Tom Bradshaw's new Custom Shop Dunlop/MXR Resonator pedal

[Chris Templeton]

Tom Bradshaw sent me an email about a new resonator pedal he developed with the Dunlop/MXR company. It sounds very authentic and might be a nice addition to your setup: http://www.songwriter.com/bradshaw/resonator.php . Congratulations Tom, I'm sure many, many hours went into this product.
$130.00 includes shipping in the US.

[Howard Smith]

That price also includes the power supply, which is usually not supplied. Check out the sound clips...he also uses it to simulate a lap steel using a guitar...neat effect.

[Stephen Gambrell]

To quote Tom, " I offer one caution: for best results your delivery should be in the style of the players of resonator guitars."
Doug Jernigan told me that it was nearly impossible to teach a dobro player, to play pedal steel. And Doug is on top of his game, right now, and I like him a lot, too. But when J.D. Crowe did the first album with Keith Whitley, Bobby Slone, Jimmy Gaudreau, and Steve Bryant, Doug played his rear end off, on pedal steel. But he played dobro, too---But it sounded like a pedal steel player. Maybe some of you guys remember it.
Smitty, how does this pedal sound, A'B'ed against Bobbe's Bobro? And if this thing needs 18 VDC, it SHOULD come with a power supply.

[Mark van Allen]

Since the cat's out of the bag, I'll chime in here. Tom sent me the prototype unit to review and demo. (That's me on the various demo tracks, which include Pedal Steel, Lap Steel, and Electric guitar played through the box and compared with a miced up Acoustic Reso.)
I have owned and played most of the reso simulators on the market, past and present, and this unit more than holds it's own against ANY of them. It's highly adjustable with a lot of control over the final sound, which is essential given the vast differences in guitar and pickup types that may be used. Not only is it a truly effective simulation of the sound of a resonator guitar, but also allows creation of some really new and innovative tones. Among other things, it sounds fantastic with distortion or overdrive.
The quality of the Dunlop build will be stellar, I'm sure.

A lot of people may not understand that the 18 volt power supply allows much better electronic "headroom" and hence sound quality.

I really got to run this box through the wringer and I'm seriously impressed. Way to go on the design, Tom! And thanks again for including me in the demo process.

[Stephen Gambrell]

Mark, you could pull tone out of a fencepost. I gotta ride over there, sometime. Smitty has worked as a rep for a large sound company, and Tom is, well, Tom. Joe Turner has a BoBro, and he brought it by. It didn't sound like a dobro,exactly, but my DSL RotoSim doesn't exactly sound like a Leslie. Mike told me that when he, Heffernan, and Hal Rugg did that Resocasters CD, Hal heard Mike and Heffernan jamming, and got his pedalbro in. There's something about a slant, or a pull behind the bar, that can't be duplicated with a pedal. These toys are OK, but no match for the actual instrument. IMO.

[Scott Duckworth]

Went to the website and listened to the tracks... very nice indeed!

[Jack Stanton]

Looks like another winner from Tom.
Great playing, Mark!

[Mark van Allen]

Thanks, Jack, it's a really fun box to play through. Stephen, one of things about playing acoustic reso is how it's right in your face- warm acoustic tone hitting you from right in your lap. Of course no box can replace that, but for the intent of throwing a switch and getting a very close simulation on stage or in the studio, to replicate "dobro" parts, this one really gets it. If you listen back to Franklin's pedabro stuff on record, it feels like another instrument in between reso and steel, which is in fact exactly what it it is. Tom's box will get you there, and I love the textures with overdrive and various other FX. Ultra portable!

[Bob Snelgrove]

True bypass? I hope?


bob

[Mike Perlowin]

How does it compare with the BoBro, the Match Bro, the Q-Wah (also made by Dunlop, but discontinued,) and the dobro settings on a POD?

[Tom Bradshaw]

I should have anticipated that the word would get out regarding the "Resonator". I'm currently sending messages to my email database to get an idea of how many are interested in trying the unit. It is currently in the production schedule of the Dunlop Company, but will not be available for shipping until sometime in September. Only when I have the units in my hand will I accept orders (my policy of not taking deposits!). Thus, when I can ship them, I'll post here on the Forum. Besides an outright purchase, a "try-it-for-free" offer will be made to all my past customers.

Regarding the by-pass question, most definitely the unit has true hardwired by-pass circuitry.

In answer to a couple of private emails, 220/240 volt adaptors will be available for those using that voltage.

And "Yes", if you aren't satisfied with it, you can return it for a full refund (like everything I sell).

And "Yes", I'm still a steel guitar nut...like always. ...Tom

[Pete Burak]

I'd like to try one, Tom.
Do you just use your regular bar?
I specifically want to use it on "Water of Love" by Dire Straights.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Erg4DPUMyIU
Pete

[John Macy]

I'm in...sent you a PM...

[Len Amaral]

Count me in on the first batch of this new pedal. I'm sure if Tom and MXR are collaborating on this project it will be a winner.

Regard,

Lenny

[Terry Sneed]

Yea! I like! Tom, I'm purty sure I'm a past customer.
I'd sure like to try one.

terry

[J. R. McClung]

Yes Sir, Mr. Bradshaw, I will buy one as soon as they are available. Just let me know.

Thanks...........Joel

[Mike Perlowin]

Tom, you didn't answer my earlier question. How does this unit compare with the BoBro, the Goodrich Match Bro, the Q-Wah (also made by Dunlop, but discontinued,) and the dobro settings on a POD?

Also, have you considered using a toggle on/off switch instead of a foot switch?

Check out these modifications to my Dynacomp.

http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopi ... t=dynacomp

[Mark van Allen]

Mike, I don't know if Tom has had the chance to experiment with those units. While I haven't used a POD or Q-Wah for reso sounds, I have owned several Match-Bros, BoBros, and the Kickin' Steel unit and I found Tom's new design top be far superior to all of them. It's not just EQ changes (per the alternate slider moves on a Dano Fish n Chips or BoBro) but adjustable resonance and range, which makes a huge difference in nailing down the sound, adjusting to different model guitars and creating new tones.

[Mike Perlowin]

Thanks Mark. I am very curious to try one out.

[Robert Dominick]

Hi Tom,

I would like to try one too and will buy one as soon as they are available. Just let me know.

Thanks...Robert

[Bob Snelgrove]

Sign me up, Tom!

Bob

[John Groover McDuffie]

It seems to me that the requirement for 18v means one can't run it on battery power (unless there is room inside for 2 9vs, which I doubt) which is a big inconvenience for a box that one will want up at the front line near one's PSG. I personally might take the trade-off of less headroom for more convenience of not having to use a power supply.

[Greg Gefell]

I have a resonator guitar with a magnetic pickup installed. Into an amp, it basically sounds like a lap steel, not a reso. Seems like this new pedal be useful in regaining some of that lost resonator sound? Would you agree with that assessment?