if the 90s the brand was effectively as dead as d'Angelico himself. It wasn't until the present owners bought the brand name and poured huge amounts of money into relaunching it, that we get to the point where the brand is relatively mainstream.

    I'm not saying a 2020s d'Angelico should be compared to a 1950s one, far from it. I wouldn't compare a new sideboard from Macy's with a genuine 18th century Chippendale, or a 2020s Yamaha violin to a Stradivarius either. But unless those three guys had bought the brand NAME, I'm pretty sure it would be dead.
    Last edited by ThreeChordWonder; 10-06-2021, 07:48 AM.

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  • nexion218
    replied
    Originally posted by Mincer View Post
    You either dig the aesthetics of a D'Angelico or don't

    I love their looks - I think I strikes a perfect balance between immedately recognizable but no 'too bling-y" as you have put it. And thanks for the Godin tip! Though not a 335 styled model, but their 5th Ave Kingpin w/ 2 HBs caught my eyes and pricewise it a similar ballpark. Options...options.... Too many options!

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