Fender Excelsior Review: A Rowdy 13-Watt Tube Amp With Serious Personality

Introduction

The Fender Excelsior is an amplifier that has been on many players’ wish lists since it first appeared. It is a simple, quirky, and loud 13-watt tube combo that stands out for its 15-inch speaker and its raw, rowdy voice. This review covers what makes the Excelsior special, how it behaves with pedals, and what to consider before buying one on the used market.

First Impressions

The Excelsior makes a strong first impression. It has a vintage tweed look that fits right in with Fender’s classic lineup, but the design details are where things get interesting. The power switch is tucked away at the bottom back corner, which is a small quirk that sets the tone for the whole amplifier. This is not a conventional amp, and that is part of its charm.

The control panel is refreshingly minimal. There is a volume knob that also acts as the gain control, a tremolo knob with an on-off click, and a simple tone switch. The tone switch has two labeled positions, bright and dark, but there is a secret middle position that offers a more balanced voicing. That middle position is where the amp sounds its best for most playing.

Controls and Layout

Operating the Excelsior is straightforward. The volume knob takes the amp from clean to fully cranked, and when it is turned all the way up, the amp growls with a deep, throaty tube distortion. The tremolo is simple as well, with only the rate adjustable while the depth stays fixed. It clicks on and off cleanly and adds a nice vintage pulse to the sound.

The tone switch is the most interesting control. In the bright position, the amp gets piercing and hollow, almost like there is no tone stack at all. The dark position pulls back some of the mids and softens the attack. The secret middle position restores a bit of a mid hump that many players will find more usable for everyday playing.

Tone and Performance

The Excelsior is loud. Despite being rated at only 13 watts, it pushes a surprising amount of air thanks to its 15-inch speaker. At full volume, it is genuinely painful to sit next to, and it produces a grinding, fuzz-like distortion that is closer to a tube fuzz pedal than a traditional amp overdrive. It does the Link Wray thing beautifully, with a dry, cardboardy, garage-rock character that is full of personality.

With pedals, the Excelsior behaves like a high-personality amplifier. It takes overdrives and fuzzes well at lower volumes, and it carries its gritty, torn-speaker character even when pushed with drive pedals. However, it is not a neutral pedal platform. Whatever you run into it, you will hear the amp’s voice, which is great for recording or performing but less ideal for product demonstrations that need a flat, clean tone.

Things to Consider Before Buying

The Excelsior is no longer in production, so buying one means shopping the used market. These amps are heavy, and they are often listed for local pickup only, so finding one may require watching local listings. The amp also has a very specific sound. It is rowdy and aggressive, not the kind of amp you bring to a polite event. If you want a clean, sterile pedal platform, this is not it.

Buying Advice

The Fender Excelsior is a great choice for players who want a distinctive, characterful tube amp with a vintage voice. It excels at surf, garage rock, and anything that benefits from a gritty, aggressive attack. It is less suitable for players who need a neutral amp for pedal demos or clean, polite tones. If you have been eyeing one for years, the used market is the only place to find one, and it is worth acting quickly when a local listing appears.

Conclusion

The Fender Excelsior is a unique amplifier with a sound that is hard to replicate. It is loud, grindy, and full of personality, and it rewards players who appreciate Fender’s weirder designs. It is not for everyone, but for those who love its voice, it is a special piece of gear worth hunting down.