Pre-War Dobro question

Brad Sarno · Post by **Brad Sarno** » 21 Nov 2002 9:50 am

I just picked up a '30s Dobro real cheap. It needed some cleaning up. The spider is a cross, not a web-shaped type. The bridge saddle in it was solid metal, steel I believe because it was rusty. This saddle is one piece and blocks the hole to the cone tension screw. Is this correct for this vintage Dobro. It's got F holes and not the round vent types. I saw a picture of Lloyd Green holding the exact same axe in my Dobro instructional book.

Thanks,
Brad Sarno

Brad Sarno · Post by **Brad Sarno** » 21 Nov 2002 9:51 am

By the way, it's a square neck.

Brad Sarno

Mike D · Post by **Mike D** » 21 Nov 2002 12:11 pm

No the saddle has been replaced. It should have a two piece Maple saddle. Here's a pic of a Dobro Angelus I found on the web. http://members.cruzio.com/~steed/regal.htm <FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Mike D on 21 November 2002 at 08:03 PM.]</p></FONT>

Paul Warnik · Post by **Paul Warnik** » 21 Nov 2002 12:37 pm

To cut corners in production-some of the cheaper guitars came with 4-legged instead of the usual 8-legged spider

Brad Sarno · Post by **Brad Sarno** » 21 Nov 2002 2:19 pm

Thanks for the link Mike. That's what I needed to know. Maple huh? That should be easy enough. Any opinions on keeping it stock with the 4 legged spider or would it sound better with the full spider/cone setup?

Thanks,
Brad Sarno

mikey · Post by **mikey** » 21 Nov 2002 6:28 pm

Aloha Brad,
The 4 legged "spiders" were a depression cost cutter..my 2 cents...you can make that into a righteous sounding Dobro by contacting ResoPhonic Outfitters (Beard Guitars, the link is on the link page) and get an 8 leg spider(45.00) and new cone(quarterman 45.00)It's well worth the price...you could keep the old spider, but I'd still change the cone.( You won't believe the difference)
Mike

Mike D · Post by **Mike D** » 21 Nov 2002 8:05 pm

I'll second Mikey's suggestion. A Q-Man and good spider will really help out. Keep the old parts if you do swap them.

mikey · Post by **mikey** » 21 Nov 2002 11:46 pm

Oh, definitely keep the old parts, but you will also have to order 2 new bridge inserts...I like maple, but ebony capped maple will give you a brighter tone...they are cheap so I would get 2 of each and see what you prefer.
Mike

Ally · Post by **Ally** » 22 Nov 2002 3:11 am

I have a sililar instrument; f-hole resonator made for Sears in the early 30s. I , too, saw the Lloyd Green pic, and remembered that Lloyd played some great dobro on a Mike Auldridge lp : I emailed Mike, and he told me Lloyd had it professionally set up with quarterman cone and eight-leggd spider. I tried this, and while it sounded much better than stock, there was something lacking ,so I swapped out the q-man for the orginal stamped, lugged cone, and use an eight legged spider. The guitar now sounds pretty good.... especially for country stuff played in closed positions up the fretboard. Great volume, and a proper vintage tone you only get from a good stamped cone.

Al Perkins plays a similar model; I think he also had a soundwell installed.

Cheers

AC

mikey · Post by **mikey** » 22 Nov 2002 8:33 am

Aloha Ally,
I don't know when you swapped cones...but now, John Quarterman makes at least 5 different styles...all copied from different eras...so, I REALLY stand behind my statement of getting a Quarterman cone as opposed to using the one from a cost cutter guitar(Heck, I use them in ALL my resos except my Tri-cone which still has the originals cones made by John Dopyera)...You just have to get the correct cone for the tone you are after.( but if YOU are happy w/ your stamped cone, then that's the tone you're after...if it ain't broke, don't fix it!)but I'll tell you, I put a new cone in my 70's Dobro (OMI roundneck)...and it was real dull w/the stock cone , now it rings like a bell, loud, snappy and bright,because I used a specific style cone, for the tone I was after..I'm VERY pleased w/ it.
Aloha,
Mike

Ally · Post by **Ally** » 22 Nov 2002 8:56 am

Aloha Mikey;

I found that the stamped cone really does sound better, -(if by better I mean louder and brasher, I guess) and I like the fact that the original cone is still in there ... I'm probably wrong, but the cone seems to be such a crucial part of the tone that swapping it for a new one is akin to ripping a soapbar pickup from an old Gibson and putting in a PMG active.

PS. I boughta metal bodied pre war Model 32 dobro on ebay last week ... anyone know much about these? Heard that with the spider bridge they can sound more like tricones than single cones.