Finally tried the Fender Excelsior

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Finally tried the Fender Excelsior

This Excelsior Pro model really does sound a lot better with the Eminence Legend 1518. It removed the raspiness in the breakup, added firmer bass, as well as a bit more volume. I don't know why they didn't use this opportunity to add a tone knob and get rid of the bright/dark switch. Now, that's the only negative.

I use 11's on my guitars, so the bright mode isn't super bright, just a little bright. But, I also notice an accentuation of an unpleasing harmonic that doesn't jive with humbuckers, filtertrons, and makes the open G string jump out at you. I read on Bill M's mod page that the addition of a 500K tone knob gets rid of this when the tone is in the middle range. This problem is also cured when the switch is bypassed, which tells me the bright/dark "tone stack" plain sucks. However, the amp sounds really nice in the bright mode....especially with Fender guitars. I'm just being my critical self, since I own a lot of good amps and hear these details.

So my question to the mod squad is this...

I don't want to remove the switch and drill the slot wider. I've never liked irreversible mods on a chassis'.

What I want to do is use the amp in Bright mode, but trim back the treble to what would be 1:00 if it had a tone knob. I want to know how to mod the switch with a resistor or res/cap network, or even a mini pot.
I've also heard about snipping one yellow lead off the switch, turning bright into bypass, leaving the dark mode alone.

Here's the gut shot.

[Securb]

Re: Finally tried the Fender Excelsior

My Marshall is in the shop so I finally got to playing around with my Excelsior. I have it plugged into my JCM 900 4x12 cab. First impression is it is loud AF! The second thing I am picking up on is there is not as much breakup. Is sounds dirty cranked but from what I am seeing most of that natural dirt the Excelsior has is speaker breakup. I goosed it a bit with my ROSS distortion and it sounds very cool. I am thinking my treble booster might be a better pairing for it. Right now the wife is relaxing so I can't really crank the amp but so far I have been having fun with it.

[AxlOz]

Re: Finally tried the Fender Excelsior

Necro-post - its alive!!!

I got an Excelsior a few months ago - these things are just awesome! Mine is the brown one, all stock. It gets a bit of break up when cranked but good lord it gets loud! The biggest difference I've noticed between this and my usual Blues Jr is how it sounds in a band mix - it just cuts through with a much wider sound spectrum. As in, bass, mids, and treble notes are all heard clearly, and all sound really lush when its clean.
The trem is really quite nice, even if it only has 1 control knob.
I added a Boss OD3 for some dirt and I was having a blast. This is one of my fave amps, and is very unique.

[Securb]

Re: Finally tried the Fender Excelsior

These amps deserve a necro bump they are amazing. I don't know why Fender stopped making them but I am happy I grabbed one when I did.

[SAguitar]

Re: Finally tried the Fender Excelsior

OK, since I've got one, I better chime in. When they first came out, I got talked into one by a friend, and at first I disliked it very much. It sat unused in my garage for at least a year, and all I did was order a amp cover for it to keep the dust off. Then I tried playing it again, and like y'all said the bright was too bright and the dark was too dark. I wired in a tone control and that helped a lot. Then a solder geek friend of mine tore into and did things above my pay grade. He said he made some mods and put in a footswitch for removing negative feedback. This thing is now freaking awesome now. I plugged it into a very nice 12" Weber speaker that he had and it got even better. That will be the next step, I'll probably tear it up, replace the speaker baffle and put in a nice 12" speaker. One crazy little amp.

Oh, and I found out by reading through this old thread that BillM had passed, and that his work is carrying on. Both of those items were very impactful. Rest in peace, Bill.

[AxlOz]

Re: Finally tried the Fender Excelsior

I actually love the 15" speaker. I think thats what gives the amp its big lush character and wide range (frequency range that is) clarity in the band mix.
Given Fender based these amps on really old designs (some even from 50's era PA's - thats the Vaporizer iirc), I'd imagine it'd sound awesome with a 12" speaker as well though, likely with more of that guitar-focused mid range punch.

Where do you get covers for these? Do Fender make them?

I should add, I also owned a Vaporizer until recently - also a great sounding amp, but I was liking the Excelsior more, mainly for its unique sound in the band mix.

[IM4Tone]

Re: Finally tried the Fender Excelsior

I bought a 'Brown' when they first came out. Loved the sound of the Pro, but not their cosmetics, so I put an EMI 1518 in the Brown, added a pot for tone control and changed the V1 to a 5751. Great sound! The original Brown speaker was too 'honky' and inefficient for me.

This is a great amp, but you'll now likely pay more for a used one than new ones cost initially. Fender announced from the start that this amp would NOT be an on-going production item, but rather a relatively short duration item. I never understood that. Many people hated it, but as many loved it....seems noone was on the fence. And BTW, I have plugged a keyboard into the mic input and WOW! (Tried all three inputs and this was the best, surprisingly.) Don't play mine much any more, but I'll never sell it unless I sell all of my gear and quit music.

[Securb]

Re: Finally tried the Fender Excelsior

I'd imagine it'd sound awesome with a 12" speaker as well though, likely with more of that guitar-focused mid range punch.

I have run it through a variety of cabs and it always delivers. If you have a 4x12 give the Excelsior a whirl through that. It will blow your socks off.

[Securb]

Re: Finally tried the Fender Excelsior

Bumping because I am in Excelsior heaven and I would kill to have a 50-watt head version of this amp for gigging.

[IM4Tone]

Re: Finally tried the Fender Excelsior

Bumping because I am in Excelsior heaven and I would kill to have a 50-watt head version of this amp for gigging.

Don't know which Excelsior you have ('brown' or pro), but with the Eminence 1518 (stock for the pro and swapped into my 'brown') I've found addition wattage to be unnecessary. If you don't, I recommend the Fryette PS-2 which can increase it to 50 watts transparently. A head version would be nice....only problem is that with two chassis, it's height would be quite tall. Of course, with enough funds and the availability of schematics, a single chassis could be made.