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D'Angelico Excel DC
Reverend Reeves Gabrels Spacehawk
VS
Playability
73
Sound
75
Build
70
Value
68
Score
73
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Playability
75
Sound
79
Build
69
Value
74
Score
74
FIND IT ON:
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D'Angelico Excel DC vs Reverend Reeves Gabrels Spacehawk

Reasons to Get
D'Angelico Excel DC over Reverend Reeves Gabrels Spacehawk

Type of Frets
Medium Jumbo vs XL Jumbo
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Pickup Mods
Coil Split vs Multiple
Splits humbuckers into single coil pickups
Volume Knobs
2 vs 1
More volume control
Nut Width
1.688'' (42.9mm) vs 1.693'' (43mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Strap Lock
Yes vs None
Protects your guitar from dropping by locking the strap
Bridge
Fixed vs Bigsby Tremolo
Good sustain and needs no set-up
Fretboard Radius
16'' (406.4mm) vs 12'' (304.8mm)
Flatter fretboard makes it easier to play single notes and bend

Reasons to Get
Reverend Reeves Gabrels Spacehawk over D'Angelico Excel DC

Frets Height
Taller vs Shorter
Easier to press down strings and bend them
Type of Frets
XL Jumbo vs Medium Jumbo
You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Pickup Mods
Multiple vs Coil Split
Locking Tuners
Yes vs None
Easier to change strings
Nut Width
1.693'' (43mm) vs 1.688'' (42.9mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Bridge
Bigsby Tremolo vs Fixed
Intense vibrato with a solid arm
Fretboard Radius
12'' (304.8mm) vs 16'' (406.4mm)
More curved fretboard helpful to play chords without muting strings
Avg. Weight
6.6lbs (3kgs) vs 7.425lbs (3.4kgs)
Tends to be lighter
Value Score
74 vs 68
Better price/quality relationship

Other Key Differences
D'Angelico Excel DC vs Reverend Reeves Gabrels Spacehawk

Bridge Pickup
USA Seymour Duncan 59 Humbucker vs Reeves Gabrels Signature Bridge
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
USA Seymour Duncan 59 Humbucker vs Reeves Gabrels Signature Neck
Different Neck Pickup
Body Wood
Flame Maple vs Limba
Different Body Wood
Neck Wood
Maple vs Limba
Different Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Rosewood vs Ebony
Different Fretboard Wood
Headstock
3-3 vs 6
Different Headstock
Nut Material
Ivory Tusq vs Boneite
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
D'Angelico Excel DC vs Reverend Reeves Gabrels Spacehawk

Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Semi-Hollow
Lighter and allows more gain than a hollowbody
Switch Positions
3
Same pickups versatility
Tone Knobs
2
Same tone control
Pickups
HH
High output without hum
Number of Frets
22
Same maximum octave
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Scale Length
24.75'' (628.7mm)
Same string tension and fret separation
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
Neck Profile Type
C
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Neck Joint
Set
Neck is glued to the body

Common Strengths

  • High-Quality Nut
  • Top Pickup Brand
  • Expensive Wood

Common Weaknesses

  • Neck-Through Build
  • Stays in Tune (Evertune)
  • High-Quality Frets
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • From a High-Quality-Standards Country
  • Luminescent Sidedots
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Table of Contents

Price History Comparison

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Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the Reverend Reeves Gabrels Spacehawk is probably the better product overall with its final score of 74 compared to the D'Angelico Excel DC's 73 score, although not by a lot.

The Reverend Reeves Gabrels Spacehawk wins when it comes to sound, playability, value for the money. On the other hand, the D'Angelico Excel DC has the upper hand when it comes to build quality.

If you got small hands, you'll probably feel that the D'Angelico Excel DC is easier to play.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

Both meet 4 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness. This takes into account the type of frets, scale length, nut width, bridge type, fretboard radius, and neck profile to determine the easiest combination for new players. If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, you can't go wrong with either of them.

New Player Friendliness

D'Angelico Excel DC
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners

New Player Friendliness

Reverend Reeves Gabrels Spacehawk
  • Comfortable shape
  • Locking tuners
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Easy-to-use bridge

Nevertheless, when it comes to choosing an instrument, you should pick the one more compatible with your personal style. Still, below we'll try you to give you our results as objectively as it's possible to help you decide.

D'Angelico Excel DC Overview

  • From D'Angelico's 2021 Excel series
  • Made in South Korea
  • 6 strings
  • 24.75"'' scale
  • 16" Fretboard Radius
  • Laminated Flame Maple body
  • Maple neck
  • Rosewood fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: USA Seymour Duncan 59 Humbucker (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: USA Seymour Duncan 59 Humbucker (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 2 volume and 2 tone Speed knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • Gold Tune-O-Matic bridge
  • C-Shape Set neck
  • 22 Medium Jumbo frets
  • Grover 150 Imperial tuners
  • Weight between 7.1lbs (3.2kgs) and 7.75lbs (3.5kgs)
  • Compare Specs >

Reverend Reeves Gabrels Spacehawk Overview

  • From Reverend's 2021 Signature series
  • Reeves Gabrels Signature
  • Made in South Korea
  • 6 strings
  • 24.75"'' scale
  • 12" Fretboard Radius
  • Korina, Solid Maple Top body
  • Three-Piece Korina neck
  • Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Reeves Gabrels Signature Bridge (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Reeves Gabrels Signature Neck (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 2 tone Dome knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • Bigsby B-50 with Roller Bridge bridge
  • Medium Oval Set neck
  • 22 XL Jumbo frets
  • Reverend Pin-Lock tuners
  • Weight between 4.65lbs (2.1kgs) and 8.55lbs (3.9kgs)
  • Compare Specs >

Sound Quality Comparison

The wood used in an electric guitar or bass is not as important to determine the final tone. However, some people prefer specific wood types, so we'll take a look at those first. Then, we'll take a look at the electronics to determine the versatility and sound quality of each instrument.

Woods Used in the D'Angelico Excel DC

Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Maple
Rosewood wood pattern used for guitar building
Rosewood
Flame Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Flame Maple

Maple is one of the most popular necks for good reasons. It is a strong wood that is relatively cheap to make and looks beautiful. The highest quality maple is the hardest that comes from North America. Find out more about Maple.

Rosewood is an almost purple-looking wood that is used mainly for fretboards since it's heavy, rare, and expensive. It's sometimes used on acoustic guitar bodies to create stronger warm tones. Find out more about Rosewood.

This wood has beautiful patterns only found in specific types of maple.

Woods Used in the Reverend Reeves Gabrels Spacehawk

Limba wood pattern used for guitar building
Limba
Ebony wood pattern used for guitar building
Ebony

Limba is a relatively rare wood that shows exotic tight dark grain stripes. It comes in white or black. As a tonewood, it is comparable to Mahogany but with richer mids. Find out more about Limba.

Ebony is a high-end wood, so it is not cheap. It's only used for fretboards because it's also very heavy. It does an excellent job as a durable material while looking elegant. Find out more about Ebony.

Winner: Tie.

Pickup Configuration

Both pickup configurations are HH. Double Humbucker (HH) is the choice for people who want a fuller, more round sound with tons of mids and lows. Humbuckers also get rid of the hum noise that plague single-coil pickups. They can work out for almost any genre going from Djent to even Jazz.

Pickups Quality

Both come with very good pickups from at least one of the specialized brands in the market. With pickups like these, you probably won't need an upgrade anytime soon.

Both use Passive pickups. This is what's used for most music genres. They have a regular output and will serve you for both high-gain and clean tones. The alternative (Active pickups) offer a higher output that is mostly used for heavy music.

Winner: Tie.

Versatility Comparison

Some instruments offer you more ways to explore your creativity than others. Below you'll find how both compare when it comes to versatility.

Switch Options

Both are equal when it comes to the pickup switching option.

Both give you different pickup mod options.

The D'Angelico Excel DC offers Coil Split.

Coil Split lets you disconnect one of the pickup coils. When used with humbuckers, it turns them into single-coil with lower output and cleaner tone.

On the other hand, the Reverend Reeves Gabrels Spacehawk comes with the following: Killswitch, Phase Out.

A Killswitch lets you disengage the pickups instantly. It can be useful when playing live, and it allows you to create some cool sound effects by using the switch rapidly.

When the Phase Out option is activated, the pickups will ''work against each other'', meaning that they will cancel out their shared frequencies. The result is a very thin sound, instead of a full, rich tone. This is an interesting sound for genres like reggae or funk and has also been used in classic Hard Rock.

D'Angelico Excel DC pickups switch and push knobs diagram
D'Angelico Excel DC's switch options
Reverend Reeves Gabrels Spacehawk pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Reverend Reeves Gabrels Spacehawk's switch options

When evaluating versatility, we also take into consideration bridge and neck joint type, number of frets, switch options, amount of pickups and more.

Winner: Reverend Reeves Gabrels Spacehawk.

Final Sound Quality Scores

D'Angelico Excel DC
Pickups 90
Sustain 75
Versatility 63
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 75
Reverend Reeves Gabrels Spacehawk
Pickups 90
Sustain 80
Versatility 71
Tuning Stability 75
Sound 79

Build Quality Comparison

When it comes to build quality, we like to take into account everything used to build the instrument. This includes materials, hardware and the quality control expected depending on the country where it was built. Let's see how the D'Angelico Excel DC compares to the Reverend Reeves Gabrels Spacehawk.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. Both in this comparison where made in South Korea.

South Korea was for many years the number one choice for mass-producing semi-premium guitars. They can build excellent guitars for a cheap price. Now, it's less common to find Korean guitars because Indonesia has proved capable of building guitars just as well, but likely for cheaper.

Winner: Tie

Nut Material

If you want your guitar to stay in tune and sound good, you need a well cut nut. Nut quality can be inconsistent even when comparing two copies of the same model. The best way to make sure you're nut will be well done is by getting a nut made by an expert company like TUSQ or Micarta.

The D'Angelico Excel DC has a Ivory Tusq nut. Ivory used to be considered the best material for guitar nuts due to its beauty, durability, and the rich harmonics and sustain you could get from a guitar with it. However, the way to obtain it is simply unethical. Enter TUSQ ivory nuts, which are made synthetically to imitate ivory. Technically, it's better than ivory because it is consistent piece-to-piece, while natural materials can vary a lot, even if they're made from the same.

On the other hand, the Reverend Reeves Gabrels Spacehawk comes with a Boneite nut. This is an artificial material made to imitate the favored type of nut: bone. This allows it to sound and feel pretty much like bone, but without the inconsistency of natural materials.

Winner: Tie.

Fret Material

Most fret wire is made of nickel silver. This material eventually wears down after a lot of use and most instruments end up needing a complete fret replacement. However, some expensive models come with stainless steel frets. This is what you should aim for if you can afford it.

Unfortunately, none of them come with stainless steel frets.

Winner: Tie.

Bridge

The perfect bridge for you will depend on your playstyle because they all have advantages and disadvantages. However, some bridges are more expensive—like Floyd Roses and Evertunes—and thus add more value to a guitar.

The D'Angelico Excel DC's brige is a Fixed. It's a simple bridge that is very beginner-friendly since it doesn't require any set-up. You can swap strings easily. It might also give more sustain since it doesn't have complex moving parts that make the strings lose vibration. However, it doesn't have the same versatility as a tremolo bridge.

On the other hand, the Reverend Reeves Gabrels Spacehawk's is a Bigsby Tremolo. Bigsby tremolos are built differently than regular tremolos. They have a stiffer arm, which is something a lot of people like because the arm won't wiggle around a lot. On the other hand, this type of tremolo is more complicated to restring and it might not be as newbie-friendly as other simpler tremolos.

Since we need to be objective, the most expensive type of bridge will be the winner of this section. In the end, this doesn't matter if you're not going to use the bridge for its original purpose, so choose the bridge that fits your playing style better.

Winner: Reverend Reeves Gabrels Spacehawk.

Tuners

The Reverend Reeves Gabrels Spacehawk has the best tuners of the two because they are locking tuners. They'll help to keep your guitar in tune because they allow you to tune it without wrapping the strings around the posts. This avoids variations in the tuning due to the strings changing position at the post after a bend. They come at the disadvantage of being slightly heavier than regular tuners. Also, it makes it a lot easier to restring.

Winner: Reverend Reeves Gabrels Spacehawk.

Neck Joint

Contrary to popular belief, the difference in sustain and tone that some neck joints give to a guitar is simply unperceivable—if they're all well built. However, some of them do have advantages over the others.

Both have a Set neck joint. This neck is tightly glued to the body. They give you the least versatility because you can't swap them for a neck that fits your hand better if you want to, unlike bolt-on necks. Some people think this gives more resonance and sustain, but there's no real difference if the bolt-on joint is well built.

Winner: Tie.

Here is the list of features that were considered when choosing the winner in the Features subcategory:

Strengths & Weaknesses
D'Angelico Excel DC
  • Expensive Wood
  • Ivory Tusq Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Coil Split Pickups
  • Strap Lock
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in South Korea
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Tremolo
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
Strengths & Weaknesses
Reverend Reeves Gabrels Spacehawk
  • Locking Tuners
  • Expensive Wood
  • Boneite Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Killswitch, Phase Out Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • Made in South Korea
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

D'Angelico Excel DC
Quality of materials 66
Features 65
Quality Control 80
Build Quality 70
Reverend Reeves Gabrels Spacehawk
Quality of materials 56
Features 75
Quality Control 75
Build Quality 69

Playability Comparison

Let's now compare their playability. Bear in mind that the instrument will feel different depending on your hand size and play style. That's why you should always test before buying. But if you can't or want a second opinion on it, we can still take a look at each of the important measurements of the instrument for you. This way, we can predict how easy a guitar might be to play, or how different it will feel compared to the other.

Remember that, even though the difference might seem small, every inch counts when it comes to feeling of the instrument in your hands. Any variation can completely change how comfortable a guitar feels in your hands.

Nut Width

D'Angelico Excel DC Nut Width
D'Angelico Excel DC Nut Width
Reverend Reeves Gabrels Spacehawk Nut Width
Reverend Reeves Gabrels Spacehawk Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Reverend Reeves Gabrels Spacehawk has the wider nut with 43mm (1.693'') vs 42.9mm (1.688''). This is a 0.1mm (0.0050000000000001'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Reverend Reeves Gabrels Spacehawk, especially closer to the nut. However, it's also easier to play without muting strings accidently. This favors people with big hands.

Scale Length

D'Angelico Excel DC and Reverend Reeves Gabrels Spacehawk's Scale Length
Both have the same scale length

The scale length is one of the things that influences playability the most. This is the distance between the nut and the bridge and will affect everything from low action allowance, difficulty to perform bends, fret separation, and even tone.

In this case, both have a scale length of 24.75".

This is the scale length that Gibson uses for most of its Les Paul guitars. It's a smaller scale than the typical Stratocaster's 25.5''. Short scale lengths like this make it easier to bend the strings, which is pretty important if you have a fixed bridge. They also have a shorter fret separation, which makes it easier to change position fast at the fretboard.

On the other hand, a shorter scale like this one will make fret buzz more likely, which can affect you if you want to use thicker string gauges.

Lastly, remember that you can also affect the tension of the strings by changing your string gauge. You can use a thicker gauge for more tension and a lighter one for less tension.

Neck Profile

D'Angelico Excel DC Neck Profile
D'Angelico Excel DC's neck profile
Reverend Reeves Gabrels Spacehawk Neck Profile
Reverend Reeves Gabrels Spacehawk's neck profile

No single neck shape is better than others. However, most people tend to prefer a thinner necks because it doesn't get in their way when playing fast and most hand sizes can adapt to it pretty well. However, some people still prefer thicker necks for a better grip, especially if they have big hands.

Both the D'Angelico Excel DC and the Reverend Reeves Gabrels Spacehawk have a C-shaped neck. This is what you'll find in most modern guitars. Most people feel like the thickness of a C neck is simply the less intrusive one for playing fast, while at the same time allowing you to grab the neck easily for resting if you want to.

Fretboard Radius

D'Angelico Excel DC Fingerboard Radius
D'Angelico Excel DC's Fingerboard radius
Reverend Reeves Gabrels Spacehawk Fingerboard Radius
Reverend Reeves Gabrels Spacehawk's Fingerboard radius

Most guitar fretboards are not flat; they usually have a curve or arc across their width. A curved fretboard will make it easier to perform chords without muting strings, while a flatter one will make it easier to play single notes, which is good for bending and soloing in general. The best fretboards have a compound radius that varies across the fingerboard, but they're not common since they take a lot more work to build.

In this case, the Reverend Reeves Gabrels Spacehawk's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the D'Angelico Excel DC's. This extra arc will make playing chords easier in this model. You won't be as likely to mute the strings, especially if you have big hands. However, playing single notes and bending will be easier on the D'Angelico Excel DC.

Still, both tend to favor soloing over chords, so if you're looking for a guitar for playing rhythm, you might want something else with a radius closer to a Stratocaster's 9.5''.

Hand Size Comfortability

Everyone has a different hand size, and that's why it's recommended to try a guitar before buying, even if others tell you that it's comfortable to play. However, we can know whether a guitar favors small or large hands just by knowing its exact measurements.

And after taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that the Reverend Reeves Gabrels Spacehawk favors large hands more than the D'Angelico Excel DC.

D'Angelico Excel DC:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Reverend Reeves Gabrels Spacehawk:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

D'Angelico Excel DC Frets Size
D'Angelico Excel DC's Frets Size
Reverend Reeves Gabrels Spacehawk Frets Size
Reverend Reeves Gabrels Spacehawk's Frets Size

The Reverend Reeves Gabrels Spacehawk has XL Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the D'Angelico Excel DC's Medium Jumbo frets.

Some people prefer taller frets because they result in more sustain since the strings get pressed cleanly without interference from the fretboard. However, if they're too tall—like Jumbo frets—, you might change the pitch of the strings accidentally if you press too hard because you won't be touching the fretboard with your fingers. This is also why some guitarists with a heavy grip prefer smaller frets. They like to feel the fingerboard to avoid pressing down too hard and getting out of pitch.

Final Playability Scores

D'Angelico Excel DC
Bending & Vibrato Ease 85
Chord Playability 65
Solo Playability 70
Playability 73
Reverend Reeves Gabrels Spacehawk
Bending & Vibrato Ease 90
Chord Playability 55
Solo Playability 80
Playability 75

Specs Side-by-Side

D'Angelico Excel DC vs Reverend Reeves Gabrels Spacehawk
General D'Angelico Excel DC Reverend Reeves Gabrels Spacehawk
Brand: D'Angelico Reverend
Year: 2021 2021
Configuration: HH HH
Strings: 6 6
Made in: South Korea South Korea
Series: Excel Signature
Colors: Red Black, Red
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Semi-Hollow Semi-Hollow
Body Material: Laminated Flame Maple Korina, Solid Maple Top
Bridge: Gold Tune-O-Matic Bigsby B-50 with Roller Bridge
Neck
Neck Joint: Set Set
Tuners: Grover 150 Imperial Reverend Pin-Lock
Fretboard: Rosewood Ebony
Neck Material: Maple Three-Piece Korina
Decoration: Mother of Pearl/Abalone Split-Block Dots
Scale Size: 24.75" 24.75"
Shape: C-Shape Medium Oval
Frets: 22 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver 22 XL Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 16" 12"
Nut: Ivory Tusq Boneite
Nut Width: 42.9mm (1.688'') 43mm (1.693'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: USA Seymour Duncan 59 Humbucker (Humbucker / Passive) Reeves Gabrels Signature Bridge (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: USA Seymour Duncan 59 Humbucker (Humbucker / Passive) Reeves Gabrels Signature Neck (Humbucker / Passive)
Switch: 3 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Speed Dome
Pickup Mods: Coil Split Killswitch, Phase Out
Volume Controls: 2 1
Tone Controls: 2 2