Duesenberg Pomona 6 Lap Steel

I spent a focused week playing the Duesenberg Fairytale Goldburst across rehearsals and quiet tracking sessions, and I came away impressed by how well thought-out the instrument is for serious lapsteel players. My use case is studio and small-venue work where versatility, tuning stability, and expressive control - especially string bending - matter most.

First Impressions

The moment I set the Fairytale on my lap the build quality and finish caught my eye - the goldburst is subtle but lively under stage lights, and the custom case it ships in already feels like a premium touch. Plugging in for the first time I noticed the pickups are voiced for clarity and separation, and the Multibender bridge and Easy-Shift capo immediately signaled that this is an instrument designed to expand lapsteel technique rather than simply replicate vintage tones.

Design & Features

Construction-wise the Fairytale uses korina for the body and neck with a maple-topped headstock and a black anodized aluminum fingerboard - that aluminum fretboard gives the string response a glassy attack and very even sustain. The integrated Easy-Shift capo runs on a rail and is rock-solid in use, making key changes fast and repeatable without fumbling around for a separate capo. The Multibender bridge is the headline feature - it accepts multiple levers and lets you do per-string pitch changes in a way that mimics pedal-steel moves, and the Duesenberg Speed-Pot for tone makes swells very controllable with minimal travel.

Playability & Usability

Playability is where the Fairytale really shines for me - the 25.5 inch scale and 54 mm string spacing felt immediately familiar and comfortable, and the anodized aluminum fingerboard slides beautifully when using a steel bar. The Z-Tuners and roller nut give excellent tuning stability even when using the Multibender levers aggressively, and the supplied Duesenberg strings (.016-.056) balanced tension well for my preferred setup. The only learning curve is the Multibender itself - dialing in lever positions and getting consistent bends takes some time, but once set it becomes an expressive extension of your right hand technique.

Sound & Electronics

The pickup pair - a hum-cancelling SingleTwin Domino P90 at the neck and a GrandVintage humbucker at the bridge - gives you a wide tonal palette: warm, sustain-rich neck tones and brassy, cutting bridge tones that sit up in a mix. I used both pickups separately and together, and the 3-way selector plus the quick-response speed-pot allowed me to sculpt swells and subtle tone shifts without losing dynamics; the GrandVintage cut through a dense arrangement while the Domino produced syrupy, vocal-esque leads. Electronics are simple but effective - one volume, one tone - and the wiring feels robust and noise-free at stage volumes.

Real-World Experience

I used the Fairytale in a stripped-down acoustic gig and during a multi-track studio session; in both contexts it adapted well. For country-tinged chords and tasteful fills the Multibender lets you add moving voices to static chords in a way that felt musical, and on lead lines the humbucker had enough presence to cut through without sounding harsh. The included Custom Line case protects the instrument well for frequent transport, and the felt strips on the back prevented unwanted sliding when I played it on a table during a session.

The Trade-Offs

No instrument is perfect - the anodized aluminum fretboard, while sonically excellent, can feel cold and slightly less organic than a wooden board to some players, and the Multibender's complexity means you should expect some setup time and occasional maintenance to keep lever actions consistent. Price is toward the high end of the market, and while I think the Fairytale is worth it for players who will use its unique features, casual lap players might find a simpler instrument more economical.

Final Verdict

The Duesenberg Fairytale Goldburst is a brilliantly executed modern lapsteel - thoughtful hardware, distinctive features like the Multibender and Easy-Shift capo, and a tonal pairing that covers everything from warm slide leads to mix-cutting rhythm parts. I recommend it to working players and adventurous lapsteel fans who want a high level of expressiveness and tuning reliability; if you prize a traditional wooden fingerboard or need a bargain-basement price, look elsewhere, but for creative players this is one of the most capable lapsteels I have spent time with.