DOBRO'S

Tony Farr · From: Madison, Tennessee, USA (deceased)

I am thinking about getting a Dobro and would like to know what would be a good name or model to get?
I used to borrow Shot's Dobro when I needed one or a session, but now need to get one of my own. I've checked out several but can't seem to make up my mind. Shocked

Brad Bechtel · From: San Francisco, CA

How much money do you want to spend? Paul Beard resophonic guitars are some of the best out there, played by Jerry Douglas, Mike Auldridge, and many others.
If you don't need to spend a lot of money, a Goldtone Beard or Wechter Scheerhorn will do very nicely.
You should post this in the Steel Without Pedals section as well (or have this moved).
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Bob Hickish · From: Port Ludlow, Washington, USA, R.I.P.

Tony

You may want to check out " Mitchell " guitar Co.

John Mitchell builds a line of 6 - 8 & 10 string Resos
they are grate sounding and lots of punch / volume
Doug Jernigun play his guitars while he was in this
area and said he wanted 2 of them
Mitchell's email is
john318@mac.com

Hick

Edit to say
I don't mean to imply a Doug endorsement ,
he just seem to like what he was hearing . Embarassed

Jim Sliff · From: Lawndale California, USA

As mentioned, it all depends on budget, and whether you want used or new. New, it's either spend a ton on a top-end Beard, Mitchell (note - this is not the same Mitchell as the cheap import Mitchell-brand flattops) etc. or go for the mid-line Goldtone/Beard or Wechter/Scheerhorn and have it set up properly by someone who knows dobros.

If it's just for casual fooling around, then Dobro (owned by Gibson) and National (imported) models can be OK, but usually need cone/saddle/nut changes and full setups. The real low-budget ones (Fenders and other imports) are, IMO, dogs - although with the same parts changes they can be halfway-decent. The "dobro" is a fairly solid platform and a lot of the tone and projection comes from the changeable parts and proper setup.

You can also find used Dobro-brand guitars (from the pre-Gibson days in Long Beach and Huntington Beach, or even very early ones) for fairly low prices as well, and again with the right setup they can be excellent guitars. My Dobro is a mid-70's OMI (Original Musical Instruments) mahogany guitar with lyre inlays, lots of pearl and engraved metal parts, and will hold up next to just about any boutique instrument. One trick with 70's/80's Dobro-brand guitars is removing the glue they used to stabilize the cone (a very stupid move, and one that gave the OMI guitars a bad name) - once it goes away the guitar doubles in volume, and with a decent spun cone can really project.

Hope that helps -
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Tommy R. Butler · From: Nashville, Tennessee

Musicians friend having a sale on "DOBRO" like $349 I think. or you could run over to Nash used music and try an OLD HICKORY made in town. Not to bad for the $$$
Or you could run out to Opry mills and get one at Gibson. I bet they would seel ya one for the same price thats in Musicians Friend..

TB

D Schubert · From: Columbia, MO, USA

You live close to one of the best acoustic instrument shops in the US. Take a trip to downtown Nashville to Gruhn's Guitars. They usually have a bunch of vintage Dobros, as well as some new resonator guitars. You can try 'em all and evaluate them with your own ears, not somebody elses. FWIW, my vote would be for a "vintage" Dobro made by the Dopyera Brothers, prior to Gibson's involvement with the company.

www.gruhn.com

Stephen Gambrell · From: Over there

Ivan Guernsey.

Steve Norman · From: Seattle Washington, USA

I like my national d-10
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Gaylon Mathews · From: Jasper, Georgia

There's a nice Jerry Douglas model Dobro for sale in the Instruments for sale section.....
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Kevin Hatton · From: Buffalo, N.Y.

Most of the Nashville session players use Flugers. Either hollow neck or traditional. They are one of the best kept secrets out there. Marvin Fluger does not make many of them, but they are in nearly every major road band out of Nashville also. Best sounding reso outside Sheerhorn. You can call Duane Marrs in Nashville (www.duanemarrs.com), or go to www.flugerguitars.com
Sacred Steelers play Flugers also. Very unique sounding resos, and loud.

Gaylon Mathews · From: Jasper, Georgia

Kevin is right. The Fluger is an awesome piece of equipment. I used one with Gretchen. However, they are electric and cannot be played acoustically. At least the one I had and all others I've seen are that way. They use electronics mounted in an acoustic dobro but they loose their acoustic ability once converted. That's why I had to carry 2 resonators on the road. The Fluger for full band applications and the Gibson for acoustic shows.
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Sonny Priddy · From: Elizabethtown, Kentucky, USA, R.I.P.

Bobbe Seymour Has A Nice One At Steel Guitar Nashville. SONNY.

John McGlothlin · Posted 5 Nov 2007 5:57 am

Is anyone familiar with the Lebeda brand of cone and spider assembly for resonator guitars? I am getting ready to replace the cone and bridge in my girlfriend's dobro and I seen the Lebeda at Stewart MacDonald....the one in the guitar is a 10 1/2 inches and so is the Lebeda so it should fit alright. I purchased my resonator in Feburary of last year and it has a great sound for such a low price and Susan loves it so she ordered one just like it but the sound isn't good at all, it has a rattle or a buzz and I narrowed the problem down to the resonator or the cone and spider...its like someone shaking a sack full of hubcaps lol.

Jim Sliff · From: Lawndale California, USA

Steve Norman · From: Seattle Washington, USA

John have you messed with the bridge screw at all? It just sounds loose. If you take the cone out. Make sure the spider is sitting on the cone making 100% contact with it. Tighten the screw till the head JUST touches spider in between the bridge pieces, and turn 1/2 more. Make sure there is no glue or wood burrs on the body where the cone sits. Put the cone back in making sure that it fits level and flat without rocking at all. Replace the coverplate and strings. if it still buzzes tighten the bridge screw with 1/4 turns till the buzzing stops. You should not fasten the cone to the body. That will kill base response. Too many turns and the cone cracks. If it still rattles you may have to level the spider or cone. Good Luck
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Kevin Hatton · From: Buffalo, N.Y.

Marvin Fluger makes both acoustic and electric dobros. His electic dobros have NO feedback. They were designed with Duane Marrs and have a Dobro simulator built into the guitar. He makes both Hollowneck and traditional acoustic dobros also. His Brazilian Rosewoods are stunning. They are the loudest dobro I ever heard. Both Paul Franklin and Dan Dugmore use one.

Smith Curry · From: Tennessee, USA

Try to play as many Dobros as you can.... Frequently, some budget models sound better than high end ones. Then spend some money on quality setup. Take it to somebody who really knows his business, and have a Quarterman cone put in: setup is 80% of a Dobro's tone.
As far as the guys having buzzing problems NEVER CHANGE MORE THAN ONE STRING AT A TIME!!!! Taking all the strings off is sure-fire way to get problems.
Smith

Stephen Gambrell · From: Over there

What Steve and Sliff said---The spider's got to be touching the cone equally, all the way around, and there can't be any burrs, splinters, glue, stems and seeds, NOTHING, between the bottom of the cone and the soundwell (or ledge, depending on the make of guitar).

Steve Norman · From: Seattle Washington, USA

Does anyone have any sound clips of the flugers? I would love to hear one in action.
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GFI D10, Fender Steel King, Hilton Vpedal,BoBro, National D dobro, Marrs RGS

John McGlothlin · Posted 5 Nov 2007 5:08 pm

I certainly do thank everyone for their input. I checked with StewMac and they can't get the Labeda for some reason so I asked them about the Quarterman and they said they quit carrying that one and then they have Brand X which is what the resonater guitar has to start with and they said they have the Beard cone and I was sold on that one .....until....they said they can't get it in the 10 1/2 inch.....only the 10 9/16 inch so after I stopped screaming and crying and pulling my hair out...I checked with a company in California that does have the Quarterman cone in the 10 1/2 inch. Maybe I should have just been a whistle player instead lol. Well if my ship ever comes in.....I'll probably be at the airport.

Steve Norman · From: Seattle Washington, USA

for all your needs. But if you dont figure the screw setup out you will have the same problem regardless of the cone.

http://www.beardguitars.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=RO&Category_Code=RC
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Mike Cass · Posted 7 Nov 2007 12:07 pm

I recently bought a new Regal brand RD-52 Artist model Sq. neck dobro from a Stew-Mac website link.
Its ribbon mahogany finish,bound,w/ solid headstock,a big comfortable square neck and Waverly tuners. Q'man cone w/Regal(?)spider and quality plated metal parts. Right outta the box it had that "Josh" type tone; big deep bass and sweet highs. The best $500.00(w/gigbag&shipping)that I ever spent.
Thanx for the tip,TW.

Jerry Overstreet · From: Louisville Ky

I'm still kicking myself for letting a couple of the Black Lightning Regals get past me.
To hear that Mike Cass and TW give them high praise sure gives my recommendation way more reinforcement Cool

Mark Eaton · Posted 7 Nov 2007 5:10 pm

Jerry - I can't speak for Mike's new Regal - it sounds like a good one from his description, but I have played a few Black Lightnings - and for about the same amount of money, you can get a Gold Tone Beard, and have one that went through final setup and assembly at the Beard facility in Maryland - and they kick butt on the Black Lightning. Among the hardcore dobro folks, that's pretty much common knowledge.

And the Wechter/Scheerhorn, for a little more money than the "entry level" Gold Tone, is also a very nice dobro for the money.
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Mark

Jerry Overstreet · From: Louisville Ky

You may be right Mark. I haven't had opportunity to try a Gold Tone. I just know that the RD52's I tried had a remarkably good sound and playability. I played various others at the same store that were twice the price but did not have nearly as good tone.

Farbeit from me to make recommendations to someone with Tony's background, but I could pick one of these off the shelf and be quite satisfied. Whatever works, I guess.

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