DAngelico Deluxe 59 Satin Brown Burst

Let’s begin with the looks: This guitar is stunning. The finish is absolutely flawless, and reflects John D’Angelico’s Art Deco sensibility, from the stairstep tailpiece, echoed in the pick guard and tuner buttons, to the trademark cupola in the headstock. The dao veneers are gorgeous, and all bindings are perfectly installed, with no gaps or flaws to be found. The photos only hint at how good this guitar looks in person!

The neck needs a book all its own. I have telecasters, strats, Les Pauls, and PRSs, and I have never, NEVER felt a neck as good as this one. Its profile is described as “a narrow C-shape,” which tells you something, I guess, but actually holding it is to experience perfection in guitar neck design. You never want to let go, and when you do, you can’t wait to pick it up and hold it again.This neck begs you to play, presenting not obstacles, but pure compliance. It seems to me to be a perfect fit for any hand, large or small.

The sound: You can get almost anything you want out of this machine, from jazz, to blues, to folk and rock. I play almost exclusively with my fingers, and only rarely with a pick, and I have no problem getting a sharp, biting attack on this guitar when I want it. Contributing to the extraordinary tonal range of the Deluxe 59 are a number of factors, beginning with the P90 pickups. I love P90s for their broad tonal range and their sensitivity to touch. Yes, they’ll hum a little, but just change the angle of the guitar to the amp, and that goes away.The Deluxe 59 is a true hollow body, and at low to medium volumes, with the P90s, you can really hear the wood. The guitar comes strung with DAngelico Electrozinc Rock Light 10-46 strings, which are a good match for the instrument, and, to my ear, contribute to the woody tone. Unfortunately, Thomann and Amazon no longer stock them, but they were engineered by D’Addario, so it’s possible that D’Addario will offer a substitute. Finally, between the chickenhead pickup selector (which, aesthetically, is perfect on this guitar) and the tone knob, I don’t think you’d ever be at a loss for the tone you’re after.

In sum, I absolutely love this guitar. It’s by far the best electric I’ve ever purchased, in terms of looks, feel, playability and tone. If I could, I’d buy one for all my friends