Short scale dobro/resonator guitar?

[Greg Gefell]

Do these exist? Would like to know if any builder ever made a 24 inch or even a 22.5 inch scale resonator guitar? Would be ideal for higher tunings without needing thinner strings.

[David Venzke]

I believe Jim Adams has made some shorter scale resonator guitars. I'm thinking he sold a 24-inch scale 8 string not too long ago (to Adam Tracksler maybe?).

[Greg Gefell]

Thanks for that info David, I’ll send him a message. I’m looking into having a 7 stringer made with a high G on top (GBDGBDG). Trying to determine what the best scale would be to support that with a .14 minimum gauge string for the high G.

[Howard Parker]

.014

fwiw Beard built a 3/4 scale guitar using resonator mandolin components. The tonality certainly favored the high end. I don't think that particular guitar would be suitable as a 7 string.

May be worth a call to discuss possible options and possible issues.

h
Edit to add. I'm uncertain how responsive the cone might be to that high G. Thinking of 8 string dobros tuned to C6.

[David M Brown]

Do these exist? Would like to know if any builder ever made a 24 inch or even a 22.5 inch scale resonator guitar? Would be ideal for higher tunings without needing thinner strings.

I recall unboxing a shipment of Epiphone short-scale square neck dobros some years ago when i worked for a music wholesaler. I have no idea if they still make them.

[Greg Gefell]

I’m rethinking the whole short scale idea now myself! It might be more versatile for me to get a regular scale guitar sounding really good in E and then just capo around if needed.

[Mark Eaton]

I believe this is the wiser choice Greg.

And remember, the resonance of the cone on an 8 string can be somewhat diminished compared to a similar style of guitar but with six strings only, and if you couple that with a short scale it might add insult to injury.

Think of a 000 body Martin flattop. One can buy that body shape under different model names, with the prefix 000 for short scale (24.9") or OM long/standard scale (25.4"). The nice thing about the short scale Martin is that the strings are a bit slack, better for bending and fingerpicking, and a little more comfortable to play and easier on aging fingers. But the tradeoff is that you don't get the same "snap" and sustain as you would on a long scale Martin.

I'm guessing that a short scale resonator might warrant a similar comparison.

[Ben Elder]

As David noted:

Epiphone made an early (ca. 1996) Chinese D-reso with a short neck. Honest Ron's Guitars in Oklahoma City has one I have on consignment there if anyone's curious--not expensive. (My brother, a non-player, for reasons unknown to me, won an auction for it. I kept the real Dobro hard case it came in, but the Epiphone itself sounded pretty good--made me wonder if someone had put a better cone and spider in it.)

[Jim Sliff]

You didn't specify if you wanted it for lap or fretted playing.

For fretted/slide playing the 1960's National Reso-Phonic acoustics are great playing/sounding and real head-turners. The pink mother-of-toilet-seat is a fairly rare color. 23" scale and full-depth 9" biscuit type resonator in a solid fiberglass body just a bit thicker than a solid-body electric. People are very surprised that there are no electronics - and at how loud the little spud is!

The new National Resophonic company makes an electric version but I don't recall the scale.

[Greg Gefell]

Definitely looking for square neck 8 string at this point. I talked to Jim Adams and he can build whatever I want. The GoldTone PBS-8 also gets good reviews by many.

[David M Brown]

As David noted:

Epiphone made an early (ca. 1996) Chinese D-reso with a short neck. Honest Ron's Guitars in Oklahoma City has one I have on consignment there if anyone's curious--not expensive. (My brother, a non-player, for reasons unknown to me, won an auction for it. I kept the real Dobro hard case it came in, but the Epiphone itself sounded pretty good--made me wonder if someone had put a better cone and spider in it.)

The Epi's may have had Quarterman cones.

[Jim Bates]

I have an Adams 22 1/2" scale 8 string he built for me.

I use standard strings for a G 6th tuning, but tune to A6th which keeps string tension about the same.

Jim Adams guitars are made in his shop, by him. in Spring, Texas USA.

Thanx,
Jim

[Bill Hatcher]

go cheap. take any guitar and modify it. move the nut...change the scale. easy

[HowardR]

"Le Petite Benoit" is a custom build that's a 23" scale length......here's a link to my thread of 2010....



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