The Steel Guitar Forum

I was just wondering if anyone has had any problems with Derby guitars.
Bad cabinet drop
Staying in tune
Long pedal travel ect,ect.

How do you think they compare to other guitars
like Mullen,Carter,ect.

Are there any model years better than others???
Thanks Carl.

I have one of the early models (marked 003), and I haven't had any problems with it so far. Also, compared to other brands that I've had an opportunity to play I think it sounds as good (and I think) better than some. Overall I think it's a good guitar. If I find one that suits me (finish, condition, price, etc.) I wouldn't hesitate to buy another one.

Carl, they are a superior steel guitar. Virtual Emmons LeGrande clone. They were all good. Not known for any inherent problems.

Exactly what Kevin said. Mine felt more buttoned down than the LeGrande models, but that was me, & if you want a good general description, Kevin said it.
Continually beating myself up for selling mine a few years back.

Years ago, word on the street was, if you didn't want to wait for a LeGrande, get a Derby. I used Derby volume pedals for years. Charlie was a good ol' boy, and I miss him at the shows.

I had one last year and I loved it! It was the nearest thing to my two LeGrandes I've ever seen, and it felt and sounded terrific.

It's gone now because mine was an SD-10 - when I get a chance to get a D-10 I'm going for it.

Problems? The only one I can think of is that they're not being made any more!

Mine is a 2006 and it is comparable with most top name pro steels built today.
I would buy another in a heart beat.

as to better years than others I don't know much about the improvments Charlie made along the way.

I've got an SD-10 that was made Jan '09 . It is definitely one of the best guitars I've ever played . I have two Sho Buds,a ZUM and a GFI and I'd have to say that the Derby is my favorite of the bunch . At least for now .

Derby's Are Find Guitars. SONNY.

I had an 06 for about a year. I liked it until the changer started seizing up on me. I cleaned it, oiled
it and after a while it would start doing it again.
BD

The bigest problem I,m having is it wont stay in tune,Every time I go to play it I have to tune it up.
I have Ernie ball strings on it that I put on 2 weeks ago.

Then there is the cabinet drop problem...very anoying.
Maybe that could be a changer problem???

I never had these problems with my old Mullen or Carter.

Carl, find a good steel mechanic to take it to. Sounds like something out of the ordinary is going on.

I have a 2004 d10 Derby. Flew all over the world with it and it's almost daylie on stage. I travel through cold and rain and the steel sleeps often in my car at night in freezin'cold.
I lost 7 cases on airports, the Derby got new keyheads because they were damaged by the airport-people.
I never had tuningproblems. Oil the changer in time, fresh jagwire-strings. Go to a good steeltech, take the changer apart. Make shure all screws in the body are tight.
regards, Johan

Carl, as Johan just mentioned, take a screw driver and make sure that the endplate, tail plate, and kehead screws are ALL tight. Loose screws can cause tuning and cabinet drop issues. Also, check that the screws on the keyhead tuners are tight also. This is very important. Your changer might need to be cleaned out and relubed. Not a hard job at all.

Seized-up changers? Cabinet-drop? Tuning issues? Not fair to lay these at Derby's door!

I had a brand-new SD-10 Emmons LeGrande 111 in '98 that had the changer seize up - it was eventually replaced under warranty. I've had cabinet drop issues with almost every guitar I've had - none severe enough to affect their playability. One steel - that will remain nameless - was out-of-tune each time I sat down to it, and I needed to tweak everything before I worked, yet others are playing this prominent make with complete satisfaction.

My Derby - that I wish I still had - was one of the best guitars I've ever had and, as I said, I'll one day have a D-10 when I see one with enough 'knees' for sale here on the Forum.

Carl, My problem was mostly my 4th string wouldn't come back in tune after releasing it. I could pull on it with my fingers and it would come back.
BD

Man what a can of worms I could open right now........

Greg Wisecup wrote:Man what a can of worms I could open right now........

Greg,
Please feel free to Open away.

I have a blue SD-10 I got from Billy Cooper's a few years ago--#316. I only had a Fender Student model before that, so I can't really compare the Derby to other top Guitars, but I do love this Steel. Mine stays in tune, cabinet drop is minimal--absolutely unnoticeable in real playing situations. Go for it.

Derby SD-10, TruTone, Goodrich/Dunlop pot, NV-112, Holy Grail Nano.

Ok.......Carl but first let me say that since the first time I played Troy Klontz's "Cow Derby" now owned by Chubby Howard, I was hooked! I bought one! I can't imagine that there is another brand that plays any easier or sounds any better. I love my Derby and the logo!

Carl I am no expert but unless you have the exception to the rule; the problem may not be in the guitar.

Three months ago I was ready to burn, trade, give away, whatever to get rid of my guitar. I was constantly tuning it. 8 out of 10 times that I would sit down behind it I would have to spend more time tuning it that playing it. I was extremely frustrated and was looking for another guitar.

I asked my bass player for the phone number of a very well and respected player that lives very close to me. He will remain nameless but some will know who he is. Played for Marty Robbins, Barbara Mandrell, Don HO,Connie Smith, ect. He has owned Derby's forever. I made the same case to him as I just stated. His very humble response to me was..
" It's probably not the guitar, but I'll be glad to take a look at it." I said thanks and dropped it off . A few days later I went to pick it up. He played it, I played it, and it sounded perfect. What was wrong with it? Nothing. To make an already long story longer;is that I did not know how to properly tune a steel guitar. This is the can of worms part....I tried to tune my guitar to A440 across the board and that did not work for me. Unfortunately I have been cursed with an ear that can hear a note 2 cents out and that drives me nuts. I used a friend of mines Sroboflip and when it say's it's dead on, He and I both could hear it was out!(Worms) "With" the rest of the strings." The guitar has to be in tune "WITH ITSElF" It doesn't matter what the tuner says as long as you reference a couple of key strings with the tuner. After I got my head around a little saying that I coined for others "It has to be out of tune to be in tune." I have never had a tuning issue since!!!!!! Instead of whining like a little school girl every time I sit down behind it; now I just sit down and play it. Sure I have to touch up a string or 2 every now and then but NOTHING like it was before. Playing is fun again. I love my Derby and will probably always own one!

This whole story is just about what happened to ME. What happened is all fact but may not apply to you or your guitar.

And as for "Cabinet drop" .......more worms.

Carl, turn the guitat over, check and make sure all of the bell cranks are tight on the cross shafts.

I don't own a Derby, but putting aside the player,his tone, his technique; I can't see anything wrong with the Derby guitar.
Whoops!, I forgot to mention Ron Elliott's name.

Lynn Owsley Derby, nuf said.


ernie

Of course that's my playing one... Here's what they can do, with someone else!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBx8_rwdViI

I currently own the Derby that Bill Dobkins had. I had the legs and rods shortened and had it gone through. cleaned, lubed and set up by Don up at Scotty's. I play that steel every day and gig out a couple times a week with it on average. I have never had a problem with the changer, or tuning issues, or cabinet drop. Killer tone and sustain for an all pull guitar!