Question for Match-Bro users

Gordon Black · From: burns,oregon,usa

When I'm playing with my band, I switch off between Dobro and steel alot, often during a song. Awhile ago I bought a Super-Bro, thinking it would cut down the hassle of changing instruments. Well, I can't seem to get that outfit to sound much like a Dobro. I'm playing a D-10 Fessenden with Lawrence pickups (humbuckers) thru a modded Nashville 400. I'm using the Goodrich plastic bar. I've tried every combination of Timbre and Tone settings, fiddled with my amp, cut out the RV-3 Delay, dialed back the reverb, and still get a puny, fake sounding tone. Thinking the tuning was the problem (E B G#), I tried my knee lever to drop the E to D, and used my vertical lever to change G# to G so I'd have the Dobro "G", D B G. It still sounded phony. Any suggestions, or have all those years playing Bluegrass ruined my ears?

Larry Bell · From: Englewood, Florida

Gordon,
I doubt we'll ever get a vintage Dobro sound out of a pedal steel, but you are probably aware that amplifying a Dobro to the volume level of most bands doesn't sound much like one either. You are doing all the right things and you obviously know how to 'think Dobro' which is the major obstacle. Since Dobro parts on records or live rarely use effects, you are correct that eliminating them will be a good first step. One problem I have is that I usually set the bass EQ on my Session 400 on 8 or 9 and this really makes the Match-Bro too bassy, even with the tone on full.

If you use a preamp or effects system that allows storing presets (I'm usually too lazy to take my big rack to most gigs) having a preamp preset that has no verb, no delay, and thinner EQ than you usually use with your steel is about all you can do -- equipment-wise. However, avoiding pedal glisses and moves that can't be done on an acoustic Dobro will also help. I personally like using my regular steel bar and going for a Ped-a-bro sound on some tunes. How you attack the strings, picking near the bridge for a sharper sound with more attack, and other elements of technique may also be in order.

As far as what position to play out of, I like the A+B pedals position and just hold them down most of the time.

I don't think playing a real Dobro has ruined your ears. Only made them more discriminating.

Bottom line is that the Match-Bro is the best tool I've found and with practice it can sound as good as most Dobro amplification systems I've heard but won't get the quality of a good acoustic instrument.

Hope this helps.

LTB

[This message was edited by Larry Bell on 23 January 2001 at 10:38 AM.]

[This message was edited by Larry Bell on 23 January 2001 at 10:42 AM.]

Paul Crawford · From: Orlando, Fl

Honest question. To which audience does it matter?

I've got a Match-Bro that sounds about as good as I can get my cheap little Regal to sound, and I've got a really awful patch on my 2112 that's kind-of-sort-of-sometimes-something-like a Dobro, but in comparision really, really sucks, (if anybody else has a good Dobro Patch, PLEASE send it to me.) I only use either effect about a half of dozen times a night over 4 sets, and a couple of those times are Southern Rock Blues stuff. From the reactions I've gotten from the other band members, from the Wives Table, from the club regulars, it really doesn't seem all that important to them which I use. The band seems to really prefer if I'm pumpin' pedals and have said something about it several times. The closer I get to an acoustic sound, the less anyone seems to care.

I've worked for hours trying to get the Dobro style down on the PSG, and about the only ones that ever notice is myself or another steel player. Most of the time, that's enough for me. My wife, however, is looking with a little more wary eye at just why I have all of these different effects.

JERRY THURMOND · From: sullivan mo u.s.a.

I have one of the 1st match bros that came out and i would be lost with out it. I found that the simpler you play, that means with out useing pedals, very little reverb, an i almost always turn the tone control to give it just a little more bass, gives me the best results. Remember dobro' doesn't have pedals, hope this helps.

Jim Smith · From: Midlothian, TX, USA

A fellow forumite suggested running the two knobs at roughly 10 and 2 o'clock. Works for me!

Gordon Black · From: burns,oregon,usa

Thanks for all the input. This is sure a neat Forum (thanks b0b!)

Jack Stoner · From: Kansas City, MO

Mine seems to be working like it should. It fooled a bluegrass picker and I had a dobro player tell me my MatchBro sounded more like a dobro than his dobro (dobro brand) did amplified.

When I use my Nashville 400 and DD5 delay unit, I switch the DD5 off and just have a little bit of reverb (reverb set on 4). When I use it with my Transtube Fex processor, I have the EQ set flat with no delay and just a very slight amount of reverb.

My Nashville 400 has the factory tone mod and I set it, Low +9, Mid 800Hz and approx -3 and the High and Presence +3. My steel is a D-10 Franklin with Lawrence 710 Pickups.

[This message was edited by Jack Stoner on 24 January 2001 at 05:00 PM.]

Bobby Boggs · From: Upstate SC.

I take all the low end off my amp when I use a matchbro.Seems to sound more like a dobro that way.I also play close to the pickup,pick harder and use my regular bar.Not enough sustain with the plastic one for me. bb

Frank Estes · From: Huntsville, AL

What type of effect settings does it take to attempt to emulate what the Match-Bro does?

I have an effect unit that does nearly everything, but have no idea which effects I should use and how much. I would guess the compressor would be used. What else?

Thanks

Frank

------------------
1980 Black Emmons Push-Pull D-10 9+4 #2783D

Jack Stoner · From: Kansas City, MO

Frank, the matchbro or a dobro simulator is mostly notch filters. There is one of Jeff Newman's Profex II programs that does a little emulation but nothing like the Goodrich MatchBro. Also you have to have a bar that cuts sustain rather than a regular steel bar that increases sustain.

If you work with some compression and EQ, you might be able to come up with something.

Several years ago John Lemay had the settings to use with a graphic EQ to get the dobro emulation. E-mail John and see if you can get the settings. From what I remember most of the graphic EQ points were in the cut or minus side.

Frank Estes · From: Huntsville, AL

Thanks, Jack!

Darvin Willhoite · From: Roxton, Tx. USA

Mike Brown at Peavey also has some graphic EQ settings for a simulated Dobro sound.

MUSICO · From: Jeremy Williams in Spain

¿Is there an MP3 comparison anywhere? Perhaps the same piece played with and without a Match Bro

Jeremy Williams
Gandia Valencia
Spain

Tom Ward · From: Port Charlotte, FL 33952

Gordon, I'm also using a Super-Bro from my Sho-Bud into a Nashville 1000. Like you, I tried everything to get the Dobro sound. Herby Wallace recommended coming from the Sho-Bud to the Super-Bro to 1st input of the N-1000, then using the volume pedal into the pre-EQ in & out. ALSO when switching the Super-Bro "ON" turn off all the effects from the N-1000. This works better for me. Then I got the bright idea of trying a 7/8" piece of wooden dowel rod...(had to round the nose like the steel bar). The wood seems to cut down on the sustain. When the Super-Bro is turned on my over-all gain seems to increase. I fixed that by mounting a slide switch in the Super-Bro that puts a resistor in series with the line-out. That switch also turns off all the effects in the N-1000. Now I have to learn to pick like a Dobro player. Still haven't mastered that. Would apreciate anyone's suggestions. Tom

Jack Stoner · From: Kansas City, MO

Jeremy, here is a small MP3 clip of the matchbro. It is the intro I did on a session for It wasn't god who made honky tonk angels.
http://tampabaydsl.com/~jestoner/matchbro.mp3

jlsmith48 · From: blackwell ok usa

Has anyone noticed that by using the MatchBro,and and steel bar, you get a tone that is strikingly similar to the old Fender pedal steels. 1000,2000, Etc.

Jon Light · From: Saugerties, NY

I have found some pretty Fendery and even Bigsby tinted sounds using the Bill Lawrence IQ 1200 box. Some semi-dobro sounds too. But not even close to that sound clip from Jack. I'm really impressed. I hadn't realized how good the Goodrich is. I thought all the words about how you can fool somebody with was just hype but that definitely would have fooled me.

Jim Smith · From: Midlothian, TX, USA

That clip sounded great, Jack. So, tell us, what MatchBro settings did you use, amp settings, plastic bar, etc.?

Jack Stoner · From: Kansas City, MO

Jim, that was recorded with my Franklin with Lawrence 710 pickups. The Matchbro settings (I have one of the original models with the adjustments and the tone control in bypass) were "10" and "2" for the two controls or approximately pointing at the upper left and upper right ends of the box. I used the supplied plastic (or whatever it is) bar.
I used my Transtube Fex with my matchbro program, directly to the recorder using the XLR output on the Transtube Fex with two 12" speaker emulation. When I did the mixdown there was no EQ added to the steel, it was mixed down flat. Strings are George L's and I use .025 Dunlop finger picks.

Jim Smith · From: Midlothian, TX, USA

You used the Goodrich MatchBro and the Transtube Fex matchbro program together? Interesting, and a very authentic sound.

Jack Stoner · From: Kansas City, MO

Jim my "matchbro" program is just a flat eq with just a slight amount of reverb. It's not a program to simulate the matchbro. My "normal" program has reverb and delay and that is not needed when you use the matchbro.

db · From: Bethlehem, PA 18015 USA

Terry Downs · From: Wylie, TX US

I dug this text up from the past where I replied about dobro tunings on the steel. I find that it is as important hoe you play the notes than the actual sound..

I am a very satisfied user of the Matchbro. I tried the 3rd Octave EQ to simulate the tone with less than satisfying results.
The Matchbro is an expensive unit, but I have a 1970 Dobson Bros dobro that I dont want to take out and get abused. It is a beautiful sounding instrument, but using a pickup on stage reduces it to someting even less desireable than the Matchbro. A dobro needs to be played acoustically.

One of the best ways to get the dobro sounds is to play your steel like a dobro tuning. With the A&B pedals, you have a dobro tuning in the key of A. The chart below shows the AB pedal against the dobro. If you play a universal tuning you have an added advantage of having the 6th dobro string.
I play with the AB pedals down all the time with the Matchbro and leave the volume pedal still.
There are NO RULES, play pedals and levers as you wish, I just find that tring to emulate the dobro is more effective when playing a dobro tuning.
I hope this helps.









      Dobro        |   E9 A&B Pedals     |   E9/B6 U A&B Pedals


String    Note     | String   Note       | String   Note


  1-------D-(5th)--|---4-----E--(5th)----|---4-----E--(5th)    


  2-------B-(3rd)--|---5-----C#-(3rd)----|---5-----C#-(3rd)    


  3-------G-(Root)-|---6-----A--(Root)---|---6-----A--(Root)   


                   |   7     (Not Used)  |   7     (Not Used)  


  4-------D-(5th)--|---8-----E--(5th)----|---8-----E--(5th)    


  5-------B-(3rd)--|--10-----C# (3rd)----|---9-----C#-(3rd)


  6-------G-(Root)-|---------------------|--10-----A--(Root)

------------------
Terry Downs
http://nightshift.net
terry@nightshift.net

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