Hagstrom Review: James D'Aquisto Round Hole Archtop guitar (1979)

History:

Purchase: I purchased this instrument from a friend's father who had purchased it new in 1979. I paid $400.00 CAD for it. He sold it to me , not to make money , but rather to make sure that this great instrument would be appreciated and played on a regular basis. I can guarantee that won't be a problem !

What I Like About This Hagstrom James D'Aquisto Round Hole Archtop guitar (1979): This is a fantastic full size ( 17" across on the lower bout.)instrument for anyone who loves the traditional jazz guitar sound. It is made of birch, and projects very loudly even when it is not plugged in. The depth of the body is not uncomfortable to play. The finish and hardware are first class, as well as the pearl inlay on the headstock that says " designed by James D'Aquisto, New York, USA." It is one of 352 that were made.

What I Do NOT Like About The Hagstrom James D'Aquisto Round Hole Archtop guitar (1979): The only thing I don't like about the guitar , and this is only being picky ( excuse the pun.) is the pickguard. It is black and single ply, and really stands out against the beauty of the instrument. Why they didn't make a bound pickguard to really set this beatiful instrument off is anyone's guess. It looks like it belongs on a Harmony archtop, not a guitar of this stature.

Hagstrom James D'Aquisto Round Hole Archtop guitar (1979) Quality Rating: This guitar is made of birch, with an ebony fretboard, pearl block inlay, and inlay on the headstock. One round sound hole, with a floating humbucker mounted to the pickguard close to the neck. The controls are also mounted to the pickguard, so nothing interferes with the top of the instrument. It has white binding all over it, and is finished in a cherry sunburst typical of the late 70's. The hardware I believe are Schaller stairstep style tuners . the bridge is a floating adjustable ebony one. It also has a hinged tailpiece, really balances out the instrument nicely. These guitars are similar in appearance to the Howard Robert's fusion models of the 70's made by Gibson, but without the volume and tone knobs mounted to the body.

Review Summary: This is the finest archtop I have ever owned, it has incredible tone and presence and puts a lot of the 'big name' archtops to shame. I know because I own some of those too !! I play traditional cool jazz and some blues, so this is a perfect fit for me. Play it with flatwound strings on it and it will make you cry. It just sounds great. I would love to find some more of these instruments but they were produced in very limited quantities ( 352 in total !) If you ever see one for sale, period...BUY IT !!!!!

Rating of this Hagstrom product: 5

This Hagstrom James D'Aquisto Round Hole Archtop guitar (1979) Electric Guitars Review Submitted By: Brian C.

Review Date: 2002-11-26