The flagship archtop in the D'Angelico line has returned—now in two colorways with two different pickup configurations. Inspired by John D'Angelico's single-cutaway "Excel" model that was first introduced in 1947, the Excel EXL-1 offers woody, articulate tone, ideal for both rhythm and lead playing. Featuring a redesigned neck shape, the EXL-1 promises the perfect balance of comfort and heft, still prioritizing remarkable mobility but also offering improved handfit. On the Dark Iced Tea Burst finish, a full-sized Seymour Duncan 59 humbucker yields broad tone with singing sustain, while a Johnny Smith Floating Mini-bucker on the new Amber finish offers woody, focused tone that prioritizes body top resonance. Features include Grover hardware, an ebony fingerboard, and Jescar fretwire.

Features

• True to John D’Angelico’s legendary design, the Excel EXL-1 is a 17-inch-wide, 3-inch-deep single-cutaway offering rich response and classic mid-century jazz tone.
• Strapped with either a floating Seymour Duncan Johnny Smith mini-humbucker or a full-sized 59, both options yield classic archtop tone, with warm, woody low end and articulate mids.
• A comfortable C-shape neck capped with an ebony fingerboard and Jescar fretwire makes for remarkably premium feel up and down the neck.
• Modeled after John D’Angelico’s preeminent single-cutaway design, the EXL-1 is our flagship archtop for good reason—it has stood the test of time.

Specifications