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Author Topic:  Show us your Excel Pedal Steels
Marty Broussard


From:
Broussard, Louisiana, USA
Post  Posted 11 Nov 2015 6:45 pm    
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I've really taken an interest in these guitars and now I just want to see as many as I can of them. Underside pics too please.

Thanks!!
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"Technique is really the elimination of the unnecessary..it is a constant effort to avoid any personal impediment or obstacle to achieve the smooth flow of energy and intent" Yehudi Menuhin
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Dustin Rhodes


From:
Owasso OK
Post  Posted 12 Nov 2015 6:55 am    
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Definitely interested in this.
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Erv Niehaus


From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
Post  Posted 12 Nov 2015 9:12 am    
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Here are a couple of, before and after, pictures of my Excel
I changed the mica from black to white. Excels have a unique form of construction so it really wasn't that big of a deal.




Here's a look under the hood:

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Mark Hershey

 

From:
New York, USA
Post  Posted 12 Nov 2015 9:41 am    
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I've taken an interest in these and have been doing some research. I've read nothing but amazing things about them. Erv how does this steel measure up to your other steels?

Thanks.
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chris ivey


From:
california (deceased)
Post  Posted 12 Nov 2015 9:44 am    
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i like the black one best.
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Erv Niehaus


From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
Post  Posted 12 Nov 2015 10:04 am    
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Mark,
I think they are a great guitar and very easy to work on. They have a unique construction, basically an aluminum cabinet with mica cover. There is a rib in the middle that extends from the bottom of the guitar to the top so very little cabinet drop.
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Dale Foreman

 

From:
Crowley Louisiana, USA
Post  Posted 12 Nov 2015 10:46 am     Re: Show us your Excel Pedal Steels
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Marty Broussard wrote:
I've really taken an interest in these guitars and now I just want to see as many as I can of them. Underside pics too please.

Thanks!!


Marty
Are you no longer playing the Ritt?
Dale
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Marty Broussard


From:
Broussard, Louisiana, USA
Post  Posted 12 Nov 2015 10:47 am    
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The design on the black one was cool. I'm expecting delivery of one tomorrow. Pretty fired up.
_________________
RETIRED

"Technique is really the elimination of the unnecessary..it is a constant effort to avoid any personal impediment or obstacle to achieve the smooth flow of energy and intent" Yehudi Menuhin
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Michael Johnstone


From:
Sylmar,Ca. USA
Post  Posted 12 Nov 2015 11:49 am    
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I've had this U12 since 2004 and haven't played anything else since. 5 raises & 4 lowers and lotsa unique engineering that you just have to see to believe. I can't imagine any other guitar that can do what this one can. I have 8+9 and a lever lock on there and a Wallace 17.5 Truetone single coil.Very light and packs up into what looks like a tenor sax case that could actually go into an overhead bin on an airplane at 38 lbs tho I've never tried that. Even in a flight case it's still under 50 lbs. Here I am playing it at Sneaky Pete's memorial w/his famous Burrito Bros Shirt behind me.








Here's Jay Dee taking a stab at it with Mitsuo looking on.

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Mark Hershey

 

From:
New York, USA
Post  Posted 12 Nov 2015 12:07 pm    
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Marty Broussard wrote:
The design on the black one was cool. I'm expecting delivery of one tomorrow. Pretty fired up.


Did you go for the keyless?
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Mark Hershey

 

From:
New York, USA
Post  Posted 12 Nov 2015 1:16 pm    
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Michael Johnstone wrote:
I've had this U12 since 2004 and haven't played anything else since. 5 raises & 4 lowers and lotsa unique engineering that you just have to see to believe. I can't imagine any other guitar that can do what this one can. I have 8+9 and a lever lock on there and a Wallace 17.5 Truetone single coil.Very light and packs up into what looks like a tenor sax case that could actually go into an overhead bin on an airplane at 38 lbs tho I've never tried that. Even in a flight case it's still under 50 lbs. Here I am playing it at Sneaky Pete's memorial w/his famous Burrito Bros Shirt behind me.








Here's Jay Dee taking a stab at it with Mitsuo looking on.



That pic of you with Sneaky Pete's shirt is amazing. I'm going to trust that Excel is a great choice for that 'west coast' sound.
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Mike Vallandigham

 

From:
Martinez, CA
Post  Posted 12 Nov 2015 4:09 pm    
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Oh boy, don't get me started.

Mitsuo is an incredibly nice fellow, and his level of mechanical wizardry is un-paralleled.

Here's my E9th/C6th 12 string, it's about 7 years old. I love it, and it sounds and plays ridiculously well. It's infinitely adjustable, and the long scale really sings.


It's a full 12 string E9th, then throw the lever, and you have a full C6th. The right knee levers change what pulls they make when you throw the lever.

Think about that for a while.





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Marty Broussard


From:
Broussard, Louisiana, USA
Post  Posted 12 Nov 2015 4:24 pm    
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Mike, that's the one I'm dreaming of.
_________________
RETIRED

"Technique is really the elimination of the unnecessary..it is a constant effort to avoid any personal impediment or obstacle to achieve the smooth flow of energy and intent" Yehudi Menuhin
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Marty Broussard


From:
Broussard, Louisiana, USA
Post  Posted 12 Nov 2015 4:26 pm    
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Mark I got a keyed one from Damir.
_________________
RETIRED

"Technique is really the elimination of the unnecessary..it is a constant effort to avoid any personal impediment or obstacle to achieve the smooth flow of energy and intent" Yehudi Menuhin
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Marty Broussard


From:
Broussard, Louisiana, USA
Post  Posted 12 Nov 2015 5:50 pm    
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Dale, I just noticed ur question. I traded the Ritt last year for a D10 because Gary was booked up and I would have had to wait a year to get another guitar from him.
_________________
RETIRED

"Technique is really the elimination of the unnecessary..it is a constant effort to avoid any personal impediment or obstacle to achieve the smooth flow of energy and intent" Yehudi Menuhin
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Greg Cutshaw


From:
Corry, PA, USA
Post  Posted 12 Nov 2015 6:14 pm    
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Here's a link to a great post from Mike V. about the underside mechanics of the Excel 12 string changeover:

http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=275999&highlight=excel+lock+lever

Check out the changer end plate photo showing all the tuning adjustments!!!!!
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Dustin Rhodes


From:
Owasso OK
Post  Posted 13 Nov 2015 5:58 am    
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Greg Cutshaw wrote:
Here's a link to a great post from Mike V. about the underside mechanics of the Excel 12 string changeover:

http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=275999&highlight=excel+lock+lever

Check out the changer end plate photo showing all the tuning adjustments!!!!!


Looked through the pictures and am seriously impressed as a mech. design engineer. Very very well thought out.
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Marty Broussard


From:
Broussard, Louisiana, USA
Post  Posted 13 Nov 2015 8:52 am    
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Thanks Greg!! I really enjoyed reading that.
_________________
RETIRED

"Technique is really the elimination of the unnecessary..it is a constant effort to avoid any personal impediment or obstacle to achieve the smooth flow of energy and intent" Yehudi Menuhin
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Mike Vallandigham

 

From:
Martinez, CA
Post  Posted 13 Nov 2015 9:08 am    
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Marty,
They're even better now, but Mitsuo develops things so quickly, I never know what's going on.

Last I saw, he had gotten rid of the keyless head tuners, and moved them onto the changer fingers. So you anchor the strings at the peghead, then lock AND tune them at the fingers, with thumb wheels. Super cool.

One cool thing my guitar does, is that when you do a lower, the whole finger just moves forward to effect the lower, the finger does not rotate. This eliminates hysteresis on return. I can't really explain how it's done, but there's basically another pivot point inside the finger, separate from the main pivot point of the large axle that holds the fingers.
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Mark Hershey

 

From:
New York, USA
Post  Posted 13 Nov 2015 9:58 am    
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I recently found out about these steels when I bought my Excel Frying Pan which is amazing.

Then I heard about these gain when I was listing to an album with some great steel and found it was a player I never heard of named Leo Leblanc. Researched him on this forum and saw that he played an Excel from the 80's in an unusual tuning.

Reading this thread is getting me more interested in them.

A few questions, how's the tone? I've heard it compared to a brighter steel like an emmons. Is that accurate?

How's the sustain? Last, what's the advantage of a 25.5 scale?

Marty, would love to hear some feedback on your new axe when you get a chance to play it for a while.
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Dale Foreman

 

From:
Crowley Louisiana, USA
Post  Posted 13 Nov 2015 1:59 pm    
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Marty Broussard wrote:
Dale, I just noticed ur question. I traded the Ritt last year for a D10 because Gary was booked up and I would have had to wait a year to get another guitar from him.


Ok. Thanks Marty.. I talked to Joe yesterday and he told me about Gary. I'm retiring soon from work and going to start playing again so I am looking at possibly buying new gear. Let me know how the Excel works out.
Thanks
Dale
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Mike Vallandigham

 

From:
Martinez, CA
Post  Posted 13 Nov 2015 5:22 pm    
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They're great on the sustain end of things. I think the 25.5" scale helps that.
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Larry Allen


From:
Kapaa, Kauai,Hawaii
Post  Posted 14 Nov 2015 10:24 am     Excel
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Hey Marty..here's my Excel collection, 2000 S10 Ext E9, 2010 S10 Ext E9 and 1962 D8...Great guitars. Just ordered a new one from Mitsuo...Larry



Very Happy
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Excel steels & Peavey amps,Old Chevys & Motorcycles & Women on the Trashy Side
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Marty Broussard


From:
Broussard, Louisiana, USA
Post  Posted 14 Nov 2015 11:22 am    
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Larry those are cool. Mine should be waiting when I get back home. Pretty excited.
_________________
RETIRED

"Technique is really the elimination of the unnecessary..it is a constant effort to avoid any personal impediment or obstacle to achieve the smooth flow of energy and intent" Yehudi Menuhin
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Larry Allen


From:
Kapaa, Kauai,Hawaii
Post  Posted 14 Nov 2015 11:44 am     Excel
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Marty...great guitars, never break strings, always in tune, cabinet drop is nil, super easy to work on and change copedants..I've got a BL710 in one and Telonics in the other...super sounds..I'll be off the road Dec 18th..email me if you still need parts..Larry Smile

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Excel steels & Peavey amps,Old Chevys & Motorcycles & Women on the Trashy Side
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