Dobros by other makers

Paul Warnik · From: Illinois,USA

After having owned dozens of pre-WWII California made and Chicago made (Regal) Dobros my "collection" (oops) has reduced to just three guitars-one is Hawaiian square neck another is Spanish round neck and the last is not used as a player but rather a keepsake with autographs on it (see I'm not hording them) But now it seems that there are so many newer makers of Dobro type instruments out there and I admit that some of them do sound better than many of the originals-so perhaps those of you who own guitars made by some of the newer builders out there in the resophonic market would share with us what you like about the particular brand that you play-thanks-PW

chas smith R.I.P. · From: Encino, CA, USA

I have a '27 tricone, a '70s Dobro 6 and a Dobro 10. A couple years ago I was in a store that had a Beard, one of the expensive ones, and it was the most delicious sounding resophonic I've ever heard. I couldn't stop thinking about it for a week so I went back, 'plugged in the plastic' and brought it home.

Oh and Paul, Laura and I didn't get married, but after 11 years, we might as well be.

Paul Warnik · From: Illinois,USA

Chas-funny you should mention the Beard Guitar-I saw them at Scotty's show but it wasn't till the HSGA show last week that I got to sit down and play several different models of them-they have really good sound to my ear-some good innovations in construction too-like the locking tuners and coverplate (machine not wood) screws set into threaded bushings-some had the "black chrome" hardware which was cool looking but they should have put it on an all black "gothic" model-I know you and Laura have been together it seems all the time that I have known you-has it been that long? Here in Illinois it's considered a "common law" marriage after 7 years-I hear that in Texas it's only 6 months

-what about out in Cali?

Stephen Gambrell · From: Over there

Here we go again--Ivan Guernsey builds THE finest resonator guitar on the planet. Sounds like my old Martin D-28, with a resonator. The lows are distinct, the highs are strong, but not whiny, tone is balanced from one end to the other. Ivan's prices won't cost you a vital organ, and on top of everything else, he's one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet!
MAKE MINE GUERNSEY!!
And if you don't believe me, ask Mike Auldridge(THE tone man)or Jim Heffernan.

Paul Warnik · From: Illinois,USA

Stephen G-I only caught the last tune of the "resocasters" set at Scottys-but that was enough to hear Jim and Mikes guitars blow away the Franklin Ped-a-bro-I appreciate your feedback of the type that I am looking for

[This message was edited by PAUL WARNIK on 11 October 2002 at 10:10 PM.]

[This message was edited by PAUL WARNIK on 11 October 2002 at 10:11 PM.]

Paul Warnik · From: Illinois,USA

My posting of this thread is in no way intended to provoke any of the dreaded "mine is better than yours" type of contoversy-but rather to solicit the honest relevant opinions of those who could enlighten me in my realization that instruments available now by other makers are perhaps every bit as good or possibly even better in performance than the trusted original vintage models that I have come to rely upon

Michael T. Hermsmeyer · From: Branson, Missouri, USA

I'd trade all of my Dobro's for a Benoit!! Any Takers??? LOL.

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HowardR · From: N.Y.C.-Fire Island-Asheville

I own a couple of 70's OMI Dobros, and a 90's Gibson Dobro. I have a couple of Melobros, a Bobby Wolf Custom, and a couple of Benoit resonators.

The modern resos that I have are all different in their sound and they all have a fuller, richer sound than the Dobros.

Yes, in The United Kingdom of Resophonia, there is also the quest for that Holy Grail of sound, not unlike the search for the perfect pedal steel.

The makers of today have really fined tuned the art of building resophonic guitars. It's interesting in that there a many variations with regard to the internal structure. The tone rings, openings in the tone rings, thickness of the rings, shapes of their openings, baffles, sound posts,and porting have all been very important in trying to find THAT SOUND. The bodies of the modern guitars are also thicker(higher?)which makes quite a difference as compared to the older Dobros.

Better materials and hardware are being used. The spun Quarteman cone of a particular alloy, bone nuts, ebony capped brides, and solid tone woods. Ted Smiths fiberglass Melobros are an excellent innovation.

What I like about my guitars was the original question?

I play mostly the Melobro and Benoits. I think that the Melobro has a big full sound with great volume. A banjo slayer, if you will. It is a sturdy invulnerable guitar that you don't have to worry about. A very reasonable price for the great quality which is right up there with the customs, but the bottom line is that it is comfortable to play. That brings me to the Benoit.

When I say comfortable to play, I mean you don't have to play it hard or compensate in certain areas for tone, or tone correction I should say. I spend much time playing the Benoit(s). First, they are a thing of great beauty. Everytime I pick one up, I must admire the beauty of the wood, the finish, and meticulous construction before I begin to play. It is an incentive for me to practice. The fretboards and markers are very easy to see. All of these things combined with fantastic tone make it all a great pleasure.

I have not played many of the other custom resonators, but it seems that anyone who is in love with theirs, share the same feelings for the same reasons.

This is an exciting time in resophonic history in this new "Golden Age of Luthery."

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HowardR · From: N.Y.C.-Fire Island-Asheville

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Andy Alford · Posted 12 Oct 2002 5:22 am

After being around dobros for many years I think that the new Regal line is mighty hard to beat for sound and $.If you get a quarterman cone and listen you might be shocked at how good it sounds.Go and check out the Folk of The Wood web site.

Stephen Gambrell · From: Over there

I haven't played either a Benoit, or the Melobro, But the Benoit IS a work of art. And a friend has a Melobro, which I understand has volume for days, but may not have the Hi-Fi tone of some of the other builders' guitars. We can't forget Tim Scheerhorn in this discussion, a lot of the big boys play them. I've played a lot of the new guys' stuff, NOBODY'S guitar sounds bad, it's just a matter of how long you're willing to wait!
But the Regals being made today are not worthy of carrying the name, IMO. They sound tinny, the finish looks like spray cans, spend a couple hundred on the quarterman cone, bridge inserts, nut---and you've still got a whiny, Korean made, canoe paddle. Don't get mad, it's just my opinion.

[This message was edited by Stephen Gambrell on 12 October 2002 at 07:10 AM.]

R. L. Jones · From: Lake Charles, Louisiana, USA

Same here stephen; The reason I would rate a "Benoit" over a Guernsey ,or a Sheerhorn, Carrol Benoit ,does not build commercial guitars, I`m meaning ,to make money on. He never uses Mahogany ,nor ply boards. Neither are very good "Tone Woods" , He omly uses the best sxotic Tone Woods available ,irregardless of cost. The neck of his guitas dont attach to the body , they are part of the body, You could use it in a harsh way it would be hard to bust it. then he uses the best life tine tuners on the market.
All that amd the fact he uses no middle man you buy at what would be dealers price. The old "Biggest Bamg for the Buck" Time will prove a ,Benoit Guitar will become a real collectors Item.
I just happen to have the second one this talented "Luthier" Built. Yes I`llsay I have the best of the best

Hey just my opinion R. L.

Mike D · From: Phx, Az

Not to be argumentative, but...

He never uses Mahogany...not a very good "Tone Wood" He omly uses the best sxotic Tone Woods available ,irregardless of cost.

???! Mahohany is a fine tone wood. The average piece of Mahogany 'sounds' as good as a piece of figured Koa (I've built resonators from both) Not knocking fancy woods, I love 'em too. But a million Gibson and Martin Mahogany guitars don't lie.

The neck of his guitas dont attach to the body , they are part of the body,

I don't know the exact method Carrol uses to attaches his necks, but I'd lay odds it's not much different than other buiders use.

All that amd the fact he uses no middle man you buy at what would be dealers price.

His prices may be lower that Sheerhorn's but that's more a result of supply and demand, and name recognition. Eventually Benoit's will be in demand such that he'll have to raise the prices. Sheerhorn's cost what they do because alot of people want them.

Andy Alford · Posted 13 Oct 2002 3:50 am

Stephen,

Have you ever heard of Samick?They are one of the largest musical corporations in the world,who are located in Korea.Have you visited their web site?Fender has their dobro's built in Korea.I have owned some of the top custom brand dobros that are wonderful sounding, but I have heard some made in Korea, that are very good in tone and volume.The finishes on the Fender and Regal's that I have seen are very well done.Have you played the latest Regal dobro's?You may also want to visit Folk of the Wood web site, that is full of dobro information.Many can not afford $$$$$$$ for a new custom made in the USA dobro but they can buy a Regal.Stephen, what would you advise readers of the forum to do if they wanted to learn the dobro,but could not afford more then $300.00 for a new one?Should they just forget it because they can not buy a custom made USA dobro?Stephen did you know that Regal's are built by Saga which is an American corp.?They produce some very fine instruments.I have found many very well made products that were not made in the USA.The World is full of smart craftsmen who may be women or men who build with pride.If people are going learn the dobro will they pay $$$$$$ for one to learn on ?I bet we have some Koreans or people from other countries who will read this thread Stephen what do you think?

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HowardR · From: N.Y.C.-Fire Island-Asheville

I think we can all agree that everyone loves their particular brand and would rate it over anybody else's particular brand, whether they have actually played it or not.
AGREED

The imported lower end resonators serve an important purpose, and with upgrades may sound surprisingly good. Before them, where could you buy a resophonic guitar for $350.00?
AGREED......that being said, does anybody own custom resonators by other quality builders that don't get as much recognition as they deserve? Clinesmith, Allen, DeNeve, McKenna, Tipton, Crafters of Tennesse, Harlow, Timm....etc.

If so, what is it that you like? Is there different construction of the interior, hardware, woods, etc...?

HowardR · From: N.Y.C.-Fire Island-Asheville

Not a half bad idea, Howard, I'll go first...

The older Dobros seem to vary in sound, tone, and volume more so than the current custom made guitars. I have a 70's Dobro that I think sounds great and always have. It's just that my custom guitars sound greater.

I've told this story before. In 1999 or 2000, I was the first person to arrive at an estate sale where there were approximately 60 Dobros & Regal Dobros (the old ones) for sale. They were from all different time periods. I played so many of them that my butt hurt. It wasn't until I sat down with an R.Q. Jones and Bobby Wolf custom that I realized the distinct difference in the better quality of sound. The Wolf had a bit more edge and was (still is) in pristine condition whereas the Jones was a bit shopworn, and so I bought the Wolf ($900).

I contacted Bobby Wolf shortly thereafter and learned that this was built in 1987. The top and back is solid Mahogany and the sides are mahogany ply. He was close to standardizing at that time. Although I 've never removed the cone, I have had the sound screens off and I can see baffles and what appears to be sound posts. I don't know what his current guitars sound like today. I understand that he is building "ported" resonators with unique sound chamber construction. Definately a custom to check out and consider if you are in the market.

[This message was edited by HowardR on 13 October 2002 at 08:43 AM.]

Andy Alford · Posted 13 Oct 2002 7:32 am

Crafters of Tenn.

Herb Steiner · From: Spicewood TX 78669

Interesting topic.

Recently, before deciding to be conservative and stick with my pre-war Dobros, I had the urge to find a new custom guitar. In my search I performed hands-on auditions with a Scheerhorn, three Beards, three DeNeves, a Clinesmith, a Jasper, a Guernsey, a Melobro, a Gibson, a Tennessee Crafters, an RQ Jones, and a bunch of Benoits. In the majority of the auditions, I had my pre-wars there with me to compare tone and volume to the new guitars.

The result from an admittedly small sample (since with most of the guitars only one example was tried): All the guitars were awesome, first of all. Personally, my favorite for a combination of cosmetics, craftsmanship and tone was a spruce/maple Clinesmith. For tone and volume, easily winning was a Benoit. The thing that kept the Benoit from winning in all categories was the non-traditional peghead of the Benoit. I'm sure if I asked Carroll to put a Dobro-style peghead on a guitar, he would do it. He's also very adventurous with his cosmetics, which some guys may like. It didn't turn me off, but I'd prefer a more traditional look, which I'm sure he'd do if asked.

That Clinesmith was really sweet, though.

As to the Regals, I have three students that own Regals. They sound fine, surprisingly good to me and have some heft to them. They are NOT upgraded models with Quartermans and new bridge inserts, just stock from eBay or the music store. The coverplates are thinner than USA dobros and the tuning machines are inferior, as would be expected. But for getting a beginner into resonators, they are definitely the way to go.

If I were a road musician and only needed an amplified dobro for a few songs per night, balancing utility versus risk, the Regal would be my choice NO CONTEST. If I was a full-time bluegrasser, I'd probably go with the higher quality instrument.

Road travel risk: Dobros are very fragile instruments; getting banged around by roadies and being in equipment vans and such, with other things piled on the cases etc., can be very hard on resonator cones. Another reason to go with a Regal if you need a tool rather than a work of art.

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R. L. Jones · From: Lake Charles, Louisiana, USA

UH- Oh Iwent back this morning and read my post from last nite , it just didnt come out right. I apologize, Mahogany , is an excellant tone wood. Everybody that I play with has Mahogany guitars .It was late here and this old homemade winehad me a little stretched out.
Paul had asked for thoughts and opinions etc. Paul , I apologize to you personally
"P.S." I`m not a builder,

R. L.

Dave Horner · From: Heath, Texas, USA

Herb,

This is not to detract from the Benoit, or, or any other instrument, but I'm the proud owner of a Clinesmith and echo your favorable comments about it. Also, like Carroll Benoit, Todd Clinesmith is quite a fine guy.

Dave

[This message was edited by Dave Horner on 13 October 2002 at 08:54 AM.]

HowardR · From: N.Y.C.-Fire Island-Asheville

Herb, although non traditional,(and that's an understatement)for road use or hard knocks, the Melobro is "thick skinned."
It is the only guitar that I let my niece and nephew play with. An afternoon in their hands is like a year on the road. That thing has been dropped, fallen off of a chair, drooled on (by me), banged into a door jamb and there are no battle scars. I don't worry a bit about that one.

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Herb Steiner · From: Spicewood TX 78669

Howard
Yeah, the Melobro is quite utilitarian and sturdy. And I was pleasantly surprised when I heard Jeff Peterson's Melo amplified. Real dobro tone, for sure.

My concern about fragility centers on the fact that the cone is very thin, is supported by only it's thin lip on the lip of the soundwell or tone posts, and is under great amounts of pressure from the strings. So any downward impact on the top of the guitar or its case, like a banjo case being dropped on it, etc, etc., could damage the cone/bridge assembly more easily than any other instrument except perhaps a violin. And violinists take EXTRAORDINARY precautions with their fiddles. Or should, anyway. Resonologists should take heed and do the same.

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Stephen Gambrell · From: Over there

Andy, I have nothing against the Regals, if somebody is wanting to get his toes wet, or, as Herb says, is wanting to get an amplified reso sound for a few tunes. But I maintain my position that that's about ALL they're good for. I play bluegrass on mine, and although I did get Ivan Guernsey to install a pickup, I just go with a mike 95% of the time. Besides, just because you can buy a Regal, Fender, Saga, whatever, for 3 or 4 hundred bucks, how much are you gonna have in it by the time you install a pickup, Quarterman cone, bridge and nut inserts, whatever? So wht not get a decent instrument to begin with? I've seen hundreds of kids get completely turned off, because parents bought guitars that were "good enough to learn on." The action and intonation on some of these torture devices were impossible to play around, and resale value was ZILCH!
By the way, Andy, after giving it to me pretty hard regarding my low opinion of these Oriental boxes, YOUR next post says,"Crafters of Tennessee." Why?

Ron Randall · From: Dallas, Texas, USA

Paul,

I have a Benoit 8 string, and a wonderful 70's vintage custom Dobro 6 string. I like the Benoit because of the tone, and craftsmanship.

There is some magical interaction between the tonewoods and the cone. Most people hear it and react instantly to the tone and power with "WoW".

I don't need the "Big hair and lipstick" cosmetics. I like them plain and pure.

Ron

Paul Warnik · From: Illinois,USA

RL Jones-you dont have to apologize-although I was somewhat miffed at your original commments about mahogany-I prefer it-so does Jerry Douglas(what he told me when I brought him a 156 walnut)I know several other top players who also prefer mahogany in a Dobro-I believe the best pre-war originals are the ones that have mahogany necks-to me maple is best for pedal steel bodies but too bright for Dobro-and walnut while very beautiful is rather dark sounding-I did at one time own the only two known pre-war rosewood spruce top Dobros(went back to Tut)they sounded(and looked)quite good

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