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12/3/2012

D’Angelico Guitars Shakes Up Music World by Resurrecting Iconic Models

D’Angelico Guitars announces a major expansion of its best-selling line of authorized reissues of iconic D’Angelico Guitar models during 2013. The effort will be supported by its “Reborn” marketing, promotional and artist relations campaign that is among the biggest in the guitar industry.

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D’Angelico is among the most highly esteemed names in guitars. The brand was founded in 1932 by archtop luthier John D’Angelico, the spiritual descendent of a line of legendary Italian stringed instrument master builders that dates all the way back to Antonio Stradivari. From his workshop on New York’s Lower East Side, D’Angelico painstakingly created exquisite guitars that were embraced by leading artists (Chet Atkins, Johnny Mercer, many more). They are considered among the finest guitars ever made by human hands – the stringed equivalents of limited edition Ferrari automobiles.

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“We’ve spent the last year working tirelessly to bring these classic guitars back to life,” says Brenden Cohen, CEO of D’Angelico Guitars. “Now music lovers, guitar players and guitar collectors everywhere have the chance to experience the D’Angelico magic for a surprisingly accessible price.” The line includes a full range of handcrafted reissues of D’Angelico archtops, semi-hollows and solid bodies. All feature the spruce top, maple back, and stair-step pickguard and tailpiece that are quintessential D’Angelico design.

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Making their debut at the industry-leading NAMM Show (Jan. 24 – Jan. 27, 2013) will be three new D’Angelico Standard Excel model reissues, including two single-cut guitars in Natural and Sunburst and a double-cut guitar in Cherry, White, Natural and Sunburst. Retail prices range from $1149 to $1419.

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Also being introduced at NAMM will be a USA Masterbuilt 1942 Excel Reissue, the first in a series of limited edition USA Masterbuilt reissues being built for D’Angelico by acclaimed boutique luthier Gene Baker of Premier Builders Guild (PBG) in Arroyo Grande, California. Baker’s reissues are based on extensive research that began with actual MRIs of the original 1942 Excel. The retail price has not yet been set.

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The “Reborn” campaign is an integrated effort that will feature showcase ads in leading guitar and guitar lifestyle magazines including Guitar Player, Premier Guitar, Vintage Guitar, Acoustic Guitar and Guitar Aficionado; strong social network presence; the continuation of a very successful “Free This D’Angelico” promotional program and several major artist signings that will be announced in the new year or sooner.

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The D’Angelico story is one of the more inspiring in lutherie: With John D’Angelico’s death in 1964 the D’Angelico brand faded from view. Through the following decades the brand had various owners, some with great intentions but none with the necessary financial resources and business acumen to put in place the management, manufacturing, sales, distribution and marketing infrastructure required to successfully relaunch a major guitar brand.

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Enter John Ferolito, Sr., a highly successful entrepreneur (co-founder of the multi-billion dollar Arizona Iced Tea Company and additional successful businesses). An avid guitar collector, Ferolito purchased the D’Angelico brand and recruited an expert management team led by CEO Cohen, President of Sales Steve Pisani and Chairman John Ferolito, Jr. He supported the effort with a new, state-of-the-art manufacturing, warehousing and distribution infrastructure.

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During the initial months of operation, the D’Angelico team worked under the radar, perfecting a line of authentic reissues that delivers D’Angelico quality and tone for an accessible price. The new models were enthusiastically received, and through 2012 D’Angelico has re-emerged as one of the fastest-growing brands in the category.

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Concurrent with renewed artist interest in classic archtop guitars, John D’Angelico and D’Angelico Guitars were featured in Guitar Heroes: Legendary Craftsmen from Italy to New York, a major 2011 exhibition at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art.

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Contact:
crista@contentfac.com

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