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| Moderated by: Richard Hefner | Page: 1 2   |
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| Resonator Guitars - General Guitar - Guitar - ezFolk Forums | |||||||||||||||
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Philj200 Approved 
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I just purchased an Oscar Schmidt on ebay. Seems like a far price, a little under $200. Seller said it was used, but it looks terrific to me. Nice sound. Not great. Not the true ring of National or Dobro branded instrument. It doesn't have a spun resonator, but the cheaper stamped type. But it still plays sweet. It came rigged for slide with an interesting removable cap over the nut to make it a regularly-played guitar. This is a custom devie so I'm warning myself not to lose it. It isn't the bent metal thing for under $10 at better equipped guitar shops. I'm tuning it DGDGBD for the moment. Anyone have any advice, suggestions, encouragement warnings. Oh, this instrument is a round-neck. But I've been playing slide on it all day. Probably will keep it that way for a while. Last edited on Fri Aug 8th, 2008 03:37 am by Philj200 ____________________ My MP3 Section: http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/1143/ My Myspace area: http://myspace.com/philj200 |
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Will Approved 
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Last year, I bought a Fullerton Winslow round-neck biscuit cone (copy of National design) resonator guitar. Friends of mine who play resonator guitar have tried it out and said they liked how it played and sounded. Their jaws dropped when I told them what it sold for ($99). I've tried playing it in open-G as you did with a raised metal extension nut, but I never had enough time to practice steel guitar technique well enough to sound good, so I tuned it back to standard EADGBE and play it like a regular guitar. It has a wide neck (1-7/8" nut) and open head stock like a classical guitar.
____________________ Will http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/297/ Loose Change & Friends http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/245/ http://loosechangeandfriends.com The Earth Tones http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/337/ A Bunch Of Coconuts http://abunchofcoconuts.com |
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Philj200 Approved
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My RG looks very similar. It also has f-holes instead of metalic ports. I think this variation gives a woodier tone. Which I prefer. The resonator grill is different with larger holes. Does this allow more air to pass through and creat more volume? Either I'll have to go to CHicagor or WIll has to come to Long Island for a 1:1 comparison. I Googled dobro lessons and hit pay dirt. Some nice guy has a basic tutorial on line and free. A lot of the stuff is pretty basic. And since I'm already quite familiar with the tuning (from my banjo) I jumped ahead. I do need to get a dobro baar. I've been using a guitar slide, the kind you put your oinky through. I think it slows this kind of guitar down. StewMac offers a dobro capo. Anyone ever used one? THe same basic idea in a much smaller version is aslo available elsewhere for dulcimers. I had the use the of a Sam Ash store brand resonator for a months and that's when I decided I wanted one of my own. Now that I do, I'm having problems getting the owner of the guitar to sit still long enough to hand it, with thanks, back.
____________________ My MP3 Section: http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/1143/ My Myspace area: http://myspace.com/philj200 |
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garyblanchard Approved 
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I have a similar guitar, A Rogue from Musicians Friend. I play it in regular tuning and used it extensively in my old-time/good-time music days. It was excellent for jug band, blues, and country music. Again, for the price it is hard to beat. I don't play it much anymore, though. 
____________________ http://www.GBandF.com |
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Will Approved
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Philj200 wrote: My RG looks very similar. It also has f-holes instead of metalic ports. I think this variation gives a woodier tone. Which I prefer. I think the resonator guitar's volume is related more to the aluminum cone design that the size of the grill vent holes. I bought a Shubb resophonic capo, but I found that the extension nuts available for a round neck resonator does not raise the strings high enough off the neck to use the capo, so I can only use it on my electric lap steel guitar. A square neck resonator guitar has a higher string clearance.  http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Shubb-Resophonic-Guitar-Capo?sku=361509  I'm wondering if this design would work better on a round neck resonator: http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Golden-Gate-Resophonic-Guitar-Square-Neck-Capo?sku=360461  The Shubb steel bar that I bought has a wooden handle attached to it: http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Shubb-GS1-Dobro-Steel?sku=364028&src=3SOSWXXA  Last edited on Sat Aug 9th, 2008 01:34 pm by Will ____________________ Will http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/297/ Loose Change & Friends http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/245/ http://loosechangeandfriends.com The Earth Tones http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/337/ A Bunch Of Coconuts http://abunchofcoconuts.com |
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Philj200 Approved
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Thanks Will, your ability to find correct information and give it so quickly is a wonderful trait. Thank you. I have ordered a Shubb with the proviso that if it doesn't work, it goes back. I ordeded a dobro steel as well. I saw one at a shop a year ago (before I had need of it) that had a slip lip that made hitting individual notes a little faster. But it was about $30 and I had no need then. Gary, the instrument in your photo looks very much like mine. Same color. Similar cover. Will need to run its DNA. That's a Dobraic Nashvillic Acid test. Meanwhile, I'm having fun.
____________________ My MP3 Section: http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/1143/ My Myspace area: http://myspace.com/philj200 |
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Philj200 Approved
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Here's a photo of mine: Attachment: OS res sil copy.jpg (Downloaded 54 times)
____________________ My MP3 Section: http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/1143/ My Myspace area: http://myspace.com/philj200 |
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Will Approved
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Phil: Looks nice! Your resonator guitar has the Dobro "spider cone" design, which is why the grill holes look bigger. I've read that the difference between biscuit cone and spider designs is that with a biscuit bridge, the top of the cone (the narrowest part) joins at the bridge. With a spider cone, the cone is flipped the other way round and the "spider" is the mechanism that attaches the rim of the cone to the bridge.
____________________ Will http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/297/ Loose Change & Friends http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/245/ http://loosechangeandfriends.com The Earth Tones http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/337/ A Bunch Of Coconuts http://abunchofcoconuts.com |
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Philj200 Approved
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Thanks again Will. I'm going to have to relearn resonator construction and details again... now that I have a reason to retain the knowledge. My OS res is not a profound instrument. It is plywood. But it sounds sweet and projects well. In two weeks I'll be playing at an outdoor, unamped wedding reception, so I'll need the extra output.
____________________ My MP3 Section: http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/1143/ My Myspace area: http://myspace.com/philj200 |
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Will Approved
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The resonator guitar is a radically different design from the regular acoustic in that most of the sound comes from the aluminum cone, rather than the top, so a laminated wood body is rather common. I've heard the metal body roundneck resonators played at jams, and they're even louder than the wood body ones, but they also weigh a ton and they cost about twice as much or more.
____________________ Will http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/297/ Loose Change & Friends http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/245/ http://loosechangeandfriends.com The Earth Tones http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/337/ A Bunch Of Coconuts http://abunchofcoconuts.com |
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Philj200 Approved
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All metal, American-made Nationals or Dobro brand instruments cost in the two to three thousand dollar range... to start. That's for a new instrument. Ammter of fact, so are their wood and metal instruments. Yes they are the definitions of qualtiy. And while I would love to play an instrument like that, is it really worth ten times the price of a perfectly playable and pleasant-sounding instrument made elsewhere of more mundane materials? I can't justify the expense at this point in my life. And neither can my wife.
____________________ My MP3 Section: http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/1143/ My Myspace area: http://myspace.com/philj200 |
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J M Fenton Approved 
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My brother-in-law, David, invited me to music camp (CCMC in North California). I didn't want to lug a reso' guitar across the Atlantic and across North America so I bought a Rogue single cone biscuit bridge guitar from Musicians Friend and had it delivered to David. It was exactly like the one Gary shows pictured above - made in China. It wasn't expensive and sounded pretty good, in my opinion. I didn't bring it back to UK; I gave it to David (I don't know if he plays it, though). My own reso' is also inexpensive - made in Korea. It's a strange mixture; some of it is quite nice and some of the workmanship is a bit rough. I like it a lot, though. Again it's a single cone biscuit bridge type with a plywood body. The plywood seems to me like quite a 'superior' type made of tropical hardwood (but probably just ordinary cheap plywood in Korea). Most (but not all) luthiers reckon that solid wood is wasted on a reso' - plywood is usually reckoned to be more suitable. I've never got the hang of slide/bottleneck and don't feel I can play convincingly with one but I rarely play country blues on a standard guitar, now. All my country blues numbers on ezFolk are recorded using this guitar. I think the cone is spun aluminium - I suppose I could substitute a genuine National cone but haven't felt the need. I use open D (Vestapol) tuning - never really got the hang of open G. I'd love to have a shiny metal bodied National, I've seen a few and they seem very nicely put together. But, like others here, I can't really justify the expense, particularly when I'm so pleased by my cheapie. John http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/3100/
____________________ John http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/3100/ |
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Philj200 Approved
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Does anyone have a resonater guitar chord chart to send me? I downloaded one that was the predictable barre chords... d'uh. I'm looking for the partials, the two note chords that this kind of instrument seems built for. I'm figuring out what I need on the fly but prefer not to invent the wheel (again). By the way, I've been playing DGDGBD. What other tunings are common? Last edited on Tue Aug 12th, 2008 04:19 pm by Philj200 ____________________ My MP3 Section: http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/1143/ My Myspace area: http://myspace.com/philj200 |
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J M Fenton Approved
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These are the tunings I've seen associated with country blues. I'm guessing that 'dobroists' may use others: Open G - DGDGBD 'Spanish' (after 'Spanish Fandango', apparently) Open A (same as G but all strings raised 2 semitones)(twang) Open D - DADF#AD 'Vestapol' (after 'The Siege of Sebastopol', apparently) Open E (same as D but all strings raised 2 semitones) Standard - EADGBE Drop D - DADGBE John http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/3100/
____________________ John http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/3100/ |
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Philj200 Approved
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Thanks John. I'm told the C&W lap steel players use E7th and A7th tunings. What they are I can guess at: E7=EG#EG#BD A7=EADAC#E This is an A7 chord, but may be wronf for playing dynamics. My guess at the E7 might work.
____________________ My MP3 Section: http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/1143/ My Myspace area: http://myspace.com/philj200 |
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J M Fenton Approved
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Elsewhere in the forums, Eric Schlange was plugging http://www.resohangout.com. Nominally for reso players, by accident or design this site seems aimed at dobroists. I see the above open tunings mentioned and also an open G tuning which goes: GBDGBD Reading between the lines, this seems to be the characteristic dobro tuning. I guess the tuning is far enough away from standard to benefit from a different set of string gauges to standard guitar. Playing technique looks to be a transference from bluegrass/fingerstyle banjo. John http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/3100/
____________________ John http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/3100/ |
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Will Approved
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J M Fenton wrote: Elsewhere in the forums, Eric Schlange was plugging http://www.resohangout.com. Nominally for reso players, by accident or design this site seems aimed at dobroists. I see the above open tunings mentioned and also an open G tuning which goes: Unless I'm mistaken, that standard dobro tuning generates too much string tension for a round neck resophonic, but a square neck (the bonafide "dobro") can handle it.
____________________ Will http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/297/ Loose Change & Friends http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/245/ http://loosechangeandfriends.com The Earth Tones http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/337/ A Bunch Of Coconuts http://abunchofcoconuts.com |
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J M Fenton Approved
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Ed Dowling seems to get away with it in this video http://www.expertvillage.com/video/17269_gbd-tuning-dobro.htm (although he clearly doesn't use or favour the tuning, himself). He mentions raising the tuning 2 semitones to open A but seems to think that that would be too far for normal strings. I must admit I'd have reservations myself. The higher pitch would suggest using a lighter gauge to maintain the same tension (with reference to a standard string set). However, slide players of all types seem to favour heavier gauges and high string tensions. A modern truss bar neck should be able to withstand the extra tension (I would think, cf 12 string guitars and 10 string zouks) and the cone set up on a spider bridge is adjustable. For the curious, there is a string tension calculator available here http://www.kennaquhair.com/ustc.htm and another at McDonald Strings http://www.mcdonaldstrings.com/stringxxiii.html . Perhaps some 'Real Dobroists' (TM) would care to venture their opinions/experience. John http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/3100/
____________________ John http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/3100/ |
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Philj200 Approved
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I've been through six of Ed Dowling's tutorials and have learned several new techniques. This is really good stuff well presented. I'll watch all of them in the next few days. On string tension, he mentions turning up three frets has cost him a lot of strings. Sometimes a strings takes the pressure sometimes not. I wonder if newer strings would be more resilient? I suspect so. I really like the sound he produced in the open E and A tunings and will experiment there. His partial barring is also very effective. He barres the base notes and plays open high strings. And/or selcetively barres all six strings and pulls back opening the high strings. Sounds great. I notice that his right hand technique reminds of a Travis style pattern. Not the more bluegrass banjo pattern I instinctive play. Much to learn, much to learn. Thank you John. As ever Will. Regards, Phil
____________________ My MP3 Section: http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/1143/ My Myspace area: http://myspace.com/philj200 |
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