Dobro Effects Unit

Billy Knowles · Post by **Billy Knowles** » 11 Dec 2007 5:28 pm

I am thinking of buying a dobro effect unit? Who has one that they like. Just looking I like the looks of Bobbe Seymours?

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 11 Dec 2007 6:27 pm

I watched Bobbe Seymour's video and bought his unit of the basis of it. I use the same instrument, and played it through the same amplifier as he did, but I still can't make it sound like my Dobro. After all that experimentation, I've come to the (expensive) conclusion that the only way to get a Dobro sound is to play a Dobro...

George Redmon · Post by **George Redmon** » 11 Dec 2007 8:22 pm

I'm with you Alan, i have a goodrich match-bro, came with a special bar and everything. Guys can make those things sound like dobros, dang if i can figure out how. Jack Stoners says you have to think dobro, and dobro licks..i guess

Steve Norman · Post by **Steve Norman** » 11 Dec 2007 9:18 pm

you gotta use a matchbro bar or equivalent to get the bobro to sound right. You'll need an eq pedal also.

If you have the cash check out the pflueger reso simulators,,there pretty cool

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 12 Dec 2007 3:44 am

The Goodrich "MatchBro" is probably the best electronic dobro simulator, but they discontinued them as (my personal opinion) they "priced themselves out of the market". Used ones don't come up for sale very often. Mine is one of the original models (with a tone control in the bypass) that I bought from Goodrich at St Louis the first year they had them for sale.

Along with the simulator you need the special bar that Goodrich provides with the MatchBro (I think you can buy them separately).

And, as mentioned "think Dobro" when you use it, don't just use it as another effects unit. I get a lot of compliments on my "Dobro" picking and I've even fooled Bluegrass pickers.

I gave Paul Franklin, SR, a CD with some of my MatchBro picking on he liked it so well that he told me I should make an entire "Dobro" CD with it.

Micky Byrne · Post by **Micky Byrne** » 12 Dec 2007 5:15 am

Jack, I have the very same model as you ....the early one with the tone control on bypass. With the "timbre" control we can get good Dobro simulations can't we? especially if we "think" Dobro and use good attack, more vibrato and kill off the reverb/delay on those short "Dobro" passages. The special bar helps too. I use mine on all my gigs when a Dobro sound is needed, I don't overuse it by any means, and it adds to the overall sound of a small band when the Dobro kicks in

Micky Byrne United Kingdom www.mickybyrne.com

Reece Anderson · Post by **Reece Anderson** » 12 Dec 2007 5:55 am

This is a perfect example of how the eyes can influence the ears relative to sound/tone, which has been my contention for years.

Chances are many of the DoBro effects sound more authentic than one thinks were they to hear it played back on a recording.

As an example, many say a black guitar sounds better, however I've never known anyone who could hear a difference relative to color when a guitar was being played which they could not see.

Don Sulesky · Post by **Don Sulesky** » 12 Dec 2007 6:11 am

I have heard Jack play his Matchbro many times and it does sound like a dobro.
I bought the SuperBro and it did not sound the same as his.
I could never get a good sound from it and sold it at a loss and bought a dobro.
Like he says you have to think dobro when playing it.

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 12 Dec 2007 7:14 am

Micky, exactly. I don't over use it - just on something that needs it. And, I have a program on my POD XT that is only a very slight reverb that I use with the MatchBro. When I had a Peavey Transtube Fex I had a program with some different EQ and very slight reverb that I used with the MatchBro.

Reese, you are right. I played steel on a CD project for a local singer about 6 years ago and used the MatchBro on one song. He had a Bluegrass musician friend that heard the completed CD and didn't believe it was not a real Dobro until I did a live job with that singer and he brought the Bluegrass musician with him and I had to demonstrate it for him.

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 12 Dec 2007 8:06 am

When you use Bobbe's "BoBro", I think you need to run it through your amps effects loop to make it sound right.
I tried it between my guitar and amp and was disappointed in the sound. On the literature that accompanies the unit, he recommends using the effects loop.

Dean Cavill · Post by **Dean Cavill** » 12 Dec 2007 9:32 am

I connect the BoBro (as instructed) when not using an effects loop;
PSG --> BoBro --> Volume Pedal --> Amp.

My ears cannot hear any tone difference with the BoBro "off" Vs. not in this configuration at all.

The effects loop may be preferred by some, but that requires 2 cables, a 100% wet setting,... and then there's the hassle of toggling it on/off mid-tune if need be.

The designers must be in cahoots with the Eveready folks however, cause this puppy sucks a fresh 9v dead in 10 minutes... use the AC adapter(supplied).

I would have never noticed had not both Al Brisco and Burke Carroll pointed out that the BoBro's got a tad of a volume spike around, say, 440hz.. nothing a bit of EQ couldn't tweak.

Use a plastic bar (extra), like the Match-Bro bar, stay away from the pedals, don't use closely spaced strings(interval-wise) in tandem, don't even dream about playing like Rob Ickes, and you'll be sounding way more like a Dobro than a Pedal Steel... close enough for me.

Steve Norman · Post by **Steve Norman** » 12 Dec 2007 9:49 am

the only thing holding me back from a 100% switch to steel w/bobro, from the dobro is the ability to capo and get hammer on runs in any key. I have been thinking of taking a design idea I have to a machinist and making a capo for my c6 neck, just for dobro hammer ons.

I know, a steel guitar capo is for the weak

Steve Norman · Post by **Steve Norman** » 12 Dec 2007 9:50 am

the only thing holding me back from a 100% switch to steel w/bobro, from the dobro is the ability to capo and get hammer on runs in any key. I have been thinking of taking a design idea I have to a machinist and making a capo for my c6 neck, just for dobro hammer ons.

I know, a steel guitar capo is for the weak

Steve Norman · Post by **Steve Norman** » 12 Dec 2007 9:50 am

the only thing holding me back from a 100% switch to steel w/bobro, from the dobro is the ability to capo and get hammer on runs in any key. I have been thinking of taking a design idea I have to a machinist and making a capo for my c6 neck, just for dobro hammer ons.

I know, a steel guitar capo is for the weak

Bobbe Seymour · Post by **Bobbe Seymour** » 12 Dec 2007 10:41 am

Steve, turn the echo down on your computer,

Steve Norman · Post by **Steve Norman** » 12 Dec 2007 10:45 am

oh man..It kept giving me a bug error thing,so I kept trying to repost
sorry bout that

Ron Page · Post by **Ron Page** » 12 Dec 2007 11:49 am

I'm still trying to make mine sound like a steel guitar. And I refuse to be distraced, yet again, at least until some warm golfing weather arrives.

On George Strait's "Holdin' My Own" CD, Paul Franklin is credited with playing the "dobro simulator" on a song called "Faults and All". To my ears it sounds better than a dobro--somehow cleaner and sharper. Well, it's not actually a simulator. I complimented Paul on it once and he told me he's never done a session with the simulator. It's his Peda-bro. Nice, crisp, clean, country, dobro sound though.

Paddy Long · Post by **Paddy Long** » 12 Dec 2007 1:04 pm

I have had a Goodrich Matchbro since they came out as well and have had a lot of fun with it over the years. I just bought myself an 8 string Fluger RGS, which of course not only has the Matchbro type processor built in to it, it is also capable of being tuned to any dobro tuning so you have the best of both worlds --- and it's LOUD with no feedback issues for live playing!
I haven't played it out yet as I'm still getting used to it, but it is really cool, and so easy to just pop up on top of the C6th neck. And it's BLACK !

Mike Perlowin · Post by **Mike Perlowin** » 12 Dec 2007 1:19 pm

Another trick is to use a wah wah pedal. There's a point in the throw where it has a pretty decent dobro like sound. The problem us retaining that position. As soon as you touch the pedal, you're going to lose the sweet spot.

The Jim Dunlop company made a stomp box called a "Q-wah" with the wah wah circuitry and a knob you turned by hand to find the right tone, and then once you set it, it would stay put. I don't know if this unit is still being made.

JERRY THURMOND · Post by **JERRY THURMOND** » 12 Dec 2007 2:05 pm

I have one of the 1st match bro that came out also, if you use it just once in a while for the right song you can fool a lot of people. Sure would hate to lose mine, like Jack said you have to think dobro. Hal Rugg told me he spent $3000 to get a Pedal Bro an six months later they came out with the Match Bro that almost sounded as good.

Jerry

George Kimery · Post by **George Kimery** » 12 Dec 2007 2:50 pm

I also had a Matchbro early on. My guitar is an extended E-9th. I was able to get a good Dobro sound, but only on a few strings. The problem I had was that my steel was not tuned like a Dobro, so trying to do bluegrass Dobro for me just didn't work. I had the same problem with a Steel Rider Midi setup. I had a great piano sound, but, trying to play piano licks for me, was medicore at best. It just wasn;t the same as two hands and a keyboard. With gadgets, you can get some great sounds other than steel, but remember, you still are on a steel and don't expect to be able to play sounds exactly like they sound on other instruments. You have to compromise. I just went out of the business of trying to copy other instruments and have been perfectly happy with my steel sounding like a steel and nothing else. Just my opinion and there are probably others that can make these things smoke.

Shorty Smith · Post by **Shorty Smith** » 12 Dec 2007 3:10 pm

I use a Goodrich and I love it, used it for years and to me it sounds like a dobro. Took a while to get the setting that I wanted but its great and many fans complement the dobro sound, Shorty

Ron Page · Post by **Ron Page** » 13 Dec 2007 8:33 am

JERRY THURMOND wrote:Hal Rugg told me he spent $3000 to get a Pedal Bro an six months later they came out with the Match Bro that almost sounded as good.

Plus, you can switch the Match Bro in and out on the same tune, e.g. "Forever and Ever Amen". Although, as I recall on that tune has both steel and dobro playing at the same time.

Bob Knight · Post by **Bob Knight** » 13 Dec 2007 9:55 am

My favorite girl singer, one time asked the question. "Do you have an effect that will make it sound like a steel guitar"?

Bob

Dean Cavill · Post by **Dean Cavill** » 13 Dec 2007 11:00 am

Fooled Again,

The dobro on "Forever and Ever Amen" was in fact a PedalBro.

I was quite happy to hear that after I'd been beating my head against a wall for 3 days trying to figure out the parts on my standard resophonic guitar... to no avail obviously.

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