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Post new topic Dobro Lap Steel
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Author Topic:  Dobro Lap Steel
Jeffrey Bowdell

 

From:
Michigan, USA
Post  Posted 20 May 2010 7:28 pm    
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Hello all;
This is my first post. I have been a member 3 or 4 years but usually just read stuff, kind of lurking in the shadows. Anyway can any one tell me the history and value of this dobro lap Steel.
I hope this hasent been asked 20 times before.
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Jason Fox

 

From:
Colorado, USA
Post  Posted 20 May 2010 8:59 pm    
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Shocked Shocked Shocked Shocked
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J. Wilson


From:
Manitoba, Canada
Post  Posted 21 May 2010 6:46 am    
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Whoa! WHOA! I saw one of these recently in a museum site! What a beauty! Can you describe the sound? Or better yet give us a sound sample?
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If Music Be the Food of Love, Play On. -Shakespeare
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1941 Ric B6 / 1948 National Dynamic / 1951 Bronson Supro / Custom teak wood Allen Melbert / Tut Taylor Dobro / Gold Tone Dojo / Martin D15S / Eastman P10
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Jeffrey Bowdell

 

From:
Michigan, USA
Post  Posted 21 May 2010 7:02 am     Dobro Lap Steel
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I've not yet plugged it in, but you wouldn't want to hear anything I tried to play I'm lousey
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J. Wilson


From:
Manitoba, Canada
Post  Posted 21 May 2010 8:34 am    
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I am not so great myself just yet. If you decide to plug her in you can always send me a sound file by email. I guarentee not to judge and won't share it. I am just wondering what sort of sound they have. Either way, that's a beautiful looking instrument. A keeper for sure. Happy pluckin'!
_________________
If Music Be the Food of Love, Play On. -Shakespeare
___________________________________________
1941 Ric B6 / 1948 National Dynamic / 1951 Bronson Supro / Custom teak wood Allen Melbert / Tut Taylor Dobro / Gold Tone Dojo / Martin D15S / Eastman P10
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Mark MacKenzie

 

From:
Franklin, Tennessee, USA
Post  Posted 21 May 2010 9:48 am    
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I have a 1937 National Electric Hawaiian that is very very similar. My coil was shot so I rewound another so I can't tell you the original tone. My scale was 25" which looks longer than yours. Very cool instrument!
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Brad Bechtel


From:
San Francisco, CA
Post  Posted 21 May 2010 12:20 pm    
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The Dobro Metalbody Hawaiian was made between 1935 and 1937. The body is cast aluminum. This particular model is one of the later models, probably from 1936. They have a very good sound, but are a real pain to keep in tune. The aluminum body is very susceptible to temperature changes.

This appears to be a very clean example of such an instrument.
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Steve Ahola


From:
Concord, California
Post  Posted 22 May 2010 10:01 pm    
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Brad Bechtel wrote:
The Dobro Metalbody Hawaiian was made between 1935 and 1937. The body is cast aluminum. This particular model is one of the later models, probably from 1936. They have a very good sound, but are a real pain to keep in tune. The aluminum body is very susceptible to temperature changes.


I was just reading how Rickenbacher discontinued their metal body lap steels around 1950 because the hot lights from movie sets and TV studios were causing them to go out of tune after a few minutes. After that all of their lap steels were made out of Bakelite.

Thanks!

Steve Ahola

P.S. Wasn't Dobro part of National back then? I just read something like that in the same book.
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