An Original 1982 Jimmy D'Aquisto Hollow-Body 'Special Electric'.

1982 D'Aquisto Special Electric.

Jimmy D'Aquisto's 1982 'Special Electric' features a single Venetian (round) cutaway with a wonderful 'Almond Burst' finish. This 15 3/4- nch-wide, 2 7/8 inch deep jazz guitar weighs 7.40 lbs. Two-piece highly-flamed laminated maple top (without sound holes), two-piece highly-flamed laminated maple back and flamed laminated maple sides. Seven-ply binding on top and back. One-piece highly-flamed maple neck with a scale length of 25 inches, a nut width of just over 1 3/4 inches and a really fast medium-to-thin neck profile. Unique triple-bound 'D'Aquisto shaped peghead featuring "D'Aquisto" and a 'scroll' with "Special / Elec." inlaid in abalone. Unique shaped ebony truss-rod cover with two screws. Individual Schaller M6 'Rotomatic' tuners with half-moon shaped, gold-plated metal buttons. Ebony fretboard with 22 medium jumbo frets and pearl block markers. Two Kent Armstrong humbucking pickups, each with twelve individually adjustable pole pieces, with outputs of 9.92k at the neck and 8.24k at the bridge. Four controls (two volume, two tone) plus three-way pickup selector switch and two mini-toggle switches for series (up), split (middle), and out of phase (down). Gold plastic bell-shape "Bell" control knobs. Carved ebony pickguard (side mounted to the treble side of the neck with two screws) with single white binding. Height-adjustable ebony bridge on ebony base. Specific 'hinged' ebony tailpiece affixed to edge of body with three screws and strap button. The inside of the body is signed in blue ink (inside the bridge pickup cavity) "J. D'Aquisto / 1/7/82 / # 109". This guitar is in exceptionally fine (9.00) condition. There are a couple of minor 'infills' on the treble side on the lower horn and on the lower waist side of the body. These were done by Jimmy D'Aquisto himself at the time of production - it was not uncommon for him to prevent future issues by using this 'infill' method. The white ivory celluloid binding on the top of the headstock is slightly chipped and the ivory celluloid heel cap has deteriorated - this could very easily be replaced if required. All being said this exceptional instrument is in exceptionally fine (9.00) condition. Housed in it's original four-latch shaped black hardshell case with yellow plush lining (9.00). Reference: Paul William Schmidt. Acquired of the Angels. The Lives and Works of Master Guitar Makers John D'Angelico and James L. D'Aquisto. (D'Aquisto ledger p. 177).

James "Jimmy" D'Aquisto (1935-1995) was arguably the finest arch-top guitar maker in the history of the instrument but he was definitely the world's premier maker of custom, arch-top guitars for the thirty years he crafted them. He began as an apprentice to the legendary John D'Angelico in 1952 and was considered his successor after the latter's death in 1964. Carrying on the JD'Angelico tradition, D'Aquisto consistently produced instruments with the highest degree of craftsmanship, incorporating innovative refinements.

The D'Angelico family offered James the business for $3,000, which he had to borrow from a lawyer/partner. In 1966 James became the sole owner of what was now D'Aquisto Guitars. With the help of his family, he was able to buy the same machinery and tools that D'Angelico had used and focused once again on the art and craft of making  the finest arch-top guitars in the world.

In 1967 only a dozen D'Aquisto guitars were played and seen in the New York area where D'Aquisto set up shop but the word began to spread and the brand name gained recognition and respect among players. The number of orders grew rapidly. During a 1995 visit to the Fender factory in California, James suffered a fatal epileptic seizure. He was 59, ironically the same age as John D'Angelico when he passed away. James D'Aquisto logged 371 guitars on his ledger between 1965 and 1995, each now a legend. His tools and work bench - once the proud possessions of  D'Angelico - are now on display at the National Music Museum.

"In the world of custom-made guitars few instruments are as highly regarded or fetch as high a price as those made by the late James D'Aquisto" (Forbes magazine).