How do you feel about Duesenbergs for jazz?

**bestoman** · 03-23-2020, 07:01 AM

Hi all

I know this is an old thread, but I was looking at it recently when deciding whether to buy a Duesenberg.

I had a few guitars stolen a while back and wanted to buy something a bit special with the insurance money to cheer myself up a bit. I have a nice archtop already so wanted something with more tonal possibilities, and ended up going for a Caribou.

Here's a clip of me playing something straight ahead with it, just to reassure myself it could cope with that kind of thing, in case it's of any use to anyone considering buying one.

**citizenk74** · 03-23-2020, 06:20 PM

Lovely tone and playing!

**ccroft** · 03-23-2020, 08:41 PM

Great sound. I kept wondering when you'd hit the wiggle arm. Very judicious use!

**bestoman** · 03-24-2020, 02:46 AM

Thanks gents. Yeah, as you can tell, I've no idea what I'm doing yet with the tremolo, but when you spend all that money you need to use it at least once!

**Rob MacKillop** · 03-24-2020, 02:58 AM

Fine playing, nice video, fine sound. Welcome to the forum! Looking forward to hearing more of your playing.

**Rob MacKillop** · 03-24-2020, 10:32 AM

Originally Posted by bestoman

I think you should have mentioned the arranger was the great Barry Galbraith, no?

**bestoman** · 03-24-2020, 10:48 AM

Hi Rob - I wasn't aware of it, I was just playing the most obvious chord melody. Did I shamelessly rip him off?

(Btw I was listening to some of your acoustic archtop stuff, really lovely!)

**Rob MacKillop** · 03-24-2020, 10:50 AM

Then you're a genius

Sounds just like it, but I haven't compared each single note. Mind you, it's not his most complex arrangement.

**bestoman** · 03-24-2020, 11:05 AM

Just a case of inferior minds copying great ones

**djg** · 03-24-2020, 11:08 AM

Originally Posted by Rob MacKillop

I think you should have mentioned the arranger was the great Barry Galbraith, no?

i hear just some similarities. darn that dream is a tune that basically arranges itself

**christianm77** · 03-24-2020, 11:42 AM

Originally Posted by djg

i hear just some similarities. darn that dream is a tune that basically arranges itself

yep

**christianm77** · 03-24-2020, 11:44 AM

Lovely playing by the way and I quite fancy a Deusenberg....

**bestoman** · 03-24-2020, 12:14 PM

Cheers Christian. Have I nicked your arrangement too?

If you should try one at any point I'd be interested to hear what you think. It's so different to the archtop I've been playing for a while, but the difference is really growing on me the more time I spend with it.

**pcjazz** · 03-24-2020, 05:32 PM

Originally Posted by bestoman

Hi Rob - I wasn't aware of it, I was just playing the most obvious chord melody. Did I shamelessly rip him off?

(Btw I was listening to some of your acoustic archtop stuff, really lovely!)

Bucky P tried to teach me his arrangement of Darn That Dream. I said, wow, that’s like Galbraith’s. He seemed a bit offended. But like you say, the tune pretty much plays itself.

**bestoman** · 03-24-2020, 08:00 PM

Without wanting to turn this thread into a Darn that Dream discussion, I did get a chance to have listen to a few YouTube versions of the Barry Galbraith arrangement this evening. The only non-coincidental similarity to my ears is the first turnaround, which I definitely pinched from Peter Bernstein in this video, so perhaps he got it from Galbraith. (I used to play a more obvious chromatic descending thing from the B minor.)