1953 John D'Angelico Excel Archtop Guitar
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GUEST:
Around ten years old, my father bought it in 1953, uh, for me, and I've had that ever since. It's what I learned how to play on.
APPRAISER:
That's you here at uh ten or 11 years of age?
GUEST:
That is. That's my dad…
APPRAISER:
That’s your dad.
GUEST:
… and that's my teacher. I guess it was around 13 or 14 when I started actually making some money, and it went on from there. I was on the road for a few years with a few bands and, uh, now I'm here.
APPRAISER:
(chuckles): Yeah. Well, I could see the guitar has, has quite a bit of normal playing wear on it.
GUEST:
Yeah.
APPRAISER:
So you, you played this guitar quite a bit in its life.
GUEST:
I did.
APPRAISER:
What you brought is a John D'Angelico archtop jazz guitar.
GUEST:
Yeah.
APPRAISER:
We even have the original sales receipt in John D'Angelico's hand, from when your father purchased this...
GUEST:
Right.
APPRAISER:
...in October 19th, 1953, and it was uh $325 at the time.
GUEST:
(laughs) That's, that's a real steal, isn't it?
APPRAISER:
And all D'Angelico guitars were essentially custom guitars. Your guitar here, um, has a medium neck in a custom dark finish. And it came with a pickup.
GUEST:
Right.
APPRAISER:
Which is not on it right now, because the pick guard's disintegrated. But D'Angelico was born in New York City.
GUEST:
Yeah.
APPRAISER:
And his uncle was a guitar maker, but he didn't make very many
guitars. He made mostly violins and mandolins.
GUEST:
Oh.
APPRAISER:
And at the age of nine, John D'Angelico apprenticed with him. His uncle died when he was about 16 years old, and John D'Angelico took over the shop.
GUEST:
Oh.
APPRAISER:
He did that for a few years, but he closed that business down in 1932 and began making his own archtop guitars. Everything about this guitar was top of the line. And John D'Angelico is, by acclaim, the greatest archtop guitar maker ever. And I see your father is playing a D'Angelico guitar, as well.
GUEST:
Yes.
APPRAISER:
Your family has good taste. (both laughing) This one was made in 1953. Really, that's right in the middle of his best period. Your initial $325 investment today, at a vintage guitar shop, would sell in the range of $30,000 to $35,000 at retail.
GUEST:
Yeah.
APPRAISER:
Would you mind playing it a little bit for me to let us hear it?
GUEST:
(playing tune)
APPRAISER:
(chuckling): Very nice. (applause) Beautiful, sounded great.
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