Dobro year ID

[Jimmie Hudson]

Anyone know where I can find info on the correct year and model of this dobro?

Serial # B 680 4 is numbers on keyhead.
It is a brass body Square neck with Spider bridge
Brass Nut and Bone bridge.
Has a dent in the lower bout and a dent in the upper bout and one dent on each side of the handrest.
All the dents could be fixed but It may be worth more to just leave as is.
Plays and sounds great.
Send message or post here if you know how to correctly ID the Dobro.

[Jay Yuskaitis]

Definitely a modern one. Not a Pre War. Jay

[Howard Parker]

1974 I believe. The formula for 1970-79 is:

B = metal body
680 = "ranking"
4 = 1974

I'm no authority on the OMI metal bodies but I believe that to be one of the Model 33 variations. OMI/Dobro serial numbers do not indicate models, only dates and body styles.

Hope this helps.

h

[Jimmie Hudson]

Thanks Howard, I think the B is Brass on the metal body.
And 680 not sure the 4 may be 74
So far I have been told it may be a 31 and may be a 71
I hope to get a correct ID on the guitar before I do anything with it.

[Jimmie Hudson]

Anyone know where to find information on correct year of this dobro. It is a brass body.

[Howard Parker]

I just gave it to you.

Call Elderly or Gruhn. See if they'll take the s/n over the phone and verify.

If I'm right you can buy me a beer.

h

btw- I was quoting Gruhn's Guide To Vintage Guitars.

[Tom Keller]

Howard is right and even if he isn't he is still much closer than whoever told you it was a 1931.


Tom Keller

[Brad Bechtel]

It's definitely a 1974 Dobro® model 33H. Here's a catalog from that approximate era with your guitar pictured.

Note the model 33H in the catalog linked above has a plastic cover where the truss rod adjustment would be. Your guitar does not have this. Otherwise it's the same instrument.

[Jimmie Hudson]

Found the info. The dobro is a OMI 1971 Brass body model D
with square neck. Thanks for all the input and help from each of you.

Dobro Serial Numbers
1967-1974 OMI Dobro:
101 - 401 1967-1970
402 - 712 1971
713 - 1427 1972
1428 - 2296 1973
2297 - 2372 early 1974


1974-1979 OMI Dobro: Y (#)### D configuration.
Y is last digit of the year (if this number is "3" it is actually 1974).
3 or 4 numerals in center are instrument ranking for year starting with 101.
D is body type: D=wood, B=brass, M=steel or mandolin.

Could maybe fit if body code could be first character? a '75 (d5)? But then there are too many number characters.


1980-1988 OMI Dobro: 8 (#)### yD configuration.
8 is the decade of manufacture (8=1980s).
2 or 3 or 4 numerals in center are serial number for year.
Numeral y before letter is last digit of year.
Last character is body type: D=wood, B=metal.

Doesnt fit because the body type character is first.


1988-1994 OMI Dobro: A# #### yyD configuration.
First letter (and numeral) is style.
numerals in center are instrument ranking.
yy is last two digits of year.
Last character is body type: D=wood, B=metal, H=Hounddog, P=solid peghead.

Doesnt fit because the body type character is first (D style) and because the year would be 96, outside of the '88-94 code.



1995-1997 OMI Dobro: A(A) (x)xxx yy configuration.
First letters are style.
numerals in center are instrument ranking.
yy is last two digits of year year.

Doesnt fit because the first 2 arent letters, there is a letter then a number


1998-current Gibson Dobro: 8 digits ymmddrry configuration
First y is last digit of year.
mm is month
dd is day
rr is rank
last y is decade.

[Brad Bechtel]

I hope you enjoy playing your guitar!

[Jimmie Hudson]

I hope you enjoy playing your guitar!

I think I will enjoy playing the guitar.
I like the tone of the spider bridge style guitar and brass really does help on volume out the top of the body.