Curious about D'Angelico Mandolins

**JPA** · Oct-08-2008, 3:24pm

There is one that has just been posted for sale in the classifieds. I didn't know that D'Angelico made mandolins. The one for sale looks very nice. Does anyone have any information about how many were actually made, materials, what they sound like, etc. I'd also be interested in seeing pictures of others, if anyone knows if there are any posted on the web. Thanks!

**allenhopkins** · Oct-08-2008, 3:28pm

Here's a short article on the subject from Mandozine.

**first string** · Oct-08-2008, 3:35pm

I wonder if there really are 300 of them out there. I wouldn't have thought so, but what do I know.

**Mike Herlihy** · Oct-08-2008, 3:58pm

What is the scale length? It looks like pretty short to me

**Will Kimble** · Oct-08-2008, 5:46pm

There is one at Gruhn's right now that is absolutely enchanting - one of the finest oval holes I have ever played.

Will Kimble
www.kimblemandolins.com

**Jim Garber** · Oct-08-2008, 8:22pm

Attached is the pic of the one at Gruhn's.

I played a few D'A mandolins over the years. There were two from Mandolin Brothers at a Long Island guitar show but I recall they did not blow me over. OTOH I have a friend on the west coast who has an exquisite simple A model that has serious sweet tone. I also played an L&H clone that the mother of one of the current members of the New York Mandolin Orchestra bought new.

I am not sure where the number of 300 came from. I have the Tsumura guitar book and there is a list that is reprinted in the back from John D'Angelico's log book. He lists 49 mandolins by serial number 125 thru 174 and dating from 1940-44 with one made in 1954. Of course, it is also interesting that there must have been a few made before the log book since the one in the classifieds is numbered 105. Still, even if he numbered them from 1 they would not number 300. Curious...

**Doug Hoople** · Oct-08-2008, 9:13pm

I'm glad to read here that the D'Angelico Mandolins are, in general, really nice.

I've only ever seen one of them, going for what I thought was a very reasonable $7,000 at a shop in San Rafael, CA in 2002 or so. Imagine my surprise, though, when I played it and it turned out to be one of the worst mandolins I'd played, and definitely the worst by far of any mandolin valued at over $1,000 that I had ever played.

The price obviously reflected the pure name value of D'Angelico. That still stands in my mind as the most ridiculous example I've ever seen of a name trumping any standard of intrinsic value.

Again, I'm relieved that most of the D'Angelicos DO actually live up to their name.

**SternART** · Oct-08-2008, 10:29pm

I used the D'Angelico & even rarer D'Aquisto mandolins as inspiration when I designed my Smart oval hole.......I noticed it just changed hands recently as Massimo Gatti sold it in the classifieds. I had Lawrence put an F5 length neck on it though, and it was built on an A5 shape body with points added. Add a little Loar into the mix, and hybrids can be cool. Smart did a great job. The quilted sides, back and pickguard were beautifully matched. I always thought there were interesting design details on the old school New York mandolins, and the instrument at Gruhn's illustrates that. In my eye John Monteleone's instruments are an evolution that started with the D'Angelico's, evolved thru D'Aquisto, and added some Gibson F5 into the mix. John Monteleone has taken the torch, and added a number of great details to this lineage. Early in his career, on John's quest to become the great luthier/artist he is today...... he studied with D'Aquisto, as one stop on his path, that also included a stint of guitar building with Mario Maccaferri......

**Stephen Lind** · Oct-09-2008, 12:41am

Originally Posted by Will Kimble

There is one at Gruhn's right now that is absolutely enchanting - one of the finest oval holes I have ever played.

Will Kimble
www.kimblemandolins.com

got to second Will on this
i couldn't get enough of this mandolin
played and sounded INCREDIBLE
and i'm a guitar player
there was some major wood in that upstairs room but that D'Angelico just sang and played like a dream

**Michael Lewis** · Oct-09-2008, 12:48am

Somebody please contact Pete Langdell and let him know about this thread. I think he might have something interesting to add.

**trevor** · Oct-09-2008, 2:45am

The Smart mentioned by SternART is now with me. I haven't heard a D'Angelico but this is an amazing mandolin, sweet but with incredible clarity. If any visitors to TAMCO want to see/play it let me know.

**NSV** · Oct-01-2010, 10:59am

I realize i'm a bit late on this thread but D'Angelico made quite a few mandolins. I actually have one that he never completed. It was given to James D'Aquisto when John passed. If there's a lot of interest still on how his work was done, i'd be happy to take more photos. Here's a quick one

http://i401.photobucket.com/albums/p...g?t=1285948671

**Jim Garber** · Oct-01-2010, 11:07am

@NSV: are you having that restored? What does that photo show? It is labelled Dangelico Top but looks more like a back. I assume that there is more to it. Did Jimmy D'Aquisto work on it at all?

**Spruce** · Oct-01-2010, 11:27am

The first mandolin I ever fell in love with was a D'Angelico with offset points, at Lundberg's in Berkeley in the early to mid-70's...
It was absolutely incredible...

I recall it had a pricetag on it of $4K, but I find that hard to imagine now....
That's pushing Loar prices, so I might be wrong on that...

Anyway, I laid the thing on a Xerox machine, made some half-assed forms, and made 5-6 copies of it...
The original had a violin-like peghead that didn't do much for me, so I snake-headed mine...

The arching recurve was incredible...
It maybe dished out 1.5" from the rim, and I've never seen anything quite like it before or since....
Huge recurve...

Amazing that I can remember that mandolin after all these years...
Wonder where it went?

**Mandoblab** · Oct-01-2010, 8:34pm

I've got to second and third Will and Stephen.

A couple of years ago I was upstairs at Gruhn's having a mandolin appraised by George Gruhn for insurance purposes. He pointed out that D'Angelico (pictured above in Jim Garber's post) and told me I ought to try it out. Being not at all familiar with D'Angelico mandolins but having read about his guitars, I was curious what it might sound like.

I was totally floored. It had a beautiful, deep resonance with great clarity. I really loved that instrument and it was hard to put it back up on the wall, although the 20K price tag made it a bit easier. Mr. Gruhn smiled as he noted my reaction to the instrument. He knew what a mandolin lover's reaction would be to that particular masterwork.

The downturn in the economy has forced vintage instrument resellers to lower their prices to a significant degree lately, but that D'Angelico is still priced today at 20K. I don't think George is going to let that go for anything less than what it is certainly worth!

Mandoblab

**F-2 Dave** · Oct-01-2010, 9:40pm

Have you checked out the D'Angelico at Mandolin Bros.? A sweet A style with F holes and a troubled past. Lovingly resurrected by the Jay dudes. Only 9.5K

**mrmando** · Oct-04-2010, 3:37am

Ooh, nice to finally see the "after" photos.

**Bob A** · Oct-04-2010, 12:20pm

I played one once when it was in an affordable price range - mid four figures. I was not impressed enough to purchase. Nice workmanship, though, as I recall.

**bunkerman** · Aug-17-2011, 11:19pm

I just bought that D'A at Gruhns. I tried to dicker a little on the price but George was firm n didn't care. This mandolin is one of the best sounding mandolins you will hear period. It even has a little of that warm voice that a New Yorker guitar has. Its loud, sweet and just an unbelievable instrument. May never get my money back and don't care, my kid can worry about it when I'm gone. It's not a bluegrasser, but it does everything else to perfection. I wish Mike Marshall had this little guy in his hands. Built in the early 40s or so. I traded a beloved Collings F from 02 or 03' and that kind of hurt but I can get another great F but I'll never find another oval hole like this one. If you want to give me grief about spending 20K on an oval hole have at it. I got broad shoulders but Im betting you would take it all back if you heard it.

**dcoventry** · Aug-18-2011, 12:20am

Pete Langdell from Rigel said D'A's were some of the best he ever heard or played. He has 2 asymmetrical 2-points on the bench as we speak. Imitation is the highest form of flattery.

**BradKlein** · Aug-18-2011, 1:42am

Wow! A happy ending on a three year old thread.
It sounds as if a truly unique instrument found its owner after a long wait.
And welcome to the Cafe, Bunker.

**Jim Garber** · Aug-18-2011, 7:36am

Originally Posted by bunkerman

May never get my money back and don't care, my kid can worry about it when I'm gone.

Congratulations! I don't see it on the site any more. Can you post some pics?

I can't imagine that the price will go down all that much... after all they are no longer made.

**mtucker** · Aug-18-2011, 8:28am

WONDERFUL! You got a great mandolin and worth every penny. Steve Gilchrist favors ovals and has played it ... said it's a fabulous mandolin. Like Jim said, you shouldn't have to worry about losing money on it, it's value will only increase over time. Thanks for jumping in and letting folks know...it's popped up in discussion on a number of threads here from time to time...so, there's genuine interest in the rare beast! Keep us posted and congrats on such a beauty.