Vintage D'Angelico Acoustic Archtops - Five Compared (All Non-cutaway)

Visit us at ThatRhythmMan.com
The five guitars shown here in order of the year made are:
1. 1933 "Snakehead" L-5 Style (made for early jazz guitarist Andy Jackson)
2. 1940 Style B
3. 1945 Excel (natural)
4. 1947 Excel (sunburst) --- For Sale
5. 1950 New Yorker "Special" (with custom Excel inlays)
Signal chain:
Matched set of Lewitt LCT 140 Air small diaphragm condenser microphones (set to flat response) -- Lewitt Connect 6 -- Apple iPhone Pro 12

[@jonr4651]

What a privilege to hear so many old D'Angelico guitars. They truly are different instruments.

[@nicholasgeorge7825]

Best rhythm the 45. Best lead the 33. Amazing. 40 close. Great all around. But best all around the 47. Thanks for this video. A great work for all of us.

[@duanetrivett750]

The 1947 Excel is the sound for me . Thanks for the video it is incredible to see all together.

[@RickMcGibbon]

The 1947 Excel held the best overall sound, construction is important but so is how they were handled and maintained over those decades. Thanks for the video as it is good for newer guitarists to hear and remind us older guitarists of the good old days.

[@DAngelicoNY]

Wow great video! You have some incredible instruments there.

[@alanpecherer5705]

I think I liked the 45 & 47 Excels the best, for evenness and projection. The Style "B"s and snakeheads were also impressive. The first New Yorker, a little tubby in spots, the second much better. They are all most impressive.

[@bunkerman99]

I would say #1 is the '47 Exel and 2d surprisingly and it was close the 1940 Style B. The 1950 really shined with chord melody. I think that X Bracing gave it sweetness buth otherwise lacked the Punch but of course I am nitpicking. I liked them all. The snakehead had a certain something and I bet it really shines on the older music.

[@AcousticStandards]

i may go for the 16 inches for the roots/old school tone, and for the 18 inches for the mellow from the big elastic bass

[@Jimi_7-7-7]

1947 Excel for me please :-) Thank you for sharing this with us. Great Video 💯🤝 … the 1933 16“ sounds most amazing to be honest, because she is just 16”!! And can still keep up with the 17” ones.

[@ThatRhythmMan]

That 16” is simply incredible!

[@bunkerman99]

What strings do you use fro these? What is a good place to start?

[@ThatRhythmMan]

These all had Elixir Nanoweb Phosphor Bronze. I also like Martin Retro Monel strings on acoustic archtops. I’m starting to test D’Addario XL and XS strings. I tend to prefer phosphor bronze, but I think Jonathan Stout uses 80/20 and I like his sound.

[@bunkerman99]

@@ThatRhythmMan I like his sound too. I also like the French gentleman Romsin who plays Acoustic Standards. I have some D'Addario EJ 17s and some Martin Original lights which I bought for a 00 Mahogany I like a lot but for my Epiphone Deluxe from the 50s I was wondering what other guys used. I will look for the ones u mentioned and give them a try.

[@bunkerman99]

Have you ever seen the old video of Johnny Smith playing "What are you doing for the rest of your life? Is that D'A he is playing? Video is about 15 years old but it is from the 70s I would guess.

[@ThatRhythmMan]

I haven’t seen it. I’ll have to look for it.

[@bunkerman99]

@@ThatRhythmMan Let me know if you think it is a D'A. I know he bought one but he got tied in with Gibson....