Sleeko: Yes, I have a D'Angelico Korean Excel, for about 4 years now. I use it as my daily practice guitar, although I do have Guilds and Heritages as well. With a polyurethane - burst finish, floating mini-humbucker and gold plated parts. They use quality woods and a high quality build. I have had no problems at all and very satisfied with the tone through an amp, although it was a little 'stiff' when new, and it took about a year of daily playing to start to behave nicely. Like most archtops, the unamplified sound is thin, and is meant to be played amplified. Weight is moderate, certainly less than my X-500. I would recommend the Excel for a moderately priced archtop, for constant use, and it is solid enough to be left out of the case between practice sessions without worry of environmental damage. If I still played professionally, it would be my main axe, with a Guild or Heritage for audience relief and spares.
Enjoy.
DaveW
