NGD: Finally, another semi!

I've been pondering for a few weeks, about getting a semi acoustic for delving into playing some jazz. I started
off by thinking of getting a gypsy jazz acoustic guitar, then I thought of a big old jazz box. A full hollow bodied
archtop. Then I thought a semi and finally decided, why not just get a nice Les Paul. It would do the trick.

So I went out today to check out a couple. The two in question were a preowned Gibson Les Paul Classic and
a new Epiphone Les Paul Custom Pro Koa. I started off with the Epi and have to say, what a beautiful guitar
it is. From front or back, it's a stunner. Beautifully finished and very well put together. Playing it, it had
reasonable action and a vibrant quality. I did find the pickups a little bright, even before I coil-tapped them.
Quite sweet sounding, they were fairly low output. Useable but nothing special. Likewise, the fretboard was OK
but didn't inspire me. The Gibbo was in good order, with some small dings, back and front. It had a nice look
but was nowhere as attractive as the Epi. It felt similar to play, in that is was fine but not inspiring. The pickups
seemed at least 50% louder than the Epi's though. Still quite bright, they had a little more body but not enough
for me to want to own it. Oh dear.

The shop had just got a preowned Epiphone Broadway in. This is a hollow bodied guitar, aimed towards the
jazzer. It was in very good nick, having flawound strings and a very low action. Overall quite a decent guitar
but there was something about it's feel and resonance, that didn't click with me, although I'm sure it could
have been fettled, to be more my thing.

I was thinking of heading home but remembered some D'Angelicos from the shop's website. Both preowned.
Now there are three ranges in D'Angelico's non-USAmade guitars. Which ascend from "Premier", the most
basic, to "Excel", a good step up and finally "Deluxe", which have some Custom aspects. Both were in the "335"
style, which I had wanted to avoid, as I'd owned a Gibson ES335, that was a great guitar but too heavy and
bulky for my taste. But these D'Angelicos were light and had a very nimble feel. One was a natural maple
finished Excel model, the other an emerald green Deluxe model. I played them both and hands down, the green
meanie won me over. The Duncan pickups were just so full of character and depth. And a 6-way toggle
switch give HB and single coil options. The neck is C-profiled with a narrowish fingerboard and is a delight to
play. So easy and comfortable, with speedy finger work being a doddle. Yet the guitar has a very solid feel.
The aesthetics may not be to everyone's taste, having quite an art deco influence. But they've been clever with
this model, having a matte or satin finish, looks very cool and quietens down the bling affect of these guitars.
And having a silvered truss rod cover, also achieves this, with most of the other hardware being gold. So yes,
this rather beautiful, great playing and sounding semi, came home with me. I really like the tailpeice, in that
it not only looks cool but provides a gentler angle over the bridge, which takes a little tension out of the strings.
And to top it all, locking tuners. A real plus, in my book.


D'Angelico Deluxe DC Doublecut in Matte Emerald - SPECS:
Flame Maple Body, 5-ply binding and a smooth matte finish
Maple/Walnut/Maple Neck
Rosewood Fingerboard w/ Mother Of Pearl Inlays, Radius: 14”, C-shape profile.
22 frets, with Jescar Fretwire
Scale length: 24.75”
Nut material: Tusq
Seymour Duncan DA-59 Pickups
Two Volumes, Two Tones & 6-Way Toggle
Gold Tune-O-Matic bridge w/ Stair-Step Tailpiece
Gold Grover Super Rotomatic Locking tuners
Comes with Deluxe Hard shell case