Resonator guitars

[tjcurtin1]

The one guitar I could see adding anytime in the future would be one of these. But there seems to be a world of varieties... I'd be using it played normally (not dobro style), some day working on slide.

So, what does anyone know?

[tot_Ou_tard]

I know very little save for lusting for them.

All I've read claim that Nationals are the berries & Beard Goldtones are decent for less green.

http://www.beardguitars.com/

Wood ones are less less expensive & presumably woody sounding. The metal ones look freakin' cool.

There are spiders & tricones & all kinds of others & I don't know what those words mean.

[Blaze]

There s one here

http://www.fretcity.com/shop/cart.ph...category_id=76

[wingsdad]

Here's someplace to get a little familiarity with reso's of all kinds. For what you want to do, you're looking for a roundneck, probably a biscuit or tri-cone.

Folk Of The Wood Resonator FAQ

[peachhead***]

Some of this may be a repeat of the above link but I found this not long ago.

http://www.acousticfingerstyle.com/R...sExplained.htm

[piebaldpython***]

Hey TJ,
Here's a good start for you; http://www.bobbrozman.com/national.html
for a discussion of single cone (biscuit) and tri-cone. Then there is a "spider bridge" reso which many call the bluegrass dobro. All resos come in either roundneck or squareneck. Squarenecks are exclusively played "lap style". Roundnecks are usually played Spanish style but can be played lap style too with minor adjustments.
The difference in tones of the three aforementioned resos is nearly as different as a discussion of the sounds of single coils, humbuckers and P-90's. If you have more specific questions, I can probably narrow things down for you. Fire away and I'll be glad to help.
Personally, I have a mahogany body/copper top spider bridge roundneck reso. One day I'd love to have a metal squareneck tricone.

[tjcurtin1]

Thanks, guys - I look forward to checking these links out - Yeah, it sounds like a whole new language to be learned!
PBP, thanks for your offer - I'll ping you once I've gotten my feet wet with the general territory, and have figured out what some of those strange terms mean!

I'm really interested in the sounds these guitars produce. If any of you have gotten lessons from Mike Herbert, he's playing an interesting looking/sounding metal body (which also has a pickup) in his vid of 'Hide Your Love Away'. Anyone know what variety that one is?

[piebaldpython***]

TJ......any chance you could post a link to the Mike Herbert clip. I can't seem to find it. Thanks.

[tot_Ou_tard]

TJ......any chance you could post a link to the Mike Herbert clip. I can't seem to find it. Thanks.

I'm a full-throated member of the post-the-clip chorus too tj.

[tjcurtin1]

Hmmm... I have it saved to disc, so it's one of the freebies that he sends you if you sign up for the free lessons.

[piebaldpython***]

TJ.......I wasn't able to access the clip. Hmmmmm.....here ya go;

http://www.folkofthewood.com/page324.htm
Johnson Roundneck Spider Bridge----like the "classic" Dobro but roundneck

http://www.folkofthewood.com/page353.htm
Johnson metal-bodied Tri-cone

http://www.folkofthewood.com/page842.htm
Regal Metal Bodied Biscuit cone

http://www.folkofthewood.com/page3693.htm
Metal Bodied Squareneck Reso

[tjcurtin1]

Whoa! Don't listen to this if you don't want a massive GAS attack! Talk about tone!!!! Just hit the link and listen to the background clip that plays!!!
http://www.terraplaneguitars.com/

[tot_Ou_tard]

I've been to that site before. Yup, it gets the GAS flowing.

[bek]

I have a mid-1930s Regal roundneck spider-bridge reso, which is literally the sweetest-sounding guitar I've ever heard or played, but you'd have to get lucky to find one. It has a v-shaped neck, very comfortable to play. I recently bought a Republic tricone, which is a great guitar but very different-sounding. With its brass body it has a sharper sound. It also has a kind of 12-string complexity to it, due I'd guess to the three resonator cones. It is really excellent, and a very good price (compared to Nationals and such!), but the neck is real different from the Regal. People who know more than I do say it's supposed to be like the Nationals; I only know it reminds me of a classic-guitar neck, which is a matter of taste. Frank (the owner) is stand-up; no problems.
http://www.republicguitars.com/triconemodels.html

I myself prefer the spider-bridge ones, as the biscuit-types have a more choppy sound. You can cut off a note and play choppy, if that's what you want, but you can't make a note sustain longer. If you want sharp and choppy, get the biscuit-bridge. Supposedly blues lovers prefer these, but I'm a blues-lover and I prefer the spider-bridge tones. Actually, it's sort of the difference between archtops and flattops, sound-wise, if that helps. I've never been comfortable with lap-style, though I've tried it often enough. There are no real rules about which works for what. They were invented to be fretted normally, just to be louder -- sliding is not required. The different bridges were invented to avoid patent infringements, they both work.

[Steve206]

Hey TJ,

As a longtime devotee of the delta blues tradition, I wanted to be able to recreate what I was hearing. I do not think that I will ever come close.

I first started using open tunings some years ago and not knowing what I was doing, kept on making mistakes that almost pleased me. For me, the sound of a good accoustic guitar, played with a slide, is hard to beat.

But, then again, I also have one of those metal bodied tri-cones. Go figure?

Steve

[peachhead***]

Whoa! Don't listen to this if you don't want a massive GAS attack! Talk about tone!!!! Just hit the link and listen to the background clip that plays!!!
http://www.terraplaneguitars.com/

Somebody better get me the rolaids... that's just awesome. :

[piebaldpython***]

Yeah, major GAS just listening to that clip....BTW, the Terraplane Co reso are 7 grand. Oh my!!!

[Jipes***]

I have two roundneck resonator guitars. I started with a metal biscuit Johnson model JM-998 pretty good for starting I added a Benedetti pickup on it and it sound quite sweet. The neck is a 14 frets out of the body.

Here is a clip with that guitar


Recently (last july) I bought an old National Duolian guitar (from the 30's) and it's a killer. The neck is a 12 frets out of the body so the playability is slightly reduced compare to the Johnson but who cares to get higher than the 12th fret

Here is a clip with that guitar




Alternative choice to expensive vintage guitars can be found with the Reso Republic line or the Michael Messer line of instruments which are pretty good and cheaper than an old National or a brand new Beard

[tot_Ou_tard]

Some other resonator threads:

http://www.thefret.net/showthread.php?t=8044

http://www.thefret.net/showthread.php?t=8043

http://www.thefret.net/showthread.php?t=4553