D'Angelico Excel guitar #1162

Built by John D'Angelico 1935-36

Repair completed  October 2016

Repair issues

  • Partially restored, finish removed and completely disassembled with major structural issues with the top & back plates
  • Top centre seam separated 
  • Neck removed
  • Disintegrated pickguard (replacement pickguard - all other hardware original)

Repair job

  • Re-join and re-inforce top centre seam
  • Re-form area of the back and glue back to rim
  • Fill over-sized binding rebates and re-route for bindings
  • Re-build dovetail and fit neck
  • Refret
  • Re-build original bridge
  • Stain & varnish
     

Notes
This guitar is a very early example of a  17" wide D'Angelico Excel model that, according to the maker's original ledger (book one), was made in either late 1935 or very early 1936.
Although stamped 1162 on the inside of the back plate, it is the 162nd guitar built as D'Angelico's numbering system began with #1000. 
With the assistance of two apprentices throughout his career, Vincent DiSerio and the much acclaimed Jimmy D'Aquisto, D'Angelico's output was prolific with an estimated 1164 guitars produced from 1932 until his death in 1964.