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Topic: Weissenborn / Dobro |
Roy Thomson
From:
Wolfville, Nova Scotia,Canada
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Posted 29 Jun 2001 6:56 am |
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This may have been referred to in the past
but has anyone made a comparison of the
Weissenborn acoustic guitars with the Dobro
as to Volume, recordability etc.??
Andy Volk sent me a clip of his Bear Creek
Weissenborn with him playing "Begin the Begene" and it had a real swingin' jazzy feel/tone. Blew me away!! Great playing!
Thanks to Andy that was my intro to the world of Weissenborn. |
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Bill Leff
From:
Santa Cruz, CA, USA
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Posted 29 Jun 2001 7:34 am
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Andy, please post a link to your video clip!
Bill
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Andy Volk
From:
Boston, MA
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Posted 29 Jun 2001 8:06 am
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Thanks for your kind words, Roy.
Bill, I haven't got a web page set up anywhere yet to link it to but I'll send it via e-mail to anyone who wants to be "subjected" to it 
I can't say I've done an exhaustive study of Dobro vs Wessenborn guitars but I do own a fine Bear Creek hollowneck & a Benoit Dobro.
My impressions are that these kinds of instruments are very different animals but both offer great tones. The Weissenborn is "sweeter", with a "woody" sound that's close to that of a fine acoustic guitar but with less punch and much longer sustain. That hollow neck really moves air!
The Dobro sound really varies a lot with the type of instrument (plywood or hardwood)and the quality of the hardware. In general it's much more directional with that punchy, metallic twang to the note initally then a gradual ramp down rather than the soft swell into the note and long, even sustain of a Weissenborn. Dobros are, of course, much louder as they were designed to be.
Both instruments however have been highly underutilized for more modern music IMHO.
As for recording. I suppose you have to mic a Weissenborn a little more carefully to find its "sweet spot" as opposed to resonator guitars that are so uni-directional straight up from the cone.
I think the state-of-the-art for recording a Weissenborn is probably David Dennison's engineering of Grisman/Brozman/ Auldridge's "Tone Poems II" CD (though here again they only did old stuff). I think Weissenborns make wonderful guitars for Jazz & Latin tunes and that's why I tackled "Begin the Beguine" - just a great, great tune. Tuck Andress recorded an awe-inspiring solo version on his CD "Reckless Precision" that inspired me to have a go at it.
Photo of my Weissenborn at: http://www.bcguitar.com/images/hnmk5.jpeg [This message was edited by Andy Volk on 29 June 2001 at 01:11 PM.] |
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George Keoki Lake
From:
Edmonton, AB., Canada
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Posted 29 Jun 2001 10:24 am
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| Andy...I want to be "subjected", please |
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HOWaiian
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Posted 29 Jun 2001 3:08 pm
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yes, Andy, please subject me, too.
howdrap@usa.net |
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mickd
From:
london,england
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Posted 29 Jun 2001 3:27 pm
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Andy
me too 
Mick |
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Mike D
From:
Phx, Az
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Buck Dilly
From:
Branchville, NJ, USA * R.I.P.
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Posted 30 Jun 2001 3:33 pm
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| I have a Mexican made "Superior" brand, bought in Berkkely Ca. It is a 6 str. Weisenborne style, with a nitrocell. laquer finish. It sounds great, but cannot be compared to a resonator guitar. They are different animals. When I put it through a really bad amp with a blown speaker, then it sounds like a Dobro. (Easy people...just kidding.) |
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