Mike Aldridge Beard Dobro

joe long · Post by **joe long** » 11 Aug 2010 5:56 am

Want to add a 2nd dobro to my inventory. I have a Gold Tone Beard with the Fishman p/u and Aura pedal that is just out of this world on tone and volume. Is the Aldridge model worth the extra money for a 2nd dobro? I would like to have the 2nd dobro so that I can keep a D tunnings on it all the time.

Bill McCloskey · Post by **Bill McCloskey** » 11 Aug 2010 6:34 am

I've owned 3 of them. 2 6 strings and and 8 string.

Answer: yes. In my opinion, the best dobro on the market bar none.

Beard Guitars · Post by **Beard Guitars** » 11 Aug 2010 7:05 am

Let me see...

Thanks for jumping in Bill. I might have been forced to express an opinion.

btw it is "Auldridge". He plays and approves every guitar before we are allowed to deliver it!

Drop me a line if I can answer any questions.

Mark Eaton · Post by **Mark Eaton** » 11 Aug 2010 8:41 am

I don't personally believe there is a "best" resonator guitar any more than there is one "best" acoustic flattop, electric guitar, pedal steel, or lap steel.

There are many owners of for example, Scheerhorn guitars, that would disagree with Bill in a New York minute (no pun intended, Bill).

Appeal of instruments to different people is as individual as the differences in sense of smell.

That said, one can never go wrong with a Beard MAS. I love the sustain. I have often likened it to having a small grand piano on your lap.

Bill Erb · Post by **Bill Erb** » 12 Aug 2010 7:10 am

I have a "Mike Aldridge Beard Dobro". I really like it. It has a wonderful tone. This guitar has it all. It is very responsive. It has excellent volume when you need it and sounds great playing it lightly as well.It stays in tune very well. It is the most perfect beautiful well built guitar I have ever saw. This guitar sounds wonderful when backing the singer or just blending in with the other instruments as well as steping out for the lead break. The high notes are crisp, clear and clean and low notes sound rich with body. Other guitars I have played start fading away above the 12th fret. This guitar just keeps sounding great above the 12th fret. I would highly recommend this guitar to anyone. I might add that the service is great also. You can buy a Beard guitar with confidence because Paul Beard stands behind his guitars. If you have any questions or concerns Beard guitar is right there to answer them for you. I also have one of Paul Beards gutars when he first started out making them in his basement. It also has served me well. I am proud to say that I have known Paul Beard for a good many years now and he just keeps amazing me with his constant improvement in quality and development of his guitars. They just keep getting better and better.

Bill McCloskey · Post by **Bill McCloskey** » 12 Aug 2010 7:42 am

"There are many owners of for example, Scheerhorn guitars, that would disagree with Bill in a New York minute"

I'm sure, but I will say that I have a/b tested my MA against a number of Scheerhorns, and in my opinion, there was no comparison. The MA sounded as good or better than any of the Scheerhorns I've tested it against, and a hell of a lot cheaper.

Your mileage may vary.

Mark Eaton · Post by **Mark Eaton** » 12 Aug 2010 7:58 am

I don't own a Scheerhorn either Bill, but I have a beautiful Clinesmith. I like Scheerhorn guitars just fine but I think some people pay the big dough for them because they think that somehow having one of these guitars might take them to the "next level," or if not that, maybe they just want to see what the fuss is all about and they have enough discretionary cash to take the plunge. And when it apparently doesn't magically open the "holy grail," I've seen the same guitars go up for sale within a year.

I guarantee you that dobro players who are undoubtedly much more skillful players than you and I would A/B a Beard MAS and a 'horn and they will immediately prefer the Scheerhorn. That doesn't make them any more right than you, but that is their opinion. And two other great players, the obvious example, Mike Auldridge himself, and Jimmy Heffernan, will take the Beard over the Scheerhorn.

And yes, the classic, ubiquitous, "YMMV" comes into play here because it is indeed a personal decision - if we all perceived the sound we desire in a guitar in the same manner, there wouldn't be any reason to have choices. Which for many decades was more or less the case, when it was pretty much Dobro or nothing.

As Jerry Douglas likes to say, "collect 'em all!"

chas smith · Post by **chas smith** » 13 Aug 2010 10:53 am

I have a Beard mahogany 6-string and a Beard MA 8-string. I originally bought the 6-string when I was at the Blueridge Pickin' Parlor, for a seminar with Michael Witcher, who is a rather talented player. There were a lot of resos there and the mahogany 6, to my ears, had the fullest range of tone. For that reason, I also bought the MA-8 and I'm recording with it, this afternoon.

Dean Upson · Post by **Dean Upson** » 13 Aug 2010 11:06 am

chas smith wrote:I have a Beard mahogany 6-string and a Beard MA 8-string. I originally bought the 6-string when I was at the Blueridge Pickin' Parlor, for a seminar with Michael Witcher, who is a rather talented player. There were a lot of resos there and the mahogany 6, to my ears, had the fullest range of tone. For that reason, I also bought the MA-8 and I'm recording with it, this afternoon.

How did the your Beard mahogany compare with Mike's Clinesmith koa? I think Mike is one of the best reso players out there.

Dean

Mark Eaton · Post by **Mark Eaton** » 13 Aug 2010 11:17 am

Uh oh, Dean...I can hear the wheels turning out here from 3000 miles away - you've once again filled up the tank with...G.A.S.!

Dean Upson · Post by **Dean Upson** » 13 Aug 2010 12:15 pm

Mark Eaton wrote:Uh oh, Dean...I can hear the wheels turning out here from 3000 miles away - you've once again filled up the tank with...G.A.S.!

Hey Mark,
I always have a bit of G.A.S., but not this time

. I was just curious about how the guitars compared. I believe we all have our preferences as to the sound of an instrument and we are all different. I really like the sound of my Clinesmiths

, but others might not. I must admit that the BRW/Spruce that JD has up for sale had me twitching a little

Dean

chas smith · Post by **chas smith** » 13 Aug 2010 6:35 pm

Dean, at the time, Michael didn't have a Clinesmith and I'm pretty sure he had a Scheerhorn and it sounded great when he played it. I've lost track of time, but it must have been around a decade ago, when the Parlor was still on Saticoy. They had a lot of guitars out, for sale, that people were noodling around on, and the Beard was still up on the wall, which got my attention. I got it, played a few notes, and everything came to a halt. Pretty interesting, but I didn't have enough money to buy it. Thought about it all week and went back to see if it was as good as I remembered it being. It was, and I brought it home.

I have a 6-string Dobro and a 10-string Dobro and for film scores, when they wanted the classic Dobro sound for the shot of the gun rack in the back of the pickup truck. The 6-string had it, but not much else.

The Beard guitars have a full range of tones from the bridge to the neck, and for me, it's ideal.

James Quackenbush · Post by **James Quackenbush** » 15 Aug 2010 3:50 pm

I went over to Bill Mc's house with cash in hand .....I went in, played a few licks, and put the Auldridge back in the case , and handed Bill the money before he realized what a big mistake he made .....I ran like a deer back to my house and sat up and played all night .....i don't know if it's the best Reso out there , but it sure is the best Reso for me !!!....Still got it, and still lovin it .....Sounds great top to bottom and very balanced ...Next will be a Mahag Beard for a rounder , smoother tone .... Jim

Bob Hoffnar · Post by **Bob Hoffnar** » 15 Aug 2010 4:42 pm

Chas:

played a few notes, and everything came to a halt.

I had the same experience with the Beard MA dobro in St Louis. It is a great, great guitar.

Bill McCloskey · Post by **Bill McCloskey** » 15 Aug 2010 4:59 pm

Jeez, don't remind me Jim.

Yes you got a good deal on that man.

Webb Kline · Post by **Webb Kline** » 17 Aug 2010 3:12 pm

I bought a mahogany Gold Tone to take with me in my truck. When I played it at the store, it blew me away and I never get my 31 Dobro out any more.

I took it to a bluegrass festival this summer and several players were amazed by it. One has 2 Sheerhorns and a Beard and he couldn't stop playing it.

Having said that, a friend has a MA Beard and I believe I will own one. I would like to try the Jerry Douglas model, but it will have to be a lot better than the MA to justify the extra bucks. It is the best sounding Dobro to my ears I've ever played including some very top shelf Sheerhorns. But, that's my opinion and my ears, which are indeed old and tired.

Someone remarked how it was almost like having a grand piano on you lap, and being a pianist first, I agree. There is just a rich quality to it that is very inspiring. Lots of depth.

My friend has one of those Trilogy tailpieces which enables him to preset up to 7 different tunings just by flipping a couple of levers. He said it was a challenge to set it up, but he loves it and he seems to have no problem switching on the fly. That makes more sense than dragging a bunch of guitars around. I'm going to put on on the Gold Tone and will have one on the MA if that's what I wind up with.

The Gold Tone has to be one of the best bangs for the buck out there. I paid $550 and it is unquestionably the best $550 I've ever spent.

joe long · Post by **joe long** » 17 Aug 2010 4:45 pm

Who has the best price on the MB dobros?

Mark Eaton · Post by **Mark Eaton** » 17 Aug 2010 5:55 pm

I think it doesn't matter where you buy them when new, it's a little bit like Martin guitars these days - the price is pretty much the same regardless of the dealer. I think the going rate is $3700.

Lee Gillespie · Post by **Lee Gillespie** » 19 Aug 2010 8:29 am

I have an MA. #24 BUILT 3-17-04. Its a great instrument. Granted there are others made that have different tonal qualities. But ole MA has a great tone, and at jams its a banjo killer. Lee

Tom Karsiotis · Post by **Tom Karsiotis** » 19 Aug 2010 5:29 pm

I spent the better part of an afternoon in Elderly's dobro room and tried out just about every one in the place including the Fishook and to my ears the Mike Auldridge model was the best. It had a balance between the bass and treble that the Fishook didn't have and it beat the other models there hands down. If I were to add another Reso to my pile of guitars it would be a MA. If I were to add another after that then it would be the 8 string model.

JD Myers · Post by **JD Myers** » 22 Aug 2010 6:28 pm

Tom

I'd like to hear more about the Fishook you played at Elderlys . What type of wood was it crafted from ?
Im having trouble finding any Fishooks in their inventory .
Thanks

JD

Tom Karsiotis · Post by **Tom Karsiotis** » 23 Aug 2010 8:46 am

JD Myers wrote:Tom

I'd like to hear more about the Fishook you played at Elderlys . What type of wood was it crafted from ?
Im having trouble finding any Fishooks in their inventory .
Thanks

JD

I'm not sure about the wood but I was there with "Squareneck" and he was more impressed with the Fishoook and had one made to his specs. The one he had built has bass response like you wouldn't believe but the high end is weak in my judgment. I still prefer the balanced sound of the MA. Jim, if you're reading this thread, chime in (pun intended).

Tom Karsiotis · Post by **Tom Karsiotis** » 23 Aug 2010 11:30 am

I just got an email from "Squareneck" and he said there was no Fishook at Elderly's when we were there. It was a Sheerhorn and not a Fishook. My apologies to JD. He builds a beautiful reso and if you want an instrument that has a bass response that will knock you over, get a Fishook. There is a weekly Bluegrass jam in Toledo that has no PA and dozens of pickers playing all at once. The first time I heard "Squareneck's" Fishook was there and I thought someone was playing through an amp. It's Banjo Killer!

Lynn Oliver · Post by **Lynn Oliver** » 23 Aug 2010 1:06 pm

I've always been very methodical in my instrument purchases. My Beard MA is the only exception... I didn't need or want another dobro, didn't really have the budget for it, but after I heard this one I went back to the store daily and played it until I ended up buying it three days later. Pure magic.

Jim Konrad · Post by **Jim Konrad** » 23 Aug 2010 4:17 pm

To start with, welcome to TSGF JD!

JD knows a lot about Fishook resos, (more than anyone else in the world

).

Tom, your guitar playing is a ton better than your memory!LOL

I am Square Neck at other forums.
Tom and I went up to Elderly's a while back and test drove everything they had on the floor. I also brought my super hotrodded OMI Dobro as a control. Of all the guitars they had only 3 stood out to us, an Ikehorn, a MAS and a J. Tubb. The Ikehorn was about equal to my OMI as far as volume, and sounded good. Tom thought the MAS sounded the best and I favored the Tubb, rosewood spruce. Tim Scheerhorn did the set up the on the Tubb according to Elderly's.

That MAS did sound killer when we played it. A notch above anything else at Elderly's on that day.

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