D'Angelico Excel SS Series

[d115]

Im in the market for a semi single cutaway and im interested in the D'Angelico ss excels with a stopbar. They're beautiful.
Im hearing Korean made are better cost/quality. Their homepage states serial numbers starting with S or US are usa, W is Korea. There are a number of S numbers on reverb that seller states its Korean. Some have korean sticker. One actually is a US number with a Korean sticker. Anyone have experience with these?

[Steve Z]

Here’s what I found on the web…

Key details regarding D'Angelico serial numbers:

• "US" Prefix: Generally signifies modern Korean-made Excel series guitars.
• Other Imports: "W" indicates Korea, "C" indicates China, and "SI" typically indicates Indonesia (Premier Series).
• USA Made: Models made in the USA often have distinct serial numbers (starting with "NY" or "MB").

[d115]

Thank you,
That clears things up. Didnt see SI when lookin things up online.

[Alea]

I think the "NY" series were made by Crews/Vestax in Japan and can be distinguished easily by a diamond inlay on the back of the headstock.

As far as I'm aware any modern USA models come from the USA custom shop and have a "USA Custom Shop" engraving on the rear electronics cover (when there is one).

FYI the Crews company still produce the NY-SS but under their own branding, called the GBNY-1. There are some aesthetic changes like the inlays in the fretboard, different headstock design and finger-style trapeze instead of the D'Angelico stairstep (+ no pickguard), but the model shape and construction (as far as I can tell) are the same.

[peejay]

Im in the market for a semi single cutaway and im interested in the D'Angelico ss excels with a stopbar. They're beautiful.
Im hearing Korean made are better cost/quality. Their homepage states serial numbers starting with S or US are usa, W is Korea. There are a number of S numbers on reverb that seller states its Korean. Some have korean sticker. One actually is a US number with a Korean sticker. Anyone have experience with these?

I have an EXL-1. The label inside states made in Incheon Korea, the serial number begins with KS.

[LesB3]

Here’s what I found on the web…

Key details regarding D'Angelico serial numbers:

• "US" Prefix: Generally signifies modern Korean-made Excel series guitars.
• Other Imports: "W" indicates Korea, "C" indicates China, and "SI" typically indicates Indonesia (Premier Series).
• USA Made: Models made in the USA often have distinct serial numbers (starting with "NY" or "MB").

Yep, "US" serial numbers are Korean, US = Unsung

I don't know what factory the "W" guitars are made at (in Korea), but suspect it could be the same "World Music" that made Guilds with "KMW" serials.
Anything with the "KS" serials will be made in the now closed SPG factory (they made Korean Guilds and Gretsch guitars, among others).

I only have one so can't say definitively, but believe that the Vestax (Japan) are date / batch code only (no prefix).

There are a couple of "USA" D'angelicos on Reverb right now, as others have said they have a screenprinted cover plate and a serial that begins with "USA"

[John A.]

The S/N on my EX-DC (Excel series) begins with an “R" (followed by 05) and is labeled “Made in Incheon” (a city in Korea). According to this site that means made in Korea by SPG in 2005.