Reasonable dobro sound from a psg

Colin Goss · Post by **Colin Goss** » 2 Nov 1999 6:44 am

I have had a request to provide a reasonable dobro sound from the psg, or learn to play dobro. I think I perfer the first option. I havre a profex II, but the two dobro sounds thereon (via Jeffs card) are not right. Has anyone achieved this, if so, what are the settings, and what is the technique to play - chords, single notes, runs etc.

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 2 Nov 1999 6:58 am

Colin:
What you want is a Goodrich Matchbro. One recently sold on the Forum for $85. They come up every now and then. Or contact Goodrich for a new one (do they still make them? I dunno.)
[This message was edited by Jim Cohen on 11-02-99]

Tom Ward · Post by **Tom Ward** » 2 Nov 1999 7:41 am

Colin, I'm getting a close dobro sound from my Sho-Bud Super Pro by using a Zum simulator pick-up mounted about 1 & 3/4-inch in front of the Sho-Bud pick-up. It runs to a switch box that switches "off" the Sho-Bud pick-ups and "on" the Zum. Then the signal goes to my Pro-Fex with a dobro program. I only found one good dobro sound "DOBRO TOO". Only trouble is, Zum stopped making the pick-ups. Maybe Bill Lawrence has something similar?
Good luck, Tom

Duane Becker · Post by **Duane Becker** » 2 Nov 1999 7:50 am

You need to get a Goodrich Matchbro. If people are not watching you actually play the steel, then they will beleive that you are playing a dobro. That how authentic it sounds when you have it adjusted correctly. Duane Becker

Don Sulesky · Post by **Don Sulesky** » 2 Nov 1999 9:22 am

Colin,
Check out the technical section of the forum.
I brought my dobro settings back up to the top.
Don

Mike Perlowin · Post by **Mike Perlowin** » 2 Nov 1999 12:07 pm

I second the motion that you get a match-bro.

It really does the job. (Especially when you use the special bar that comes with it.)

Al Brisco of Canada has the special Zum pickup which he uses in conjunction with the Match-bro. He gets a great sound out of the combination of the 2.

Bill Rowlett · Post by **Bill Rowlett** » 2 Nov 1999 1:45 pm

You can use a Boss Acoustic Simulator stomp box. It's considerably cheaper than a MatchBro and sounds plenty good enough. It helps to have the Goodrich plastic bar or to use a Stevens type bar.

Bill

Bill Nauman · Post by **Bill Nauman** » 2 Nov 1999 4:19 pm

The Big E gets an awesome Dobro sound with a Matchbro...picked me up of the chair I was sitting on.. get one...Bill

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dlayne · Post by **dlayne** » 2 Nov 1999 7:08 pm

John Hughey gets a great dobro sound and I'm not sure what he's using but it sure does sound great.

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Dan Layne

Olli Haavisto · Post by **Olli Haavisto** » 3 Nov 1999 12:03 am

Hi Colin,
I have a good Dobro w. a McIntyre pick up but I prefer to use the Match-Bro/PSG with anything louder than a bluegrass band live.The one with the two tone controls is the one to get.

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Olli Haavisto
Polar steeler
Finland

Jim Smith · Post by **Jim Smith** » 3 Nov 1999 6:05 am

Could you please share the settings you use on the two tone control model? I have one of these and the plastic bar but haven't found a setting I like yet.

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 3 Nov 1999 7:45 am

I think a lot of it is in the hands. Take your foot off the volume pedal. Pick harder. Use a dead bar (glass or polished wood). Think dobro licks.

There have been times when I got a perfect dobro sound without even touching my amp. Gadgets can help, I guess, but the real key is in your approach to the instrument.

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 3 Nov 1999 7:52 am

Buddy's advice to me on this was to pick "more percussively", with a sharper attack. It helps!

Kenny Davis · Post by **Kenny Davis** » 3 Nov 1999 7:03 pm

OOPS....See Below!
[This message was edited by Kenny Davis on 11-03-99]

Kenny Davis · Post by **Kenny Davis** » 3 Nov 1999 7:13 pm

The Match-Bro (with it's special bar) sounds pretty realistic. THINK resophonic, and play simple, single-string stuff. The approach to playing is very important, along with a more "aggressive" use of your picks.

While experimenting with the Match-Bro, get a square-neck resophonic, and start learning how to play it. Don't tune it to E....Tune it to G or G6th. You'll be more marketable as a player, and will enjoy the "freedom" it gives you compared to the psg. I found it helped my psg playing as well.

Don Nemarnik · Post by **Don Nemarnik** » 3 Nov 1999 8:12 pm

I'd have to agree with Bobby lee I'm just starting out on psg but I've been playing a dobro scince 5 years old. it seems like my biggest problem is having my msa not sound like a dobro.it's in the playing style. I use a "line 6 computer model"amp.with a little tweakage it sounds exactly
like my national.

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 3 Nov 1999 8:25 pm

While experimenting with the Match-Bro, get a square-neck resophonic, and start learning how to play it

Kenny:
If I were willing to pay for the square-neck resophonic in the first place, I wouldn't need the Match-Bro at all!

Jim Smith · Post by **Jim Smith** » 3 Nov 1999 8:57 pm

Okay, while I'm working on my percussive attack and thinking Dobro, what positions do y'all set your tone knobs on your MatchBro's to?

Bob Hoffnar · Post by **Bob Hoffnar** » 3 Nov 1999 9:33 pm

A real dobro is fun to play and alot less hassel to drag around to rehersals and gigs. It helps my steel playing also. If you are playing in a loud band the problem then becomes- How do get a reasonable dobro sound from a dobro ?

Bob

SCOTT TYLER · Post by **SCOTT TYLER** » 3 Nov 1999 10:51 pm

I find that when I use my Zumm Dobro simulator pickup that I need to "scoop out" some of the mid frequencies on either my amp or my effects processor to get that real Dobro sound. Also, I stay away from the higher strings and stay in the middle and low registers to get a "thicker" sound like you would from a wood Dobro. Hope this helps a little. Scott

Abe Stoklasa · Post by **Abe Stoklasa** » 3 Dec 2000 3:31 pm

Paul Franklin can make a great dobro sound. Check out his website, and you'll see what I mean.

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Abraham - MSA D-10 Pedal steel, standel amp, George L bar, 2 finger picks and 1 thumb pick, .

John Steele · Post by **John Steele** » 3 Dec 2000 6:28 pm

Hi Jim !
Don't know if you remember meeting me briefly at Big Balls in Cowtown in Fort Worth last year, but anyhow, it was a pleasure. (nice town, btw!)
The "tone" and "timbre" controls, I've messed alot with mine and end up setting them on 3 and 3 1/2 respectively. I'm sure different pickups, etc., make a difference.
-John

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 4 Dec 2000 5:29 am

The settings I use (or at least the initial setting point) with my Matchbro is to have the left knob pointing to the upper left corner (approx 10 O'clock) and the right hand knob pointing to the upper right corner (approx 2 O'clock). That seems to be a good setting for mine, which is one of the older (original) models with the bypass tone control.

Smiley Roberts · Post by **Smiley Roberts** » 4 Dec 2000 9:59 pm

Colin,
Did you get my e-mail?

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Bob Hoffnar · Post by **Bob Hoffnar** » 4 Dec 2000 11:22 pm

Read the date on the original post. This thread is well over a year old. Our buddy Abraham keeps on pulling up old threads for some strange reason.

have a nice day

Bob [This message was edited by Bob Hoffnar on 04 December 2000 at 11:30 PM.]