| Author |
Topic: Bridge Saddle |
Pete Hunt
From:
Massachusetts, USA
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Posted 16 May 2011 10:38 am |
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| I've got a metal body Dobro that's pretty mellow sounding. I'd like to experiment with different bridge saddles to see if I can get a bit more of a rockin' sound out of it. Right now there's an ebony topped maple saddle in it, but I'd like to see if anyone has any ideas on alterantives. Thanks much. Pete Hunt |
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Brad Bechtel
From:
San Francisco, CA
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Posted 16 May 2011 2:26 pm
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Stewart-Macdonald's website says:
| Quote: |
| Hard maple is the recommended bridge saddle material for Dobro® or National™ guitars. Bone, metal and Micarta are sometimes used, but maple's still the best for authentic tone. |
Resophonic Outfitters sells bridge inserts made of maple, birch, or ebony-capped maple.
You might get a better sound with a different cone. What do you have in there currently (if you know)?
_________________
Brad’s Page of Steel
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars |
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John Billings
From:
Ohio, USA
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Posted 16 May 2011 2:53 pm
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| This is a "problem" I'm having with my '35 M-32. It sounds quite nice, but I don't want it to sound "quite nice!" I know it will never have the blatant garbage can rattle of a biscuit guitar, but I'd like it to sound a bit more aggressive. Right now, the sound tends to a more Tri-cone timbre. |
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Brad Bechtel
From:
San Francisco, CA
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Posted 17 May 2011 6:49 am
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There would be two options I'd recommend:
1) Play more aggressively. Try changing the position of your right hand, moving it closer to the bridge. Don't worry, the guitar can take it.
2) Buy a different guitar.
Some guitars just sound the way they do, and no amount of modification is going to make them what they are not.
_________________
Brad’s Page of Steel
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars |
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John Billings
From:
Ohio, USA
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Posted 17 May 2011 7:13 am
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Brad,
In my case, you'd be hard pressed to find someone with a more "aggressive" pickin' hand. That ole spider bridge guitar is just very mellow-sounding, and is not very loud either. I was thinkin' the bridge material might help. Or,,,, maybe a new cone?
JB |
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Brad Bechtel
From:
San Francisco, CA
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Posted 17 May 2011 10:17 am
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Those options will certainly make a difference in the sound, but whether that ends up being the sound you want to hear in that guitar is going to be subjective. The M32 metal body Dobro® has a very distinctive sound, but it's not the sound you're going to get from a modern wood body resonator guitar like a Beard or McKenna or Rayco or any other good manufacturer.
Appreciate that instrument for the qualities it has; don't try to make it something that it's not.
I found this out trying to make a 1941 National Havana sound different It was designed the way it was. Nothing I did made it sound like anything other than a better 1941 National Havana. I sold it and later bought a Wechter Scheerhorn, then a Taylor Tennessee resonator. These two guitars have more of the sounds I'm hearing in my head when I play.
_________________
Brad’s Page of Steel
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars |
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John Billings
From:
Ohio, USA
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Posted 17 May 2011 10:23 am
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| Brad, I use that guitar for ragtime in standard, and for bottlenecking. It's obviously had a very busy past! No paint left on the brass top! Of course the brass ones were known to lose their paint. I was just wondering if a cone could wear out, and lose it's resonance??? Maybe I'll try the cone from the '37, as that guitar has the voice of a very loud angel! |
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