The Steel Guitar Forum

Stephen G, my experience as well, under $700.
David E., That Gold Tone on Forum for sale, was still there a few minutes ago. ...Happy New Year to all you guys !!!

My opinion is that, unlike an acoustic guitar, a Dobro is basically a speaker cabinet and that the key components are the speaker (cone) and internal hardware. Also important is whether the instrument has a tone ring inside or the top is supported by posts and baffles. The post and baffle construction usually results in a more modern resophonic sound but this is not absolute.

Whether the guitar has laminated woods (like many Pacific Rim imports) or solid woods (most luthier-made guitars) is less important than it would be for a standard Spanish guitar but there is a difference in tone that is audible with quality hardwoods. My experience is that it pays to get the best quality guitar you can afford as over time, you will have less regret and, if you choose to later sell, you can recoup more of your cash. Like all free opinions, mine is worth the paper it's not printed on so I'd urge you to play as many Dobros in person as you can.

Probably more information than you need below.

Are you a gigging musician or only playing around the house? This should determine your choice to a degree. Better quality guitars last longer under constant travel situations. Though 99% of my professional life has been pedal steel, I have in the past occasionally played a reso when called for. Since I was a bluegrasser in the early 60's I have a small collection of pre-war Dobros, but found them to be inappropriate for me in a road situation in today's world.

In 2008 I was hired on a Michael Martin Murphey tour for a month playing reso only, but didn't want to break the bank on a multi-K$ instrument I'd only occasionally play after the tour. So I checked the situation for affordable guitars of high quality ($750 or less) and came to the conclusion that the Beard Gold Tone was the no-brainer choice (the Wechter Scheerhorn wasn't out yet). I bought two for the tour, one mahogany and one maple. Paul installed Fishman pickups in them both and I played through a Fishman Jerry Douglas Aura pedal. One guitar is in G tuning, the other in C6. Amplification was either straight into the board or through a Crate 125 acoustic amp.

IMHO, the mahogany BGT for me is the sound I most prefer. The tone is mellower than the maple and sustains on the bass strings longer, especially on frets 9-14. The maple is quite loud and punchy, but sustain loses out up the neck. The treble strings especially "sing" quite brightly on the maple guitar. Like acoustic guitars, the difference between maple and mahogany is one of punch versus warmth.

Both are equal in workmanship, which is excellent. The maple guitar is gaudier with MOP inlays and a brown-to-yellow sunburst similar to a Gibson burst. The mahogany guitar has a modest dark brown-to-red finish that's more conservative in look. With either guitar, fresh strings are a MUST... resos really like fresh strings.

It's a whole 'nuther situation, but if you're playing out with electric instruments, invest in a Fishman pickup with an Aura pedal. If not, disregard the above paragraph.

What Herb said about fresh strings.

I have a GT that I keep out at the coast and I have gigged with it and it does the job just fine. I have more upscale instruments that I tend to take with me when I can, but you really cannot go wrong with one.

Herb, which tuning did you put on the two GTs? Unless you paid extra for a solid mahogany they are both laminate woods and I doubt that the outer veneer has any effect on the tone. Some folks insist however that the best sounding Emmons steel guitars are black.

If the maple GT was tuned to C6 that might explain the thin sound.

Y'know, come to think of it, the maple WAS the C6 guitar. I may have to swap the strings out to see if my original theory was correct.

Stay tuned...

Andy Volk wrote: Whether the guitar has laminated woods (like many Pacific Rim imports) or solid woods (most luthier-made guitars) is less important than it would be for a standard Spanish guitar but there is a difference in tone that is audible with quality hardwoods.

Point of order No. 2 .

Many of us consider the Mike Auldridge guitars to be the Rolls Royce of Resos.

The guitar in fact is Finland birch laminate and will set you back a pretty penny or three.

A little "laminate tune".

Boutique resos are built from high quality laminates as well as solid tone woods. Like many things in life, it all depends what you want to hear.

Carry on.

h

Howard, that's an important point. thanks. Like anything else, high quality construction and design offer a better quality product and many great guitars - like Selmer Jazz guitars - were made of laminate plus time- tested products like Eames studio furniture.

Look around for Gretsch f-hole (instead of screens) model. I borrowed one for gig and was surprised by how good it sounded-- and it came with the Fishmann Nashville bridge pickups already installed, all for about $500, new. A deal!

Mike Auldridge played Ivan Guernsey guitars, prior to the switch to Beard--and they're birch plywood, as well.

Ivan told me, basically, that a reso's body was pretty much a speaker cabinet, as Andy said. (we were discussing Rob Iickes' Scheerhorn at the time)

I have one of Gregg McKenna's 8-strings. It, too, is made out of birch plywood, and it is infected with tone, as well as VOLUME.

It's probably safe to say, that it's what's inside the guitar that matters most. Soundwell vs. soundposts, baffles, better cones--That's the stuff that matters.