Excelsior
Excelsior
Also known as: Excelsior Accordions
UnclaimedExcelsior is an accordion manufacturer founded in New York City in 1924 by the Pancotti brothers, Italian immigrants from Castelfidardo, the historic center of accordion making. Originally built in the United States by Italian craftsmen, Excelsior accordions became a fixture in mid-20th-century American music, played by orchestral and jazz accordionists including Charles Magnante, Art Van Damme...
Excelsior is an accordion manufacturer founded in New York City in 1924 by the Pancotti brothers, Italian immigrants from Castelfidardo, the historic center of accordion making. Originally built in the United States by Italian craftsmen, Excelsior accordions became a fixture in mid-20th-century American music, played by orchestral and jazz accordionists including Charles Magnante, Art Van Damme, and Pietro Deiro Jr. As skilled labor in the U.S. dwindled after the war, the company opened a factory in Castelfidardo, Italy in 1948, eventually consolidating production there.
The brand is associated with several model lines, including the flagship Excelsior series with hand-made reeds, the more affordable Excelsiola models with machine-made reeds, and the Accordiana student range. Beyond accordions, Excelsior briefly imported and distributed a line of Italian-made electric guitars in the 1960s, including the Jamaica III and Dyno models, which have since become collectible vintage instruments.
Excelsior is now operated as a division of Pigini srl, an established Castelfidardo accordion maker, and produces both piano-key and button accordions distributed internationally. The brand's reputation rests on its long pedigree in handcrafted reedwork and its place in the lineage of professional Italian-American accordion building.
Excelsior has 3 products cataloged on Equipboard, including Accordions and Solid Body Electric Guitars. Their gear is featured by 3 artists, with the strongest followings in Rock and Pop. Notable users include John Linnell, Danny Federici, and Suzuka Tomita.
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