Impressed with Wechter Scheerhorn

Jim Pitman · From: Waterbury Ctr. VT 05677 USA

I've joined the 21st century and got a resophonic guitar with sound posts and bafles.
I've been playing an OMI dobro all along that I bought in 73. I always got a good tone out of it until recently. I presume the cone has given up the tone ghost. I've had it apart and reset it up quite a few times. I can't seam to get it back.
I got a new Beard Legend cone for it but then realized it's 1/16" in diameter bigger. It's oversized enough I need to route the top of the guitar to get it in. So I approached a guy who asked me for a recommendation on purchasing a good value resophonic about 10 years ago. He bought what I recommended but stated he hasn't ever got the hang of it and offered to lend it to me while I take my OMI out of commision.
It's 2008, Mahogony ply, Wechter Scheerhorn with round sound holes. It's been nicknamed the frugal horn as it is a much cheaper alternative to a real Scheerhorn being made in China.
I'm really impressed with this guitar. Not only does it sound good but the fit and finish quality beat my OMI hands down.
It's very resonant with good bass and sustain. It's inspires me to play which is how I judge an instrument.
One issue - It had not so much as a finger print on it when I took it out of the case. There are no scratches, dings or dents anywhere. Meanwhile I'm working on a Willy hole in the cover palte of my OMI not to mention a totally cheked finish with numerous battle scars.
I'm a litle scared to play it out for that reason.
I'll likely offer to buy it, but for now, I was thinking I'd get some of that clear plastic material they make phone display guards out of. I'd lay it over the wood on the top and perhaps as pickguard on the cover plate.
Anybody know where I can get a large sheet of this material?
Anyone else own a Wechter Scheerhorn?
Opion?

Brad Davis · From: Texas, USA

Nice guitar. I believe these were discontinued a few years ago (well, Wechter itself was "discontinued"). But they were highly regarded in this price range.

Don't be too scared of that finish, I think it's poly like almost all Asian imports. It looks shiny and beautiful, but its fairly tough and durable. It will develop micro scratches with some ease, mostly imperceptible, but they can be buffed out sometimes. It will not check like traditional nitro finish, but you still don't want to leave the instrument in extreme cold or heat if you can avoid it.

Pete Burak · From: Portland, OR USA

I have two here.
A great value.
Very fun to play Smile

The reason they have that nice pillow-ee Bass is because of the internal baffle. If you can carefully/easily remove a sound-hole cover (held in with molding putty on mine), you can see the clear-plastic baffle inside the upper end of the body (where neck attaches to body).
We had Rob Ickes here in town last week and he of course plays a Whecter Sheerhon Rob Ickes model.
The Sunburst one below has built in pre-amp and pickup, with Volume, Bass, and Treble knobe in the F-Holes.
I tune mine to D-tuning Smile

Allen Hutchison · From: Kilcoy, Qld, Australia

Here's my 2006 ish factory lefty Model 6510F with serial number 12856.
I play for my own amusement almost daily, & one regular outing per month at my steel club. I bought this in 2008/9? & the finish is still great! It's as tough as old boots & sounds as good as the day I got it.
Highly recommend you buy it if you get the chance!
Cool

Brooks Montgomery · From: Idaho, USA

Pretty sure Rob Ickes always plays a (Tim) Scheerhorn spruce/rosewood (far from frugal). He has several of them. I haven't seen him play a W/S model in concert.
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A banjo, like a pet monkey, seems like a good idea at first.

Pete Burak · From: Portland, OR USA

Oh woops yeah you are probably right.
There is a Whecter Sheerhorn "Rob Ickes" model and I saw this vid with him and Rob, which looks just like the one he played last week... I should have asked which one that was. I also forgot to check which JD Aura setting he uses.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOVs4Vwt-Jw

Jim Pitman · From: Waterbury Ctr. VT 05677 USA

Tx for the responses guys.
I wasn't sure about the polly finish. Sounds right.
My only beef, and this has been true of very resophonic I've owned and scene, is the case fit. The middle support cutout for the square neck is likely sized for a round neck. The back of the guitar doesn't sit flat against the padding. It only makes contact at the end of the back and close to the heel of the neck where it is lifted by the support. Easily remedied - just saying.

Howard Parker · From: Maryland

The W/S and Goldtone/Beard guitars were largely responsible for the explosion of "Dobro" popularity. Both are built VERY well and will serve you for decades.

Is that a W/S branded squareneck case? That case should fit like a glove. That other thing to note is that many modern resos actually have slightly arched backs so depending on the case the guitar may actually rock a bit. I don't recall if the OP's guitar is an arched or flat back. Just something to check.

Congrats on the guitar!

h
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Howard Parker

03\' Carter D-10
70\'s Dekley D-10
52\' Fender Custom
Many guitars by Paul Beard

Jim Pitman · From: Waterbury Ctr. VT 05677 USA

Thanks Howard. Yes, the WS has a slightly arched back but that doesn't account for the fact the back stands a good inch off the floor near the neck pocket.
Good point - Perhaps a round neck case was mistakenly traded/paired with a squareneck guitar at the music store ten years ago.
I've put some 1" thick velvet covered foam on the floor - fits fine now.
I had a chance to buy a used Beard-Goldtone a few months ago but it was priced too high for it's condition so I passed. Nonetheless, it also was a very nice sounding well built guitar.

Brad Davis · From: Texas, USA

FWIW I've used this squareneck HSC for my Gold Tone for over a decade and it has been great:

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/accessories/musicians-gear-deluxe-archtop-hardshell-squareneck-guitar-case

Joe Breeden · From: Virginia, USA

When I bought mine, and I can't remember the dealer, A case was not listed for this specific guitar. Did Wechter offer a case made for their resonators? I bought a Travel lite case and it works fine for me. Joe

Jim Pitman · From: Waterbury Ctr. VT 05677 USA

The case fpr mine is Wechter branded. It fits the guitar nicely otherwise. Just that middle support is too high.

Mark Eaton · Posted 30 Aug 2017 12:43 pm

Here are Rob and Trey Hensley a couple weeks ago at one of the best venues where you'd ever want to enjoy music: The Freight & Salvage in Berkeley.

This is the 4th time I have seen the duo since they formed after Rob's departure from Blue Highway. It's amazing how these two guys can fill up a room with so much sound.

Trey was playing his Preston Thompson dreadnought from Oregon - a fantastic guitar.

Rob is on one of his two solid rosewood/spruce Tim-made Scheerhorns, in other words - a "real'horn." One was made as I recall in 1998 and the other was made in 2004. The no longer made Rob Ickes Wechter/Scheerhorn (Icke'horn) model was fashioned after this rosewood/spruce 'horn. The woods are all laminate, as were all the made in China Wechter/Scheerhorns (frugal'horn).

When National Reso-Phonic took over production the Scheerhorn guitars around four years ago they have been following very closely Tim's original "recipe" for his L-Body Scheerhorn, and these guitars are made from solid wood. Of the ballpark 10 Nati-horns I have played, the best one was an Ickes model. Very close to the real deal as if it were made by Tim himself.

Rob has also gotten away from using a mic while performing with Trey - he's full-time with the Fishman Nashville pickup through the Fishman Aura Jerry Douglas imaging pedal in combination with a simple pedal board containing a few other items.

About a dozen years ago Rob allowed me to take the '98 Scheerhorn for a spin. It still might be to my ears the greatest sounding resonator guitar I have ever played and heard.

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Mark

Jim Pitman · From: Waterbury Ctr. VT 05677 USA

Cool Mark. I'm really digging the tone of mine.

Mark Eaton · Posted 31 Aug 2017 1:22 pm

Frugal'horns are a very good value, as are the Gold Tone/Beard guitars.

One year at ResoSummit in Nashville (2010) Rob had for sale in the merch area one of his Ickes model Wechter/Scheerhorns. I don't really know what made this guitar different because the laminate woods found in all the models are generally not known to effect overall tone as much as when building with solid woods, but aside from the overall appearance and the fact that there was some money in there for Rob since it was his signature model, and though any of the frugal'horns sound good with proper setup - there was something about this Icke'horn that really stood out. It's possible that the Ickes model W/S came with a better grade of laminate wood in the rosewood/spruce combo than the lower priced frugal'horns. Maybe along the lines of the quality of the laminate wood used on the Beard Mike Auldridge signature guitars. I believe those guitars are constructed of high grade Finnish birch laminate or layered wood set.

I sat down and was playing the Icke'horn and Rob, who was standing about 10 feet away commented, "I can't believe how loud that guitar is!" It projected a lot of volume with a minimum of effort. And it had great tone. I really wanted to bring it home with me to add to the stable, but I had spent quite a bit of money on that trip in flying from California and if my wife saw the credit card statement with this guitar purchase prior to my return she might have thrown all my stuff out on the lawn and changed the locks on the doors. I think it sold for around $1300 including the case.

This was the first time Rob heard this particular guitar and as it turns out Tim Scheerhorn had just given it his personal setup.

It's not like I don't have a fine modern resonator - I play a Clinesmith - but I remember thinking at the conference that his particular Icke'horn sounded better than maybe 50% of the guitars I played or heard that week, and it sold in many cases at a fraction of the price of a lot of the guitars in attendance.

Another one that got away that I think about every so often...
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Mark

Dan Mahoney · From: North Carolina, USA

Hey Jim, if you decide to buy the W/S you might consider sending the OMI to Paul Beard for a setup. He can rout the top so your Legend cone will fit and it should sound awesome. After a few decades of service the old girl deserves some special treatment.
Or if you know a good cabinet guy he could rout it with a pilot bit if you have the stomach for it. Bobby Wright did it for me on my Meredith and it turned out great.

Jim Pitman · From: Waterbury Ctr. VT 05677 USA

Yes Dan, I plan to get it done some how. Did you ever score that PSG?

Dan Mahoney · From: North Carolina, USA

Yes. Hudson 6 string, 3P, 2K. Struggling with the technique, especially the volume pedal. But you were right about getting P3.

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