Although D’Angelico had standardized models, every guitar was, in effect, a custom order, and this Excel cutaway is a case in point, with a smaller body than the Excel’s typical 17-inch width.

Except for some electrics with laminated bodies, D’Angelico’s guitars were acoustic. However, many players fitted them with a “floating” pickup, so-called because it was installed with no drilling or routing into the top.

This model was the most popular aftermarket pickup in the 40’s and 50’s.
It attached by way of an extension arm to the side of the fingerboard, and the controls (including a jack) attached to the pickguard.