The Steel Guitar Forum

Smith Curry wrote:Try to play as many Dobros as you can.... Frequently, some budget models sound better than high end ones. Then spend some money on quality setup. Take it to somebody who really knows his business, and have a Quarterman cone put in: setup is 80% of a Dobro's tone.

Great suggestion on the playing as many as you can scenario.

And setup is a very significant factor, but when I read figures like "80%" I think to myself, "Gee - I sure spent a lot of money a few years ago on a custom Clinesmith if it only accounts for 20% of the overall package!"

Tommy R. Butler wrote:Musicians friend having a sale on "DOBRO" like $349 I think.

TB

There's a pretty long thread on these, should be in the Steel Without Pedals section.

Just don't think that these are U.S. made guitars ("not that there's anything wrong with that" to borrow a popular line from Seinfeld).

They shifted the production from Nashville to China on the Hound Dog model - hey it may even be better quality!

The only Gibson Dobros still made in Nashville are the two Phil Leadbetter models: the maple, and the limited edition mahogany.

Gibson massacred the rest of the Dobro product line.

Well I have to chime in here. I have a Fluger Brazilian Rosewood hollow neck acoustic model. I use it live at Renfro Valley and just mike it up. In the studio, it tracks great. The tone and workmanship are really tough to beat. Just my 2 cents worth.

Greg

Thanks guy for all the imput. I have learned quite a bit from you all. I found one at SamAsh. it listed for 600 but when y wife got through talking them down, I got the dobro and a gigbag for 300 including tax. It has a real nice tone and plays great. I checked out ju about every place that had them in stock. My ife called every store within 60 mile to see if they had any before we went to look. A lot of then didn't even know what she was talking about. She called them dum bunnies ad hung up.

Speaking of Dobros, I have a Dick Deneve dobro I bought about 15 or so years ago at a music store in New Hampshire. It sounds great to me. I guess at the time Dick was building a limited number of them per year, maybe 10 or 12 or so. I just happened to get mine second hand. Anybody else out there have an opinion on this particular brand?

Pete

Dick DeNeve makes an excellent resophonic guitar.

just bought this Gibson/Dobro

I play a Gold Tone Paul Beard Signature Series Deluxe, and it's the best dobro I've ever played! It's my favorite, best, and main dobro. It's tuned to the GBDGBD tuning(open G), and its' sound, tone, and playability are awesome! It's got the tobacco sunburst maple finish, and Paul Beard's signature in gold letters on the headstock-it's a PBS-D and has screens on it.