D'Angelico Guitars
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| Private | |
| Industry | Musical instruments |
| Founded | 1932 (relaunched in 2011) |
| Founder | John D'Angelico |
| Headquarters | Manhattan, New York |
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Area served
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Worldwide |
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Key people
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Brenden Cohen, President and CEO, Steve Pisani, President of Sales |
| Products | Guitars, Archtop, Electric, Acoustic, Basses |
| Website | dangelicoguitars |
D’Angelico Guitars is an American musical instrument manufacturer and guitar brand based in Manhattan, New York. The brand was initially founded by master-luthier John D'Angelico in 1932, in Manhattan's Little Italy. In 1999, Steve Pisani, John Ferolito Jr. and Brenden Cohen purchased the D’Angelico Guitars trademark. Cohen serves as the brand’s President and CEO. Original D’Angelico guitars are collector’s items and have been used by musicians including Pete Townshend, Eric Clapton, Bucky Pizarelli, Chet Atkins, and Chuck Wayne. Additionally, the D'Angelico Mel Bay New Yorker model was featured on the cover of the Mel Bay Publications' guitar method books for decades.
In 1932, John D’Angelico founded D’Angelico Guitars and opened his first shop at 40 Kenmare Street in Manhattan’s Little Italy. At only nine years old, he became an apprentice to his grand uncle Signor Ciani, an expert violin and mandolin maker. This apprenticeship would become the basis for construction principles he later incorporated into his world-renowned archtop guitars.
D'Angelico instruments were strictly hand-made, and in very limited quantities. During the late 1930s, when production was at its peak, D'Angelico made approximately 35 instruments per year with the help of only two workers. His recognition as the “finest builder of archtop guitars” later brought offers from larger companies, but ultimately decided to keep his operation under his own name.
He built 1,164 instruments before he died in 1964. Following his death in 1964, D’Angelico’s former apprentice, James D’Aquisto, became his successor. 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. In 2010, Cohen and Pisani began constructing a new showroom for the brand. D’Angelico Guitars was officially launched in 2011. 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.
In subsequent years, D’Angelico began broadening their product line, first starting with reissues of original John D’Angelico designs, and then introducing new semi-hollow and acoustic models. A notable number of artists began playing D’Angelico guitars on stage, including Grateful Dead’s Bob Weir, jazz legend Kurt Rosenwinkel, Warren Haynes, Aerosmith’s Brad Whitford, Susan Tedeschi, and many more (see Artists). In 2014, Eric Clapton requested a customized model of the classic D'Angelico Style B for touring. That year, D'Angelico Guitars sponsored Mountain Jam, a summer music festival in eastern New York. The brand launched its first line of acoustic guitars in January 2015. The line was unveiled at the National Association of Music Merchants' annual trade show in Anaheim, California.
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Wikipedia