Official Luthiers Forum!

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/14/nyreg ... ias%3Ar%2C{%222%22%3A%22RI%3A18%22}&_r=0

_________________
Tim Allen
"Never hurry, never rest."

Yet another "marketing campaign" like The Larson Bros. Of course, these are manufactured in South Korea, and looks like they are laminated instruments...from the "D'Angelico" website:

http://www.acousticguitar.com/Gear/Revi ... L-1-Review?

According to the article, they are laminate. Looks like a custom Gene Baker USA Masterbuilt is available, but suspect those would be quite expensive. Looks like they are built by his pbg group (?), so I am guessing they are built as in a small factory.

My friend in California, Michael Lewis used to build the instruments the proper way one at a time with carved tops and backs. I see he still has several left. They were gorgeous instruments and built in the D'angelico tradition.

http://www.michaellewisinstruments.com/prices.php

Truth be told...

I'm one of those who believes there's a legitimate place for re-issue guitars of this kind and I hope the company does well. No serious player is going to mistake these for Mr. D's originals, but it looks like the company is delivering a lot of guitar for the money. I've got an Epiphone Zephyr Blues Deluxe--basically a re-issue of Gibson's ES-5. It, too, is a lot of guitar for the money, and I take it places I'd never take my carved top axe.

I'm curious about a previous re-issue of D'Angelico guitars--also factory produced and probably Asian. A friend of mine bought one ten or so years ago--well before this current iteration. He has a beautiful Excel repro with zipflex abalone purfling around the top. Nice sounding and playing, too. Does anyone remember who made those?