D'Angelico NYSS-3 vs EX-SS... is vestax worth it?

[MHoranzy]

Hey guys. I've always liked the semi hollow sounds from folks who play the d'angelico, but I've never been able to find a good comparison of the original vestax models to the reissues. Can anyone give their 2 cents on whether the EX-SS comes close?

The EX-SS is discontinued but available used for cheap, and seems to be the closest specwise to the vestax, especially in cosmetic appearance with the inlays and stairstep tailpiece. Should I shell out the extra couple grand for the vestax though?

Thanks.

[MHoranzy]

I’ll try one more time does anyone have any info about the differences between these two?

[Gitterbug]

Your question was asked on a Finnish forum back in 2014. Since there were so few D'Angelicos here on the Tundra, the discussion soon drifted to other thinlines, with various Ibanez versions and Yamaha SA 2200 getting a lot of support. I've had a Vestax NYL-2 from 2005. While a great guitar, I think the more recent D'As I have tried at guitar shows (Musikmesse 2016, Mannheim Guitar Summit 2018-2019 and NAMM 2020) are definitely closer than a 2K price gap would suggest. I've heard Kurt Rosenwinkel live and I think he could have used just about any guitar and still sounded good.

[citizenk74]

Hey guys. I've always liked the semi hollow sounds from folks who play the d'angelico, but I've never been able to find a good comparison of the original vestax models to the reissues. Can anyone give their 2 cents on whether the EX-SS comes close?

The EX-SS is discontinued but available used for cheap, and seems to be the closest specwise to the vestax, especially in cosmetic appearance with the inlays and stairstep tailpiece. Should I shell out the extra couple grand for the vestax though?

Thanks.

IIRC, at least some of the Vestax instruments were hand-made with solid carved tops and backs and a commensurate level of materials and workmanship throughout. If I could afford it, I would by a hand-made Vestax in a heartbeat. As it is, I have weekly struggles suppressing the urge to splurge on an Excel, which are fine looking and, by all accounts, playing guitars.

You pays your money, you makes your choice. Your call.

[Spook410]

The D'Angelico NY-SS (discontinued) has a solid, carved spruce top. Also fancier parts. It has a reputation for great workmanship. They run over $2K.

The D'Angelico EX-SS (available new for $1.8K or used for <$900) is a nice production guitar with laminates and serviceable components. They look nice and play nice but are not a hand crafted instrument.

I have an EX-SS and it's fine. I use it as a platform for P-Rail pickups and it's a very versatile guitar with a tone I prefer to most solid bodies. But it certainly sounds like what it is. It is not a carved archtop and does not have that level of complex acoustic tone.

I have not played a NY-SS and don't know how different the sound is. On a 15" short scale guitar with a bridge block, I wouldn't expect that much difference in what's coming out the speaker given the same pickup and amp. Still, the NY-SS is in a different class of build quality. Is that worth $1K? That's something only the individual can answer. For a primary jazz-ish guitar I would want the NY-SS.

Once you get up to the price of a NY-SS you should also consider a Comins GCS-1 (laminate) or maybe an Eastman Romeo (solid top). I'm sure others would have good suggestions. But for just over $2K you could do worse than a NY-SS if you can find a nice example. And in the sub-$1K range, not sure there's anything better than an EX-SS.

[rpjazzguitar]

In case this is relevant, I had a Korean EXDC, 2009 or so model, which, reportedly, was designed by Bill Comins.

I now play a Comins GCS-1.

Bill told me they are not the same guitar, even though they're both 335 style guitars, more or less. DC, 2 HB, thin line with a block.

I think the EXDC may be the darker sounding of the two, although they're both dark sounding to my ear. The GCS-1 has coil split option though, which sounds pretty good.

What I liked about the EXDC, which was my main instrument for several years, was that the upper register was thick and creamy sounding. No sizzle or tinniness. But, eventually it developed some sizzle in the highest notes and no amount of meticulous fretwork restored the original sound.

The GCS-1 went in the other direction. At first it seemed to have some sizzle. Bill Comins listene to it on the phone, watche a video, and sent me a new bridge because the saddles in the original were moving a little (that's pretty good customer service, right?) It didn't change anything. Eventually, I moved to the DV Mark Little Jazz and around that time, the sizzle stopped. I assumed the amp was filtering it out, but that turned out to be incorrect. I don't know what changed, but the problem is gone and the upper register sounds great even through a keyboard amp.

Jack Wilkins and Yotam Silberstein were both gigging with the GCS-1. Jack through an AER compact 60 at the zinc bar. Not sure what amp Yotam used (at Dizzy's).

The EXDC is probably half the price, or less, of the GCS-1. They're both good guitars. The GCS-1 will sound better to some (I'd guess a majority) and it looks better. But, the EXDC is a fine instrument too.