who makes d'angelico guitars? ..... in particular, the d'angelico mini premier dc xt now issuing .....

my guess is that the new mini premier dcxt d'angelico guitar, a semi-hollow body obviously modeled on the gibson es-339, is gonna look quite a bit like my ibanez artcore am93, also inspired by the gibson.

my ibanez is also constructed of laminated layers of wood, in the case of the ibanez that being linden and ______??_______, whereas the other two are layers of poplar and maple, with a solid maple beam running the length of the body.   the furniture/appointments of the d'angelico are going to be nicer, with seymour duncan sh-2 and sh-4 pickups installed as an added bonus.

the d'angelico xt has a flamed maple top, and a vintage burst paint job, dark brown and a sort of golden light brown  ....  a handsome combination of parts, as all seem to agree.   it should be a bit better guitar than the ibanez, but, they will not be separated by light years, as the ibanez is a good unit.   as i learned in baby economics class, the market value of something lies in the marginal increments of quality, over and above the standard issue gizmo.  (in this case, the feel and "improved tone," if perceptible in all cases, will determine the price differential.  kind of a buick versus cadillac sort of thing, if you will.)

i suspect that the d'angelico and the ibanez are being made under the same roof(s), the d'angelico assembled most likely in los angeles, california.   that is, btw, just where ibanez has its "custom shop."  it would be nice to have the two together, for a side by side comparison.  very nice, indeed.

john jay @ 04.14.2021

Comments

[Grog]

After reading your description, had to look up the ibanez, seems rosewood is also used for making them, although most info is less than descriptive.

[jj]

grog:
as w/ most of the guitars made marketed here, they are made all over asia, ... , china, indonesia, the philippines, some in japan, ... , and in various factories.   all made to contract specs.   all made w/ cnc routers and machine tools, and all finished and put together with varying degrees of skill and attention.   much as in the united states, but with decidedly cheaper labor rates.
if you want a gibson, you pay the labor rate.
if you will settle for a similar guitar at way cheaper prices, you will buy an epiphone.
with the gibson, (and now this dangelico,), you get maple and poplar laminates, with the chinese and asian guitars, you get linden (ash) which they favor.
they are all pretty good instruments, and way way way way above my skills, but i like wood.   if i made guitars, they would be maple and walnut.   not so much sparkle, but with a very mellow and substantial tone.
the dangelico has an interesting tone wood, harvested in the cameroon, called ovangkol, which they use in the neck.   it has a very dark heart wood, very dense, and it has to be pretty good stuff because taylor guitar uses it to make high end acoustics .... i suppose martin will not be far behind.
i am very interested to put the dangelico together, side by side, w/ my ibanez.   i wouldnt be too surprised to see them almost identical, except in tone wood and furniture.   if made with any skill, (and, who knows), the dangelico should be a slightly better guitar.   ill let you know if it appears that they were made on the same assembly line, by the same machines and skilled hands.
john