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Author
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Topic: Who likes their Fessy
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Bill Moore
Member From: Manchester, Michigan
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posted 17 October 2005 06:41 AM
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I like mine! I rarely play my Emmons these days.
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Bill Moore...
my steel guitar web page  |
Leila Tuttle
Member From: Wheat Ridge, Colorado, USA
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posted 17 October 2005 09:02 AM
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I've got a brand-new Fessy and its just soooo nice. Mark Giles and Jerry Fessenden are quite a team. I met them both at the Dallas show last year. I can't imagine anyone doing a better job on the wood and the inlays than Mark. Its beautiful and flawless. And Jerry did a great job on the hardware part too. One thing real important to me is having everything line up level and straight and it sure does. Of course the tone is great and the sustain is wonderful! I'll submit a photo or two when I can...I'd love to show it off. Anyhow, I'm sure having a good time practicing on such a very fine instrument. And its the prettiest of all too...it would get first prize in a beauty contest. 
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Paul Brainard
Member From: Portland OR & Austin TX
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posted 17 October 2005 11:32 AM
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Fessy's have a huge, FAT tone. I've heard it suggested that it's because he uses thicker wood than most builders. It's true that they're not the lightest guitars on the market. And there are some quirks to his design, like the pedal rods attaching on the opposite side of the pedals from most brands, larger than normal-sized tuning nuts, no bushings on cross-shafts, no lock-washers on knee lever stop screws. . . but Jerry strikes me a as a very pragmatic guy, and the things he "leaves off" (compared to other designs) don't seem to really be necessary or affect the performance of the guitar - at least not negatively. . .and maybe they have something to do with the sound. . . there's definitely a very straight-forward elegance to his mechanics. And I swear his bellcranks are the easiest ones to work with for setup changes.Great guitars. The only other thing I would say to a prospective buyer is to sit behind one and make sure it's ergonomically comfortable - Jerry's a pretty big guy, and his steels are roomy-feeling, which I'm sure is another reason why a lot of people like them. Different from compact designs like Carter, Williams, GFI. |
Tucker Jackson
Member From: Portland, Oregon, USA
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posted 17 October 2005 11:57 AM
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++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"And there are some quirks to his design, like the pedal rods attaching on the opposite side of the pedals from most brands..."
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++Hey, Paul, I'm wondering if this is still true? The last few new guitars I've seen have the rods attaching to the left side of the pedal (as viewed from sitting behind the guitar). Just like most other brands. Either way, as you pointed out in a post last year, it's very easy to switch the rods around to attach to the opposite side of the pedals. I made this change on my SD-12U, and it moved the pedals over to the right a little bit, making them line up better with the left knee lever cluster. So, thanks for posting that info describing how easy it is to make the change.
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Bob Blair
Member From: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
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posted 17 October 2005 01:39 PM
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I love both of mine, especially my D-10. Great guitars at very fair prices. |
Ben Slaughter
Member From: Madera, California
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posted 17 October 2005 08:37 PM
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Count me in, with a Red U12. My Carter hasn't left the case since I got the Fessy, and I sold the Zum. Thinking about ordering a new one.I also believe that the Fessy is easier to work on that the Carter or Zum. |
Paul Brainard
Member From: Portland OR & Austin TX
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posted 18 October 2005 12:00 AM
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Tucker - I don't know, maybe he did change that. Haven't seen a new one recently. . . but yes, it's not a very big project to switch them, just gotta drill a few new holes on the bottom side of the pedal rack. I would think you could ask Jerry to do this for you on a new steel. |
jerry harkins
Member From: Horseshoe Bay, TX
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posted 20 October 2005 06:28 PM
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There's lots of happy Fessenden owners out there. I saw Tommy Whites new Guitar on the Opry Live show, it was purtty!!!!!!! |
jerry harkins
Member From: Horseshoe Bay, TX
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posted 24 October 2005 07:38 PM
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Jerry builds a great guitar!
You owe it to yourself to try one out.
Anyone else want to Fess-Up about this great guitar? |
Jim Cohen
Member From: Philadelphia, PA
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posted 24 October 2005 08:22 PM
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quote:
I love both of mine, especially my D-10
Yeah, rub it in, Bob...  |
Mike Wheeler
Member From: Columbus, Ohio, USA
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posted 25 October 2005 05:57 PM
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I got my red woodgrain mica Fessy U12 last November from Bobbe. Changes are very easy. (and I've been spoiled by MSA's and MCI's over the years) What I love most is the great variety of tones it can produce simply by changing pick angles. Just amazing!! It's the best sounding steel I've ever had...punchy, smooth, gritty, twangy, sultry, and on and on... Like I said, it's so versatile!I must agree that I'd prefer bushings on the crossshafts for an even smoother pedal action, (but I'll do that myself soon) and some kind of clip to keep the hook end of the rods from falling out of the pull finger (a bit more of a problem on a uni coped than on standard 10 strings') But, having said that, I do love this guitar, and wouldn't want another. *** NO, NO...I mean I'd love to have another Fessy, YES, ABSOLUTELY!!
!!...but not another brand! (whew..glad I caught that!)[This message was edited by Mike Wheeler on 25 October 2005 at 06:07 PM.] |
pix1
Member From: WESCOSVILLE,PA,U.S.A.
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posted 25 October 2005 09:50 PM
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Got mine this past week. I Love It! Plays great, sounds great. Jerry's a good guy to work with. I'm hooked.Robbie Bossert |
Ron Sodos
Member From: Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
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posted 26 October 2005 09:23 AM
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I had Jerry build me one about 6 months ago. I love it so much I can't get enough of it. When I brought it to the first gig when i got it the guys in the band loved the tone. They said it sounded much better than what i was playing before. Jerry is a great guy and makes a great steel!Thumbs up!!!! |
John Davis
Member From: Cambridge, U.K.
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posted 26 October 2005 01:14 PM
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I am seriously thinking about going for the "blondie" laquer one Jerry, so long as you don`t make me eat any more of that Mexican food when I come over for it!!  |
Brad Sarno
Member From: St. Louis, MO USA
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posted 26 October 2005 05:18 PM
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I'm lovin' my new black mica SD.5-10. That's a 1 and a half frame single 10. It's compact and light. Sounds fantastic. Plays like a dream. I've been a push/pull and ZB junky and this new Fessy sure has a sound that's worthy of praise, and then some. Brad Sarno
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Tyler Hall
Member From: Alabama, USA
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posted 31 October 2005 10:04 AM
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I got a Black mica D-10 from Bobbe Seymour in May. I love this guitar! I have 2 SD-10's that stay in my basement now. This guitar has an unbelievable tone, and action. Wouldn't trade it for anything. Well, maybe a new laquer D-10 8 & 6.D-10 Fessy 8&5, Nashville 112, Session 500[This message was edited by Tyler Hall on 31 October 2005 at 10:05 AM.] |
Gary Walker
Member From: Morro Bay, CA
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posted 31 October 2005 10:08 PM
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I got to see Big Jim Baron's new D-12-11 laquered beauty. If it sounds as good as it looks, it's awesome. |
jerry harkins
Member From: Horseshoe Bay, TX
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posted 20 November 2005 03:11 PM
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Eddie Gossiens with Daryl Worley...
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jerry harkins
Member From: Horseshoe Bay, TX
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posted 20 November 2005 04:45 PM
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Here's my new guitar!
I love it!
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jerry harkins
Member From: Horseshoe Bay, TX
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posted 24 November 2005 04:07 PM
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Anyone else want to show off their Fessy? |
Jay Yuskaitis
Member From: Massachusetts, USA
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posted 27 November 2005 09:58 AM
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Jerry custom built me a single 8 with 3&2 about 8 years ago, still has the original strings, except the original .011 broke about a year ago. I had to call Jerry and tell him how long the original .011 lasted. Great tone, stays in tune, easy & fun to play, looks great (teal & black mica), a lot lighter than my Fender 1000 and my MSA's, what did I forget? Very, very pleased with this steel.
Jay Y. ------------------
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Brad Sarno
Member From: St. Louis, MO USA
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posted 27 November 2005 10:38 AM
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There's a photo of my new S-10 on a 1.5 frame in the photo section. It's a real monster for such small package. Brad
http://www.steelguitarblackbox.com/revelationpage.html |
jerry harkins
Member From: Horseshoe Bay, TX
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posted 02 December 2005 10:35 AM
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I'll be playing my Fessy on its first gig tonight. I'll let you know how it goes.Jerry. |
Joseph Meditz
Member From: San Diego, California USA
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posted 09 December 2005 10:25 PM
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My S-10 black mica Fessy with a Wallace True Tone pickup arrived today! I bought it through Jim Palenscar who set it up for me and took care of everything. He said it would take about 4 weeks to arrive, but it only took 3! I happen to be a complete newbie only having touched a PS once in Jim's store. However, I am in intermediate level classical guitar player. Can't get used to wearing picks though! This Fessy looks and sounds great especially when Jim played it. And I was very happy when I brought home and found it sounded good even when I played it. Btw, I'm playing it through a Fender Champ Mojotone clone. Joe
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Jim Gorrie
Member From: Edinburgh, Scotland
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posted 24 February 2006 11:55 AM
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Resurrecting this thread as I feel I can now say a couple of things about my Fessy which, at the time of the last posting above, I had only had for less than 3 weeks.
It's a red mica SD10 with 3 + 5 and dates from around the mid-90's although it would be difficult to think of it as being 10-12 years old by virtue of its' condition. Part of this is obviously due to the manufacture and possibly also to the previous owner who must have kept it in pristine condition (somewhere in/near Galveston, Tx ?)
I'm not much of a player but I've got to admit that I'm sometimes surprised how even I can sound good on this steel! On the day I got it, it had to endure a lengthy car journey as well as a pretty rough ferry crossing so one of the first things I did was to check the tuning and found the open strings fairly close to being in tune save for a little tweak here and there, but I had to tune most all of the raises and lowers. Since then (over 3 months ago) I haven't had to tune anything. (maybe I just play it out of tune most of the time ! )
With its' easy pedal and knee lever action it just sits there in the bedroom asking to be played ~ in fact I'm just heading right for it as soon as I submit this . . .
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Brad Sarno
Member From: St. Louis, MO USA
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posted 25 February 2006 08:27 AM
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I played a gig recently and a guy in the audience who's a killer tele picker and steel appreciator commented after the set at how he really liked that "Emmons" tone I was getting. It wasn't until he was told that it was a Fessy that he learned it wasn't an Emmons. I've had the 710 pickup in there lately and I'm liking it. I'm a push-pull lover and also a ZB fan as well. I sold my favorite sounding push-pull a while back, a '69 D-10. I only play the E neck and I just couldn't lug around the "Tank" anymore. Then I had a SD-10 push-pull, but it was also quite heavy. After hearing such great sounds from Fessies at steel shows I dove in and bought this brand new SD-10 from Jerry. I honestly don't miss the push-pull these days because this guitar sounds so good. It's not exactly the push-pull tone, but it does have a beautiful richness and has that real expressive vocal-like "cry" that I like so much. I couldn't be happier. Here's some pic's of my little Fessy:
http://www.steelguitarblackbox.com/page8/page10/rtpphotopage.html Brad |
Jim Cohen
Member From: Philadelphia, PA
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posted 25 February 2006 08:35 AM
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Brad, congratulations on purchasing your Fessy. I'm glad to hear you two are getting along famously.
Cheerz,
jc |
Jim West
Member From: Vista,CA
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posted 25 February 2006 09:23 AM
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You can count me in as one of "Jerrys'Kids". |
Winston Street
Member From: Laurel, Mississippi, USA
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posted 06 July 2006 09:44 AM
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Just got my U12 with 10 and 9. Boy, I've never owned a new guitar in 64 years. Jerry made it will worth the wait. Never dealt with anyone as nice and accomodating as Jerry Fessenden. He's top of the line as well as his guitars.[image]http://www.pictures.aol.com/ap/myAlbums.do?albumId=2090.1349.1151782775220.1[/image] |
Winston Street
Member From: Laurel, Mississippi, USA
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posted 06 July 2006 01:53 PM
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Just got my U12 with 10 X 9. Jerry did a fantastic job on all of the changes with no problems. Plays great has tone to the bone. As far as Jerry as a person, you just can't say enough good about him. He's as fine a fellow as I've ever met or dealt with. Here's the address to a few pictures that I've taken of it. Hope to get some more that show the really great color of it. http://pictures.aol.com/ap/myAlbums.do?albumId=2090.1349.1151782775220.1 Winston
P.S. I tried to post this before, hope I'm not double posting. |
Larry Strawn
Member From: Golden Valley, Arizona, USA
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posted 06 July 2006 02:22 PM
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I'm liking my Fessy U12 more and more each day!
Larry
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"Fessy" S/D 12, 8/6 Hilton Pedal, Sessions 400 Ltd. Home Grown E/F Rack
"ROCKIN COUNTRY" |
Joe Smith
Member From: Charlotte, NC, USA
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posted 06 July 2006 04:25 PM
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Well, I've got a blonde lacquer D-10 with 8&8 on order. 
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Winston Street
Member From: Laurel, Mississippi, USA
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posted 07 July 2006 07:22 AM
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I've tried posting this twice already, maybe this time will be the charm.
I just recieved my S12U from Jerry. I have to say I've never played a better sounding or better playing guitar. Jerry really did a great job and has to be one of the nicest people in the business. I think the Fessenden is quickly becoming the guitar to be reakoned with in the future. Here's the website of a few pictures of it. http://pictures.aol.com/ap/myAlbums.do?albumId=2090.1349.1151782775220.1
[image]http://pictures.aol.com/ap/myAlbums.do?albumId=2090.1349.1151782775220.1[/image] |
Winston Street
Member From: Laurel, Mississippi, USA
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posted 07 July 2006 07:29 AM
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For some reason or another I can't get my reply's to post. Maybe it's because I'm putting an address to where the pictures are. I'll just try a comment. I've been playing steel for a long time and I have to say that my new Fessy is the guitar of my choice of all of the ones that I have played over the years. Its a left handed SD12U with 10X9. I've never met a person more determined to satisfy his customer/friends than Jerry Fessenden. And I'm not putting down any of the other builders. Jerry just goes the extra mile. Jerry I LOVE this guitar, thanks buddy.
Winston |
Damir Besic
Member From: La Vergne,TN
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posted 07 July 2006 12:05 PM
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 maybe this will work Db ------------------
"Promat"
~when tone matters~ www.promatsteelguitars.com
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Damir Besic
Member From: La Vergne,TN
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posted 07 July 2006 12:06 PM
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maybe not,sorry WinstonDb ------------------
"Promat"
~when tone matters~ www.promatsteelguitars.com
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Duane Reese
Member From: Salt Lake County, Utah
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posted 11 July 2006 10:06 PM
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I got my Fessenden a few days ago, changed it to my copedent, packed the bushings with lithium grease (just one of those things I do), used it at a couple of practices, and I feel I have gotten aquainted with it enough to form an opinion of my own on the guitar.....................................
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........................Hmmmmmm............
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................Anybody want to buy an
Emmons push-pull?[This message was edited by Duane Reese on 11 July 2006 at 10:08 PM.] |
Mike Wheeler
Member From: Columbus, Ohio, USA
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posted 12 July 2006 05:57 AM
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I posted a while back in this thread about how much I liked my red, S12U, but thought it needed bushings on the cross shafts. Well, I installed some, and the pedal/knee action improved a good bit...not that it was bad before, I'm just a perfectionist about mechanics.The MAIN reason I'm posting NOW is that I just installed a TrueTone in it (it had a BL712)....WOW!!!!....what a MAJOR IMPROVEMENT!! The 712 sounded pretty good, but I wasn't satisfied with it....so much so that I was looking for an MCI S12U like I used to have! I KNEW I could get what I wanted form one of those babies. I didn't think the Fessy had the "heart" I was looking for. Well, that little Fessy had what I wanted all along...it was just hiding behind that 712. Now, the tone is clear and bright with great lower string separation. It's got a warm sweetness...even a bit of that Emmons growl...and sounds like I could push it a little harder and it would kick some major butt!...and it does! The tone, now, is very expressive and slight changes in pick angle and attack really come thru. If you want to hear this sound, go to Larry Bells website (www.larrybell.org) and listen to the sample of "Rikki Don't Lose That Number", from his new CD "I've Got Friends In Cold Places". THAT'S a Fessy S12U with a TT, and mine sounds just like that. (just the tone, I can only WISH I could play THAT good) So, thanks for listening...just had to vent my excitement...I knew you guys could appreciate it. |
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