Standing out in equal measure for its artistry, tone, and feel, the James Trussart Steeldeville is an intriguing guitar to add to any collection of standard solidbody and semi-hollow electrics.
Southern California Guitar builder James Trussart broke with convention back in the Eighties by crafting bodies out of steel, and giving them aged finishes that can resemble the rusty patina of old farm machinery or the aged chrome and nickel plating of vintage resonator guitars. The Trussart line consists of at least a dozen models (including one bass), and every one differs in how the metal is presented—including engraved, basket weave, perforated, faux-alligator patterns, and more. The long list of pro players who own Trussart guitars points to everything that makes these high-end guitars desirable, and that includes how they sound and feel.
Choosing which one to review out of eight different models that Trussart offered was difficult. I could have closed my eyes and simply pointed to one and I’m sure it would have been great. But, ultimately, it was a Steeldeville decked out with a Rust O Matic finish (a term coined by Billy Gibbons) and “Cajun Racing Series” stripes that emerged from the UPS truck.
The choice was a good one because this guitar is pretty darn special. The rusty color and alligator pattern of the steel, along with the worn-looking stripes, give a vibe that the metal was recycled from an old stock car found in some backwoods barn. The TV Jones T90s are nestled in aged metal surrounds and the barrel knobs, 3-way switch, tulip-style tuners, and bridge and stop tailpiece all have the patina of antique pewter. Despite being formed from two sections of sheet metal, the body reveals no obvious joining seams. The backside features a large area of perforated-steel, and the small