A Modern Take on the Old-School Hollowbody
Based on John D’Angelico’s original 1959 design, today’s D’Angelico Excel 59 is a modern take on the classic old-school archtop hollowbody electric guitar. As your hand effortlessly navigates around the Excel 59’s just-right C-profile neck and your fingers savor the silky feel of its ebony fingerboard, your ears will revel in the voluptuous woody tone produced by its 1.75-inch-deep, 16-inch-wide, fully hollow body. Plug in, and a dynamic duo of Seymour Duncan Great Dane P-90 pickups spring to life, spanking your amp with bratty attitude as only P-90s can. The Excel 59 boasts high-end aesthetic touches such as mother-of-pearl and abalone Split Block fingerboard inlays, multi-ply binding and Scalini pickguard, and elegant gold hardware. If you’re on the hunt for something different to grace your guitar collection — an instrument that will broaden the scope of your music — the D’Angelico Excel 59 deserves your serious consideration.
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The P-90: dare to sound different
The D’Angelico Excel 59 is fitted with a pair of Seymour Duncan’s outstanding Great Dane P-90 pickups. We have many fiercely loyal P-90 fans here at Sweetwater. These guitarists know that the P-90 offers a unique tonal palette that is distinct from — and complements — humbuckers and traditional single-coils. One of the first successful single-coil pickups, the P-90 can be heard on countless iconic recordings. With its biting treble and high output, the P-90 cleans up nicely when you roll back your guitar’s volume pot. It’s an amazingly versatile pickup with its own brand of grit — a bit brighter, leaner, and less refined than a humbucker, and almost as hot. Hit your amp hard, and the P-90 really wails. Plugged into a proper high-gain tube amp, you can elicit grind, sizzle, bark, and bite that would be impossible with humbuckers — or with other single-coils, for that matter.
The D’Angelico legacy
After mastering his craft during an 18-year apprenticeship, luthier John D’Angelico opened his own shop in Manhattan’s Little Italy in 1932. Catering to New York’s many jazz musicians over the ensuing three decades, D’Angelico and a single apprentice became New York’s foremost stringed instrument builders, creating over one thousand treasured archtop guitars until John’s death in 1964. Following his passing, the D’Angelico’s legacy lived on only through his rare, legendary instruments. After decades, the D’Angelico brand has resurfaced, bringing back the playability and attention to detail of the company’s New York roots. Today, Sweetwater is delighted to offer this fine line of distinguished instruments. D’Angelico uses state-of-the-art manufacturing processes and the finest available materials to create playable works of art for today’s guitarist. From a modest shop in Little Italy to the world stage, D’Angelico’s dedication to quality craftsmanship ensures that this brand won’t be going dormant again anytime soon.
D’Angelico Excel 59 Hollowbody Electric Guitar Features:
- 1.75-inch-deep, 16-inch-wide, fully hollow body
- Laminated flame maple back and sides
- Arched, laminated spruce top with 2 F-holes
- 3-piece maple/walnut set neck, “C” profile
- Ebony fingerboard, 16-inch radius, MOP/abalone Split Block inlays
- 2 Seymour Duncan D’Angelico Great Dane P-90 pickups
- Master Volume and Tone controls with Cupcake knobs
- 3-way chicken-head pickup selector switch
- Tune-o-matic bridge; stairstep tailpiece
- 5-ply body binding; 5-ply Scalini pickguard
- Grover Imperial tuning machines
- Elegant gold hardware
