D'Aquisto Flat Top Guitars

D'Aquisto flat top guitars are a group of 16^[1] guitars made by Jimmy D'Aquisto.

His flat tops are unique and carry a bracing design entirely of his own devising. He made 16 flat top guitars from 1973 to his last in early 1984.^[1] He made two types, a grand auditorium and a dreadnought.^[2] In general, they were deep guitars with a large oval sound hole. He believed the oval sound hole produced greater projection than the typical round sound hole.^[3] They have a strong bass boom and the midrange and clarity expected from a D'Aquisto. Overall, their tonal structure is well-balanced and very suitable for recording. Of course, each of his instruments were custom built and variations were common. A customer would be given names and phone numbers of then current owners so the prospective owner could play existing guitars (Jimmy did not have completed guitars sitting in his shop—they were shipped as soon as they were completed). The prospective customer could then go back to Jimmy and tell him what was liked or what changes were desired; he would then adjust his plans accordingly. Whether the customer requested brilliance or bass, Jimmy would refuse to add a pickguard to the guitar face nor would he consider using any more than minimal bindings on the guitars so as to not reduce the sound possible from his creation. If amplification was desired, he would only consider a floating or non-permanent pickup (for either flat top or archtop), again, so as to not diminish the guitar's sound quality. He used a unique (for his time) off-set rectangular shape for the bridge, with the bass side larger than the treble. He could adjust the amount of bass in the guitar by the way he sized and shaped the bridge.

He numbered his guitars from 101 to 116.^[2] Number 101 was a non cutaway auditorium as well as number 111, which he made for Laurie Veneziano and

Janis Ian. Numbers 102 to 110 were his dreadnoughts. From 112 to 115, are some of his most beautiful auditorium guitars and the only flat tops he made with a cutaway. Each is a radiant blond color. He used European spruce tops and European maple back and sides for all his flat tops. Ebony for the fret board, bridge, bridge pins, and headstock overlay. His last, 116, is a dreadnought in an unusual tobacco sunburst finished in 1984.

D'Aquisto took his last order for a flat top guitar in the early 1990s. The guitar was to be made for a well-known rock and roller. Alas, it was not to be, D'Aquisto died in 1995. George Gruhn (well known international collector, dealer, and author of vintage guitars) described a D'Aquisto dreadnought as being smooth, mellow, and with a jazzy sound.^[4]

[edit] References1.^ a b Ilowite PG, D'Aquisto Flat Tops. 20th Century Guitar Magazine. 1994, 44-45, 75. 2.^ a b Tsumura A, Guitars The Tsumura Collection. Kodansha International LTD. D'Aquisto Serial Numbers. 1987, 192. 3.^ Olsen T, Luthier Jimmy D'Aquisto. Guitar Player Magazine. 1978. 4.^ Gruhn G, Great Acoustics. Acoustic Guitar. 1978 D'Aquisto Dreadnought. 2004, 106.

D'Aquisto flat top guitars are a group of 16[1] guitars made by Jimmy D'Aquisto.

His flat tops are unique and carry influences from his great mentor, John D'Angelico. Some well-meaning sources claimed influiences by Dr. Michael Kasha and Richard Schnieder but there is no chronological basis for that.

D'Aquisto made 16 flat top guitars from 1973 to his last in early 1984.[1] He made two types, a grand auditorium and a dreadnought.[2] In general, they were deep guitars with a large oval sound hole. He believed the oval sound hole produced greater projection than the typical round sound hole.[3] They have a strong bass boom and the midrange and clarity expected from a D'Aquisto. Overall, their tonal structure is well-balanced and very suitable for recording. Of course, each of his instruments were custom built and variations were common. A customer would be given names and phone numbers of then current owners so the prospective owner could play existing guitars (Jimmy did not have completed guitars sitting in his shop—they were shipped as soon as they were completed). The prospective customer could then go back to Jimmy and tell him what was liked or what changes were desired; he would then adjust his plans accordingly. Whether the customer requested brilliance or bass, Jimmy would refuse to add a pickguard to the guitar face nor would he consider using any more than minimal bindings on the guitars so as to not reduce the sound possible from his creation. If amplification was desired, he would only consider a floating or non-permanent pickup (for either flat top or archtop), again, so as to not diminish the guitar's sound quality. He used a unique (for his time) off-set rectangular shape for the bridge, with the bass side larger than the treble. He could adjust the amount of bass in the guitar by the way he sized and shaped the bridge.

He numbered his guitars from 101 to 116.[2] Number 101 was a non cutaway auditorium as well as number 111, which he made for Janis Ian. Numbers 102 to 110 were his dreadnoughts. From 112 to 115, are some of his most beautiful auditorium guitars and the only flat tops he made with a cutaway. Each is a radiant blond color. He used European spruce tops and European maple back and sides for all his flat tops. Ebony for the fret board, bridge, bridge pins, and headstock overlay. His last, 116, is a dreadnought in an unusual tobacco sunburst finished in 1984.

D'Aquisto took his last order for a flat top guitar in the early 1990s. The guitar was to be made for a well-known rock and roller. Alas, it was not to be, D'Aquisto died in 1995. George Gruhn (well known international collector, dealer, and author of vintage guitars) described a D'Aquisto dreadnought as being smooth, mellow, and with a jazzy sound.[4]

Acoustic Guitar. 1978 D'Aquisto Dreadnought. 2004, 106.

[edit] References1.^ a b Ilowite PG, D'Aquisto Flat Tops. 20th Century Guitar Magazine. 1994, 44-45, 75. 2.^ a b Tsumura A, Guitars The Tsumura Collection. Kodansha International LTD. D'Aquisto Serial Numbers. 1987, 192. 3.^ Olsen T, Luthier Jimmy D'Aquisto. Guitar Player Magazine. 1978. 4.^ Gruhn G, Great Acoustics. Acoustic Guitar. 1978 D'Aquisto Dreadnought. 2004, 106. [edit] References1.^ a b Ilowite PG, D'Aquisto Flat Tops. 20th Century Guitar Magazine. 1994, 44-45, 75. 2.^ a b Tsumura A, Guitars The Tsumura Collection. Kodansha International LTD. D'Aquisto Serial Numbers. 1987, 192. 3.^ Olsen T, Luthier Jimmy D'Aquisto. Guitar Player Magazine. 1978. 4.^ Gruhn G, Great Acoustics

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Ilowite PG, D'Aquisto Flat Tops. 20th Century Guitar Magazine. 1994, 44-45, 75.
2. ^ ^{a b} Tsumura A, Guitars The Tsumura Collection. Kodansha International LTD. D'Aquisto Serial Numbers. 1987, 192.
3. ^ Olsen T, LuthierThe D'Aquisto Foundation Help complete the D'Aquisto exhibit at the National Music Museum Jimmy D'Aquisto. Guitar Player Magazine. 1978.
4. ^ Gruhn G, Great Acoustics. Acoustic Guitar. 1978 D'Aquisto Dreadnought. 2004, 106.