Fender Excelsior

^# 83

Equipboard's ranking is determined by analyzing factors such as professional artist usage, popularity, user ratings, reviews, and more.

$329.00 Price Tier: Standard

4.5 (26)

8 Reviews

This product is Vintage or Discontinued

Find out who is using Fender Excelsior Pawn Shop

1 community setup

6 wishlisted

43 saved

Page last updated Jul 06, 2026

Pricing and availability

We compare 600+ stores and found this item at 1 store. Prices updated July 6, 2026.

Store

Reviews

Price

5.0 (21)

$329.00 15 available Used

View Deal

Average Price: $329

Standard/Professional

$300

$701+

Price Tier

In the Combo Guitar Amplifiers category, Fender Excelsior is priced in the Standard/Professional range. This is quality gear at a fair price point, suitable for beginners, hobbyists, and pros alike.

Budget

Standard

High-end

^* Product prices and availability are updated by Equipboard every 24hrs and are subject to change. Equipboard may receive compensation for purchases made at participating retailers linked on this site. This compensation does not affect what products or prices are displayed, or the order of prices listed. For more information, please refer to our affiliate disclosure.

Description

Edit description

Step into a world of retro charm with the Fender Excelsior, a distinguished member of Fender's iconic Pawn Shop series. This vintage-inspired combo amplifier is more than just a nod to the past; it's a compact powerhouse that delivers rich, boutique-quality tones. With its robust 13-watt output and formidable 15" speaker, the Excelsior is designed to provide punchy sound with exceptional clarity, making it ideal for intimate gigs and studio sessions alike.

Embodying versatility, the Fender Excelsior features a built-in tremolo circuit that adds a touch of modulation to your sound, allowing musicians to experiment with a range of sonic textures. Its bright and dark tone switch offers quick tonal adjustments, catering to diverse playing styles and preferences. What sets this amplifier apart is its trio of distinct inputs for guitar, microphone, and even accordion, ensuring that no instrument is left out of the equation.

Whether you're a vintage enthusiast or a modern player looking to add character to your sound, the Fender Excelsior stands out as a reliable companion, ready to amplify your creativity with its unique blend of style and substance.

Key Features:

13-watt output power
15" speaker for robust sound
Built-in tremolo circuit
Bright/Dark tone switch
Three individual inputs: guitar, mic, and accordion
Part of Fender's Pawn Shop series

Owner's manual

Fender Excelsior User Manual

Product specs

Brand	Fender
Model	Excelsior Pawn Shop Series 13-Watt 1x15" Guitar Combo
Finish	Brown
Year	2012 - 2013
Made In	China
Categories	Guitar Combo Amps
Color Family	Brown
Electronics	Tube
Model Family	Fender Excelsior
Number of Channels	1 Channel
Number of Inputs	3 Inputs
Output Power (Watts)	13
Power Tube Type	6V6
Reverb	None
Series	Fender Pawn Shop Amp
Speaker Configuration	1x15"

FAQs

What are the tonal characteristics of the Fender Excelsior amp?: The Fender Excelsior is known for its warm, vintage tone with a unique voicing due to its 1x15" speaker. It offers a rich midrange and smooth overdrive, making it ideal for blues and classic rock styles.
Is the Fender Excelsior suitable for live performances?: With its 13-watt output, the Fender Excelsior is best suited for small venues or studio settings. It may need to be mic'd for larger gigs, but it delivers a distinct, boutique-style sound perfect for intimate performances.
Does the Fender Excelsior have built-in effects?: The Fender Excelsior features a tremolo circuit, adding a classic modulation effect to your sound. However, it does not include reverb or other built-in effects.
How many inputs does the Fender Excelsior have, and what are they optimized for?: The Fender Excelsior has three individually optimized inputs, designed for guitar, microphone, and accordion. This makes it a versatile choice for musicians using different instruments.
What type of power tubes does the Fender Excelsior use?: The Fender Excelsior uses 6V6 power tubes, contributing to its warm, vintage tone with smooth overdrive characteristics.

Videos

Add video

Rob Chapman

Fender Pawnshop Excelsior Amplifier

Rob Chapman

Reviews

Add review

PROS

Authentic 50's/60's small tube amp tone
Versatile with cool sounds for various genres
15-inch speaker option enhances gigs with big bottom end and great tremolo
Simple operation, appealing for both novices and pros
Takes pedals well, offering further tone customization
Easy to mod for enthusiasts looking for more control
Acts as a stylistic piece of furniture with its looks
Analog tremolo adds unique texture to music
Capable of natural overdrive and beautiful cleans
Supports external speaker output for larger venues

CONS

Lacks a tone knob, limiting on-the-fly adjustments
Original "tolex" covering is thin and may wear quickly
Heavy for its size, not as portable as real small wattage amps
Rectifier diodes are a known weak point
Limited built-in effects with no reverb or advanced EQ settings

Owner Insights

We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about Fender Excelsior.

Features and functionality

0 0

The onboard tube tremolo is praised for its quality, offering rich vintage tones ideal for blues and country styles.
Source
0 0

The amp includes a dark/bright switch, which helps achieve jazzier, rolled-down tones, adding versatility for different musical styles.
Source
0 0

The Excelsior's 15" speaker was chosen due to a cost-effective offer to Fender, impacting its unique design and tonal signature compared to typical 12" options.
Source
0 0

The Excelsior includes accordion and mic inputs, enhancing its vintage appeal and versatility for non-traditional guitar amp applications.
Source

Build quality

0 0

The amp is considered heavy for its size due to the particle board cabinet and 15" speaker, yet it's described as being built like a tank.
Source

Mods and upgrades

0 0

Some owners replace the stock speaker with an Eminence Legend to reduce the mid-range honk and improve tonal clarity.
Source
0 0

A simple mod involves swapping the tone switch with a pot for added tonal versatility, although it’s not equivalent to a full tone control.
Source
0 0

Owners recommend removing the rattly tube cage for better acoustics, particularly if the amp is not frequently moved.
Source
0 0

Swapping the stock speaker with a vintage early '70s Jensen 15" has been reported to yield impressive tonal improvements.
Source

Comparisons

0 0

It's suggested as a better first tube amp alternative to the Blues Jr., especially for those into blues, country, and classic rock.
Source
0 0

The Excelsior's circuit is somewhat similar to the Brownface Princeton 6G2, though it uses EL84 tubes, giving it a distinct tonal character from the original 6V6GT-driven Princeton.
Source
0 0

The Excelsior is likened to old Sears or Montgomery Ward amps from the '50s, offering a distinct vintage radio amp tone.
Source

User experience

0 0

Some users experience chassis vibration at high volumes, which can be mitigated with friction tape applied around the chassis’ exterior.
Source

Use cases and applications

0 0

A transparent overdrive pedal is noted to pair well with the Excelsior, enhancing its sound without needing the amp to be cranked up.
Source
0 0

The amp has been noted for its "dirty" tone, making it more suitable for rockabilly and less for clean styles.
Source

Add review

4.5 out of 5

Based on 8 Reviews and 26 Ratings

5 star

4 star

3 star

2 star

1 star

slypero

417

over 7 years ago

Nice old fashion Fender Amp !

This is a good amplifier, the main feature is the 15 inches speaker and it has no EQ. In fact the only buttons on it are a tremolo effect, a Bright/Dark switch and 3 inputs one for GTR, Accordion and harmonica. This 13 Watts amplifier sounds great and even better when i want to play rock and metal i plug it on my marshall 4x12 and it sounds great. But to have my sound i plug an EQ, OCD overdrive and a Lee Jackson reverb and this amp looks great too like a good piece of furniture not cheap at all.

krystof_brichta

about 11 years ago

Great amp for everyday sound with a little punch of vintage -and more expensive- Fender!

When someone asks me about my Excelsior and how I would summarise it in one sentence I always answer: "It is like 1960's Tremolux, without all the fancy switches and Reverb." Not that I do not like Reverb on Fender Amps, I played those for 5 years, it is just how address the Amp. Also I love that I do not actually miss al the switches; if I want a little different sound, I just switch the input jack holes, and in case I need little punch while gigging I just turn the Bright switch on and since it has 15inch speaker, you get, by my opinion, better texture and accents, than when playing a 2 by 10inch speaker, which you can support by the only geniue Fender Tremolo, that can take care of a small venue or club. And if like the sound and want to play bigger places, you can always hit the extension speaker output in the back and you are set. And last but not least, it looks great as an interior piece of furniture!

noahpelty

over 6 years ago

Incredible.

If you want a fender tweed deluxe tone but can't afford it, buy this amp. They have a really similar honky tone that just sounds fantastic. Natural overdrive when the dial is at noon, and really beautiful cleans before that. Plus the Analog tremolo is great!

Roles:

Singer Guitarist

Genres:

Rock Blues Alternative country

okhopkins

over 6 years ago

A modern classic and throw back to the 60's

Great tone, super flexible the loudest, tastiest 13 watts you can find.

damienstanton

106

over 12 years ago

Vintage-inspired amp with rich tone and versatile features

It has a volume knob, also a tremolo knob. It has three inputs. It's modeled after an accordion amp from the 1930s. The tone is delicious. This is my main recording and practicing amp.