DAngelico Deluxe SS Satin Honey

DAngelico Deluxe SS Satin Honey review

The DAngelico Deluxe SS Satin Honey is a semi-hollow electric guitar with a center block, two humbuckers, and a 25-inch scale. Its specifications point to a model built for players who want a resonant body and the familiar control range of a two-pickup guitar. The supplied field notes are strongly positive, highlighting the finish, playability, and a full, sustaining voice.

The guitar has a listed price of 1,699. It has been available since June 2022, and its item number is 544881. A hard case is included. The Satin Honey finish and gold-plated hardware give it a distinct look, while the semi-hollow construction and center block define its basic character and format.

Body, neck, and playing feel

The body has a laminated maple top, back, and sides, with a center block running through its semi-hollow design. Maple is also used for the neck, joined with walnut in a maple, walnut, maple construction. The fingerboard is ebony and carries 22 frets, with split-block mother-of-pearl inlays. Five-ply binding finishes the body edges.

The neck is described as narrow, with a C-shaped profile. Its 43 mm nut width and 635 mm scale length give the key measurements for assessing the fit. The scale is shorter than the common 25.5-inch electric-guitar scale, a detail that can affect string feel and bending response. Individual preference matters, so players should try the neck if they are sensitive to width or profile.

The field feedback praises both the workmanship and playability, calling the construction exceptionally well finished and the guitar easy to play. That is a useful report from someone who handled the instrument, though it is still a personal impression rather than a guarantee that every player will find the neck equally comfortable.

Pickups and controls

Two Seymour Duncan Seth Lover A4 humbuckers, each with a gold cover, provide the pickup configuration. The controls include separate volume and tone knobs for the two pickups, along with a three-way selector. Both tone controls have a coil-split function, allowing the humbuckers to be split for a different response from their full humbucking mode.

The available information does not specify how the split is activated, so it is best not to assume a particular switch or push-pull arrangement. In practical terms, the listed setup offers a choice between the two pickups, their combined sound, and the additional split option. The review notes single out the Seymour Duncan pickups as a major strength, describing the sound as high quality, resonant, and rich in midrange, with pleasing sustain.

Those observations suit the guitar's semi-hollow layout, but the exact result will depend on the amplifier, settings, and playing style. The center block is part of the design; no tremolo is fitted. The control layout stays conventional, making the core pickup selection straightforward for players already familiar with a three-way switch and individual volume and tone controls.

Hardware and finish

The Satin Honey color is paired with a five-ply tortoiseshell pickguard and gold-plated hardware. A D'Angelico Stairstep tailpiece and Grover 509 Super Rotomatic tuning machines complete the listed hardware. The output jack is an EG2P type. These details give the guitar a more dressed-up appearance than a plain working instrument, and the supplied feedback describes it as eye-catching.

There is no tremolo system, which keeps the tailpiece setup fixed. Players who rely on pitch effects from a vibrato arm will need to use another method. In return, the hardware list is focused on a fixed-bridge-style arrangement, and the included case makes storage and transport more convenient than buying protection separately.

Verdict

The DAngelico Deluxe SS Satin Honey makes a clear case for itself through its semi-hollow maple construction, ebony fingerboard, Seth Lover humbuckers, and coil-split tone options. Its 635 mm scale, narrow C-shaped neck, and 43 mm nut width give prospective buyers concrete points to compare against their preferred guitar feel. The provided playing feedback is notably favorable on finish quality, comfort, resonance, midrange character, and sustain.

At a listed price of 1,699, the model is best considered by players who want a visually distinctive semi-hollow guitar with a center block and versatile two-humbucker controls. Its appeal depends partly on whether the neck dimensions and fixed hardware suit the player. On the evidence available, it combines careful-looking construction with a strong tonal impression and includes a case in the package.