Original and Current Road-O-Phonic Versions

[Douglas Schuch]

This post is in response to the questions for Dean Rimmer, who currently is selling his Road-O-Phonc.

The original version had a 23 inch scale length (according to a post here on the forum - but don't quote me on this - I just know it was shorter than the current model), had a cone pickup (not the current Fishman Nashville) plus a magnetic pickup on the top. The two pickups fed out through a stereo 1/4" jack, so you would need to make a cable up to split the stereo into two mono 1/4" feeds to run to whatever tone-shaping fx you want to use, and on to separate inputs into whatever amplification you wanted to use (perhaps two inputs on a single amp?). To my knowledge, all were made with biscuit-bridge resonators.

Beard started making these again a few years ago, but now there is a 25" scale (to match a typical dobro/acoustic resonator), the Fishman is the Nashville style that is built into the bridge, which works great with the JD Aura pedal or similar devices for a more realistic acoustic reso sound, and I believe different deck pickups. There is Fishman electronics installed for switching between pickups, and for volume control, all going to a standard 1/4" output (not sure if it is stereo or mono, but I think the latter). I believe it is available with either the biscuit bridge resonator cone or a spider cone.

The Hipshot Doubleshot bridge, which allows quick changes between two different tunings, is an option that can be added to an existing Road-O. As Dean notes, the cost is around $750 for the Doubleshot, a roller nut (pretty much required), and locking tuners (not required IMO, but others disagree). That does not include installation, although they are not very difficult to install.

Dean is asking $1600 for his WITH the doubleshot. People seem to thing that at that price they are getting the new version. While price is always a matter to be decided between buyer and seller, I think that is unlikely. The new price for the current model is $2450 plus shipping. Add in a hipshot and you are well over $3000. Steve Lipsky sold the only (AFAIK) new model offered on the forum WITHOUT the hipshot and his asking price was $1850.

I came close to buying an old-style Road-O several years ago (I think possibly the this one that Dean is currently selling, but could be wrong), but decided to go for an acoustic resonator. Based on Steve Lipsky's reports on his, I still wonder if I made the right decision! IF if were to buy an old version of the Road-O I would add the biscuit bridge version of the Fishman pickup. That is the ONLY way I know to get a very realistic acoustic resonator sound through a pickup, and it requires the JD Aura pedal or equivalent. The scale length is not a concern for me - I currently play lap steels with 22.5" scales, pedal steel with a 24" scale, and acoustic resonator with a 25" scale. I think that might matter if you ONLY played 25" scale instruments.

If one wanted to add the Fishman "Powerchip", that is $120 on Amazon and would require routing the body. A switch would be needed as well to switch between pickups. I think I would just stick with the stereo output and just split it to separate controls.

I think Dean's price is very fair if you want a Road-O with a Doubleshot. It could be modernized for not a lot of money and be close to what the current model is (just still a 23" scale). The Doubleshot is very useful for resonators because changing tension on the strings changes pressure on the bridge, and thus the flex of the resonator cone, so you can not just tune each string to the correct pitch and play - adjusting one string changes the pitch of the others.

Of course, many of us would like to have a new-model Road-O with Hipshot for a grand and a half. Probably won't happen for another few years at least - they are not appearing on the used market yet. In the meantime, the old school version, with the upgrade of a Fishman Nashville Biscuit pickup would make a very good second choice for less $$. I've seen them as cheap as $750 on up. Dean's, with the hipshot, is right in line with this. It's all a matter of what you want to spend, and exactly what you need re: scale length and electronics.

I did not want to overload Dean's post, and felt like these same questions come up every time a Road-O is listed here, so thought I would add my 2 cents. If you have more info on the Road-O's, old and new, please add to this!

[Steve Lipsey]

Also note that the old Roadies were chambered, which Paul Beard said was too hard to manufacture, so the new ones are solid...and a lump of mahogany that big weighs 9.5 lbs! (at least mine did...my new Bonham hollow body version is a much more manageable 6.5 lbs.)

[Robert Sands]

At the risk of upsetting the seller of the original ROADOPHONIC, I want to give my honest opinion of both the older model and the newer one. I’ve owned both. I wanted to like the original but it sounded just okay. Don’t know if it was the bisquit bridge or the pickup used in the bridge or the scale length or the fact that Paul Beard just hadn’t nailed the instrument’s design or electronics or whatever (probable a combination of all of those factors) but it just didn’t have the wow factor to the sound of it. I had it for several years trying to except it’s shortcomings but I eventually sold it. When Beard came out with the new one I decided to give it a try. Amaaaaaazing. Sounds just awesome. Night and day difference. Probably the new spider with the better pickup in it. Also the 2 additional pickups sound great. The instrument is just on another level. It’s kinda like a desert island lap steel. Covers a lot of territory as far as styles and music you can play on it. I also have a Beard R Mahogany so I’m aware of what a great dobro sound like. I score tv shows for a living and I can see this new ROADOPHONIC on a lot of my shows. Moonshiners will get a healthy dose of this instrument on next season’s episodes. So the older Roady I would give a C, this new one a solid A. The older one isn’t terrible but if you played it back to back with the new one every single person would choose the new one. No question about it. Now, if cost is an issue then the older one should def. be considered. The new one is about twice the price so that’s something to think about. I was able to swing it but I understand that others might not want to spend $3000 on it.

[Douglas Schuch]

Robert and Steve - great input! Lets keep it up, folks! As for Robert's comments on the sound difference, can I ask Robert of you run it through a Aura pedal or equivalent to get quality acoustic dobro tones? I'm pretty sure Steve does this.

I would venture a guess that the huge difference in tone Robert points out is almost all the new Nashville pickup vs. the old pickups, particularly if run through an Aura pedal or equivalent. There is also, of course, differences between the biscuit bridge and the spider style resonators in tone, and I think also in sustain (Biscuits sound to me like they have a very short sustain - almost staccato-like). Which is better depends on taste, of course. But I think they sound much closer to each other when run through the Aura pedal. But Robert's comments on the differences in tone are heard - I would NOT buy an old-school Roadie without plans to at least add the Fishman Biscuit bridge pickup and an Aura pedal.

As for the other pickups, well, that's different. I would assume swapping out for the same pickups as the new ones comes with would give you almost identical tones for the laps steel part, but at some point it's cheaper to just buy new than to change everything!

[Steve Lipsey]

Well, having owned both, I was quite happy with the original when I had it...it surely does the job. Yes, there are alternatives with a more sophisticated sound available now, at much higher prices, but that is true in many places now - pretty much every kind of instrument is available at a range of prices.
I'd say that with the hipshot and controls added, at the stated price, this roadie is a fine deal...less than half the price of an equivalent new one (with hipshot), it will probably retain its value for a long time ...and being from the chambered era, it is lighter and louder
I went from old Roadie long ago, to new Roadie more recently, to letting my Roadie obsession get me to pay substantially more than that for my Bonham custom archtop hollowbody version...there always is a way to spend more, and our audiences usually can't tell the difference...