Desert Rose guitars. Any thoughts or comments. NEW PICTURE

Norris Ashment · Post by **Norris Ashment** » 25 May 2008 8:03 am

Just wondering how some of you felt about these guitars. What you would change or not change so on and so forth.
I see 3 have come up for sale in the last couple of weeks.
Edited 7-24-08 If you play one and have a picture put on this thread, got some pretty ones being put on here

Stu Schulman · Post by **Stu Schulman** » 25 May 2008 8:42 am

Have you played one?

Norris Ashment · Post by **Norris Ashment** » 25 May 2008 8:43 am

No STU I haven't. Never even seen one in person

Stu Schulman · Post by **Stu Schulman** » 25 May 2008 8:58 am

Norris,These are a great guitars,Mine is an all wood neck D-10 8+5 and is the best guitar I've owned,The sound is very close to a ZB,the mechanics are great and I wouldn't trade it for any guitar out there.There are some great guitars being made these days but this one fits me.Chuck Back is building me another guitar right now...You keep trying guitars until you find the one for you,If you are looking for a PP brighter sound The DR might not be the guitar for you,If you like an old Sho-Bud or ZB sound then I would recommend the DR.If you think that people are selling them because they're lemons I seriously doubt it Chuck Back like Jerry Fessenden,Mark Giles and a few others is a master steel guitar builder.Stu

Joe Rouse · Post by **Joe Rouse** » 25 May 2008 8:59 am

I have had the pleasure of meeting Chuck Back and seeing his Desert Rose Steel Guitars at the Dallas Steel Guitar show in March. Please keep in mind that I'm very experienced in judging pedal steel guitars since I looked at my Carter Starter every day for 1-2 hours for 10 months and now look at my Carson Wells SD-10 1-2 hours each day for a grand total of 17 months. The Desert Rose looked to be a well crafted product and I heard several players trying them out and they sounded great. The finish work on the Desert Rose guitars was beautiful. Please keep in mind that these players sound better tuning up than I sound on my most practiced song. Also keep in mind I've been practicing and taking lessons for 17 months, mostly very frustrating months, but I enjoy the instrument.
Chuck Back is a easy man to talk with and doesn't mind sharing information even with an old over the hill newby...jr

Norris Ashment · Post by **Norris Ashment** » 25 May 2008 9:07 am

Stu I think this is the key words
If you like an old Sho-Bud or ZB sound then I would recommend the DR.
I will add some more of my own comments as the replys come in. I don't want to infulence the comments

Jack Francis · Post by **Jack Francis** » 25 May 2008 11:24 am

I have owned an old Sho-Bud, a RusLer, and played
some friend's guitars...(Emmons, Mullen)

Desert Rose steels are as good as anything that I've sat down at...I'm certainly not an "EXPERT" on what is the best steel being built...but, I love mine and NOBODY builds a better looking steel...and he sells them at a reasonable price.

And Chuck is a GREAT guy to work with!

Norris Ashment · Post by **Norris Ashment** » 25 May 2008 11:31 am

I sure don't see any negatives sneeking in here or anything anybody would change about them.

Jack Francis · Post by **Jack Francis** » 25 May 2008 11:43 am

Norris Ashment wrote:I sure don't see any negatives sneeking in here or anything anybody would change about them.

Maybe Chuck could build in some of his great "LICKS"!

Norris Ashment · Post by **Norris Ashment** » 25 May 2008 12:22 pm

OK guys I tryed to slide this in sideways to test the waters. I orded one two weeks ago so was diging for info. I thought if there was any thing a person would change about them while its in the building stage now would be the time to do so.
Now there is something you could do for me HOW DO YOU USE THE QUOTE THING on here. I keep looking at it and better not try that

JW Day · Post by **JW Day** » 25 May 2008 1:08 pm

Hey Jack, I think you have hit on something with the lick thing. When I recieved mine, I was sure it would come with the built in licks. To me this is A major set back, now I have to start all over and learn these C. Back licks. Seriously, I recieved mine in Dec. 07 and could not be more pleased. Like Stu said, just try one and look it over. I think that the D.R. is is right up there with the best.Especially since I got mine with A 2 pc. case. I've been an Emmons player for 30 years.

Howard Tate · Post by **Howard Tate** » 25 May 2008 1:09 pm

They're beautiful guitars. I would change one thing if I could, the address of one to my address.

Thom Beeman · Post by **Thom Beeman** » 25 May 2008 2:23 pm

Had mine three years and have had no problems. A phone call to Chuck solved the only problem I've had. Wanted to lower x-lever and he explanied each step clearly as I did it. took less than 5 minutes. To me great costumer service is as important as the product you get and with Chuck you'll be treated with the upmost respect. THOM

Jack Francis · Post by **Jack Francis** » 25 May 2008 5:56 pm

Norris Ashment wrote: USE THE QUOTE THING

I just highlight what i want to quote and hit the "QUOTE icon...usually more than I want comes up so I modify it. $:\$

Matthew Prouty · Post by **Matthew Prouty** » 25 May 2008 6:27 pm

my next guitar will be a Desert Rose. I have not seen a pretty guitar being built and they sound top notch!

I am playing the powerball, pick5, and the pick to get enough money up to buy one cause what the boss pay these days dont even fill the gas tank.

m.

sonbone · Post by **sonbone** » 25 May 2008 8:18 pm

My single 10 came with a George L pickup. I put a 18K True Tone on it and now it REALLY sounds vintage, but not really like anything else. Mine has nice string separation and a mid-range growl almost like a PP, but darker like Stu mentioned. I used to own a Sho-Bud Super Pro and my Desert Rose just seems to have more presence than the Sho-Bud, if that makes any sense.

Not really anything I would change, just thought I'd comment about the different pickup. Good luck and have fun with your new steel.

Sonny

Chuck Back · Post by **Chuck Back** » 8 Jun 2008 3:19 pm

Guys...Thanks for the great comments! I would like some feedback regarding preferences. A couple of years ago I was told by many "build a lighter weight guitar for all of us aging players, and one we can fly without added charges. So I went to a body and a half design and dropped 8Lbs. My guitar now weighs 48lbs in the case.

The feedback I'm getting now from players is they prefer a double body on a sinle 10. So what is more important to you, a double body or a lighter guitar. Thanks in advance for your opinions.

Tony Glassman · Post by **Tony Glassman** » 8 Jun 2008 4:28 pm

I played one In the DR room @ the Dallas show. It played, sounded and looked great.

Norris Ashment · Post by **Norris Ashment** » 8 Jun 2008 5:28 pm

My thoughts are if you can get 48 pounds out of the house you can get 56 pounds out to. A lot of the old boys around here are still tossing around 80 pounds of bailed hay. And if gas prices keep going up none of us will be going anywhere.

Kevin Hatton · Post by **Kevin Hatton** » 8 Jun 2008 7:49 pm

Gary Morse of the Brooks and Dunn band uses one both live and in the studio. The Desert Rose Guitar is built to achieve the classic steel guitar sound of yester year. Gary won't play cheap garbage steels. Chuck Back is also one of the most nicest people you will ever deal with when ordering a guitar. Desert Rose Steels are on my short list of recomended great sounding/playing steels.

Alex McCollough · Post by **Alex McCollough** » 8 Jun 2008 8:46 pm

Chuck makes a great sounding and playing guitar...I can't say enough good stuff about his guitars and customer service.

Twayn Williams · Post by **Twayn Williams** » 8 Jun 2008 8:51 pm

Chuck Back wrote:Guys...Thanks for the great comments! I would like some feedback regarding preferences. A couple of years ago I was told by many "build a lighter weight guitar for all of us aging players, and one we can fly without added charges. So I went to a body and a half design and dropped 8Lbs. My guitar now weighs 48lbs in the case.

The feedback I'm getting now from players is they prefer a double body on a sinle 10. So what is more important to you, a double body or a lighter guitar. Thanks in advance for your opinions.

I threw my back out on the gig Friday moving my GFI S10 (I think 42 pounds in the case) out of the way of the drummer in a very cramped space. Weight is a very important issue for me. My first guitar was a SD-10 and while I liked the pad, my current is on a single frame and I don't miss the pad.

I know some of us would rather the weight be lost from the case instead of the guitar. Something like the latest Fender guitar cases.

Oh, and while we're making outrageous requests, how about the ability to have multiple pickups (ranging from strat to stringmaster spacing) and volume/tone controls

Rick Barnhart · Post by **Rick Barnhart** » 8 Jun 2008 10:33 pm

Chuck Back said:
"The feedback I'm getting now from players is they prefer a double body on a single 10. So what is more important to you, a double body or a lighter guitar. Thanks in advance for your opinions."

I played one of your guitars in at the show in Phoenix, I absolutely loved it. I'd like to see a full double body SD-10 option offered...I've heard some pretty good pickers say they just couldn't get used to that half pad. Either way, the Desert Rose is one fine guitar. I'm gonna order one one of these days.

Stu Schulman · Post by **Stu Schulman** » 8 Jun 2008 11:48 pm

I think that a body,and a half is a good compromise.

Jack Francis · Post by **Jack Francis** » 9 Jun 2008 3:28 am

Stu...I've got a body and a half....ooops, I guess you were talking about the guitar...sorry. $:\$

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