Excel Steels

George Crickmore · Post by **George Crickmore** » 19 Dec 2019 6:34 am

Does anyone know how or who to contact about ordering a new Excel?
I know the guy that builds them does not speak english. I have sent him
emails with no reply. Any help would be great.

Thanks
George

Stu Schulman · Post by **Stu Schulman** » 19 Dec 2019 6:39 am

George,I'm pretty sure Bill Stafford is the guy,He's in Gulfport Miss.He's on the forum somewhere.

George Crickmore · Post by **George Crickmore** » 19 Dec 2019 6:46 am

Stu Schulman wrote:George,I'm pretty sure Bill Stafford is the guy,He's in Gulfport Miss.He's on the forum somewhere.

Thanks Stu. I will give him a try.

Bill Ferguson · Post by **Bill Ferguson** » 19 Dec 2019 7:48 am

Bill Stafford is the man. If you need contact info, drop me a message.

Pete Burak · Post by **Pete Burak** » 19 Dec 2019 8:55 am

I also recently emailed Mitsuo with no reply. I hope he is just on vacation or something.
Steve Cummings is a USA contact for Excel, also.

Billy Carr · Post by **Billy Carr** » 19 Dec 2019 12:10 pm

Steel Guitars Nashville usually has some new Excels in stock w/pics.

K Maul · Post by **K Maul** » 19 Dec 2019 12:23 pm

I emailed Matsuo directly last year when I ordered mine, with no US go-between. It took him a while to respond so keep trying. Our dealings were fairly smooth but not instantaneous. Payment was done with wire transfer from my bank, no PayPal or credit card. It was worth it because they are really impressive instruments on all levels.

scott murray · Post by **scott murray** » 19 Dec 2019 1:22 pm

I emailed the company a week or 2 ago and received a reply within 24 hours. keep trying!

Larry Allen · Post by **Larry Allen** » 20 Dec 2019 12:19 pm

I also emailed Mitsuo to order another Excel...response took 2 days, the build took 1 month, shipping took 5 days....Iâ€™ve also had good luck contacting him for parts on a couple rebuilds...

David Munson · Post by **David Munson** » 22 Dec 2019 7:49 am

E-mail: info@fuzzypsg.com
URL: https://fuzzypsg.com/int/

Johnie King · Post by **Johnie King** » 22 Dec 2019 2:50 pm

Steel guitar Nashville store might be a good source for a new Excel Iâ€™ve seen as many as four for sale on the floor ready to sell.

Paul Strojan · Post by **Paul Strojan** » 22 Dec 2019 7:25 pm

On the Fuzzy website, there are a couple of pictures of laps steels with levers on them. Does anyone have any experience with them.

Greg Cutshaw · Post by **Greg Cutshaw** » 23 Dec 2019 5:32 am

Mitsuo always answers my emails when I need to order parts. Usually I get an answer within 3 days. The Excel guitars are super light, very compact, have very light cases and extremely positive pedal stops. Also the pedals have constant tension throughout their entire travel. These guitars are worth the wait if you have to order them and Mitsuo just like Bill at Williams guitars will deliver on time.

http://www.gregcutshaw.com/Excel%2012%2 ... yless.html

George Crickmore · Post by **George Crickmore** » 23 Dec 2019 5:58 am

Greg Cutshaw wrote:Mitsuo always answers my emails when I need to order parts. Usually I get an answer within 3 days. The Excel guitars are super light, very compact, have very light cases and extremely positive pedal stops. Also the pedals have constant tension throughout their entire travel. These guitars are worth the wait if you have to order them and Mitsuo just like Bill at Williams guitars will deliver on time.

http://www.gregcutshaw.com/Excel%2012%2 ... yless.html

I head from him yesterday. Looks like I may be ordering a new Excel.

Ian Rae · Post by **Ian Rae** » 23 Dec 2019 7:27 am

Like Greg, I have an Excel and a Williams. Nothing to choose on quality, price or customer service.

David Munson · Post by **David Munson** » 23 Dec 2019 8:39 am

I have a older model Excel S12 25.5 scale and have always had problems with tuning 3rd string G#. If I over tighten the set screw the 12 ga. string breaks and if I under tighten the string slips and I run out of adjustment.

How do you guys like the latest tuning adjustment from both ends ??????

Pete Burak · Post by **Pete Burak** » 23 Dec 2019 9:09 am

Excel currently uses a Wrap-around-a-post method of securing the non-ball end of the string. It takes longer to settle in to a stable pitch than my Sierra, which locks the string down with a screw, and is almost immediately stable (stays at pitch within a few minutes of changing the string).
I tune to Bb6/Eb9 and am using a 12 gauge string. I don't have a string breakage issue, but I went through several high G#'s when it was E9/B6.

Ian Rae · Post by **Ian Rae** » 23 Dec 2019 2:26 pm

My Excel is 25Â½" scale and Mitsuo himself said he didn't like putting that string on! It is pretty much at the limit. I haven't had to change it yet but it's beginning to sound tinny so the time is getting near! I have the new system that Pete describes. I shall follow received wisdom and crank it up in small steps.
It's an 0.011" by the way.

Larry Allen · Post by **Larry Allen** » 23 Dec 2019 4:40 pm

I have 3 Excels Ext E9 with a .012 for G#....so far never a break..

Doug Hall · Post by **Doug Hall** » 29 Dec 2019 7:31 pm

Mitsuo and I are longtime friends. I'm in touch with him regularly, and see him once or twice a year. I will be happy to help, if anyone has trouble reaching him. Doug Hall, 651-442-1515, Athens, AL

I believe his main sales and tech rep is Steve Sanford, in Mississippi.

Ian Rae · Post by **Ian Rae** » 30 Dec 2019 2:17 am

The Excel changer designs do seem to have changed many times over the years. I believe this may be to do with the Japanese way of thinking. The American and European instinct is to keep refining what we have, but the Japanese are more likely to throw a thing out and start over in their quest for perfection. Almost right = totally wrong. Just my impression.

John McClung · Post by **John McClung** » 1 Jan 2020 1:02 pm

Ian Rae wrote:The Excel changer designs do seem to have changed many times over the years. I believe this may be to do with the Japanese way of thinking. The American and European instinct is to keep refining what we have, but the Japanese are more likely to throw a thing out and start over in their quest for perfection. Almost right = totally wrong. Just my impression.

Does the current Excel Superb changer slide the changer back and forth to raise/lower pitch? Seemed to recall that was one of its chief innovations years ago.

Can someone explain all the changer holes to me? They're currently 7R/5L, correct? Are they fairly easy to work on?

Love to see detailed undercarriage pix!

Ian Rae · Post by **Ian Rae** » 2 Jan 2020 8:00 am

My Excel is 2 years old now and the changer appears to have a conventional axle. It has 7 raises and 4 lowers and they run in order from the axle
R R L R R R R L L L R
to give a variety of leverages.

I would say that these guitars are as easy to work on as any. The hardware is all metric of course, except for the leg sockets which are Â½", but instead of 13 tpi they have 12 (the old British Whitworth standard).

I'll do some pics when I have some good light to take them in!

Ross Shafer · Post by **Ross Shafer** » 2 Jan 2020 8:27 am

These changers all use the same dual pivot (I call it virtual pivot) concept. As does an old Rickenbacker and the new Sierra. No actual linear action, but much larger bending radii than other changer designs. The fender uses dual knife edges as pivots.

Excel Changer function: https://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=154891

Anapeg Changer Function: https://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtop ... c6cf67aa41

Fender PS210: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5AaVt4gE1A8

Happy Hot dang New Year!

John McClung · Post by **John McClung** » 2 Jan 2020 10:30 am

Thanks for the info, Ross!

Anyone have a changer scissor finger assembly they can loan or sell me, I need some hands on time to finally truly understand how raises & lowers work, fulcrum points, leverages, all that geeky stuff. I'll keep studying diagrams that have been posted online nonetheless. Getting dim in my golden years!

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