Gold Tone Beard Models - Good beginner option?

[Jamie Kitlarchuk]

I’m considering dipping my toes into some dobro (bluegrass / country stuff). Are these a decent choice for beginner? What should I keep an eye out for if buying used?

Specifically I’ve found a couple used ones that seem to be decent value, but that’s just comparing to current pricing. One is maple and one mahogany - believe they are both laminate). The owner of one says it’s about 20 years old, so I’m wondering if there have been significant changes over the years that would impact quality / value.

Also open to suggestions for others I should consider.

[Howard Parker]

3 models, identical open soundwell design. All use Beard domestic internal parts:

PBS - mahogany lam. dot inlay
PBS-D Maple lam . nicer cosmetics
PBS-M - Solid mahogany. Very nice cosmetics.

Up until about 4 years ago Beard & Goldtone were both setting up and selling through their respective dealers. Now available only through Goldtone. The Beard setup guitars (sticker undr screen are considered "desireable".

Built better that any other import guitar currently on the market.

The very earliest guitars had premature tuner failures. They changed tuner suppliers fairly quickly. Easily replaced.

Like any 20 year old guitar setups may no longer be perfect. Also many players tend to swap out cones every 5 years or so. You might not care.

Check for buzzes. Visually inspect bridge inserts, nut & cone for wear and damage. Check guitar's overall condition.

Nice guitars and built way better than official "Dobro" from OMI/Gibson. Gibson lost the market when these guitars were introduced.

Full disclosure: Retired from Beard Guitars

Good luck

hp

[Jamie Kitlarchuk]

Thanks Howard, and great info.
The mahogany one has dot inlays and plastic tuner buttons - I assume these may be the cheaper tuners you mention on the earlier ones.
This is the one that is about 20 years old.
What do you think would be the used value in good shape?
Feel free to send me a PM.

[Howard Parker]

No worries. Yes. Sounds like an early PBS.

I don't know much about values I'm afraid. I just haven't tracked them at all.

An interesting note that as I recall, the PBS was introduced at $550 without case. Street price on the least expensive Dobro was $2,600 and the Goldtone popularity exploded. A much better axe.

If the guitar comes in a Goldtone case it was def. set up in Florida by Goldtone. The Beard shop guitars would usually be offered with a nicer TKL case. fwiw

h

[Greg Forsyth]

Jamie,
I recently traded for a Goldtone PBS with the mahogany laminated wood. What a beautiful sounding instrument. I road tested several other resonators ( a Tut Taylor and a Witcher Sheerhorn and several lower valued imports) and the quality and sound of the PBS excelled above the others. I thought it was worth about $850usd at the time of trade and after reading this post maybe more than that.

Howard,
Thanks for sharing your info on the Beard/Goldtone line of resonators. I've been curious about this guitar's origins since I brought it home (the person I traded with inherited it and didn't know anything about it). Using your info I've done some snooping. There is a sticker under the top screen numbered 21008297. The tuning machines are all metal & have what looks to be Jenko stamped on them. The case is TKL, built like a bank vault, without Goldtone stamped on it. I think this maybe a Beard setup guitar model that was one of the later models before Goldtone started assembling all of these guitars. Beard is stamped on the cone.

I'm wondering if the year this guitar was built can be identified by the serial number? Also, is the cone Beard's standard cone, not the Legend? Do any of the 3 models come with the Legend cone? And lastly, the tuners work okay, but i think I might upgrade them. Any suggestions on quality tuners that will bolt on without modification, maybe Grovers?

Greg

[Howard Parker]

Last I heard, Beard setup Goldtones,when originally shipped, had a Beard sticker under one of the screens.

I've never been able to make rhyme or reason of the Goldtone serial numbers. You can always drop them a line and ask.

When I was at the shop we would ship Beard BC-1 cones and #14 spiders to FL where they'd do the final assembly and setup. I don't recall that I ever shipped any bridge inserts. Legend cones weren't around until approx. 2012, fwiw.

The metal tuners would indicate NOT an "early" model. A good thing.

Cheers

h

[Brett Day]

I was watching a video on YouTube where a man who is working at a music store talks about the PBS-M. He said that the PBS-M is a great dobro for any player. I play a Gold Tone Paul Beard Signature Series Deluxe squareneck dobro, and it's the best dobro I've ever played! Before I played the Gold Tone, I played a Gretsch G9210 Boxcar and it's a great dobro too, but the Gold Tone has such a beautiful sound and the tone, playability, and everything on the Gold Tone Paul Beard dobro is awesome!

[Mark Eaton]

The Gold Tone Beard models come with a Beard cone and spider bridge and the way to tell what size they are, they use L and R bodies-the L bodies are dreadnaught sizes, while the R bodies are smaller than the dreadnaught sized dobros.

Whoa - time out! The Gold Tone/Beard squareneck resonators are all the same body size, loosely referred to as "R" or "Regal" (pre WWII) dimensions.

The are no "L" (Large) or dreadnought-like bodies or the equivalent of the E Model Beard in the Gold Tone line. And for that matter, the Beard E and Scheerhorn L body guitars are not as large as a Martin dreadnought guitar.

[Chase Brady]

Here's one to consider. I have no affiliation with this seller, but I own two of James Adams' instruments and am quite happy with them. https://www.ebay.com/itm/204428101494?h ... R57LrPC9Yg