Duesenberg Lap Steel

Jimmy T. Vaughn · From: Porter, OK

Anyone sell this brand of guitar in the states?

Brad Bechtel · From: San Francisco, CA

http://www.duesenbergusa.com/dealers/index.html
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Drew Entz · From: Oklahoma, USA

first post so thanks to all who make this site happen. i joined because i just ordered one of these off of gbase last night. brand new at alot cheaper price than i have seen. i am a round neck resophonic blues/bluegrass player.

but ive been here lately ive been writing a bunch of songs in a very classic country hank/ernest tubb style. but a very modern approach.
(think of hank williams meets roy orbison singing. with alot of echo). that i plan to record. i plan on throwing this in c6.

i bought a basket case emmons 8 string pedal steel about five years ago. and due to no one around to help me getting it up and going and just lack of info and parts i gave up and sold it.

when i saw these over a year ago i thought that's right up my alley. but the $2300 price, most were going for kept me away. it should be here next week. i will keep you posted. i am very excited. and to add what are some good six string material's for learning some classic hank style licks. i play it by ear so ill figure it out either way. thanks to all

Tom Pettingill · From: California, USA (deceased)

Welcome to the forum Drew, those multibenders are a lot of fun. I built this one using the Dusenberg multibender bridge a while back and have another multibender steel in the works.

Something to note, some have had trouble with string breakage. The issue is on some strings with a longer wrap on the ball end, the end of the wrap falls dead center on the bar that holds the levers. My solution was to take a ball end off a sting and thread it on the new sting. What that does is move the end of the wrap far enough back to take it off the pivot point.
Third pic kind of explains it a little better.

.

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Peter Lindelauf · From: Penticton, BC

This video of Nob Sugino playing Fruits of Fortune on a Duesenberg Pomona 6 is pretty entertaining. Especially once he records the loops and gets flying after a minute or so.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0mMlc7ELIk
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Drew Entz · From: Oklahoma, USA

well i got in the pomona 6 today. and i spent a few hours with it. and to be honest with you im pretty bummed out. the palm levers are cumbersome and not very practical. maybe it takes time and im no pro. but ive a played a lot of dobro, and placement of my right palm to the strings feels very uncomfortable. and if i do play it where i feel right. i have to make quite a right hand shift to reach the lever's. and i really don't see my self using them and it's more or less turned into a high priced straight ahead lap steel and making me wish i bought a superslide.

i expected a learning curve there. but the damn thing don't sound like i want sterile. and the notch wah tone pot is not my cup of tea at all it's either mud or high end.and the pot placement is weird.
ive had two g strings break. it came shipped in open d with some pretty heavy gauge string's.

i have some of scotty's c6th strings on the way so maybe that will get me closer to the sound i want. and the lighter gauge may help with the breakage. but out of the box this is not the western swing machine i wanted. i spoke to the place i bought it from and they have a 48hr grace period and said i could let them know something on monday due to the holiday. as of now it's going back. i just don't know if i could get used to the lever's and that's why i bought it. the capo is way cool. and the thing is beautiful with some great idea's that on paper look great but in practical use are off a bit. maybe i will fall in love with it by monday who know's

J. Wilson · From: Manitoba, Canada

I've used a three lever multibender on my steel for a long while now so I can give you some good advice.

Practice!

That's about it. Winking

Its not as hard to use the benders as you think. You just have to grow accustomed to the process -- about two weeks of daily practice (about an hour a day) and you will be off an running. Practice your own songs. It makes the learning process easier and more rewarding.

I haven't tried C6 with the multibender but I have a strong feeling it won't work very well for you. It seems to be happiest in open E, and I believe that is the tuning for which it was originally intended. If you need to play in C or G just use the sliding capo that came with your Duesy. It's not C6 tho...

As for string breakage, I haven't had the same issues as Tom. My solution is a bit simpler. In my experience you will cut down on breakage a lot if you step down the gauge. For instance, a 26 is recommended for the third string from the top, however, I knocked that down to a 24 and it bends nicely and sounds perfect. That said, the strings that have the benders will still be the first to break so stock up on those gauges.

As the old boys here have said a million times, you can't make a non-pedal sound like a PSG. The right tool for the job as they say. Either way, have fun with your Duesy. I've never played one but it looks to be a real sweet guitar.
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Tom Pettingill · From: California, USA (deceased)

Drew ... if your string is breaking at the point where the wrap ends like in this illustration, then the problem I described is whats going on, that is the wrap end is riding on the pivot point.

.

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Drew Entz · From: Oklahoma, USA

ok. so im going to put a 24 on the g string i have that. and keep it in open d which i play in all the time anyway. and i can use the capo for open e.(i was just thinking i coud put this in c6 and get in different territory than open g,d,e, that im used to. Im gonna man up and play this thing a ton over the weekend. and see what happen's. didn't mean to sound so negative.

Im not that way it was just a knee jerk reaction. and with the string breakage a bit of frustration (and tom that's exactly what's going on). And i think your right my expectation's were i would be getting a pedal steel sound out of this. with out the hassle of a pedal steel. if im still frustrated on monday it may go back. i don't know but thanks to all for your help.

John Billings · From: Ohio, USA

I have a bunch of lapsteels, and a bunch of Hipshot stuff. Coulda tried a Hipshot on a lapsteel I suppose. But when I want to sound like a pedal steel, I play a pedal steel! You're already a steeler, and a fingerpicker. You wouldn't have much trouble adapting to pedal steel. Maybe ya shoulda bought this instead;
http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=193727

Tom,,,, beautiful guitars, as usual!

Jerry Overstreet · From: Louisville Ky

Drew, I assume you have seen this video clip, but JIC you didn't, here's the link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TdapBSJ-fI

The thing sounds pretty cool to me and the demonstrator seems to be getting on fine with the bender levers. Of course the demo is to sell guitars.......so.

Anyhow, this appears to be a really cool instrument with some pretty nice features. I wouldn't give up on it yet. I'm quite sure some time in the saddle with it will make you feel a lot better. There's probably some other videos that may give you pointers as well.

Of course, since you have the option to return it, the decision is yours to make.

Good Luck Exclamation

Drew Entz · From: Oklahoma, USA

well i put it in open e last night. changed strings im getting more comfortable with the bender's. it's starting to win me over. my biggerst grip is what i didn't like from the get go it's the filter type tone pot. but thats a easy fix. by the way what do you guy's use to lube the bender's thanks

J. Wilson · From: Manitoba, Canada

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