Excel Superb Keyless Players

James Quackenbush · Post by **James Quackenbush** » 10 Jun 2003 5:13 am

I have been looking to go to a U-12/S-12 steel, and have been checking around to see what is offered by the various companies..I'm still not sure of how I will spend my money, and maybe you guys can help me out....I am hearing different reports on the Excel Superb U-12....Some call the tone of this steel "thin"...Some say "brite", but I haven't heard too many call it "full" or "deep" sounding..
There are a lot of features on the Excel that I like, and would really like to like this steel as the price is definitely affordable, and the mechanics seem to be really wonderful
I am trying to sell off my other steels to buy another Sierra, as this is my #1 choice, but you know how that goes...They are very expensive, but well worth it in my book...So if you guys have spent any time on a later model Excel Superb U-12 keyless, with the long scale, please chime in and give me your views on this steel..I know the earlier models had some issues, so I am talking ONLY about the newer Superb keyless models here....Thanks a lot guys.....Sincerely, Jim

C Dixon · Post by **C Dixon** » 10 Jun 2003 6:47 am

If you want an Emmons sound, the Excel SuperB is NOT for you.

It has a sound of its own. Some like it. Others, well. It is like the older MSA's or Sierra's. Each has a different sound. Since many players use the Emmons' soound as the benchmark; that it ain't.

Best to try one. If you can wait til ISGC time, you can try one out and hear it for yourself.

Good luck and may Jesus bless you in your quests,

carl

James Quackenbush · Post by **James Quackenbush** » 10 Jun 2003 8:10 am

Carl,
Thanks for your reply....It's great to see you posting again my friend...God Bless..Jim

Michael Johnstone · Post by **Michael Johnstone** » 10 Jun 2003 1:12 pm

As you know I've been playing one since last fall and it has become my "A" guitar. I've been told by more than a few people that my Sierra w/a Sheilds humbucker sounded too full and kinda overwhelming in a live band context.When I showed up with the Excel w/a Jerry Wallace single coil,fellow steelers as well as civilians commented on how much better I sounded.I'm not trying to say it sounds like an Emmons,but it has a pleasantly bright twang on the low strings without being shrill on the high strings - a trait normally associated with Sho-Buds,P/Ps,ZBs and other classic steel tones. I'll say this - the Excel is not a small sound.I love mine for that and lotsa other reasons and wouldn't trade it for anything. -MJ-

James Quackenbush · Post by **James Quackenbush** » 10 Jun 2003 4:11 pm

MJ,
So you would say that compared to the Sierra the Excel has a briter tone ??.....Did you ever have a TrueTone in your Sierra ??....I LOVE Jerry's TrueTones....17.5k is the magic number as far as I'm concerned...I do hope this still sounds good on an Excel Superb with 12 strings !!...Brite is right when playing in a band situation, so that you can cut thru the other instruments, but I want something that has some body to it also when doing solo work without a band backup..Is the tone big enough to stand on it's own ??...Thanks, Jim

Michael Johnstone · Post by **Michael Johnstone** » 11 Jun 2003 12:19 pm

I do have a TrueTone for my Sierra(both my Sierra and Excel are U-12s BTW)and I liked the TrueTone OK on the Sierra but it had something going on in the midrange that I never could dial in just right - maybe a touch of harshness - I dunno.The guys I play with liked it better than the Sheilds CrapTrap though so go figure.I hooked Pete Burak up with a TrueTone for his Sierra 12 string and I thought it sounded great on his guitar.On my Excel though,the TrueTone sounds just right to me - bright and fat.Don't worry about the Excel sounding thin - that is not the case. The word clarity is what I would use to describe the sound of the Excel as compared to the Sierra.Perhaps the metal neck on the Excel vs the wood neck on the Sierra accounts for some of that.Other good sounding pickups I've also had in the Excel are the Bill Lawerence 712,912 and the stock Excel single coil which I measured as also being 17.5. -MJ-

David Phillips · Post by **David Phillips** » 12 Jun 2003 7:56 am

James,
I have been playing an Excel Superb 14 since December 24th and I am extremely pleased with it. My guitar came wilth a Bill Lawrence humbucking pickup and sounds very rich and warm. I do sometimes tweak my amp controls to make it brighter. I believe a single coil would sound great in this guitar but Jerry can not make a 14 string pickup at this time.
David Phillips

Dirk B · Post by **Dirk B** » 12 Jun 2003 12:39 pm

Sorry for the dumb question, but what's a "True Tone"? Is it a pickup? A preamp?

Hal Higgins · Post by **Hal Higgins** » 13 Jun 2003 9:12 am

Joe Mac is right about the Excel 14 String of Bill Staffords'. I visit with Bill quite often and he gets a very warm, mellow, and bright sound from his guitar. He plays his through a rack system made up of Evans pre-amp, Carvin effects unit, Carvin 600 Power Amp with two Evans Cabs with 1501-4 BW's. Great sound. Another friend of mine, R.J. Buras, has an Excel 12 string on the same order as Bills, and most of the time he uses a Session 500 and gets an amazing sound from it. If I could afford one I'd have a D-10 Excel....BTW John Heinrich plays a D-10 Excel and gets great tonal response from it. My 2-cents worth......HAL

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Be Blessed........HAL
'85 Emmons LeGrande D-10, Rack w/Evans, Alesis Quadraver2, (2)1501-4 BW's IN PRO Cabs.

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 13 Jun 2003 12:06 pm

Dirk, "Truetone" is a single coil pickup made by Forum member Jerry Wallace.

James Quackenbush · Post by **James Quackenbush** » 13 Jun 2003 12:31 pm

Thank you all for your great replies...I'm glad I posted this thread....It's good to know that I will be in good company.... If I sell my Emmons , I will be ordering a shiny new Black 8+5 Excel Superb !!..If I can order it by the end of the month, it will come in with the convention steels !!!.....YEAAAAAAAH !!...