Dobro bridge material

Bob Stone · Post by **Bob Stone** » 22 Mar 2001 6:25 am

I recently had a Paul Beard's maple/ ebony bridge, bone nut and Quarterman cone installed in my OMI Dobro by my local repairman. For the most part, I'm very happy with the sound, but sometimes I wonder if the bridge isn't a little too bright. Of course, when it is sounding a little too bright in a particular room and/or playing context I can compensate by picking a little farther down the neck.

I'd be interested in hearing comments from those who have experimented with various bridge materials on resos, particularly Dobros.

Thanks,

Bob<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Bob Stone on 22 March 2001 at 06:28 AM.]</p></FONT>

Ric Nelson · Post by **Ric Nelson** » 22 Mar 2001 8:47 am

Paul did the same for me on one of my dobros and your are right, any and all of the three items he changed will tend to give you a brighter sound, especially the Quarterman, in addition to having new strings.

But remember, when you are over the instrument playing, what you hear may be brighter than what someone else hears in the room or over a mic.

Your ear has to get used to the new sound.

Try playing it softer and see what happens.

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 22 Mar 2001 1:11 pm

Doesn't Paul offer an alternative to the ebony-capped maple bridges for a warmer tone? Birch? I believe Mike Auldridge uses something other than ebony-maple.

Sage · Post by **Sage** » 22 Mar 2001 1:40 pm

Paul's catalog says birch for Mike Auldridge. Not offered (probably for a reason) is basswood which I believe would be softer still. Then comes balsa.

sorry, I couldn't resist. They're even in alphabetical order.

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T. Sage Harmos
Musical Instruments

Mike D · Post by **Mike D** » 22 Mar 2001 3:22 pm

I've played around a little with saddle materials. I had a Maple/wEbony cap on a steel tricone...ughhh way too tinny. Eventually went with straight Maple.

I liked the Maple/Ebony combo though on both a brass body biscuit cone Dobro and a Regal spider cone guitar I refitted with a Quarterman cone.

The Ebony does help the low end alot so a compromise if the high strings are too bright is to leave the M/E on the bass and go straight Maple on the top. Pretty easy to do on a spider bridge with a split saddle.

Bob Stone · Post by **Bob Stone** » 23 Mar 2001 12:20 pm

Thanks for some interesting exchanges. My OMI Dobro needs all the help it can get on the bass. The idea of using one bridge saddle material for the 3 bass strings and a different material for the 3 treble strings is interesting. Anybody out there ever tried it?

The point about the projected sound differing from the sound heard by the player rings true. I played fiddle for years and it's right under your ear--sounds a whole lot different out front a few feet. The Dobro is similar in that the sound is coming back into the player's face at pretty close range. Guess a real test would be to listen to someone else play my instrument.

gerry szostak · Post by **gerry szostak** » 26 Mar 2001 12:07 am

I play a Jerry Douglas that has ebony on the wound strings and maple on the unwound strings. The maple seems to cut the harshness from the unwound stings and the ebony gives a big kick to the wound stings. The lower strings seem to sound espically nice. The maple insert is just on the two top strings.

Bob Stone · Post by **Bob Stone** » 26 Mar 2001 6:05 am

Interesting Gerry. Is that a Gibson Dobro? Is that a stock bridge you described or something custom made?

Thanks,

Bob

D Schubert · Post by **D Schubert** » 26 Mar 2001 6:43 am

I had to have the saddle replaced on my pre-war Dobro Model 45. My guitar tech told me that he'd put a bone saddle in several biscuit-type resonators guitars -- which seemed to improve the sustain & volume & projection -- and suggested that I try that instead of maple on my spider bridge. He promised that if I didn't like the bone saddle, he would pull it out and replace it for no charge. Why not? Anyway, that was more than two years ago, and I haven't asked him to change it back.

I know that a bone saddle is "all wrong" according to the experts, but it sure did improve the sustain & volume & projection. And the tone did not suffer, IMHO. I don't think that I lost any bass response at all, and the higher notes are more "authoritative" -- if that's the right word. Seems like no two resonator guitars are alike, but this sure helped mine out.

Kenny Davis · Post by **Kenny Davis** » 26 Mar 2001 11:05 am

I replaced the bridge inserts on my '74 Dobro with maple/ebony, and it improved volume & tone. Besides the string spacing being off on one string on the original, the tone didn't seem to have the "reso" sound. The bridge helped out a lot. A bone nut will be my next mod.

A resonator guitar is worse than a pedal steel when it comes to wondering how it sounds. You really need to have someone play it for you, and listen to it that way. The problem with that though, is nobody plays the same way that you do!

gerry szostak · Post by **gerry szostak** » 31 Mar 2001 1:24 pm

Hello Bob The bridge I described came from the factory with that setup. I have not been able to find another one like it. If it wears out I guess I'll have make one.

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Petter Tornqvist · Post by **Petter Tornqvist** » 22 Nov 2010 2:39 pm

Hi,

I have a problem with my three bass strings on my 1978 omi dobro. With fresh string it has a good tone, quite bright ant powerful. But after maybe one week of playing the tone becomes mellow and veeery woody/short/stiff/bassy/numb/low sustain (hope you get the point).

Already having a bone nut and a quarterman I'm thinking about replacing the saddle to achieve a richer tone on the bass strings and more sustain.

Is ebony the way to go or do you have any other tips on how to get the most out of my dobro?

the very best
Petter
Sweden.

Post by **Brad Bechtel** » 22 Nov 2010 3:07 pm

I'd buy the bridge inserts as mentioned previously. For your convenience, the pre-slotted inserts would probably work better.

Tom Wolverton · Post by **Tom Wolverton** » 22 Nov 2010 3:13 pm

Ebonex is also a popular capping material.

Gregg McKenna · Post by **Gregg McKenna** » 22 Nov 2010 5:48 pm

Straight Maple has a nice balanced tone without being too overpowering.

I experimented with Bolivian Rosewood on a couple of guitars, and it had a nice tone (similar to maple).

David Venzke · Post by **David Venzke** » 22 Nov 2010 7:09 pm

Bob Stone wrote:The idea of using one bridge saddle material for the 3 bass strings and a different material for the 3 treble strings is interesting. Anybody out there ever tried it?

FWIW, I have an inexpensive Liberty reso, mahogany body&neck, Q-cone, spider bridge with Corian saddle on the bass side and Ebony/Maple on the treble side. Corian on both sides made the treble too bright and thin, but this setup sounds good to me.

Howard Parker · Post by **Howard Parker** » 23 Nov 2010 5:25 am

Doesn't Paul offer an alternative to the ebony-capped maple bridges for a warmer tone? Birch? I believe Mike Auldridge uses something other than ebony-maple.

Mike has not used birch for a number of years now. All of his Beard built guitars use ebony/maple. Actually, all of Paul's guitars use ebony/maple with the exception of those built with the Douglas pickup (Tusq/maple).

fwiw.

h

Mike Christensen · Post by **Mike Christensen** » 28 Nov 2010 5:42 am

years ago I experimented a lot making my own out of many different kinds of woods. LIked Manzanita the best. Now I have a W/S with an ebony capped bridge and am staying with both.

Mike Christensen · Post by **Mike Christensen** » 28 Nov 2010 5:42 am

years ago I experimented a lot making my own out of many different kinds of woods. LIked Manzanita the best. Now I have a W/S with an ebony capped bridge and am staying with both.

Ermanno Pasqualato · Post by **Ermanno Pasqualato** » 28 Nov 2010 7:56 am

Hi there!
I have tried several kind of woods and now inside my weissdobro i put cherry-wood
The sound is sweet and rich

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 28 Nov 2010 11:00 am

Wow. A 2001 thread exhumed in 2010. If internet time is anything like dog years this is a little like those stories of folks who eventually get that letter their sister mailed in 1948.

Tom Karsiotis · Post by **Tom Karsiotis** » 28 Nov 2010 9:15 pm

I have used Lignum Vitae for a compensated bridge and also for the nut on an archtop guitar and it was an improvement over the rosewood bridge and plastic nut. Has anyone tried this wood for a resonator bridge? I have some in the shop and was thinking about making new bridges for my Regal.

Matt Berg · Post by **Matt Berg** » 29 Nov 2010 9:10 am

Andy Volk wrote:Wow. A 2001 thread exhumed in 2010. If internet time is anything like dog years this is a little like those stories of folks who eventually get that letter their sister mailed in 1948.

Yeah, but OMI Dobros like mine still sound dead in the bass after changing the strings, and the brightness doesn't really last very long either. I really would like this thing to sing so I'd be inspired to play it more, and would have something to take to acoustic sessions. Yeah, I know, a lot of the sound comes from the player, but nonetheless certain instruments have a tone that makes you wanna play them, I never get the feeling from my dobro....

Bob, looking at the link that you sent, do you have a specific recommendation to cure the ills of the two posters' OMI's and mine too? the Set of 2 for Dobro® style spiders (Maple/Ebony slotted)?

I have never dug inside my dobro at all. Is there some "how-to" guide to do this?

J. Wilson · Post by **J. Wilson** » 29 Nov 2010 12:07 pm

Damn! I thought my Tut Taylor Virginian sounded straight-up awesome until I read this thread. Now I am worried this is just because I haven't been properly informed! I'm not even sure what the saddle and nut are made of... better look into this.

Matt Berg · Post by **Matt Berg** » 29 Nov 2010 1:35 pm

J. Wilson wrote:Damn! I thought my Tut Taylor Virginian sounded straight-up awesome until I read this thread. Now I am worried this is just because I haven't been properly informed! I'm not even sure what the saddle and nut are made of... better look into this.

Thanks for the insight, or was that incite?