A few guitar companies have used the term “deluxe” rather haphazardly in the past for instruments that didn’t quite live up to the definition of that word, but...
A few guitar companies have used the term “deluxe” rather haphazardly in the past for instruments that didn’t quite live up to the definition of that word, but by naming their penultimate product line the Deluxe Series (surpassed only by the Master Builder series), D’Angelico has boldly taken that term back to its intended meaning.
D’Angelico Deluxe Series guitars boast the design, construction, materials, hardware and fancy visual appointments one would expect from a guitar that truly deserves the deluxe moniker.
We’re talking the true luxury goods here—things like multi-ply binding, gold-plated hardware, limited-edition matte finishes and a certain je ne sais quoi that inspires lust instead of mere desire.
Introduced this year, the Deluxe Series comprises eight different hollow and semi-hollow body models. We took a look at two models that could be considered representations of the opposite ends of the Deluxe Series spectrum: the thinline semi-hollow Deluxe SS and the full-depth archtop hollowbody EXL-1.
FEATURES
The Deluxe SS is a great choice for players looking for an instrument that’s a little more distinctive and versatile than the bulk of thinline semi-hollow guitars available on the market today.
The SS body has a single cutaway, arched top and arched back made of laminated maple, and measures 1.75 inches deep, 18.75 inches long and 15 inches across the widest part of the lower bout, making it slightly smaller than the common 335-style body dimensions. A few different options are available. Choices include an entirely closed top and stop tailpiece or an open f-hole body with a choice of D’Angelico stairstep trapeze or stop tailpiece. Our test example was the open f-hole configuration with stairstep tailpiece.
Other notable upgrades include a pair of custom Seymour Duncan DA-59 full-size humbucking pickups with gold-plated covers, a versatile six-way toggle switch that