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Topic: what bar to use for dobro sound |
Ben Godard
From:
Jamesville NC
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Posted 10 Jun 2008 7:54 pm |
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I am emulating the dobro sound on my guitar with the Boss GE7 equalizer with the one up, one down, ...and so on trick. Believe it or not, this sounds surprisingly well especially on the mid strings. The lower string sound a little flat and the higher strings are a little thin but this is me just using my regular steel bar.
My question is what type of bar should I buy to get the best dobro sound and where can I get it from. I once heard of someone cutting off the end of a broomstick. I assume that was a joke but you never know.
If anyone has one for sale. I would be interested in buying. |
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Dave Beaty
From:
Mesa, Arizona, USA
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Posted 10 Jun 2008 9:08 pm
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| Ben, the best I have found is the bar that came with the Dobro filter unit made by Goodrich and endorsed by Buddy Emmons. As I understand, the units are no longer made, but they are simply filters which you can emulate with a decent EQ unit. When used in conjunction with the companion bar, the effect is very, very good. Many times I have had people in the audience looking for the Dobro on stage. The bar appears to have a brass inner core over which a green plastic bar is molded - with a nose and shape of a standard steel bar. The sustain is longer than with a polished/smooth section of broom stick, but far less than a steel bar. In short, it is just right. You may be able to approximate its performance by taking a plastic pill bottle of the right size and filling it with lead shot. Hope that helps, otherwise, I would watch eBay for the actual Goodrich Dobro unit with the bar. |
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Jerry Roller
From:
Van Buren, Arkansas USA
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Posted 10 Jun 2008 9:24 pm
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Goodrich still sells the bar. I can get one for you or any other Goodrich dealer can.
Jerry |
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Lewis John Foote
From:
Dorset, UK
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Posted 10 Jun 2008 10:33 pm
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howdy, i found that an empty cigar tube sounded ok, with my bo-bro, so i made a hollow thin walled, bullet nose ally bar, lew.
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Joey Ace
From:
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
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Posted 11 Jun 2008 1:16 am
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| The broom stick will give a passable banjo sound. |
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Jerry Hayes
From:
Virginia Beach, Va.
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Posted 11 Jun 2008 7:01 am
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I've used an old metal Kazoo for many years to get Dobro sounds, try it, you'd be amazed! I tried out a Matchbro once and it actually didn't sound any better at resonator sounds than using the old Kazoo. You can buy one for a couple of bucks and just lay it on your headstock when not in use. When you want a Dobro sound, just grab it like your regular bar and put your index finger in the round part on top and go for it............JH in Va.
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Don't matter who's in Austin (or anywhere else) Ralph Mooney is still the king!!! |
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chris ivey
From:
california (deceased)
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Posted 11 Jun 2008 10:53 am
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| plus you can double on kazoo for that modern nashville sound! hopefully it'll cover up the sugarland chicks vocals. |
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John Billings
From:
Ohio, USA
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Posted 11 Jun 2008 2:44 pm
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What kind of compressor and distortion pedals do you use with the kazoo?  |
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b0b
From:
Cloverdale, CA, USA
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Posted 12 Jun 2008 10:21 am
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| I use a glass bar when I want to sound more acoustic. |
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Jeff Savage
From:
Fort Covington, NY,
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Posted 12 Jun 2008 3:30 pm What Brand Of EQ To Buy
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| I've been reading this post and I'm kind of interested in trying the method of the different bar and an EQ for a dobro simulator and was wondering if anyone might have any suggestions on what brand of EQ might be the best to try and also if a digital or analog EQ would be better or it that would make any diference. I've got a box full of effects but no EQ...shoulda bought one long ago I guess...Thanks in advance:) |
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b0b
From:
Cloverdale, CA, USA
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Posted 12 Jun 2008 6:18 pm
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One key to getting the sound is to take set your volume pedal sort of low, take your foot off of it and then pick hard.
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Ben Godard
From:
Jamesville NC
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Posted 13 Jun 2008 4:28 pm
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Thanks Bob
I didn't know that. I will try it. |
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James Collett
From:
San Dimas, CA
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Posted 13 Jun 2008 5:21 pm
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Click Here
Dobro Pedal 2- click hyperlink, then "Save As" on right side. A dobro bar (give it a little "buzz") some eq, reverb and a smidge of delay for an acousticcy sound. Not the best recording, but shows an example.
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James Collett |
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Whip Lashaway
From:
Monterey, Tenn, USA
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Posted 14 Jun 2008 3:24 pm
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The Goodrich bar is probably the best. Also, learn to pick 12 frets ahead of whatever fret the bar is placed. Definitely use the midscale strings as much as possible. Also minimize the use of pedals and levers.
Sidebar:::I found that a really good banjo (if there is such a thing) sound is a farely hot and slightly distorted program with a towel draped across the neck at around the 12th fret. It really kills the sustain and gives a crisp plunk banjoey sound. The towel of course limits where you can go on the neck but hey, it's banjo, the more limited the better! Right? Just kidding!!! Whip
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Whip Lashaway
Sierra E9/B6 12 string
Sierra E9/B6 14 string
Excel S12 8x9 blue
Excel S12 8x9 black |
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Alan Brookes
From:
Brummy living in Southern California
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Posted 14 Jun 2008 6:52 pm
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My mother had long hair, and she used to put it up with the use of a wooden clothes pin. But a regular clothes pin was too small, so, about 70 years ago, my Grandfather made her a much longer one from polished and sanded doweling.
When my mother died I brought it home to California as a memento. I tried it out as a tone bar, and found that on Dobro it made a soft sound, while on pedal steel it gave more of a Dobro sound that the commercially-available bars, of which I've tried several.
So, try a piece of doweling, sanded and French-polished,
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Ben Godard
From:
Jamesville NC
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Posted 17 Jun 2008 4:12 pm
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Got to love it. Some of the most intriguing things are discovered when you start to improvise.
I didn't have abar and I just picked up my MP3 player and flipped it over on the smoothest side. It's plastic but darn it if don't OK. Of course I'm not going to stay with that but there are many things that you can use until you have a bar. |
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Mark Eaton
From:
Sonoma County in The Great State Of Northern California
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Posted 17 Jun 2008 4:15 pm
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I just play an actual dobro with a steel bar to get a dobro sound.
Works every time. 
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Mark |
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