Recommendations Please

Chippy Wood · Post by **Chippy Wood** » 2 Mar 2003 12:56 am

I know this is going to upset some folks particularly manufactures, Could you kind people recommend a Lap Steel Dobro over all others for a beginner?, as I mentioned in another post I know nothing about them and importing one from the States is a hit or miss affair for a beginner, I don't mind paying that bit extra for quality.
I did read all the advertising material on various web sights but came away just a little confused.

Thank You

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Ron (Chippy) Wood
Carter S10/Pad

basilh · Post by **basilh** » 2 Mar 2003 1:03 am

Hey Ron,

You won't go wrong with a "Beard"
The LeRoy Mack Signature Model is a "Looker"
www.beardguitars.com

Baz www.waikiki-islanders.com

Mike D · Post by **Mike D** » 2 Mar 2003 6:31 am

Check out this shop. http://www.resocentre.com/
They sell makes from the US as well as Europe.

Jerry Hayes R.I.P. · Post by **Jerry Hayes R.I.P.** » 2 Mar 2003 8:51 am

Hey Ron,
Go to the Musician's Friend catalog and order you a Regal. They're only around $349 or so and sound very good. Later as you progress if you want, you can add a quarterman cone and it'll sound as good or better than some of the $1500 guitars out there..........Later, JH

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Livin' in the Past and the Future with a 12 string Mooney Universal tuning.

[This message was edited by Jerry Hayes on 03 March 2003 at 08:00 AM.]

Steinar Gregertsen · Post by **Steinar Gregertsen** » 2 Mar 2003 9:45 am

There is a modified Regal RD45 for sale over in the "Buy and sell" section for $300.
I would have bought it myself if I'd had the money right now.

PS/Edit - Ooops, I see it's sold now. Sorry.[This message was edited by Steinar Gregertsen on 02 March 2003 at 09:51 AM.]

Tom Olson · Post by **Tom Olson** » 3 Mar 2003 10:43 pm

I don't mean to sound like a smart aleck, but you could always just buy a Dobro. Dobro came out recently with a new model called a "Hound Dog" or something like that. It's basically a stripped down version with "f" holes, noe binding and minimal finish -- and you can pick one up from one of the mail order places for about US$700. Some people don't think much of Dobros, but after all, a Dobro is a Dobro. If you're looking for a beginner model, I don't think you could go wrong with one of those.

Bob Hoffnar · Post by **Bob Hoffnar** » 4 Mar 2003 8:21 am

Tom,
I'm interested in when you played one of those economy Dobros. You must have played a better one than I did. I checked one out and thought it was really not worth any more than a $300 Johnson knock off. The cheap Regals seemed to be of better quality also. I mean the Dobro works but it is nothing more than a student level instrument that costs twice as much.

As far as buying resos go I usually try to get the best instrument I can afford. My 2 favorite dobro type guitars are Guernsey and Beard. There are a bunch of great ones out there. You might look on Mike Auldrige's site in his buy and sell page.

Bob

OOOOPS !

Please read this edit: The dobro I played was not the Hound Dog model. It was a laminated one. So my opinion about it is just as uninformed as Tom's as it turns out.[This message was edited by Bob Hoffnar on 04 March 2003 at 04:54 PM.]

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 4 Mar 2003 12:24 pm

I would recommend buying a Regal from Folk of the Wood. They have a 100% credit on a trade up if you ever want to get something better.
Their web site is www.folkofthewood.com
Nice people to do business with.
Erv[This message was edited by Erv Niehaus on 04 March 2003 at 12:24 PM.]

Tom Olson · Post by **Tom Olson** » 4 Mar 2003 4:09 pm

Bob H. -- I actually haven't played one of the Dobro Hound Dog models. I have played one of the Regal imports and I wouldn't give 2 cents for one, but that's only my personal opinion -- I guess opinions can differ.

I was merely making the suggestion to Ron that maybe he might want to consider one since it's only a few hundred dollars more than a cheap asian-made model, plus it probably has the same components as the more expensive Dobros, and it also comes with a gig-bag, and it says "Dobro" on the headstock. To some, that alone is worth a lot more than something that says "Made in Thailand" or something like that. Not to mention the fact that the Dobro probably has much better workmanship and is made of maple as opposed to who-knows-what, and according to the website the Dobro has a Fishman resonator pickup in it. If I only wanted to spend less than a grand, I'd rather have one of the Hound Dogs than an import -- but again, that's just my opinion.

Here's a link to the Hound Dog website--you'll probably have to cut and paste it:
http://www.gibson.com/products/oai/dobro/hounddogsq.html

Anyone who buys a Dobro might have to spend a few bucks to tune it up if they sound as bad as you say they do, Bob, but they'll definitely have to spend some bucks on an import if they want it to sound good. After all is said and done, they might have a few more bucks into a real Dobro, but in my opinion, it'll be worth a whole lot more than an import even if the import has a Quarterman and all the other run of the mill mods. Again -- just my opinion, of course.

I agree with you 100% in saying that one should spend as much as one can on a good quality instrument. If Ron wants to drop a few grand on a Scheerhorn or something like that, or $1800 on a Beard, then by all means go for it! But I read into Ron's post that he was a bit leary of spending very much money -- I may have been mistaken.

Again, I'm simply suggesting what I would consider something that a beginner, who doesn't want to sink a lot of money into an instrument, might want to consider.

Bob, since you've actually seen and played a Hound Dog, then I'd definitely give your opinion a lot of weight. Like I say, I haven't played one, I'm just going from what I read on the Gibson website and from what I know about the asian import models.

[This message was edited by Tom Olson on 04 March 2003 at 04:38 PM.]

R. L. Jones · Post by **R. L. Jones** » 4 Mar 2003 8:12 pm

I know I shouldn`t, but , I would not ever recommend buying a dobro, brand resonator guitar. Until the dobro brand owners, decide to stop riding on their reputation, using the same old style. If they have changed, and trying to make them better ,I take it all back.

In my opinion,dobro, has been left behind ,by all the other steel guitar brands, ( accoustics). They just dont measure up. Just my opinion????

R. L.

Tom Olson · Post by **Tom Olson** » 4 Mar 2003 9:36 pm

R.L. -- I've read where several others have voiced opinions similar to yours with regard to Dobro. Since you're obviously one who feels strongly that Dobro is lacking, I thought I'd ask - since I'm curious - what specifically is the problem with Dobro? In other words, what are the specific reasons why Dobro doesn't measure up in comparison with certain other brands? Is it a workmanship issue? If so, what specifically is the problem with the workmanship? Is is a performance issue? If so, what specifically is the problem with the performance?

One of the reasons I'm curious about this is that I've heard that Gibson is making pretty good banjos these days as well as mandolins. Earl Scruggs and J.D. Crowe endorse Gibson banjos. Sam Bush and Adam Steffey endorse Gibson mandolins. Also, Jerry Douglas, Josh Graves, Brother Oswald, and Al Perkins endorse Gibson Dobros (and so did Tom Swatzell before he passed away).

Are none of these artists aware of the alleged problems with the Dobro quality, or are they all in it just for the money?

I am also curious about what you mean when you say that Dobro is "using the same old style." Are you saying that actual style of the instruments is too old fashioned? If so, I would have to argue that I like traditionally styled instruments in general and I believe that there are many who feel the same way.

I think this is evidenced by the fact that most major guitar manufacturers are currently offering more than one "vintage" style instrument that is modeled after "old fashioned" instruments (eg Fender 50's Telecasters and Stratocasters, Gibson Flying V's etc. etc., Martin "vintage" D28's, Gibson banjos and mandolins, etc. etc. etc.)

In any case, while there are plenty of resonator guitars that may or may not be better than Dobros (depending on who you ask), one thing nobody can argue with is that $700 will gitcha a brand new Dobro, but it won't touch any other American-made resonator guitar (as far as I know).

[This message was edited by Tom Olson on 04 March 2003 at 10:09 PM.]

Wayne Carver · Post by **Wayne Carver** » 5 Mar 2003 5:11 am

I'm a beginner and got a Regal RD-45 square neck. The only other beginner reso's i've played to compare it to were a Fender & a Johnson. I thought the Regal sounded way better and I am very pleased with it. Mine was $300.00 and that included shipping and a case! If I really get into playing it I can always upgrade later.

Alan Kirk · Post by **Alan Kirk** » 5 Mar 2003 7:29 am

I had a Regal. Now I have a Tut Taylor Tennessean from Crafters.
http://www.crafterstn.com/crafters/index.htm

Be happy. Spend more money.

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Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 5 Mar 2003 7:32 am

That's why I mentioned "Folk of the Wood". Anytime you want to upgrade, they will allow 100% of your purchase price on a trade in for something better. Pull up their site, they have all the different brands. www.folkofthewood.com
Erv

Don Walters · Post by **Don Walters** » 6 Mar 2003 7:29 pm

Anyone have any experience with the Crafters Tennessee Original? It's listed at $1699 on the Crafters web site and that's the price range I'd prefer, if it's a very good instrument.

mikey · Post by **mikey** » 6 Mar 2003 10:09 pm

an upgraded Regal (Flinthill) from Resophonic outfitters...
Mike

Tom Olson · Post by **Tom Olson** » 6 Mar 2003 11:58 pm

Don, Mark Taylor told me that he doesn't make those anymore. If you want a Tut Taylor guitar, you can get a Tennessean model for about the price you specified from either Musician's Friend, or Elderly's or some others.

Alan Michael · Post by **Alan Michael** » 7 Mar 2003 8:04 am

Ron, I started out with a Regal that I bought used for about $225. It was a good ax to learn on. I'm still learning but decided to upgrade to a Tut Taylor Tennessean. I payed about $1150 for it, and consider it a good compromise between a Regal and a Beard, Benoit, McKenna, Scheerhorn, or other higher priced custom guitar. It has much better tone and sustain than the Regal and the workmanship is very good. To my eyes and ears it is a very good mid-range instrument and well worth the money.

Chippy Wood · Post by **Chippy Wood** » 7 Mar 2003 8:35 am

Thank you very much for all your kind advice and the time taken to respond to me, I will take a little time to analyze the various options before I take the plunge.
Thank you once again.

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Ron (Chippy) Wood
Carter S10/Pad

Don Walters · Post by **Don Walters** » 7 Mar 2003 9:51 am

Thanks, Tom.

I assume that would not be a new instrument?

Tom Olson · Post by **Tom Olson** » 7 Mar 2003 11:32 am

Don -- that would be for a brand new instrument. Here's a link to the MusiciansFriend webpage that shows the Tennessean (price $1649).

<h6>Edited by Brad to resize the link as displayed.</h6>[This message was edited by Brad Bechtel on 07 March 2003 at 12:09 PM.]

RB Jones · Post by **RB Jones** » 7 Mar 2003 11:54 pm

The Crafters of Tennessee are excellent in workmanship and sound. I tried one at the Guitar Center in LA about two years ago.

Being more than I could pay, however, I settled on a used Dobro that's probably six or seven years old. I got it on eBay for about $800. It's not a Sheerhorn, but I'm pretty pleased with it. It was used very little and was almost like brand new. I know the Dobro reputation has gone down since it was the king of the hill in dobros way back in the 40s and 50s, but for the price, a good used one should be OK and a good beginner's compromise between the Regal/Johnson and the really nice resos.

I tried a Regal, which is imported from Korea by a South San Francisco company and distributed all over the US under various names. The one I tried had some rattles in the cone which turned me off right away. The music store had sort of abused it, however, so that may have been the problem. It may have been a cone problem, but since then I've discovered that bad strings or strings that have had the life played out of them will set up a rattle or buzz like that.

Resonophonic woods apparently aren't as critical as guitar woods for a good tone, but the quality of the cone is crucial from what I read on a Web site when I was looking for a reso. It could have been on Brad's Page of Steel, which I recommend.

RB