Guitar Tricks Insider February/March Digital Edition | Page 51

GEAR REVIEW

FEATURES
The EX-SS retains the old school D’Angelico
appearance, which includes an ornate headstock
and Stairstep look on the tailpiece, a truss rod
cover, tuners, and a headstock with pearl inlay.
The finish, pinstripe binding, mother-of-pearl
inlays, and overall craftsmanship are flawless.
A variety of finishes are offered including solid
colors in black, white, and cream, and flamed
maple finishes in gray/black burst, traditional
yellow/black burst, and clear. The burst and
clear finishes are exceptionally beautiful and
showcase the visually stunning flame maple top
underneath. The hardware choices are gold and
black.
A laminated flame maple top and back decorates
the body. The neck is constructed with a 25”
two-piece maple with walnut center/core and
rosewood fretboard decorated with motherof-pearl inlay fret markers. While playing the
guitar, the slim c-shaped neck felt comfortable
and provided an easy grip for chords and string
bending.

The EX-SS comes equipped with two Kent
Armstrong pickups perfectly matched for the
guitar, and each pickup with its own volume and
tone control. A three-way toggle switch allows
you to choose between pickup configurations for
the neck, neck and bridge, and bridge. The neck
pickup with a clean tone sounds especially good
for jazz and blues, and the combination of neck
and bridge coaxes some funky R&B tones. The
bridge pickup boasts a powerful mid-range honk
well-suited for rock, and sounded exceptional
when teamed with a Tube Screamer.
Other hardware includes a Tune-O-Matic bridge,
a signature Stairstep tailpiece that offers
comfortable string tension for bends, and Grover
Imperial Super-Rotomatic tuners, which provide
a smooth turning radius for accurate tuning. Top
that off with a deluxe hardshell case (included)
to store this admirable instrument and you’re
getting one heck of a deal.

VERDICT
In a nutshell, the EX-SS is a great choice for
both the novice and seasoned pro looking for
a versatile guitar to do it all. It’s a well-made
guitar that brings the D’Angelico look and
sound to a wide audience of guitarists who
could only dream of owning an authentic
D’Angelico. Now they can afford to make it a
reality!

FEB/MAR

DIGITAL EDITION

51