Step into a piece of living jazz history. Inspired by John D'Angelico’s legendary 1947 single-cutaway masterpiece, the D'Angelico Excel EXL-1A is a premium archtop designed specifically for players seeking a rich, organic, acoustic-first voice.
While traditional archtops lean entirely on heavy magnetic floating pickups, the EXL-1A variant is masterfully engineered with a high-fidelity electro-core piezo pickup hidden right inside. Free of distracting knobs on the body top, it preserves a clean, classic Art Deco aesthetic while delivering pure acoustic resonance directly through your favorite amplifier or PA system.
Boasting a commanding 17-inch wide, 3-inch deep body built with a laminated spruce top and flamed maple back and sides, this instrument yields an incredibly woody, articulate tone with majestic projection.
Key Features
- Acoustic-First Engineering: Features a specialized internal piezo system rather than a bulky floating magnetic pickup, maximizing the raw acoustic vibration of the body top.
- Clean Art Deco Aesthetic: Features completely wireless "no-knob" electronics for an elegant look, paired with a signature scroll-style neck bevel, Mother-of-Pearl split block inlays, and the iconic gold Stairstep tailpiece.
- High-End Tone Woods: Meticulously crafted with a highly resonant laminated spruce top, flamed maple back and sides, and a dark, fast ebony fretboard.
- Flawless Tuning Stability: Outfitted with gold Grover Super Rotomatic tuners to guarantee absolute precision and tuning longevity on stage or in the studio.
Specifications
- Model: Excel EXL-1A (Legacy / Discontinued Series)
- Serial Number: S160061104
- Body Style: 17" Wide, 3" Deep Single-Cutaway Archtop
- Top Material: Laminated Spruce
- Back & Sides: Laminated Flamed Maple
- Neck Material: 3-Piece Maple/Walnut/Maple (Slim C-Shape Profile)
- Fingerboard: Ebony with Mother-of-Pearl Split-Block Inlays
- Scale Length: 25.5"
- Nut Width: 1 11/16"
- Pickup: Internal Electro-Core Piezo System
- Controls: Secret/Minimalist No-Knob Configuration
- Tailpiece: Gold D'Angelico Stairstep
- Tuners: Gold Grover Super Rotomatic
- Finish: Gloss Natural Tint
- Case: Original Hardshell Case Included
** This is a used guitar and therefore may have cosmetic imperfections and blemishes such as swirls not visible in photos. If you are concerned about cosmetic issues please call our shop or come by during normal business hours and we will further describe the guitar. **
Big House Guitars is a brick and mortar store in Atlanta GA open 7 days a week. All items are available for viewing and playing in the shop during regular hours. All guitars are inspected and set up by our in house luthier. Buyers are encouraged to call the shop and ask any questions before placing an order. Please do not hesitate to contact the store directly at 404-254-0190.