-
Oh I'm absolutely sure I have it backwards! But I have made a living from music for nearly 40 years despite that. We generally pay more for the same product in Australia - and at times, inferior products. I've seen some pretty dreadful stuff on the racks from the big makers here - although less so in the last 10-15 years, but 'seconds' from reputed brands have famously made their way to the market here for many decades as the 'top of the line'...That isn't the way that marketing works in the 21st Century, at least not here in the 'States. Actually, I think you've got the marketing model totally backwards.
DA have to be careful that they dont blow their branding the way that Gibson and some others have - and I think they have done a reasonable job of that.
While I wouldnt put any of the DA guitars I tried in the 'below par' category, there are very few of these guitars on the racks over here and the company is trying to ride high on the rep of a classic and unique brand and a pretty website. In order to to sell more 'rarified' guitars online.. with large jazzbox's that has to be risky.
It's not about build quality, its about what makes one guitar a pearler and the next one merely functional - tone vs feedback threshold, neck setting vs playability , rattles, the subtle differences in top resonance -the list goes on - as I said the more acoustic the more volatile. Add to that the limitations of this market and the price point which is a bit higher than similar offerings from Ibanez or Epiphone.
The Premier EXL 1model is still 1k here - and I liked the Wine red model I tried. It was light, easy to play, had a good feedback threshold - my only critique was that the pickup was a bit gnarly and the chrome hardware noticeably less refined. But I could imagine gigging on it with a few inexpensive changes. Was the Excel twice as good at twice the price? Probably not - but you get a hard case
.
At around 2k AUD + for an Excel model I for one wasnt buying anything online on good faith... I may well have that backwards but the differences Im talking about arent about build quality. I flew interstate to audition these guitars in person - its a no brainer for me. It's about whether I like the instrument to play at a professional level on - or not.
My SS was not the same as any other on the rack - thats why I chose it. It felt and sounded better than the others. It has the same minor build foibles as the other ones that I know of - nothing serious.
-
11-20-2017 05:19 PM
-
Yes, even Gibson. Over half of their guitars have some tuners off alignment, like many more expensive brands.
Not only D`Angelico EXL-1`s. Just open your eyes when you see backsides of headstocks in internet and in real life.
Last edited by savofenno; 11-20-2017 at 06:22 PM.
-
I bought my last Gibsons a while ago. Getting lopsided tuners wasn't a problem then, at least not for me. But now we see Gibson selling new production Memphis guitars at used prices as "floor models" that have all sorts of QC problems. It's unfortunate that today so many companies are trying to pass off crappy QC as the new norm, even Gibson. They won't be able to continue to trade off of their aspirational status brand name for very long if they keep up that kind of sloppy behavior.
-
I bet RP could make that current EXL-1 version sing. Here he is on the first or second versions.
-
Originally Posted by 2bornot2bop
What do you mean by first or second version? Production version? They both sound pretty good to me. The trend of these posts seems to be that D'Angelico now makes crappy EXL-1 product and they will either discontinue the line or their reputation will go down the toilet.
-
We have two different guitars in the videos. The first looks like a “standard” EXL-1 comparable to the recent blowout at GC. Originally Posted by PlumHunter
The second is not only a higher grade instrument denoted by the fret markers, but it has a full-sized humbucker routed into the top rather than a floating mini humbucker and a tune-o-matic bridge. I could be wrong, but that may not be an EXL-1.Last edited by Alder Statesman; 11-21-2017 at 11:55 AM.
-
From the angle in each video, I am not able to discern a big difference in the appearance of these 2 guitars. How are the fret markers different? By design as opposed to differences in the samples of the material used(what is that stuff called - from the inside of some clam, abalone?). I see the 2nd(EXL-1SH) has a glizzy looking piece of brass on the bridge. That's the more expensive instrument, correct? And the Humbucker appears to be larger(hard to see as his picking hand is right over it). As far as sound, the 1st sounds clearer, cleaner, brighter to me. Is the same recording equipment used on each song? Must be - the room looks the same in both videos. What would have been really definitive is if the same song could have been played in each session. The dates of each recording are back in 2007. How much has changed in these guitars since that time? Originally Posted by Alder Statesman
-
Rant: I can't believe that in the 21st Cenury there are still 240p videos on youtube, or that people actually post links to them. Sure the audio is OK, but what's the point of having a video if you can't see what you're looking at?
I'm inclined to agree with Alder that the EXL-1 in the Affirmation video looks like a garden-variety EXL-1, but I can't determine that it's no different from the EXL-1 that are currently sold-out at MF or are currently priced at $899 at GC. It could have been one of the earlier production guitars. There are a lot of videos on YT that feature incredibly good sounding EXL-1 (example: leftoverVISUALS) that I think are most likely not the current production guitars. I think leftoverVISUALS' guitar is probably from one of the previous runs that were contracted luthier builds. None of the current production EXL-1 that I've found in the stores -- and I've tried many -- sound as good as the leftoverVISUALS videos.
The guitar in the second video is definitely not an EXL-1, and if it were it wouldn't be of the same ilk as the ones being sold now by GC. The fretboard inlays are slashed, not rectangular. The bridge is TOM and it's got an embedded PAF-type humbucker. D'Angelico does not currently manufacture such a guitar.
FYI here is a pictoral view of what they do currently produce:
All D'Angelico Guitars
-
The “2nd” guitar could be a DA Master Builder New Yorker. They have the fret markers and the TOM bridge with inlays on the baseplate. I cannot tell if a full-sized humbucker is an option.
Handmade in New York with a solid carved top. We won’t see a Master Builder anytime soon for $599.
-
It seems to be an EXL-1SH Made in Incheon (Korea?) similar to that one here, was for sale here in the forum some time ago, (though the TOM bridge seems to be aftermarket):
-
EXL ent (get it?) call. I was having doubts about the Master Builder after looking at the end of the fretboard in the video. Originally Posted by DonEsteban
It seems to be an EXL-1SH Made in Incheon (Korea?) similar to that one here, was for sale here in the forum some time ago, (though the TOM bridge seems to be aftermarket):
-
The slashed (as you are calling the split blocks) were unique the New Yorker models. Like on this Triggs New Yorker...
I have yet to see a thread go on for so long based on speculation and innuendo as in this thread...
-
You appear to be extending it's life a bit longer. But there is some useful information too ... Even if you might not be interested in it. Originally Posted by BigMikeinNJ
The slashed (as you are calling the split blocks) were unique the New Yorker models. Like on this Triggs New Yorker...
I have yet to see a thread go on for so long based on speculation and innuendo as in this thread...
-
^ is it just me, or is that pickup canted counterclockwise?
Oh, and back to the kattywampus tuner thing -- I see this S-serial guitar on the DA website's Excel EXL-1 page, and it has the kattywampus tuners too, with he G being the worst offender, though not quite as bad as mine. So there seems to be some consistency among the S-serial models:
IMO it's a good thing that this thread has lasted as long as it has, based solely upon speculation and innuendo -- though it may not be one person's cup of tea, it's precisely what some other people want it to be.
If everyone in the world already had the same knowledge and shared the same opinions then there wouldn't be much need for discussions and this would be a pretty boring place. Personally, I think it's healthy to appreciate the learning opportunities that come from different knowledge and opinions.
-
I think the pckguard on the EXL-1SH is straight, but the bridge is up a tad on the bass side.
Those G tuners: ergonomicly canted for ease of use.
Just kidding, I do not understand the inconsistencies from example to example of what is supposed to be the same model and WOW DA has a lot of models.
Still very happy with mine for the price I paid. Most bang for my buck since the ‘62 Gibson ES120T I got for $75 after a $60 windfall back in ‘74.
-
The tuner issue resulted in slowed bonding for me but I'm happy that I bought mine. I had thought about buying two, with the intent to route one out for a single Wes-style HB. Now I'm kicking myself for cancelling the second guitar. Originally Posted by Alder Statesman
-
These Korean made EXL-1's were first imported around 2004. They arrived numbered with a signed certificate. IIRC there were only 700 produced. They sold for $1k new, and eventually several dealers blew some out at $700. That first batch were great playing guitars. The second production batch arrived around 2009 or so, in larger numbers, but did not arrive with a certificate or sequential numbers. Originally Posted by PlumHunter
I owned one of the originals w/ the certificate, and several from the 2nd production models. I bought one used from ebay from a forum member before I knew he was a member. That guitar was in a rare burgandy finish. It was one of the finest looking archtops I've owned.
It was about 4 years ago that the same model arrived with a single bound pick guard and several other finish differences...all of that info is in the archives for anyone who does a search.
-
"Wes-style HB"? What's that. Your plan was to replace the Kent Armstrong Mini-Humbucker? If so, what don't you like about the Kent Armstrong Mini-Humbucker? Originally Posted by BeBob
-
ISTM is the standard internet shorthand for "It Seems To Me". It has been in common use for more than a decade.
-
Yes. Originally Posted by PlumHunter
-
I did not see that "ISTM" in any of the posts I read. Maybe I missed it. I did not know what "ISTM" stood for. I am not sure we could call this a "standard". I think this would require a standards committee to decide this. And we know that the internet(but for protocols) has no standards whatsoever. I could be unaware of such a standard (who maintains this, the IEEE?) Originally Posted by sgosnell
-
but what else is new. that terms been around a long time. You guys should get a debating team going.
YMMV
-
reverb.com/item/5142875-d-angelico-excel-arch-top-acoustic-guitar-1948-ser-1786-original-brown-hard-shell-case?gclid=Cj0KCQiAus_QBRDgARIsAIRGNGj_b_anLLxM4Kf nFrriSUJ0MLVJHVgpjY9eCwbHNgg_p8OFgm9mU2MaAj6GEALw_ wcB&pla=1
That links to a picture of the tuners on an original D'Angelico. That is, one crafted by the Master.
Tuners look asymmetrical to me.
Maybe they copied it?
Is it barely possible that it's intentional? Any chance tuning is easier with asymmetrical tuners -- because of the way you have to configure your left hand to tune?
To me, this is not an issue at all. If that was the only possible flaw, I don't see it as a second.
I'd be more concerned with one side of the bridge being screwed all the way down, like it was on the one I played.
-
You asked why replace the KA here is my best as I can explain it reasoning. Yes I am one of those who thinks the KA pickup is a real weak link in an otherwise superb guitar. Originally Posted by PlumHunter
I replaced the KA stock pickup on my 2013 EXL-1 with a Shadow Attila Zoller AZ 48. My setup is as follows EXL-1/ TI Swing 12-56 roundwounds / Empress Para EQ/ vintage Peavey Redline Bandit 112 with a Eminence Legend 1258 speaker.
No matter what I did regarding amp and guitar settings I found that with the KA stock pickup I could get a decentish warm fat tone ( my preference) between frets 3- 8/9 on strings A/D/G/B/E but I had to be very careful with attack/pluck volume ( I use my thumb with no pick) as the tone fell apart easily and low E sounded simply muddy and muffled. From fret 0 to 3 the tone was even enough but blah with no real character. From the 10th fret and up on the G/B/E strings the tone just got thinner and quieter and fell apart the higher I played and on the low E/A/D the tone got muddier/less clear/more muffled the higher I played. I have an Empress Para EQ between the guitar and amp so lots of tweaking room. For single note stuff and simple chords between frets 3-9 on the A/D/G/B/E strings the KA was fine I guess as long as I kept the attack and volume low impact.
What I found problematic was that with more complex chord voicings there was a very real imbalance between bass and treble clarity and balance that varied depending upon where on the neck I was playing and the same thing held true playing single note lines especially from low string to high string horizontally on the neck.
I decided the issue was not the acoustic voice , the guitar sounded great unplugged and not the amp voice having tried a number of friends amps for comparison. So for me the KA pickup was the issue.
My preferred tone has the bass and treble rolled off to 2/3 on the amp with mids at about 6/7 and the tone at about 1/4 on the guitar and the Para Eq tweaking the above. Sounds warm fat and silky smooth to my ears.
The Shadow Attila Zoller AZ48 with nothing else changed at least for me has addressed all the issues I had . Sorry I am not a sound engineer and can't be more scientific but there you go. I hope that helps.
Will
-
What debate? What about a rebate on my D'Angelico? Originally Posted by BigMikeinNJ
Reply With Quote
Shipping Catastrophe
Today, 07:27 AM in Everything Else