D'Angelico Guitars

D'Angelico Guitars
Private
Industry Musical instruments
Founded 1932 (relaunched in 2011)
Founder John D'Angelico
Headquarters Manhattan, New York
Key people
 Brenden Cohen, President and CEO, Steve Pisani, President of Sales
Products Guitars
Website dangelicoguitars.com

D’Angelico Guitars is a guitar brand based in Manhattan, New York.[1][2] The brand was initially founded by master-luthier John D'Angelico in 1932.[1] In 1999, Steve Pisani, John Ferolito Jr. and Brenden Cohen purchased the D’Angelico Guitars trademark.[3][4] Cohen serves as the brand’s President and CEO.[5] Original D’Angelico guitars are collector’s items and have been used by musicians including Pete Townshend, Chuck Wayne and Eric Clapton.[1][6] Additionally, the Archtop Guitar, Mel Bay New Yorker model was featured on the cover of the Mel Bay Publications' guitar method books for decades.[7]

History

In 1932, John D’Angelico founded D’Angelico Guitars and opened his first shop on Kenmare Street in Manhattan’s Little Italy.[1][8] He built 1,164 instruments before he died in 1964.[3][5] Following his death in 1964, D’Angelico’s former apprentice, James D’Aquisto, became his successor.[9] After several years, D’Aquisto left to begin producing guitars under his own name.

In 1999, Brenden Cohen, John Ferolito Jr. and Steve Pisani purchased the D’Angelico Guitars trademark from John Ferolito Sr., co-founder of Arizona Beverages.[3][8] In 2010, Cohen and Pisani began constructing a new showroom for the brand.[3] D’Angelico Guitars was officially launched in 2011.[5] That year, original D’Angelico guitars were honored at the Metropolitan Museum of Art as part of an exhibition titled Guitar Heroes: Legendary Craftsmen from Italy to New York.[9]

In 2014, Eric Clapton requested a customized model of the classic D'Angelico Style B for touring.[3][10] That year, D'Angelico Guitars sponsored Mountain Jam, a summer music festival in eastern New York.[11] The brand launched its first line of acoustic guitars in January 2015.[5] The line was unveiled at the National Association of Music Merchants' annual trade show in Anaheim, California.[2]

Operations

The brand’s instruments are manufactured in South Korea, Indonesia, California and Michigan.[5][12] Before beginning manufacturing, original guitar models were put through an MRI machine and an x-ray to replicate the instruments accurately.[8][13] It takes approximately 18 months to two years to create one of their master-builder guitars from raw wood.[13] D'Angelico Guitars' luthiers produce four to five master-builder guitars a month.[13] In 2014, the brand had 125 partnerships in the United States and an additional 200 international dealers.[9] By January 2015, D’Angelico Guitars had 150 guitars on display.[5] The company is best known for its Art Deco-inspired archtop guitars.[5] Musicians including John Mayer, Nile Rogers, Robert Randolph, Susan Tedeschi, John Sebastian and Eric Clapton have used D’Angelico guitars.[8] Additionally, the brand has sponsored musicians including, Susan Tedeschi, Brad Whitford, Robert Randolph and Cody Simpson.[14][15][16][17]

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 Will Levith (January 23, 2015). "Joe Bonamassa and the Amazing Technicolor D'Angelico Shop". Retrieved April 1, 2015.
  2. 1 2 "NAMM 2015: D'Angelico Guitars Announces First-Ever Acoustic Line". January 15, 2015. Retrieved April 1, 2015.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Scott Heins (December 4, 2014). "Photos: There's A Showroom Of Gorgeous, Historic Guitars Tucked Out Of Sight In Midtown". Retrieved April 1, 2015.
  4. ↑ Kia Gregory (November 13, 2014). "Resurrecting the Artistry, and the Name, of a Singular Guitar Craftsman". Retrieved April 1, 2015.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "NAMM 2015: Revived D'Angelico guitar brand shows off new acoustics". January 23, 2015. Retrieved April 1, 2015.
  6. ↑ Jeff Tamarkin (July 9, 2014). "Back in Axtion".
  7. ↑ "Archtop Guitar, Mel Bay New Yorker model, 1957". Metropolitan Museum of Art. 2011. Retrieved April 1, 2015.
  8. 1 2 3 4 Teddy Kim (August 22, 2014). "Rock On! D'Angelico Guitars Is Back in Business in Chelsea". Retrieved April 1, 2015.
  9. 1 2 3 Karsten Strauss (April 17, 2014). "How D'Angelico Guitars Is Forcing A Comeback (In Both Music And Business)". Retrieved April 1, 2015.
  10. ↑ "Gearhead: Behind the Rebirth of D'Angelico Guitars". August 28, 2014. Retrieved April 1, 2015.
  11. ↑ "Summer Music Fest Draws Concert-Goers to Catskill Ski Resort". June 12, 2014. Retrieved April 1, 2015.
  12. ↑ "Roundup: The New D'Angelico Line". January 30, 2014. Retrieved April 1, 2015.
  13. 1 2 3 Melissa Locker (June 25, 2014). "D'Angelico guitars get an encore after 50 years". Retrieved April 1, 2015.
  14. ↑ "AEROSMITH's Brad Whitford Shows Off His D'Angelico EX-DC guitar". September 13, 2014. Retrieved April 1, 2015.
  15. ↑ "The Soul of the Show". Retrieved April 1, 2015.
  16. ↑ "NAMM 2015: D'Angelico Guitars Announces First-Ever Acoustic Line". Retrieved April 1, 2015.
  17. ↑ "Interview: Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi Discuss Tedeschi Trucks Band's New Album, 'Revelator'". Retrieved April 1, 2015.
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