John D'Aangelico (1905-1964) built arch-top guitars and mandolins and is universally regarded as the finest archtop guitar pioneer that ever lived. D'Angelico instruments were strictly hand made, in limited quantities. In the late 1930s, when production was at its peak, D'Angelico was able to make approximately 35 instruments per year with the help of two or three workers. In late 1952, Jimmy D'Aquisto began to work as an apprentice, and he was D'Angelico's only assistant from 1959 until … [Read more...]
