D’Angelico New Yorker NYL-4 Hollowbody Electric Guitar

This guitar is for sale to UK BUYERS ONLY.

This is a very special D’Angelico New Yorker NYL-4 hollowbody electric guitar in Gloss Natural finish. Made in 2000 in the well regarded Vestax factory in Japan, this particular guitar was signed off by Hidesato Shiino who is a well known name in the Japanese guitar manufacturing scene. A set-neck construction is employed, and comprises a Pressed Arch Solid Spruce top with Solid Flamed Maple back and sides, Maple neck and 22 fret Ebony fingerboard adorned with split block mother of pearl inlays. A set of Grover Imperial tuning machines are featured along with both a Ebony adjustable bridge and a ‘Stair Step’ D’Angelico tailpiece. A Kent Armstrong PAF-0 mini humbucker is featured in the standard neck position for jazz guitars with scratch plate mounted controls for both volume and tone.

The Maple neck plays fantastically well, with a profile which might be described as a ’D’ shape thanks to the slightly flattened area to the centre. This provides a comfortable place for the thumb to rest while playing, perfect for reaching those tricky chord voicings and breezing through smooth lead lines and solos. The Gloss finish to the rear assists with smooth navigation of the 25.5” scale, whilst the cutaway improves access to the upper register. The Ebony fingerboard is pleasant under the fingers and with the split block mother of pearl inlays adds the ‘Luxury’ appeal these guitars are known for, and with its 12” radius is equally practical for chordal and melodic playing.

The amplified tone of the New Yorker exemplifies what is meant when people talk about the ‘Jazz box’ guitar tone. Smooth and dark, the tone is warm and round but also clear and articulate, chiming with a quality that is spacious and airy while also being distinct and bell-like. The Pressed Solid Sitka Spruce top and Solid Flamed Maple back helps to reduce feedback when playing at louder volumes, the wood choices for the body provides a rich resonance, making the sound very reactive to the player’s touch. Lightly rolling down the volume and tone controls allows the guitar to ring through with its characteristic clarity and warmth, providing a richness that is sought after by many.