Duesenberg Caribou Butterscotch

Duesenberg Caribou Butterscotch review

The Duesenberg Caribou Butterscotch is a semi-hollow electric guitar with a chambered body and an F-hole. Its construction pairs an alder body with a flat swamp ash top, a glued-in maple neck, and a rosewood fingerboard. The finish is listed as Butterscotch Blonde, while the color category is described as blonde. Duesenberg has offered this model since April 2020.

At a listed price of 2,333, the Caribou sits in a premium range. The specifications point to a guitar designed around a familiar control layout, a two-pickup setup, and a Duesenberg tremolo. A player review after four months of use highlights its balance on a strap and the tremolo's ability to remain stable with the strings tuned to Drop D while floating. That is useful field feedback, though it is one player's experience rather than a controlled test.

Body, neck, and playability

The chambered body gives the Caribou its semi-hollow classification, but the available specifications do not provide a weight. The owner report describes it as well balanced on a strap and comfortable to settle into quickly. Those are subjective impressions, but they address practical concerns that specifications alone cannot answer.

The maple neck has a D profile and is glued into the body. Its rosewood fingerboard has a 305 mm radius and carries 22 jumbo frets. The scale length is 650 mm, close to the 648 mm scale mentioned by the reviewer when describing the type of player the guitar might suit. The nut is 42.5 mm wide. Together, these measurements give a clear outline of the neck, but they do not establish whether its feel will suit a particular hand or playing style.

The listed setup includes Duesenberg DSA10 strings, with gauges of.010,.013,.017,.028,.042, and.050. The heavier wound strings may be relevant to players who want to use alternate tunings, although the strings supplied should not be treated as proof of how the instrument will respond to every tuning or setup.

Pickups and controls

The Caribou combines a Duesenberg single-coil pickup in the neck position with a Duesenberg humbucker at the bridge. A three-way switch selects between the pickups and their combined setting. One volume control and one tone control keep the control scheme straightforward, with no additional switching options listed in the supplied specifications.

The owner describes the basic sound as having bass and treble, with the tone control helping shape the midrange. That observation offers a useful starting point, but the feedback does not include recording samples, amplifier settings, or comparisons across pickup positions. Buyers should treat it as a personal account rather than a complete description of the guitar's tonal range.

Tremolo and hardware

A Duesenberg tremolo is part of the equipment, alongside nickel-plated hardware and Duesenberg Z-machine heads fitted with "Art Diego" buttons. The field report says the tremolo can be used while floating and still handle Drop D without extra construction or modifications. That is a notably specific claim from the owner, but individual results can vary with setup, string condition, and playing technique.

The guitar ships with a gig bag, not a hard case. That distinction matters at this price: the supplied bag offers a way to carry the instrument, but the product information does not list a protective case. The item number is 483749, and the sales unit is one guitar.

Who should consider it?

The Caribou makes the most sense for players drawn to its chambered construction, glued-in maple neck, mixed pickup layout, and floating tremolo. The owner's comments suggest that it can feel familiar quickly and sit comfortably on a strap. They also describe it as having a high-end sound and build quality, though that judgment is subjective and does not establish superiority over another guitar.

One point of context from the same review is that the Caribou is not presented as outperforming a U.S.-made Stratocaster with a bridge humbucker and a Floyd Rose-style locking tremolo. Instead, the owner values it as a different option, particularly for players accustomed to a 648 mm scale and looking for a guitar with a Gibson-like sense of quality and sound. That comparison is personal, and the listed Caribou scale is 650 mm.

Overall, the specifications make the Duesenberg Caribou Butterscotch a distinct combination of chambered alder construction, a swamp ash top, two contrasting pickups, and a floating tremolo. Its listed controls are simple, its neck details are clearly defined, and a gig bag is included. The strongest practical endorsement in the available feedback concerns balance and tremolo behavior in Drop D. Anyone considering the 2,333 price should still try the neck and pickups in person where possible, since the supplied comments cannot substitute for a direct comparison.