Resonator guitar Physics

[Tim Toberer]

I just skimmed through these and most of it is over my head. Thought some here might find it interesting, not sure if this has been shared here before. These tests are done with a biscuit style resonator, but it seems it still somewhat applies to spider bridge and tricone guitars.

https://www.its.caltech.edu/~politzer/r ... tar-BW.pdf
https://www.its.caltech.edu/~politzer/p ... r-cone.pdf

There are some interesting links at the end of these as well if you want to keep reading.

[Rich Arnold]

I'll have to read that at another time. It's pretty in-depth and I'm sorta running right now.

It's an interesting thought to have an 8 string with biscuit resonator. I'd like to hear that.

I was fooling around wit the 8 string dobro but quit and sold it because no matter what I played it sounded like a dobro. Besides a grand comes in handy these days.

[BJ Burbach]

Rich,
I don't think that an eight string biscuit would be so hot.
On the other hand, David might still be selling his 8 string tricone;

viewtopic.php?p=3237640#p3237640

Anyway, I don't get it.
When I listen to your old dobro stuff, it sounds like a saxophone. I think that you are biased.
Actually, when I listen to your dobro stuff, I hear a symphony.

Thanks for tech stuff, Tim.
BJ

[Tim Toberer]

It's an interesting thought to have an 8 string with biscuit resonator. I'd like to hear that.

I was fooling around wit the 8 string dobro but quit and sold it because no matter what I played it sounded like a dobro. Besides a grand comes in handy these days.

It seems I may have to build one to find out. I did an image search and can't find even one example of an 8 string biscuit cone guitar. I did fine one National collegian 7 string, probably custom. The main problem I see is that the biscuit and cone are sized for 6 strings. Probably could squeeze 7, but 8 would require a pretty awkward overhang.
My idea is to spin my own cone, a little shallower with a wider flat on the top for the biscuit. I think I would make the scale length a bit shorter 24". I sort of prefer the gritty, trashy sound of a biscuit guitar over the more refined nasally sound of a spider bridge (dobro), but I just love them both! Never played a tricone, but I want to.

[Rich Arnold]

I had a tri-cone for a while. 6 string. It had brutal volume but no sustain.