D’Angelico upgrades flagship Excel EXL-1 archtop guitar

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Seymour Duncan mini-humbucker and visual tweaks

The Excel EXL-1 is D’Angelico’s own version of founder John D’Angelico’s original archtop design, and it’s been upgraded for 2018.

Tweaks include the addition of a Seymour Duncan Johnny Smith floating mini-humbucker, plus Art Deco-inspired details, including a scroll-style neck bevel, mother-of-pearl inlays on an ebony bridge, and split-block inlays on a pau ferro fingerboard.

Elsewhere, the model retains its 17-inch-wide, three-inch-deep body and classy stairstep tailpiece.

The Excel EXL-1 is available now starting at $1,499. Head over to D’Angelico Guitars for more.

Michael Astley-Brown
Michael Astley-Brown

Mike has been Editor-in-Chief of GuitarWorld.com since 2019, and an offset fiend and recovering pedal addict for far longer. He has a master's degree in journalism from Cardiff University, and 15 years' experience writing and editing for guitar publications including MusicRadar, Total Guitar and Guitarist, as well as 20 years of recording and live experience in original and function bands. During his career, he has interviewed the likes of John Frusciante, Chris Cornell, Tom Morello, Matt Bellamy, Kirk Hammett, Jerry Cantrell, Joe Satriani, Tom DeLonge, Radiohead's Ed O'Brien, Polyphia, Tosin Abasi, Yvette Young and many more. His writing also appears in the The Cambridge Companion to the Electric Guitar. In his free time, you'll find him making progressive instrumental rock as Maebe.