The amount of "solid body" electric guitars James D'Aquisto made in his career is debated. The ledgers say 29 or so, some people say more or less, but what's evident is that the rarity and quality of these guitars are two major factors in their popularity and collectability. Like a good amount of these late period "solids", this guitar is actually a semi hollow guitar with no F-holes (a center block and two hollow chambers on the side) and this distinction makes for an incredibly resonant guitar.
Though there is no distinct serial anywhere on the guitar, this particular example comes with original paperwork both notating a headstock repair/refinish and also an original appraisal paper and bill of sale from Jimmy D'Aquisto himself from at or before 1994, along with the Ledgers mentioning only two Left-Handed Solid Bodies between 1987 and 1990, and the specific shape and finish type/quality evident in the later guitars, placing this squarely in that period, hence the "c. 1990".
This guitar features an unbelievably attractive set of highly flamed maple top and back, both of which feature almost see-through flame that is a definite marker of D'Aquisto's quest for perfection. The neck is a ridiculous piece of flamed maple as well, and is extremely comfortable, having almost a perfect C shape that fits perfectly in the hand. The ebony fretboard is in great condition, with a couple of spots of wear that indicate being left in the case for too long, but our techs in Scarsdale have completely given the guitar a head-to-toe inspection that has given this incredible guitar a new life. The frets are a little worn, but have been polished up and are playing great. The Schaller tuners are indicative of a 90's D'Aquisto as well, with the move from Grovers happening earlier in the century.
The chambered body is incredibly resonant, with the archtop style bridge adding an punchy voice to an already great guitar. The pickups aren't exactly what you'd expect from a D'Aquisto: they're a pair of Seymour Duncans: a Seymour Duncan Slug in the neck, and the bridge is a late 80's Seymour Duncan DDJ, wound by famed pickup winder Maricela Juarez. These frankly incredible sounding pickups are paired with a single volume and tone control with a single pickup selector.
The tailpiece, bridge, truss rod cover and headstock overlay are made of ridiculous Macassar ebony, with a color almost Rosewood-y. The ebony fretboard has gorgeous block MOP inlays, that add a bit of flair to this already gorgeous guitar.
Visually, this D'Aquisto is in better condition than many. Even before a clean and setup, this guitar was gleaming just under the surface, ready to jump out at you. We've got it strung up with Flatwound 11s, bridging the gap between archtop and solid body. If you're a lefty looking for the perfect crown jewel in your collection, this is it. This guitar comes with a Gator ICON Pro gig bag.
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