NGD! Duesenberg Fairytale

[Dusty Lee Elmer]

Howdy all,

finally decided to go for it and get a Duesy. Been daydreaming and drooling over these for years. It was a frustrating wait for UPS to deliver it - it was supposed to arrive on Tuesday by 9, then Wednesday by 9, then Thursday by 9, then Friday by 9. I'd been getting anxious about it sitting on a truck for 4 days, so on Friday I used the UPS app to locate the truck. The driver found the box and I finally got my dream guitar. this thing is SO COOL! used it in church today and man what a sound. the benders have a bit of a learning curve but I'm just loving every second of it.

[Michael Kiese]

Super cool! Happy for you and that you're enjoying it!

If I were to get a Dusenberg, it would be a Fairytale as well. They just have a really nice look. I also like how they have an integrated CAPO. Real handy feature.

I really like Luke Cyrus Goetze's tone, especially after he put a Valco String Through pup on his Fairytale in the bridge position.

What tuning are you using?

Enjoy your early Christmas present to yourself!

[Dusty Lee Elmer]

Thanks Michael! I'm sticking with open D for the time being.

[Brooks Montgomery]

Something that’s never made sense to me on the Fairytale is the adjustable capo. (I owned one.)

Because the Fairytale has string benders, the guitar has roller nuts, like a pedal steel, to prevent string breakage, and to accommodate back-and-forth stretching of the strings.

But the capo is, basically, a restrictive “zero nut”, clamping the strings. And then it slides up the neck, minimizing the roller nuts even more.

Let us know how it affects string breakage.

[Dusty Lee Elmer]

Something that’s never made sense to me on the Fairytale is the adjustable capo. (I owned one.)

Because the Fairytale has string benders, the guitar has roller nuts, like a pedal steel, to prevent string breakage, and to accommodate back-and-forth stretching of the strings.

But the capo is, basically, a restrictive “zero nut”, clamping the strings. And then it slides up the neck, minimizing the roller nuts even more.

Let us know how it affects string breakage.

Hi Brooks,
So far so good as far as the strings go. I’m a little apprehensive about string breakage. I ordered a few sets of the Troy Brenningmyer strings off StringsByMail, they seem to be able to hold up a little better. I’m still on the stock strings and haven’t had any problems yet either with breakage or tuning. Hopefully it stays that way!

[Corey Vierra]

Sorry if I missed it, but what color did you get.? I think all the Dusenbergs are sexy looking with there eclectic looks, but the Fairy Tales has that extra something. I especially like the Green one.

[Dusty Lee Elmer]

Sorry if I missed it, but what color did you get.? I think all the Dusenbergs are sexy looking with there eclectic looks, but the Fairy Tales has that extra something. I especially like the Green one.

I got the gold burst!

[Michael Kiese]

Something that’s never made sense to me on the Fairytale is the adjustable capo. (I owned one.)

Because the Fairytale has string benders, the guitar has roller nuts, like a pedal steel, to prevent string breakage, and to accommodate back-and-forth stretching of the strings.

But the capo is, basically, a restrictive “zero nut”, clamping the strings. And then it slides up the neck, minimizing the roller nuts even more.

Let us know how it affects string breakage.

Aloha Brook,

I've never owned a Duesenberg, so I can't stake a personal opinion about it.

That said, here's a short video of Luke Cyrus Goetze using the CAPO on his Fairytale. He still uses the palm benders as well as some behind the nut bends. It's still in tune.

https://youtu.be/sonZSH2kmQ4?si=nG7vPSKCe7kP3a2a

Did you experience a lot of string breakage using the CAPO on your Fairytale? Have you ever taken it out on a live performance and had a string break? That would be useful information to know.

[Brooks Montgomery]

Something that’s never made sense to me on the Fairytale is the adjustable capo. (I owned one.)

Because the Fairytale has string benders, the guitar has roller nuts, like a pedal steel, to prevent string breakage, and to accommodate back-and-forth stretching of the strings.

But the capo is, basically, a restrictive “zero nut”, clamping the strings. And then it slides up the neck, minimizing the roller nuts even more.

Let us know how it affects string breakage.

Aloha Brook,

I've never owned a Duesenberg, so I can't stake a personal opinion about it.

That said, here's a short video of Luke Cyrus Goetze using the CAPO on his Fairytale. He still uses the palm benders as well as some behind the nut bends. It's still in tune.

https://youtu.be/sonZSH2kmQ4?si=nG7vPSKCe7kP3a2a

Did you experience a lot of string breakage using the CAPO on your Fairytale? Have you ever taken it out on a live performance and had a string break? That would be useful information to know.

Yes, I experienced a lot of string breakage, very annoying. There are some work-arounds such as putting an extra string ball-end on the string to move the string windings back further in the bridge assembly.

I think the sliding capo at first appears as an innovation, but in reality, it would be a better instrument with just the roller nuts (and use a separate dobro-like capo if you need one).

I ended up selling mine, sticking with non-bending lapsteels and dobros, and when I need pedal steel sounds, I play my pedal steel.

[Michael Kiese]

Yes, I experienced a lot of string breakage, very annoying. There are some work-arounds such as putting an extra string ball-end on the string to move the string windings back further in the bridge assembly.

I think the sliding capo at first appears as an innovation, but in reality, it would be a better instrument with just the roller nuts (and use a separate dobro-like capo if you need one).

What's the difference between the built in Duesenberg CAPO, and a separate Dobro-like CAPO?

How does the Dobro-like CAPO alleviate the problems that the Duesenberg CAPO presents?

Thanks.

[Bill McCloskey]

Like Brooks, I also sold mine about a month after getting it. The string breakage drove me crazy and it was extremely difficult to change the string once it broke. I hear there are workarounds but it was a deal killer for me.

[Jack Hanson]

...when I need pedal steel sounds, I play my pedal steel.

Bingo! My sentiments exactly. I tried benders, but playing them on an otherwise perfectly adequate lap steel required altering the playing technique that I had developed over the decades so negatively that I ultimately decided to bag it. If I can't achieve the sound I'm after on a lap steel by slanting the bar or pulling a string or two behind the bar, I have a dandy old push-pull that executes that job flawlessly.

If I were a total beginner just learning how to play, I would mount a bender or two on one of my old rescued 6-string or 7-string Gibsons and go for it.

[Brooks Montgomery]

Yes, I experienced a lot of string breakage, very annoying. There are some work-arounds such as putting an extra string ball-end on the string to move the string windings back further in the bridge assembly.

I think the sliding capo at first appears as an innovation, but in reality, it would be a better instrument with just the roller nuts (and use a separate dobro-like capo if you need one).

What's the difference between the built in Duesenberg CAPO, and a separate Dobro-like CAPO?

How does the Dobro-like CAPO alleviate the problems that the Duesenberg CAPO presents?

Thanks.

The capo functions as, basically, a zero nut.
It has to be clamped all the time, even at the zero position, which makes one wonder, why even have roller nuts? But, as I mentioned, roller nuts are needed for string stretching back-and-forth, whether it be a pedal steel, or a hipshot double shot on a dobro.

The fact that you cannot play the duesy without clamping down on the capo is the problem.
If the guitar used roller nuts in the open position, and then occasionally you clamped on a dobro capo, you’d have significantly less problems. But the roller nuts are in a negative position, not at zero……so you have to use the capo. So, I guess you could say, the roller nuts are in the wrong place.
IMO.

Edit: And it’s important to mention in the spirit of G.A.S. , this IS only my opinion, and there are many happy Duesy players that kick ass out there on the instrument and love it with no issues.

[Michael Kiese]

The capo functions as, basically, a zero nut.
It has to be clamped all the time, even at the zero position, which makes one wonder, why even have roller nuts? But, as I mentioned, roller nuts are needed for string stretching back-and-forth, whether it be a pedal steel, or a hipshot double shot on a dobro.

The fact that you cannot play the duesy without clamping down on the capo is the problem.
If the guitar used roller nuts in the open position, and then occasionally you clamped on a dobro capo, you’d have significantly less problems. But the roller nuts are in a negative position, not at zero……so you have to use the capo. So, I guess you could say, the roller nuts are in the wrong place.
IMO.

Edit: And it’s important to mention in the spirit of G.A.S. , this IS only my opinion, and there are many happy Duesy players that kick ass out there on the instrument and love it with no issues.

I see... It's certainly an issue that one wouldn't be aware of without actually buying one and experiencing it for yourself. Thank you for sharing that insight!

I did buy 2 Duesenberg Multibenders, and I installed them on project steel guitars. One with Martin Huch's tuning, and the other with Luke Cyrus Goetze's tuning. I figured that if I ever got the itch, I could learn some language and positions on these project steels in 2 different tunings.

That said, the Multibender itself does have rollers on the bridge end.

I kept the original nuts on, which are NOT roller nuts. *Knock on Wood*, I haven't experienced string breakage on either of my multibender equipped steels yet. Perhaps I don't play them enough.

[Michael Kiese]

If I were a total beginner just learning how to play, I would mount a bender or two on one of my old rescued 6-string or 7-string Gibsons and go for it.

Aloha Jack,

That's EXACTLY what I did, lol. I got 2 project steels off of Amazon, and put Duesenberg Multibenders on both of them. One is in Luke Cyrus Goetze's tuning, the other is in Martin Huch's tuning.

I figured if I liked 'em enough, I'd eventually get a Duesenberg.

I think these project steels sound surprisingly good, and I haven't experienced any string breakage yet. Perhaps I just don't play them enough.

That said, the Multibender itself is equipped with roller nuts at the saddles...

I'd probably gravitate towards palm levers if I played more country and pop music. I play a lot of Hawaiian music, so I haven't had the need for that specific sound and approach.

But I really DO like the stuff that Luke Cyrus Goetze plays.

[Dusty Lee Elmer]

Hi Michael, I really enjoy your playing and your YouTube videos so it's very cool to see you on this thread. What is your 3rd bender set up for? I've been considering adding another bender, possibly on the low A to lower it to G, but I'm curious about how yours are set up.

[Michael Kiese]

Hi Michael, I really enjoy your playing and your YouTube videos so it's very cool to see you on this thread. What is your 3rd bender set up for? I've been considering adding another bender, possibly on the low A to lower it to G, but I'm curious about how yours are set up.

Aloha Dusty,

Mahalo nui for the kind words. I'm still working hard at it. Still gotta get that feel down and work on the vocabulary. Just a work in progress, and trying to be a little bit better than yesterday.

Here's my Multibender setups:

Luke Cyrus Goetze tuning
:
1 D —> C# (lower)
2 A —> B (raise)
3 F# —> G (raise)

4 D
5 B
6 G

I figured out Luke's tuning by ear from listening to his YouTube videos. I sent Luke an email for verification, and he was gracious enough to confirm I got it right.

This is what Luke said to me:
"I added the third bender mainly out of curiosity, and lowering the high D really helps for some nice sounds, I especially love the minor9 chord I get out of it."

Martin Huch Tuning:
1 E —> F (raise)
2 B —> C# (raise)
3 G# —> A (raise)

4 E
5 B
6 E

I also figured out Martin's tuning by ear from listening to his YouTube videos. Martin is rarely on the forum, but I caught him once and he confirmed I got his tuning and set up right.

Pressing the benders on the 2nd and 3rd strings allow you to go from an E major triad to an A major triad on strings 4, 3, 2, and 1. This gives you a I to IV chord, a quintessential pedal steel sound.

Pressing only the bender on the first string gives you a diminished chord on strings 1, 2, and 3.

If you press all three benders, that gives you an F augmented triad on strings 1, 2, and 3.

This is all transposable when you use the bar.
--------------

Martin's tuning is Open E, so it's familiar to guitar players who play slide ala Derek Trucks or Duane Allman style. The strengths of it are that it's very pick up and go. Low barrier to entry. It's so close to regular guitar tuning.

Luke's tuning is much more versatile. It gives you I, IV, V all in the same position, or within 2 frets. Everything you need is very close to each other. So with a combination of forward slants, behind the bar bends, and the palm levers, all the quintessential pedal steel language is there. You just gotta find it.

There's TONS of fun in discovering this stuff.

I think Martin's tuning is really forgiving and easy to pick up if you haven't played in a while. Luke's tuning requires practice, but there is more reward. Both are very good tunings!

Enjoy your Duesenberg! Happy for you! Do a lot of shedding over Christmas break!

[Jeff Highland]

Whilst I sold my Fairytale, it was due to my limitations rather than problems with the instrument.
String breakage was resolved by the addition of a couple of extra ball ends and the use of NYXL strings
The concern expressed by some people above about the inbuilt Capo never proved to be an issue because
- movement of the string at the nut is much less than at the bridge saddle rollers.
- the capo only provides a gentle clamp through felt against a smooth flat surface with minimal break angle, strings can slide for tuning and bending with little resistance.