Curious about D'Angelico Mandolins

**Glassweb** · Aug-18-2011, 10:43am

Every DA mandolin I've played has sounded great... even his plainer A models. Let's face it... the guy knew something about sound and he was, after all, Italian!

**bunkerman** · Aug-18-2011, 11:30pm

Thats it. The owners name "Mac" is inlaid in the pearl on the headstock just north of the nut. As for losing money, well its lost cause its like marriage until death do we part. I think the pickguard is a replacement and the case is a suitcase Lifton of simulated crocodile and form fitted in perfect condition. Mr. Mac had really good taste. George thought it was early 40s. Im going to have to learn some WW II era songs lol. Its kind of heavy and very substantial and stout--I would have thought that would kill the tone and the sound but it doesn't. This little guy is loud. George said he didn't care if he sold it and the price was not negotiable.

**Jim Garber** · Aug-19-2011, 9:09am

Originally Posted by bunkerman

George said he didn't care if he sold it and the price was not negotiable.

Just another indication that you did fine. If I have the bucks and I was in love, I would have done the same. You can't really go wrong.

**dcoventry** · Aug-19-2011, 10:30am

You have an absolute and utter piece of rare history.....AND it sounds good??

Nice job!! Now enjoy, and don't look back, you can never look back!

**JFDilmando** · Aug-19-2011, 10:51am

I had that mando in my hands earlier this year, and decided to return it to Ghrun... not because of the sound, but that unfortunate crack in the top... it really bummed me out cause you really couldn't see it in any of George's pics, and I only found it when it arrived at my house....
You found a wonderful mando there... the sound is a wonderful thing...and I hope it will make wonderful music for you for years and years to come. Take good care of it!

JohnD

**bunkerman** · Aug-19-2011, 10:03pm

John, I saw that crack too AND CRINGED but then I thought to myself, there are some really great Martin D18s and D28s which are just fabulous that have some pretty serious cracks. The crack was dealt with in a very professional way. Is that not the best mandolin case you ever saw? Looks like somebody in a double-breasted suit and a fedora ought to be stepping into a smokey night club circa 1943.

**JFDilmando** · Aug-19-2011, 10:21pm

that mando of yours has all sorts of class.... like you mention, the case alone is worth the price of admission.
It might be great to post a pic of the case for the gang.
Enjoy it... I am glad it found a wonderful home.... Not keeping this one, made room for a great Monteleone Baby Grand that I am tickled with.... ahhhhhh MAS....
JohnD

**Benjamin T** · Aug-27-2011, 8:53am

I am always glad to hear that a D'Angelico has found a loving home. This instrument has been added to the working D'Angelico log, which is in the works. Keep an eye out on the Mandolin Archive. It would be great to have images of the case to add, as there are a really amazing aesthetic addition to the instrument. Thank you for the update.

**NSV** · Jul-02-2012, 1:51pm

Originally Posted by Jim Garber

@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?

Hi Jim,

I'm not quite sure what happened too my post, but this piece of a Mandolin was left to Jimmy by John. It was a piece left over in his work shop that went too an unfinished F style mandolin. To my knowledge Jimmy hasn't done any work too it. I have thought about having it completed, as I have a few other components too it but do enjoy it just as it is.

**Jim Garber** · Jul-02-2012, 10:19pm

Originally Posted by Glassweb

Every DA mandolin I've played has sounded great... even his plainer A models. Let's face it... the guy knew something about sound and he was, after all, Italian!

Just a bit of curmudgeonness: One year Mandolin Brothers brought 2 $20k D'A mandolins to a guitar show I went to and I did not think much of them at all, esp at that price. There are exceptional ones, of course, but those were not them -- at least that is the way i remember them. He may have been Italian, but he was not invincible.

**trevor** · Jul-03-2012, 3:41am

I've played a couple that I didn't think sounded great but its horses for courses. My choice of great tone is not the same as everyone else's.

**Jim Garber** · Jul-03-2012, 8:19am

Ches:
Jimmy D'Aquisto passed away in 1995 so will not do any work on this back. it is too bad -- this mandolin back should have been in the Guitar Heroes show at the Metropolitan Museum last year (or was it -- I don't recall that.

It is interesting that that this looks like it was to be a scrolled D'A mandolin -- both D'A makers rarely, if ever made those, most were A models or two points AFAIK.

Frankly, I would think it would serve better purpose as a historical artifact as-is rather than having someone complete an instrument using it. It shows the early stages of D'Angelico carving.

I have attached the original photo here.

Originally Posted by NSV

Hi Jim,

I'm not quite sure what happened too my post, but this piece of a Mandolin was left to Jimmy by John. It was a piece left over in his work shop that went too an unfinished F style mandolin. To my knowledge Jimmy hasn't done any work too it. I have thought about having it completed, as I have a few other components too it but do enjoy it just as it is.

**brunello97** · Jul-03-2012, 11:53pm

Originally Posted by Jim Garber

Just a bit of curmudgeonness: One year Mandolin Brothers brought 2 $20k D'A mandolins to a guitar show I went to and I did not think much of them at all, esp at that price. There are exceptional ones, of course, but those were not them -- at least that is the way i remember them. He may have been Italian, but he was not invincible.

No curmudgeonosity here, fratello, but a $20K MandoBros price might translate to a $5K price in the rest of the civilized world and expectations might adjust accordingly. It seems the J D'A prices get fueled by their scarcity as much as anything. MandoBro prices are akin to Travis Co, TX tax evaluations. Neither are based on any sense of reality, both use frijole/methane-fueled rhetoric to justify themselves. Both are killing me, but luckily I am only beholden to one of them. Unfortunately, it is the more expensive of the two.

Mick

**NSV** · Jul-05-2012, 1:02pm

Jim, I totally agree. I love looking at it, it's a very cool piece!

Originally Posted by Jim Garber

Ches:
Jimmy D'Aquisto passed away in 1995 so will not do any work on this back. it is too bad -- this mandolin back should have been in the Guitar Heroes show at the Metropolitan Museum last year (or was it -- I don't recall that.

It is interesting that that this looks like it was to be a scrolled D'A mandolin -- both D'A makers rarely, if ever made those, most were A models or two points AFAIK.

Frankly, I would think it would serve better purpose as a historical artifact as-is rather than having someone complete an instrument using it. It shows the early stages of D'Angelico carving.

I have attached the original photo here.

**Jim Garber** · Jul-05-2012, 1:48pm

Actually, Ches, I correct myself. I don't think it was to be a real scroll F-model. I think this would have been what we here call a "lump scroll". Like this one from 1940 attached. More tobe seen here.

The odd thing is that it looks like this back is for a lefty so it is also possible that one of that JD made a mistake or was commissioned to make a left-hand mandolin.