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Topic: Just wondering, Dobro for old guy |
Stan Paxton
From:
1/2 & 1/2 Florida and Tenn, USA (old Missouri boy gone South)
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Posted 20 Sep 2014 7:53 am |
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What with heart, knee & back problems have quit set-up, tear-down, carry, etc etc of the PSG and associated equip; leaving set up at church only. Some people want me to play the "kind that doesn't have to plug in" , and go with them to play nursing homes & such. ...Thinking it might be a dobro solution. Any thoughts out there about an old man trying to learn dobro. I always kind of shied away from that since there are no pedals & levers to help, and I never played non-pedal. ...Should I or should I not?  ...Thanks for any advise  . ...
_________________
Mullen Lacquer SD 10, 3 & 5; Mullen Mica S 10 1/2 pad, 3 & 5; BJS Bars; LTD400, Nashville 112, DD-3, RV-3, Hilton VP . -- Gold Tone PBS sq neck; Wechter Scheerhorn sq neck. -- "Experience is the thing you have left when everything else is gone." -anon.- |
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Rick Barnhart
From:
Arizona, USA
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Posted 20 Sep 2014 8:40 am
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I say go for it, Stan. There's a ton of music to be found in the standard GBDGBD resonator tuning. You won't be limited to bluegrass, you'll see.
_________________
Clinesmith consoles D-8/6 5 pedal, D-8 3 pedal & A25 Frypan, Pettingill Teardrop, & P8 Deluxe. |
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Stephen Cowell
From:
Round Rock, Texas, USA
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Posted 20 Sep 2014 8:56 am
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Don't limit yourself to normal dobro G tuning... I've got an 8-string dobro tuned to E13 that I play like a steel... C6 is also a common 6-string dobro tuning. Consider your options.
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New FB Page: Lap Steel Licks And Stuff: https://www.facebook.com/groups/195394851800329 |
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Mark Eaton
From:
Sonoma County in The Great State Of Northern California
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Posted 20 Sep 2014 9:31 am
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Every tuning has its strengths and weaknesses. What is great about GBDGBD tuning is that it is by far the most popular among folks whom play dobro on a regular basis, and these days there are a lot of learning materials in the tuning.
I find nothing limiting about it.
And Stan, if you decide to take the plunge lest us know what you might be able to budget for a guitar, it makes a big difference.
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Mark |
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Ray Harrison
From:
Tucson, Arizona, USA (deceased)
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Posted 20 Sep 2014 9:41 am
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I've played nursing homes for a number of years and it is a very rewarding gig. No money involved on my part, but to see the enjoyment of the residents is amazing.
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Ray Harrison
Bass/sing/Love PSG
77 Stingray/Kiesel 5 string bass
Telonics , Fender Rumble500, Polytone Amps
D-16 Martin, 1970 Ovation guitars |
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Alan Brookes
From:
Brummy living in Southern California
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Posted 20 Sep 2014 9:48 am
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| ...and the good thing about the Dobro is that you can play it sitting in a comfortable armchair, unlike a pedal steel which anchors you into one playing position. |
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chris ivey
From:
california (deceased)
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Posted 20 Sep 2014 10:18 am
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| do it! dobro is a wonderful joy. even in my limited capacity it adds alot to an acoustic performance. |
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Steve Rosko
From:
Georgetown, Texas
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Posted 20 Sep 2014 4:10 pm
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| I'm new to PSG, but have played Dobro for some time. Definitely go for it. I could put the Dobro in it's case and go anywhere; easy. Can you borrow one to try? I'm sure you'll like it. It has it's own voice, just don't try to make it sound like your PSG. |
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Jack Aldrich
From:
Washington, USA
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Posted 20 Sep 2014 4:40 pm
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I have a couple of resonator guitars, a 6 and an 8. I keep my 8 in high G C13 and my 6 in B11. I play them a lot at acoustic gatherings, kanekapilas and for change in tone from my electric steels. I mostly use the 8, playing Hawaiian, Western Swing and classic country.
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Jack Aldrich
Carter & ShoBud D10's
D8 & T8 Stringmaster
Rickenbacher B6
3 Resonator guitars
Asher Alan Akaka Special SN 6
Canopus D8 |
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Stan Paxton
From:
1/2 & 1/2 Florida and Tenn, USA (old Missouri boy gone South)
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Posted 20 Sep 2014 4:45 pm
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 Hey, all you guys, this is just great! Just the kind of feedback I need to help me decide. You will know how far back I am, I did not even know what notes to tune to, or that there was a variety of tunings possible!  . ...
Yes, a person is bringing one to church tomorrow to let me borrow for a couple weeks just to see what it's like. ...
Mark, glad you mentioned the budget consideration. I was hoping to find something around $300, but after look at sites from Google about resonator type, I find that might not be enough to get a good quality, with some volume. ...I could sure use you'als feedback about what brands would be good to look at for quality and sound, at an economical level. ...
Thanks to you all so much for your help .
_________________
Mullen Lacquer SD 10, 3 & 5; Mullen Mica S 10 1/2 pad, 3 & 5; BJS Bars; LTD400, Nashville 112, DD-3, RV-3, Hilton VP . -- Gold Tone PBS sq neck; Wechter Scheerhorn sq neck. -- "Experience is the thing you have left when everything else is gone." -anon.- |
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Alan Brookes
From:
Brummy living in Southern California
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Posted 21 Sep 2014 8:43 am
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http://www.musiciansfriend.com/folk-traditional-instruments/dobro-hound-dog-round-neck-dobro-guitar
I have several resonator guitars. Of those, the ones I play most are the Dobro Hound Dog (see above), the Flinthill, and an 8-string one that I converted myself from a Tennessee 8-string guitar. I also have metal resonator guitars, but I should warn you that they're heavy. They probably weigh twice as much as a Dobro and, to my mind, have a sound more atuned to blues.
You're probably going to have to exceed your $300 budget unless you're lucky and find a used one going cheap. The Flinthill, for instance, I paid $500 for used twenty years ago. New Dobros, such as the one I pointed out at Musicians' Friend, are nowadays made in the Orient. If you want a genuine American-made Dobro you will have to pay more.
Good luck on your hunt. |
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Rick Barnhart
From:
Arizona, USA
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Posted 21 Sep 2014 9:21 am
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Stan, I'm not going to recommend one brand over another, but just like most anything else, you won't likely be satified if you settle for a cheapie. Buy the best quality resonator you can afford, if it's not for you...you can always sell it here.
_________________
Clinesmith consoles D-8/6 5 pedal, D-8 3 pedal & A25 Frypan, Pettingill Teardrop, & P8 Deluxe. |
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Steve Rosko
From:
Georgetown, Texas
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Posted 21 Sep 2014 9:26 am
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| Just like PSG's, there are low level, good beginner and high end instruments. If your finances allow, take a look at Beard Goldtone reso's. I sold a Beard Goldtone square neck for $700 not that long ago. The bodies are made off shore, but Beard installs the cone and does the set up in the USA. You can tell the ones with the Beard set up by a sticker visible inside the sound hole. |
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Stan Paxton
From:
1/2 & 1/2 Florida and Tenn, USA (old Missouri boy gone South)
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Posted 21 Sep 2014 5:15 pm
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Thanks to Steve, Rick & Alan. ...
The borrowed guitar is a "S101 Guitars", with a flying eagle logo, squareneck. ...Anybody out there familiar with that one? What little I have tinkered with it today, is sounds good to my inexperienced ear, has good amount of volume. Owner hinted she might sell it. Like new, new hard case, instruction book, bar, picks. No price yet. Any idea of worth for something like this? ...
And, what difference does it make if a reso guitar is square neck or round neck?
Thanks very much for your help. ...
_________________
Mullen Lacquer SD 10, 3 & 5; Mullen Mica S 10 1/2 pad, 3 & 5; BJS Bars; LTD400, Nashville 112, DD-3, RV-3, Hilton VP . -- Gold Tone PBS sq neck; Wechter Scheerhorn sq neck. -- "Experience is the thing you have left when everything else is gone." -anon.- |
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Rick Barnhart
From:
Arizona, USA
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Posted 21 Sep 2014 6:32 pm
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The squareneck shape holds the guitar higher on your leg, with a little more stability than a round neck. There's also more wood there to withstand the elevated tension caused by the high nut. A round neck guitar can bow slightly over time, if used with a raised nut.
The S101 appears to be a lower end Korean guitar...probably worth slightly less than your initial budget. Although it's very nice of your friend to loan and maybe sell it to you, if it were me, I'd look for something else, like a Beard Gold Tone, or a Wechter Scheerhorn or Ikes model. Just my opinion, if you like it and can get it reasonably, I'm sure it would be fine.
_________________
Clinesmith consoles D-8/6 5 pedal, D-8 3 pedal & A25 Frypan, Pettingill Teardrop, & P8 Deluxe. |
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L. A. Wunder
From:
Lombard, Illinois, USA
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Posted 24 Sep 2014 7:58 am
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| Do it, Stan! I've been playing Dobro in church fir several years. If you get one that's electric/acoustic, you can have the option to plug it into an amp if you want to. I leave an amp and volume pedal at church for that purpose. I tune my Dobro to a standard guitar tuning, but lower the top string from E to D. That gives me the ability to play a 6th, chord using the bottom string, and a 9th. Using the 5th, then slant fir the 7th. Hope this helps. |
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Stan Paxton
From:
1/2 & 1/2 Florida and Tenn, USA (old Missouri boy gone South)
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Posted 24 Sep 2014 10:19 am
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Every one of you guys has been a help, encouraging. I think I could learn enough over time to get by, so I aim to go ahead and try to buy one if I can stay in budget for a good one. My friend has't said anything about price, but I found a price tag from a music store in the case, $499. Don't know what she really gave for it. ...
An electrified would be good to have the option, but the purpose is to not carry any other gear. I leave my PSG set up at church for use there. ...
One other thing you all might help with. I notice this borrowed guitar goes out of tune the farther up the neck I go  . Since there are no mechanical movements, I presume the strings must be bad; right? ...thanks again
_________________
Mullen Lacquer SD 10, 3 & 5; Mullen Mica S 10 1/2 pad, 3 & 5; BJS Bars; LTD400, Nashville 112, DD-3, RV-3, Hilton VP . -- Gold Tone PBS sq neck; Wechter Scheerhorn sq neck. -- "Experience is the thing you have left when everything else is gone." -anon.- |
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Alan Brookes
From:
Brummy living in Southern California
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Posted 24 Sep 2014 10:19 am
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| L. A. Wunder wrote: |
| ...I tune my Dobro to a standard guitar tuning, but lower the top string from E to D... |
That puts it in banjo tuning.  |
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Stephen Gambrell
From:
Over there
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Posted 24 Sep 2014 1:55 pm
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| Steve Rosko wrote: |
| Just like PSG's, there are low level, good beginner and high end instruments. If your finances allow, take a look at Beard Goldtone reso's. I sold a Beard Goldtone square neck for $700 not that long ago. The bodies are made off shore, but Beard installs the cone and does the set up in the USA. You can tell the ones with the Beard set up by a sticker visible inside the sound hole. |
Steve's got the right idea. I've played several of the Beard Gold-Tones, and they ain't bad. A lot of cheap guitars leave you at the 12th fret, on the 1st two strings, just trying to be heard. Paul's cones are good replacements, too. You might want to check out some bluegrass stores, or sites like Mandolin Cafe, to see what they've got, used. |
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Howard Parker
From:
Maryland
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Posted 24 Sep 2014 2:17 pm
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For the sake of accuracy, less than 10% of the Goldtones are set up by the Beard shop.
Goldtone does a decent job with setups. The Beard shop will use the same nut, inserts, spider, cone and setup techniques that they use on their hand crafted reso's.
h
_________________
Howard Parker
03\' Carter D-10
70\'s Dekley D-10
52\' Fender Custom
Many guitars by Paul Beard
Listowner Resoguit-L |
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Steve Rosko
From:
Georgetown, Texas
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Posted 24 Sep 2014 4:36 pm
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| As far as the Beard set up on Goldtones, they put a sticker inside so it's easy to tell. As far as being out of tune: The bridge sits on a "spider" which can rotate on the cone causing the bridge to no longer be perpendicular to the strings. This can happen if all strings are removed at once. Since you tune with open strings, you'll be in tune open but not so much when you put the bar down. |
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Stan Paxton
From:
1/2 & 1/2 Florida and Tenn, USA (old Missouri boy gone South)
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Posted 24 Sep 2014 4:51 pm
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Thanks again to all you guys. ... I see I got a lot to learn about "dobro" type guitars: like spiders and inserts & cones & stuff. ...This borrowed guitar is seriously out of tune by the 12th fret. So, I don't think I want to try to buy it. Probably better look for a good used better quality if I can find one from somewhere I can trust and knows a lot more about them than I do.  ... I don't really know anybody local here in Tenn or in Fla that is into reso's. Need to find me a good blue grass bunch of guys to learn from. ...
_________________
Mullen Lacquer SD 10, 3 & 5; Mullen Mica S 10 1/2 pad, 3 & 5; BJS Bars; LTD400, Nashville 112, DD-3, RV-3, Hilton VP . -- Gold Tone PBS sq neck; Wechter Scheerhorn sq neck. -- "Experience is the thing you have left when everything else is gone." -anon.- |
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Steve Rosko
From:
Georgetown, Texas
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Stephen Gambrell
From:
Over there
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Posted 24 Sep 2014 5:28 pm
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WOW, Steve! Isn't it interesting, the expressions on the faces of Buck White, and Ricky and Sharon Skaggs?
Only thing that would make that better, would be Charlie Waller looking on. |
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L. A. Wunder
From:
Lombard, Illinois, USA
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Posted 24 Sep 2014 6:55 pm
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Dang it! I watched that Jerry Douglas clip, and now I've fallen love with the Dobro again.
By the way Stan, if you leave a steel in church, don't you leave an amp up there as well? If so, you could just plug a. Electrified Dobro into the same amp. Of course, if your music director uses mikes or runs you through the board, (neither of which our music director is wiling to do ) you wouldn't need an amp. I wish I could just go accoustic, but until we can convince our reluctant leader to use mikes it will remain an impossibility.
Good luck, and please keep us all posted. |
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