Excell Guitars

Steve Stallings · Post by **Steve Stallings** » 12 Sep 2002 10:50 am

Last weekend I had the pleasure of visiting my friend Bill Dearmore. He had a newer Excell D10 set up in his picking room. I was really curious about this because I'd never actually played one.
I was very surprised at the guitar. I'm not sure what I expected, but these remind me of the Zum/Mullen/Sierra school of steel building..... that is, it is a very precisely engineered steel. I had honestly not heard many positive comments about these and was very pleasantly surprised to find that the guitar will hold its own with all the more mainstream brands. Why don't we hear more about these?

Danny Bates · Post by **Danny Bates** » 12 Sep 2002 11:39 am

I don't know why they are not more popular.

I have an Excel Short Scale JB Model Frypan and it is a great guitar. Tons of sustain and tone. I can set it on top of my Hammond organ and slap the bar on the strings while I'm playing the organ and it plays great chord sounds... almost as loud as being strummed and way better than playing chords with my left hand on the Hammond.

I tune it like Junior Brown and deaden the low string with my thumb and I've got beautiful minor chords as well. I Love those fat 13th chords with organ. It is a Great guitar!

c c johnson · Post by **c c johnson** » 12 Sep 2002 1:43 pm

Steve I had an excel d 10 which was a great guitar. When I got tured of sounding like everyone else ai traded it for a JB excel dbl 8 and love it. I know; everybody says you don,t have to use the pedals but I couldn,t stay off them. It much easier to play without the temptation although occasionally I stomp with my left foot searching for the A pedal and throw my leg and hip out of joint trying to find that damn F lever.Scotty is the only dealer I know of and has to get them from Japan. Sayonara. CC

Doug Seymour · Post by **Doug Seymour** » 12 Sep 2002 6:52 pm

I traded a S12 Mullen I got in a swap with Mike Castleberry (I couldn't seem to handle the other 2 strings???) to Scotty for an Excel keyless S10 E9th guitar w/3 & 5. I swapped the strings & set-up to C6th and have really enjoyed playing this guitar....
easiest action I ever had on a steel. I never saw a steel that you couldn't make the action stiffer on, but I've seen many that couldn't be made any easier! Guess I need to talk to Scotty about a D10 keyless, 'cause I do miss that "other" tuning now & then! Are you listening Scotty or Don Curtiss??

Bill Stafford · Post by **Bill Stafford** » 13 Sep 2002 2:59 am

This is truly one of the best. My original S-14 Superb model is over four years old now and I have yet to turn it upside down for any type of adjustments. Pedal action is so very easy and accurate. (I have to warn players to not "stomp" or push hard on the pedals and levers when they try my guitar.)
My unit has the six raise and four lower changer while the new Superb models are five and five. The ball end of the string connects to the keyless tuner vice the changer end and that is a very big plus- by removing the string wrapping around the ball end of the string from the radius of the changer fingers. This is a very well designed and built pedal steel. Glad to see it is receiving this recognition. (It has a scale length of 25 1/2" also which really gives it beautiful tone and sustain especially high on the fret board.)
Thanks.

Bill Stafford

Steve Stallings · Post by **Steve Stallings** » 13 Sep 2002 5:42 am

I notice that he offers two models. One is the Superb and the other is the XL2000. From the web page it appears that the Superb is the "top of the line" but is not offered in a D10 version. Anyone know why this is?

fraser · Post by **fraser** » 13 Sep 2002 7:41 am

I have a 7 year old excel C6 S10 - 5 & 5. I don't have much experience with other makes but I love its sound and it's been real good to me. It sounds nice without even being plugged in!
Fraser

Steve Schaefer · Post by **Steve Schaefer** » 13 Sep 2002 12:45 pm

I email Scotty's this morning about the availability and price on the excel d 10. I Have not heard back from him. Where else can you buy an Excel?

Thanks

Steve

Bill Stafford · Post by **Bill Stafford** » 14 Sep 2002 8:32 am

You are more than welcome Joe. You sounded great at our last DSSG&MA session. Our next session will be on the 5th of October-Saturday, with lots of good food again and great players. Hope you can make it again.
We still have and unlimited supply of Southern Hospitality, so come and get your share. We all really enjoyed your Texas Steel Guitar playing.

Bill Stafford

Chuck McGill · Post by **Chuck McGill** » 18 Sep 2002 3:41 am

I have a D10 Excel in Buy and Sell that is
a great guitar. In St.Louis this year looked
at all the guitars and still think the Excel
to be one of the top guitars. But what do I
know. I like J. Garcia's steel playing