Duesenberg Starplayer TV Phonic Balboa PR

Duesenberg Starplayer TV Phonic Balboa PR: technical review

The Duesenberg Starplayer TV Phonic Balboa PR is a red semi-hollow electric guitar with a center sustain block, a laminated spruce top, and a laminated maple back. Its listed price is 3159, and availability is given as October 2026. No customer reviews are available, so this assessment is limited to the published specifications. Those details describe the materials, electronics, and hardware, but they do not establish how the guitar sounds or feels in use.

Body and construction

The body measures 46 x 34 x 4.5 cm. Its arched, laminated spruce top sits above a flat, laminated maple back, with a sustain block running through the semi-hollow construction. The combination distinguishes this model from a fully hollow guitar, although the specifications do not state the block's dimensions or describe the internal bracing. The body wood is listed as maple, consistent with the stated back material.

The finish color is Balboa Pearl Red. A custom gold Plexiglas pickguard and gold-plated hardware give the instrument a coordinated appearance on paper. The color name and hardware finish are manufacturer specifications, not a substitute for seeing the guitar in person. No information is supplied about the finish type, weight, or body contours.

Neck, fingerboard, and playing dimensions

The maple neck carries a rosewood fingerboard with wing-shaped inlays. There are 22 jumbo frets, a 305 mm (12-inch) fingerboard radius, and a 42 mm nut width. The scale length is 648 mm, which is approximately 25.5 inches. These measurements provide useful points of comparison with other guitars, but they do not reveal the neck profile, fret dimensions, or setup from the factory. Those details can matter substantially to a player's comfort and should be confirmed with the seller.

A dual-action truss rod is specified. That design allows neck relief adjustment in either direction, subject to proper adjustment. The listing does not provide details about the neck finish, fret material, or string gauge. As a result, the available information supports a basic construction assessment but not a complete picture of setup or feel.

Pickups and controls

The pickup set pairs a Duesenberg Phonico Grand Vintage humbucker with a Domino P-90. The specifications identify the pickup types and model names but provide no output readings, magnet details, wiring diagram, or recorded examples. It would be speculative to make claims about their tonal balance or how much they differ at particular settings.

Controls consist of master volume and master tone, with a four-way rotary switch for pickup selection. The listing does not explain the four switch positions or whether any position combines the pickups in a series, parallel, or other configuration. Buyers interested in a specific switching arrangement should request the wiring details before purchase rather than infer them from the switch count.

Bridge, tremolo, and included equipment

The guitar has a Duesenberg steel-saddle bridge and a Duesenberg Radiator tremolo. Duesenberg Z machine heads are also specified. These named components establish what hardware is included, but the listing does not give adjustment ranges, tuning-stability claims, or maintenance requirements. The presence of a tremolo may matter to players who use pitch movement, while players who prefer a fixed bridge should consider that feature as part of the instrument's configuration.

An original Duesenberg case is included; a separate bag is not. This is a useful distinction for buyers comparing packages, since the case is explicitly listed rather than assumed. No further details are given about the case's construction or interior.

What the specifications do and do not establish

The listed feature set is specific: semi-hollow construction with a sustain block, a spruce top, maple back and neck, rosewood fingerboard, two different pickup types, rotary switching, and a tremolo. The supplied body dimensions, scale, nut width, and fingerboard radius also make comparisons easier. However, there are no customer comments or independent test measurements available here. There is likewise no stated weight, neck profile, pickup output, or factory setup information.

At the listed price of 3159, prospective buyers should verify the currency, regional pricing, availability, and return terms with the seller. The product record gives October 2026 as the availability date and item number 653406. Those are listing details, not evidence of current stock. The Duesenberg Starplayer TV Phonic Balboa PR can therefore be assessed from its specification sheet, but sound, comfort, and performance require an in-person trial or reliable additional documentation.