UNRESERVED. Serial#: 1136. James D'Aquisto was trained by, and is the successor to, John D'Angelico. Both men are considered to be the finest independent builders of archtop guitars in the history of the instrument. James apprenticed to John beginning in the 1950s, but by 1960, John's health was failing and Jimmy was asked to do more and more of the finishing work, and, finally, the hand-crafting of components. After D'Angelico passed away at the age of 59, D'Aquisto continued the business of building guitars, now under his own name.

This amazing guitar is a nominally 17" wide New Yorker, which D'Aquisto called the "New Yorker Special," as the standard New Yorkers stood wider at 18" across the lower hip. This is a fancy, traditional instrument having the pineapple and pediment motif at the top of the headstock. The headstock is inlaid with the large DAquisto (no apostrophe) underlined logo, and below that a scroll that reads "New Yorker" sideways so that the audience can read it; below that is a stylized ebony truss rod cover held in place by two screws above the nut that is inlaid with mother of pearl. On the back of the headstock are prominent double diamonds -- one facing up, one facing down. The three-ply bordered ebony fretboard is inlaid with split blocks at seven positions, starting with the first fret. The four-ply black-white bordered ebony stylized pick guard is fitted to a black floating pickup with exposed magnets that hangs under the base of the fingerboard but does not penetrate the top, and there are two rotary knobs on the pick guard for volume and tone. Centered between the twin "s"-shaped soundholes is a two-piece ebony bridge hand-carved by D'Aquisto.

This New Yorker Special is signed and dated by James D'Aquisto. It was originally completed on February 26, 1980 for Ted Dunbar.

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