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D'Angelico Excel Mini DC
D'Angelico Deluxe Mini DC
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Playability
73
Sound
75
Build
72
Value
68
Score
73
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Playability
72
Sound
74
Build
74
Value
63
Score
73
FIND IT ON:
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D'Angelico Excel Mini DC vs Deluxe Mini DC

Reasons to Get
D'Angelico Excel Mini DC over Deluxe Mini DC

Decorative Top
Laminated Spruce vs None
Finished with beautiful natural wood patterns
Pickup Mods
Coil Split vs None
Splits humbuckers into single coil pickups
Volume Knobs
2 vs 1
More volume control
Tone Knobs
2 vs 1
More tone control
Pickups
HH vs P90P90
High output without hum
Scale Length
24.75'' (628.7mm) vs 25'' (635mm)
Easier bending, shorter fret separation and warmer natural tone
Fretboard Radius
16'' (406.4mm) vs 12'' (304.8mm)
Flatter fretboard makes it easier to play single notes and bend
Avg. Weight
6.9lbs (3.1kgs) vs 7.3lbs (3.3kgs)
Tends to be lighter
Value Score
68 vs 63
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
D'Angelico Deluxe Mini DC over Excel Mini DC

Release Year
2022 vs 2021
From a more recent year
Pickups
P90P90 vs HH
Vintage tone with decent versatility
Locking Tuners
Yes vs None
Easier to change strings
Scale Length
25'' (635mm) vs 24.75'' (628.7mm)
Lower action and brighter natural tone
Fretboard Radius
12'' (304.8mm) vs 16'' (406.4mm)
More curved fretboard helpful to play chords without muting strings

Other Key Differences
D'Angelico Excel Mini DC vs Deluxe Mini DC

Bridge Pickup
USA Seymour Duncan 59 Humbucker vs Seymour Duncan STK P-90
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
USA Seymour Duncan 59 Humbucker vs Seymour Duncan STK P-90
Different Neck Pickup
Body Wood
Flame Maple vs Mahogany
Different Body Wood
Fretboard Wood
Ebony vs Rosewood
Different Fretboard Wood
Nut Material
Ivory Tusq vs Bone
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
D'Angelico Excel Mini DC vs Deluxe Mini DC

Neck Wood
Maple
Same Neck Wood
Headstock
3-3
Same Headstock
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Semi-Hollow
Lighter and allows more gain than a hollowbody
Switch Positions
3
Same pickups versatility
Number of Frets
22
Same maximum octave
Nut Width
1.688'' (42.9mm)
Same string separation at the nut
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Bridge
Fixed
Good sustain and needs no set-up
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
Type of Frets
Medium Jumbo
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings

Common Strengths

  • High-Quality Nut
  • Strap Lock
  • 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 both instruments scored 73 out of 100, which makes them similar in terms of quality.

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

If you got small hands, none of these instruments will make a big difference when it comes to comfortability.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, the D'Angelico Deluxe Mini DC is the better choice.

The D'Angelico Deluxe Mini DC meets 5 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the D'Angelico Excel Mini DC meets only 4. 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.

New Player Friendliness

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

New Player Friendliness

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

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 Mini DC Overview

  • From D'Angelico's 2021 Excel series
  • Made in South Korea
  • 6 strings
  • 24.75"'' scale
  • 16" Fretboard Radius
  • Laminated Spruce top
  • Laminated Flame Maple body
  • Maple neck
  • Ebony 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 109 Super Rotomatic tuners
  • Weight between 6.45lbs (2.9kgs) and 7.35lbs (3.3kgs)
  • Compare Specs >

D'Angelico Deluxe Mini DC Overview

  • From D'Angelico's 2022 Deluxe series
  • Made in South Korea
  • 6 strings
  • 25"'' scale
  • 12" Fretboard Radius
  • Laminated Mahogany body
  • 3 piece: Maple/Walnut/Maple neck
  • Rosewood fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Seymour Duncan STK P-90 (Single Coil/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Speed knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • Gold Tune-O-Matic bridge
  • C-Shape Set neck
  • 22 Medium Jumbo frets
  • Grover 509 Super Rotomatic, Locking tuners
  • Weight between 7.1lbs (3.2kgs) and 7.5lbs (3.4kgs)
  • 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 Both

Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
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.

Woods Used in the D'Angelico Excel Mini DC

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

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.

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

Woods Used in the D'Angelico Deluxe Mini DC

Rosewood wood pattern used for guitar building
Rosewood
Mahogany wood pattern used for guitar building
Mahogany

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.

Mahogany is a fairly rare wood nowadays. It's used mostly for bodies due to its relatively lightweight. Gibson popularized it with their Les Paul guitars during their golden years, so this wood has a lot of good reputation behind it. The most expensive type comes from South America and it's still used by Gibson even today. Find out more about Mahogany.

Winner: Tie.

Pickup Configuration

The D'Angelico Excel Mini DC has an HH configuration while the D'Angelico Deluxe Mini DC has P90P90 pickups.

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.

On the other hand, P90P90 gives you two P90s for a crunchy vintage tone. The tone sits somewhere in the middle between typical single-coils and humbuckers. They also produce less hum than single-coils, but they don't cancel it completely like humbuckers.

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.

However, the D'Angelico Deluxe Mini DC has a slight sound quality advantage when taking into account other factors like the type of pickups, magnet, position, etc.

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: D'Angelico Deluxe Mini DC.

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.

Only the D'Angelico Excel Mini DC comes with some kind of pickup modification: 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.

D'Angelico Excel Mini DC pickups switch and push knobs diagram
D'Angelico Excel Mini DC's switch options
D'Angelico Deluxe Mini DC pickups switch and push knobs diagram
D'Angelico Deluxe Mini DC'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: D'Angelico Excel Mini DC.

Final Sound Quality Scores

D'Angelico Excel Mini DC
Pickups 90
Sustain 75
Versatility 63
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 75
D'Angelico Deluxe Mini DC
Pickups 100
Sustain 65
Versatility 49
Tuning Stability 80
Sound 74

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 Mini DC compares to the D'Angelico Deluxe Mini DC.

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 Mini 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 D'Angelico Deluxe Mini DC comes with a Bone nut. It's a type of nut found in high-quality instruments. They sound similar to Ivory since they give a lot of sustain and a bright sound (at least when striking open strings). The only problem they can run into is that you may get a bone piece that simply doesn't sound as well as others because that's just how natural materials are.

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.

Both come with a similar bridge: 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.

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: Tie.

Tuners

The D'Angelico Deluxe Mini DC 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: D'Angelico Deluxe Mini DC.

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 Mini 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
D'Angelico Deluxe Mini DC
  • Locking Tuners
  • Expensive Wood
  • Bone Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Strap Lock
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • Made in South Korea
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Tremolo
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio

Final Build Quality Scores

D'Angelico Excel Mini DC
Quality of materials 70
Features 65
Quality Control 80
Build Quality 72
D'Angelico Deluxe Mini DC
Quality of materials 66
Features 70
Quality Control 85
Build Quality 74

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
Both Guitars Have The Same Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, both have a nut width of 42.9mm (1.688'').

This is within the most common range of nut widths for a 6-string guitar. It offers a good balance of string separation at the nut. It's the size that most guitarists prefer as it gives them just enough space to play open chords without muting the strings, but without spreading the strings too wide and making bar chords difficult to perform.

Scale Length

D'Angelico Excel Mini DC's Scale Length
D'Angelico Excel Mini DC's Scale Length
D'Angelico Deluxe Mini DC's Scale Length
D'Angelico Deluxe Mini DC's 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.

The D'Angelico Deluxe Mini DC has the longest scale: 25". The D'Angelico Excel Mini DC is only 24.75" long. This is a 0.25'' (6.4mm) scale length difference.

This longer scale means that the strings need more tension to get in tune. This is good if you want to avoid fret buzz, which can happen when the strings are too loose and touch the frets while vibrating. This is especially important when playing in lower tunings. This will also let you reduce the gap between fretboard and strings (low action) to make them easier to press down. However, this higher tension will also make it harder to perform bends and vibratos as the strings will feel stiffer.

This also means that the frets have a longer separation between each other, so this will make it harder for people with smaller hands when playing some chord positions.

Another characteristic of a longer scale is that it makes the guitar sound 'snappier' or brighter. This is due to the extra separation between harmonics and overtones produced by the tension. This influences tone more than any other factor (except the pickups).

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 Mini DC Neck Profile
Both guitars have the same 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 Mini DC and the D'Angelico Deluxe Mini DC 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 Mini DC Fingerboard Radius
D'Angelico Excel Mini DC's Fingerboard radius
D'Angelico Deluxe Mini DC Fingerboard Radius
D'Angelico Deluxe Mini DC'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 D'Angelico Deluxe Mini DC's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the D'Angelico Excel Mini 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 Mini 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.

After taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that both in this comparison favor small hands .

D'Angelico Excel Mini DC:
Big Hands
Small Hands
D'Angelico Deluxe Mini DC:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

D'Angelico Excel Mini DC and D'Angelico Deluxe Mini DC Frets Size
Both have a similar Medium Jumbo fret size

Both have a Medium Jumbo fret size. These are slightly shorter than full Jumbo frets, so you'll still feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings. However, they interfere less with your fretting hand than medium-size frets. This is a good size if you like easy-to-press frets, but would still like to feel a bit of the fretboard when playing.

Final Playability Scores

D'Angelico Excel Mini DC
Bending & Vibrato Ease 85
Chord Playability 65
Solo Playability 70
Playability 73
D'Angelico Deluxe Mini DC
Bending & Vibrato Ease 80
Chord Playability 65
Solo Playability 70
Playability 72

Specs Side-by-Side

D'Angelico Excel Mini DC vs Deluxe Mini DC
General D'Angelico Excel Mini DC Deluxe Mini DC
Brand: D'Angelico D'Angelico
Year: 2021 2022
Configuration: HH P90P90
Strings: 6 6
Made in: South Korea South Korea
Series: Excel Deluxe
Colors: Red Red
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Semi-Hollow Semi-Hollow
Body Material: Laminated Flame Maple Laminated Mahogany
Bridge: Gold Tune-O-Matic Gold Tune-O-Matic
Neck
Neck Joint: Set Set
Tuners: Grover 109 Super Rotomatic Grover 509 Super Rotomatic, Locking
Fretboard: Ebony Rosewood
Neck Material: Maple 3 piece: Maple/Walnut/Maple
Decoration: Mother of Pearl/Abalone Split-Block Mother of Pearl Split Block
Scale Size: 24.75" 25"
Shape: C-Shape C-Shape
Frets: 22 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver 22 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 16" 12"
Nut: Ivory Tusq Bone
Nut Width: 42.9mm (1.688'') 42.9mm (1.688'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: USA Seymour Duncan 59 Humbucker (Humbucker / Passive) Seymour Duncan STK P-90 (Single Coil / Passive)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: USA Seymour Duncan 59 Humbucker (Humbucker / Passive) Seymour Duncan STK P-90 (Single Coil / Passive)
Switch: 3 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Speed Speed
Pickup Mods: Coil Split None
Volume Controls: 2 1
Tone Controls: 2 1