Craig Prior
From:
National City, California, USA
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Posted 2 May 2004 8:27 pm |
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Tim, I'm going to go out on a limb and say that I've owned both. I say "out on a limb" because I've never been too keen on Dobro model numbers... I guess I never quite understood them.
Anyway, my first Dobro squareneck was - I believe - a D60. Plain jane, F holes, blond finish with very little gloss in the laquer.
I used to work a band here in San Diego we called the Dobro Kings. I wrote to OMI in Huntington Beach for permission to use the word "Dobro" in our name and Mr. Lizak - may he eternally rest in peace - called me and told us to come on up to the factory. We did; Mr. Lizak called a halt to production; the Dobro workforce assembeled in chairs; and we put on a little concert for them.
Mr. Lizak was so impressed he not only gave us permission to use the name, he also insisted on giving me a "showpiece" instrument. He wanted to give one of the real fancy guys (again, me with the model numbers!) but I insisted on taking the middle-price category instrument, which I believe is a F60.
Why didn't I take the fancier instrument? I don't know. I was brought up believing you should be modest in your what you want. I didn't want to appear greedy.
Dobro purists, I might have gotten the previous information all screwed up, so please don't yell at me. This is a nice instrument with ivoroid binding around the body, no binding on the squareneck, tobacco sunburst top, dark back, sides and neck, 2 screen holes, poincetta coverplate. Slot headstock with cheap tuners. Sound right? Or am I full of sh..........aving cream!!??
A few weeks later (1993) we played the Dobro booth at Winter NAMM in Anaheim. Within the year (or shortly thereafter) both Mr. and Mrs. Lizak went to their heavenly rewards. The company was sold to Gibson. No more freebies. For about 3 years I got a Gibson Christmas card, then they forgot all about me (sob whine sniff).
Tim, your question is: what is the difference? The F-model has a nicer tone; it records well; the notes fairly blair out like a trumpet tone. The D-model (plain jane) had a more nasal sound although my partner used to like it. I used to play the hell out of it.
As far as the soundwell is concerned, I'm not sure what to tell you about that. I've reached the limit of what I know.
Hope I've been of some small help.
Craig.[This message was edited by Craig Prior on 02 May 2004 at 09:30 PM.] |
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