Guitar of the week #101: D'Angelico Premier TD

This is one fancy dan guitar without the fancy dan price.

I can assure you that this is not a Les Paul with extra wood in the back. Hardly. This is much more.

D'Angelico is not known for solid-body guitars, and the TD marks their return to making one again. And what a guitar it is.

You will see stuff on this guitar that you'd ordinarily have to pay well into 4 figures to get. This is a very ornate instrument and pictures do it no justice.

The question however is that as fancy as it looks, can it rock?

Yes, it can. And comfortably.

The first word that describes this guitar is ornate. The second word right after that is balanced.

Everything is balanced correct on this guitar. The Grover tuners are smooth and balanced. The pickups have a very nice balanced output that's not too weak nor too hot. The overall guitar is very balanced. Neck dive never happens, and whether playing seated or standing, this guitar, although it doesn't look like it, has a body feel as well-balanced as a Stratocaster. Yes, really.

24.75" scale, 5-ply (wow!) binding, C-shape neck, all the fancy Gibson digs with all the great balance and playing characteristics of a Fender...

...it's all there.

And the price for it all is super nice.

Published 2017 Mar 22