Why are Fessendens cheap (in price)?

Dave Stroud · Post by **Dave Stroud** » 26 May 2016 7:24 pm

I've noticed in past threads a lot of Fessendens go for a lower price used than other makes. I heard Jerry Fessenden play his at this past steel show in Dallas. They're beautiful guitars and sound great (not to mention the nice longhorn on it) So what's the deal? Do they sell for relatively cheap brand new? Are there just a ton of them?

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 26 May 2016 7:58 pm

For reasons I don't get, they're not as loved as Mullen.
Jerry makes GREAT guitars.

Dustin Rigsby · Post by **Dustin Rigsby** » 26 May 2016 8:19 pm

Probably for the same reason mica MSA classics get a bum rap. You can't hardly give an MSA away, yet they sound great and a very mechanicly solid.

John Booth · Post by **John Booth** » 27 May 2016 4:07 am

I'm currently on a Fessy and honestly I prefer it over many-many other steel brands.
It plays smoothly, stays in tune, feels solid, is easily expandable, looks good,
never breaks strings and doesn't let me down.

You wouldn't believe all the different makes of steel I've had over the years
and I rank Jerry's guitars up there high on the list of my favorites.
JB

DG Whitley · Post by **DG Whitley** » 27 May 2016 4:50 am

I have never own a Fessy, but the ones I have heard sound great to me, no issues there.

The only thing I don't like (appearance-wise) is that on the ones I have seen, it looks like he only drills for the splits you want and not all strings. Maybe just the ones I have seen, please feel free to chime in on this. I would just want all of the strings ready for splits, but that is just me.

Other than that, I think as much of Jerry's guitars as I do any other.

Doug Paluch · Post by **Doug Paluch** » 27 May 2016 6:00 am

I owned a new one, and it honestly wasn't nearly as smooth playing / sounding as my 20 year old mullen...

Dick Chapple Sr · Post by **Dick Chapple Sr** » 27 May 2016 7:25 am

The first Fessenden I bought is a SD-10. Later on I bought a beautiful SD-10 Derby, my great sounding Sho-Bud pro III D-10 from tony Prior, a Hudson SD-8, and finally a Remington D-10.
As I switch around playing on them, the easiest playing one is my Fessenden, followed very closely by the Remington and the Derby, then the Sho-Bud, and lastly the Hudson. Once I figured out how to get the Sho-Bud knee levers adjusted for me it plays without much effort. The Hudson plays easily but has been a tad tricky getting my pedal action just right for me. I feel that all 5 of these instruments are high quality, very stable and not wiggly wobbly, sound great, and while I don't gig out every night I do play every day, I have yet to break any string on any of these 5 guitars.

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 27 May 2016 9:55 am

it seems like fessendens and carters are the best value in used pro guitars.

John Booth · Post by **John Booth** » 27 May 2016 10:07 am

I can agree with that. Having owned at least 2 of each (Fessy / Carter) I find them both to be fine instruments.
However, I personally find the Fessy pedals and levers easier to use if they are setup correctly.
Tonally (to my ears) the D-10 Carter sounded best, followed closely by the SD-10 Fessy.

As for being cheap (price-wise) The Fessenden is not cheap with a list price of around $3500 for the SD-10 with 3&5,
but you are right, used ones go very reasonably which is a big plus to poor pickers like me who have to play a lot
of those $100 shows to pay for a guitar.
JB

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 27 May 2016 10:41 am

I don't see a really significant difference in the prices. Average used S10's go for around $2500, and used D10's for around $3500. Later models (like the G2 Mullen) command more, but you usually pay more for the newer models. The Zum and Emmons are more popular now, so they command higher prices, too. Used prices for most all guitars have gone up 10%-20% in the past 2 years, and I think that's due to the overall economy improvement, and also, the somewhat recent proliferation of "flippers".

There are enough good brands around now that you don't have to get hung up on one or two. Buy what you like, and ignore what everyone else seems to be doing.

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 27 May 2016 10:57 am

so you've missed all the used carter and fessenden d10s selling in the low to mid $2000s?

Dustin Rhodes · Post by **Dustin Rhodes** » 27 May 2016 11:03 am

chris ivey wrote:so you've missed all the used carter and fessenden d10s selling in the low to mid $2000s?

Yep both are really good deals on the used market.

Tom Gorr · Post by **Tom Gorr** » 27 May 2016 12:17 pm

I am glad they are cheap used. A few years ago I picked up a gorgeous lacquer one in 8x8 for a great price and while it stays in the living room. .. I probably spend more time playing it than other more highly sought after guitars.

They are economical and intelligent in their design and fabrication and it is done to a professional standard. The stamped metal cranks are a good example of a very practical approach capable of mass production.. some may call ingenious.. and when I think about fabrication of steel parts its the cranks that could really bog a builder down. .. so I think he has a good concept that creates savings. If you compare the parts to a PP Emmons you will know why the emmons costs more. Way more intricately machined parts on the PP.. looks like NASA specd the Emmons....but far more intricate than necessary... springs and hooks and rollers and clips and pins and...and....all to a fit and finish appropriate of a mechanical computer circa Germany 1926...or Swiss clock... Holy f. The farmer in me prefers the more practical Fessy in those ways. ..lol... its got a neat reversing lever concept and a number of other solid mechanical approaches including pedal travel stops.

The sustain of mine is excellent... and tone is more about the sound in your head than the sound of the instrument.... An Emmons and a Shobud are polar opposites and a Fessy is somewhere between...closer to the brighter Emmons Alum neck tone with a bit thicker mids...

David Nugent · Post by **David Nugent** » 7 Jun 2016 2:36 pm

One of the contributing factors may be that as far as I know, Fessendens are still in active production. Some makes appear to skyrocket in price shortly after the builder retires and/or production ceases. A notable exception being Carter guitars, but that may be due to the fact that at one time they were the most prolific manufacturer in the industry. This being the case, used units should be available in ample supply helping to hold the line on pricing. Their lower priced Magnum model was introduced (from what I understand) with the idea in mind of distributing them through major music outlets and thus (hopefully) widening the instruments appeal and expanding the market.

Dave Stroud · Post by **Dave Stroud** » 7 Jun 2016 6:58 pm

Those are some good points, David. Fessendens seem to be one of the longest-running steel companies that are still in production today. I'm grateful for these companies who have produced more attainable used steel guitars for the younger guys. If all used D10s were $3000+, pedal steel would be just that less attainable for new-rising players. I marvel at any player with multiple steels.... my wife kindly reminds me of their age and how they aren't just starting out

The lady wants a family with kids, not pedal steels...

(and I do too...)

Henry Matthews · Post by **Henry Matthews** » 7 Jun 2016 9:11 pm

I don't know the answer as to why but I'll take a Fessy over Mullen any day. I think they look better and sound better. Fessy look great too, their lines are sharp and pronounced and workmanship is great. In fact, I'd take one over a Franklin if I were just to use to play. It's a mystery why some guitars just don't bring much and others bring tons and they are really no better. I don't mean to be running down other brands, they are all great now but I just prefer the Fessy aa my mine is my main rig.

David Mitchell · Post by **David Mitchell** » 7 Jun 2016 11:03 pm

What Henry Matthews said.
I've owned and played professionally almost all the major brands in forty years. Had 5 Sho-Buds, 2 Howards, Fender 2000, Clark, 71 D-10 ZB, 2 BMI's, 3 New MSA's, New Carter D-10, Mullen D-10 Lacquer. Just last year I purchased a fully restored loaded 8/10 1971 Emmons push pull, Emmons D-10 LeGrande 3 with counterforce., Shobud Pro ll, Sho-Bud Pro lll, 1969 ZB D11/10, MSA SS D-10 small body, MSA Classic U-12, Rains D-10, Mullen SD-10 Mica, Fessenden D-10.
Have played a ZumSteel.
I have only two now. I kept the 69' ZB so when I want a big fat voice of God tone. It's drop dead gorgeous too.
I love the Fessenden as much as the Mullen D-10 lacquer, Emmons LeGrande, Emmons Push pull and Rains and it has the most beautiful polished necks of any steel in the world. You can easily comb your hair in the necks of the Fessenden.
Sound wise it's as good as any modern steel built regardless of price.
So to answer your question I have no idea why prices are like they are.
Why does a 1952 Telecaster with a worn out neck bring $25,000.00 and then the new owner brags about it? Oh I have played the cherished Franklin. Still like the Fessenden just as well.
I know from working in music stores people are like sheep and follow the leader. They only know factory names, what they read, what somebody else said, etc. They don't know enough to base their own opinion on an instrument. I know pedal steels but if I were to buy a motorcycle which I have never owned one myself I would be at the mercy of what someone else said or what I read.
I know personally some of the worlds biggest collectors of vintage 6 string guitars that are casting all the opinions on guitars, usa, japan, mexico, china, blah, blah, blah and they could not work a gig on a guitar if their life depended on it. I don't know Jerry Fessenden nor have ever spoke with him, I bought mine like new but previously owned but he builds one of the finest pedal steels that's ever been produced regardless of who thinks is the most valuable pedal steel guitar.

David Mitchell · Post by **David Mitchell** » 8 Jun 2016 12:33 am

Here is an example I made two days ago using the Fessenden D-10 Mica body. Now if you can tell the difference between it and the push pull Emmons in a studio blindfold A-B test I'll eat it and upload the event to YouTube. I just use a tad of equalization in the upper mids and it cuts through a track just like a push pull and even has split tuners and easy setups to boot. I usually produce and engineer head banging new country and even pop and rock in the studio for a day job with the new generation of musicians (I can cut some smokin' hot tracks) but me and my girlfriend's hobby is playing and singing old country and I mean OLD country. I make her tracks she can't get the karaoke disc on such as this one. I do it at home and play all the instruments and she sings them. I use the same instrumentation and production they did at Bradley's and RCA back in the days. I was fortunate to be trained by the old Nashville masters so a little rubbed off on me I guess. There is a magic in that old sound that is extremely hard to duplicate. Those pickers were so tight it was like a big old machine running.
My voice is on it now for a scratch track. She has yet to sing it. I need to put the fiddle on it. I don't try to do them just exactly like the original record but in a few minutes I can get pretty close. This is an obscure Connie Smith song. Probably the last before she quit the road. When I do that old Buddy Emmons stuff that Fessenden just puts shivers down my spine. A lot of steels sound okay they just don't make me want to pass out cigars.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULgw2gqn-BU

John Booth · Post by **John Booth** » 8 Jun 2016 4:02 am

Nice recording Mitchell
I have to agree with most everything said here. Over the years I have suffered from "GAS" as bad as or worse than most, and have owned at least 25 Steels. With the exception of a couple of them ( a Red Baron and a Carter Starter) I found them all to be perfectly usable for everything from stage to studio. There aren't a lot of "terrible" steels out there these days, and each brand has its own good points.

When it comes to the mechanics and The sound of the Fessenden guitars, it ranks right up there (for me) with Emmons, MSA, Mullen and the rest. And in some cases it has been more reliable and required less tinkering than many more expensive name brands I've owned.

Jerry Fessenden has been around and he knows what he's doing and his guitars are extremely well built and dependable. Of all my guitars in the past, only my 1990 Emmons I bought new from Ron Lashley Sr was more enjoyable (for me) to play, probably because I spent over 10 years on it, it was more fluid with my physical efforts.

I now own and play my 2nd Fessy and I would be hard pressed to sell it unless I have another GAS attack, (which admittedly could happen at any time) and even then it would probably be to go back to an 80s or 90s Emmons since I do have so much time on them and the familiarity I gained by playing them so long.

JB

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 8 Jun 2016 7:54 am

i think fessendens are as good as anything, though david m's recording makes it sound a little thin.
that's more likely the recording technique.

Stuart Legg · Post by **Stuart Legg** » 8 Jun 2016 4:19 pm

The economy is not better the quality of the Steel guitar for sale is better. Nearly all those old pieces of crap PSGs are now spare parts in a steel guitar junkyard.

Ned McIntosh · Post by **Ned McIntosh** » 10 Jun 2016 3:06 pm

I've owned a D12 Fessenden and it was one of the most "tone-ful" steels I ever heard.

Beautifully engineered, built and hugely impressive, the Fessenden steels represent some of the most spectacular value-for-money in the market today. Jerry's steels are top-shelf.

barry wheeler · Post by **barry wheeler** » 11 Jun 2016 3:44 am

The best looking, best playing, best sounding modern guitar, IMHO. Love mine.

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 11 Jun 2016 8:12 am

David Mitchell wrote: Why does a 1952 Telecaster with a worn out neck bring $25,000.00 and then the new owner brags about it? ... I know from working in music stores people are like sheep and follow the leader. They only know factory names, what they read, what somebody else said, etc. They don't know enough to base their own opinion on an instrument.

You got that right! Every time someone pays big for an early Tele, I think about the really avearage-ordinary sounds of Luther Perkins and Jimmy Bryant.

I know personally some of the worlds biggest collectors of vintage 6 string guitars that are casting all the opinions on guitars, usa, japan, mexico, china, blah, blah, blah and they could not work a gig on a guitar if their life depended on it.

Yeah, they're called gear heads or "gear snobs", and a lot of them are far from being as adept at playing as they are at hyping.

Of course, they have lots invested in those relics, so they have a lot to gain by pumping up the values every chance they get. $:\$

John Booth · Post by **John Booth** » 11 Jun 2016 8:39 am

Musicians have to think about how improved instruments have become. Better hammers
Collectors look at the value people will pay for it.
Sadly, some don't know the difference