Excelsior Super King Gloss Natural 2009 Handmade Acoustic Guitar

This is a very special Excelsior Super King acoustic guitar in Gloss Natural finish. Handmade in the UK in 2009, Excelsior Guitars was started by Luthier Richard Fill and is the product of his passion for fine handcrafted instruments. 60 years of experience and fine eye for detail. This Super King guitar exudes quality and displays the utmost care for craftsmanship and excellence. This acoustic guitar features an all-solid construction comprising a AAA Spruce top, Flamed Maple back and sides, Figured Maple neck and 22/24 fret Ebony fingerboard embellished with Mother Of Pearl split block inlays. Gold hardware is featured including a unique hand-made brass tailpiece along with an Ebony adjustable bridge- also adorned with Mother Of Pearl inlays- and a set of three-a-side Grover Imperial tuning machines.

Richard Fill made this guitar to get a better understanding of the bracing techniques that Jimmy D’Aquisto designed for some of his most famed instruments. The styling on this guitar is very reminiscent of D’Aquisto with the oval soundhole, tailpiece and pickguard design displaying Richard’s ‘nod of the head’ to Jimmy D’Aquisto, and faithfully so.

The Figured Maple neck plays beautifully, with what might be described as an asymmetrical profile that feels particularly unique to this guitar. This sits exceptionally comfortably in the hand and provides a smooth and responsive playing experience in any register. The Ebony fingerboard is effortlessly smooth under the fingers and adds a real sense of luxury to the playing experience- especially with the binding and Mother Of Pearl inlays which perfectly suit this beautifully made guitar. The 12” radius provides a nicely flat and consistent playing surface right the way up the register, facilitating both chordal and melodic styles of playing very well. The body design is very much on the larger side, measuring 18” at the lower bout. This larger design sits very comfortably against the body without being cumbersome and offers the player a fatigue-free playing experience, making this beautiful guitar enjoyable for longer periods of playing.

The acoustic voice of the Super King is rich in harmonics yet well balanced. The lows are understated yet accurate, whilst mids and treble are more prominent. This helps each note ring out with a crystal clean clarity. The hand-made nature of this guitar and wood selection results in a lively and resonant playing experience, whilst the AAA Spruce top projects very well and provides a wide and sensitive dynamic range. Richard Fill applied ‘Light’ bracing to this guitar which in turn provides the top with more ‘drive’, making chords sing proud whilst melodic lines produce rich harmonics. This is a beautifully hand-made instrument from one of the UK’s most underrated luthiers, offering a guitar that displays a perfect example of a master craftsman.