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Topic: Ported Dobro Cones? |
HowardR
From:
N.Y.C.-Fire Island-Asheville
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Posted 14 Feb 2003 7:28 am |
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Has anyone ever heard of this? It was mentioned to me that some Dobros from about 30 years ago had 6 dime size holes in the cone. Is this true? I've never seen nor heard of it.
of course, buckshot from her father's shotgun yielded the same result, but that was an isolated incident 
Seriously, is this fact or fiction?  |
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Kenny Davis
From:
Great State of Oklahoma
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Posted 14 Feb 2003 8:49 am
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| Fact. (I think!) When I get home, I'll look in my 'Dobro Players Scrapbook' - I think I remember seeing this. |
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Michael T. Hermsmeyer
From:
Branson, Missouri, USA
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Posted 14 Feb 2003 11:25 am
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I have also seen a photo somewhere of something like this. I will try to remember where.
Michael T.
------------------
UTILITY MAN PRODUCTIONS
'73 EMMONS D10 FATBACK, '92 EMMONS D10 LASHLEY LEGRANDE,
'85 DOBRO 60DS, '95 DOBRO F60S,
'95 MELOBAR CUSTOM, 1955 FENDER TRIPLE NECK STRINGMASTER. EVANS, FENDER, PEAVEY,
and MESA BOOGIE Amps.
[This message was edited by Michael T. Hermsmeyer on 14 February 2003 at 11:26 AM.] |
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Howard Parker
From:
Maryland
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Posted 14 Feb 2003 11:26 am
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Yep...
I've seen this occasionally.
My custom Beard 8 string circa mid 80's has a "ported" Quarterman cone.
Paul and I discussed this option as the 8 string is naturally a bit less responsive then the 6. His theory was to reduce the mass of the resonator slightly in order to increase it's responsiveness.
We never did an "A/B" comparison, but, the guitar sounds just great. Plenty of presence and very balanced.
Four holes btw, in the cone's lower "bout".
YMMV
Cheers
HowardP
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Howard Parker
poobah@resoguit.com
www.resoguit.com
ListOwner RESOGUIT-L
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Paul Warnik
From:
Illinois,USA
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Posted 14 Feb 2003 12:12 pm
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| Howard-I have seen many 1928 model Dobros with what Mike Cass calls the "wrinkle cone" that have four holes in the center-these are seen usually only on the earliest guitars-I may have an original one of these for sale if somebody was interested |
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Mike Black
From:
New Mexico, USA
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Posted 17 Feb 2003 3:24 pm
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Hey Paul, I peeked into the cone on my old Dobro and saw the 4 small holes. They appear at 3-6-9 and 12 O'clock. It also has the "wrinkles' around the edge.
I've got a real oldie, and it's my most prized instrument. I've been trying to determine it's age as close as possible. Any help you can give me will me much apprieciated. I was told that it could be a prototype based on the measurements of the head stock. It has the low rise tailpiece, 11 slot head cover screws, (is there one under the tailpiece?)starting at 12 O'clock as well as "Pat Pend." at 12. No dot at 17th fret, Mahogany body with Black binding, Mahogany round neck with white binding. No dot at 17th fret. Fretboard could be the Red Bean wood I've read about it has a reddish hue. No serial # on top of headstock. Roughly cut peg slots with flat sloped ends. The Dobro decal lacks the Yellow halo the first ones are supposed to have. I've never had any of it apart, is there ever hand written dates or signatures inside them? Or construction methods specific to certain years? Does any of this info help you dial it in?[This message was edited by Mike Black on 17 February 2003 at 03:31 PM.] [This message was edited by Mike Black on 17 February 2003 at 03:32 PM.] |
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Paul Warnik
From:
Illinois,USA
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Posted 19 Feb 2003 6:14 am
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Mike B-Hey buddy hows that restoration on the T.M. T-10 going??  The features of your Dobro-low rise cover,red bean wood board with early dot pattern,and so on would clearly indicate 1928 model year production-as for being a prototype due to lack of serial number and headstock length-Gruhn's guidebook says "No serial number possibly a prototype Dobro made as many as 15 prototypes for some models identifiable by no serial number and a peghead lenght of 6" from top to nut(1/4" shorter than production models)" I have seen six guitars that were of this type-four of them I owned at some point-they all would be classified as being of the "Model 55" type construction-they tend to also have a slightly longer heel to the round neck than the production models-I find your mention of the binding interesting though-all of them except one had binding on the body and that particular prototype may have been refinished as well as having had binding which was white(not black like yours)added later-I believe that some of the context of the above quotation from (The Honorable) Mr. Gruhn is misconstrued in the aspect of "as many as 15 prototypes for some models"-I believe that what was really meant is that the first fifteen or so Dobro prototypes that were ever made were unserialized (model 55 style)-And to give credit where credit is do-much of what I have learned about these guitars and also what George acknowledges in his book (with reference to serial numbers) come from MIKE CASS |
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D Schubert
From:
Columbia, MO, USA
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Posted 19 Feb 2003 6:48 am
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| I have one of those early Model 55's that used to be Paul's, with the four holes in the bottom of the wrinkle cone. I put in a slightly taller ebony bridge saddle to raise the string action for bottleneckin' -- which made it a bit louder as well -- and it sounds very, very sweet. |
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Paul Warnik
From:
Illinois,USA
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Posted 20 Feb 2003 5:58 am
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| Dennis's guitar is a standard production model 55 from 1928-It was one of the two best playing (Spanish round neck) 1928 Dobros that I ever had-The other was a model 27G red in color with a red painted steel coverplate instead of the plated brass type |
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James Brown
From:
Mt Uniacke, Nova Scotia, Canada
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Posted 24 Feb 2003 12:31 pm
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| I took apart a 1969 National that hade a cone with holes in it.Sounded real nice. |
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