D'Angelico intel?

NegativeEase said:
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
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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.
 
ICTGoober said:
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.
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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...
 
ThreeChordWonder said:
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...
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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.
 
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...
 
nexion218 said:
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...
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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
 
NegativeEase said:
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.
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Agreed.

Amazing how much derision is poured down on guitars built in the Far East, often by Kia drivers, I suspect...
 
NegativeEase said:
Did you change topics or did I miss something -who's building 10-15 guitars?
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D'Angelico and D'Aquisto was. At least that's what I heard in the video I linked. Sorry I wasn't clear.:D

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