Heritage Custom D'Angelico

This is a review for my custom made D'Angelico Archtop that was built in the pure D'Angelico Vein with NYer appointments, whcih was built in the custom shop at Heritage Guitars in Kalamazoo for only a very brief preiod prior to the name being sold to the Japanese production. This is a full 17 inch HandCarved Archtop with violin line bidnings, and all top top quality workmanship. It was a custom order and certainly the best archtop hertitage has ever built. They spared no expense with this guitar. Master grade woods, Spruce top carved beautifully, and flame maple back and rims. Ebony board with elegant inlays and of course the true D'Angelico label inlayed on the ebony overlayed headstock. Stair step tailpiece stamped D'angelico, Ebony inlayed bridge, multipply nck nody and headstock bindings. Imperial Grover tuners and a floating PU on a D'Angelico style pickguard. 25.5 scale full 17 inch beauty. Hertiage Case. By the way the original price was over $11000

I have owned 3 Heritage archtops and although I sold them all they were great value. I also own several high end archtops, such as a Buscarino Virtuoso, J.R. Zeilder custom, Koontz SK, and an insane Joseph Jesselli. This archtop is of a different breed than the other Heritage archtops I ahve owned. It has much greater attention to detail and the tone is simply exquisite. The body has an acoustic bounce which I felt was missing form the other production model Heritage archtops I have owned. It has a brilliance and elegance that it only possible ina truely handcarved top by a master. Ia m not sure who exactly carved the top and back, but there are a few signatures of the top builders in heritage and the attention to detail in graduating the top and back is tops!!! The acoustic tone is the real deal and nothign short of piano like in the sensitivity and richness. The articulation and intonation are just beautful.

I am not a huge fan of the pickup, while it has greatw armth it is not as articulate and clear as I would like. I have not changed it yet, but a vintage DeArmond Rythm Chief may be in order. Have them on several archtops and love the vintage tone or a Bartolini would do too. I play through either a Henrriksen convertible or several vintage tube amps, a Standel vintage all tube 30J15T, a Oliver PA100XR, Excelsior Citation 12 inch all tube. At low volumes through these tube amps the result is nothing short of AMAZING. I have Johnny Smiths original custom solidstate amp and this archtop sends the JS tone and legato style that would make you think JS is playing.

Perfect construction, bindings, set up, hardware top top notch!!!

Not a Les Paul Jr. or a strat and I actually do not take it out of the house. I take an Ibanez L-5 copy out from the 80's, great gig guitar. The Heritage is too valuable! and really meant for acoustic playing for the most part

I bought this used and at a great discount, still it wasn't cheap but Ia m extremely happy with the purchase. I paid a little over $7500 for it in like new condition, not a scratch. It blows away my Benedetto Artist Award, for sure and sold that long ago. This was a project that the builder s at Heritage took some serious time and thought into. It is a beautiful D'Angelico replica and a true collector as not many were built and the Japanese models pale in comparison to this. If you can find one pick it up as this is a serious jazz guitar and a great value!!! Certainly comparable to any lterh archtop I own in craftsmanship and tone.