The brand's first fully hollow 15" single-cutaway model is inspired by some of the Grammy-winning guitarist's favorite jazz boxes
D’Angelico has just unveiled a strong contender for the best-looking hollowbody model of 2023: the Excel SS Soho, which was designed in collaboration with jazz heavyweight and Grammy winner Mark Whitfield.
Without beating around the bush, the guitar itself absolutely nails it in the aesthetic department. That Dark Cherry Burst finish, that golden Stairstep tailpiece, that ornate wood-paneled pickguard, that binding – it all adds up to a truly marvellous sight to behold.
But more than that, the Excel SS Soho has a premium spec sheet that looks to live up to the high visual bar the guitar sets itself. And, to make this model even more desirable, the Excel SS Soho is also D’Angelico’s first-ever 15-inch singlecut model to arrive fully hollow.
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(Image credit: D'Angelico)
(Image credit: D'Angelico)
The thinline archtop body is crafted from laminated flame maple back and sides and a laminated spruce top, and is paired with a gloss-finished three-piece neck and 16”-radius ebony fingerboard.
The latter is treated to mother of pearl split-block inlays, while the rest flashes irresistible binding: single for the neck, five-ply on the body and seven-ply on the headstock. At that end of the guitar, there’s also Grover 509 Super Rotomatic locking tuners, an aluminum Skyscrape truss rod cover with Whitfield’s signature, and a TUSQ nut.
Amplified tones come by way of a Kent Armstrong “Jazzy Joe” floating mini-humbucker, which is controlled by volume and tone knobs, and promises to deliver a “warm, round low-end as well as an articulate midrange”.
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(Image credit: D'Angelico)
(Image credit: D'Angelico)
Apparently, the guitar is inspired by, and pays homage to, Whitfield’s favorite jazz boxes.
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“When I think about what inspired me to start working on the design for the Soho, I needed a guitar that had a pointed, focussed tone,” said Whitfield in a demo video. “I needed the ability to cut through a crowded soundscape and soar on top of a track or in a band.
“It would have all the aspects of a handmade classic archtop, and yet the comfort and playability of a smaller bodied guitar,” he continued. “The Soho is the perfect embodiment of that vision.”
Matt is a Senior Staff Writer, writing for Guitar World, Guitarist and Total Guitar. He has a Masters in the guitar, a degree in history, and has spent the last 16 years playing everything from blues and jazz to indie and pop. When he’s not combining his passion for writing and music during his day job, Matt records for a number of UK-based bands and songwriters as a session musician.
