The Steel Guitar Forum

Greetings,

Wondering if anyone has experience (I know you guys have OPINIONS!)...or opinions, they're valuable too, on the Liberty Resos.

I know looks don't count for tone, but these look way too sharp for the $. Seem to run from 300 to 600 bucks. Copper or brass tops, spider br., good woods...etc.

I play steel, but am thinking about dobro to keep up the chops and to branch a little. It's really just a steel guitar you unplug and carry around your neck right?

I'll appreciate any response.

Jeff

Jeff,
I picked up a Black Widow ( Liberty) Square neck on E-bay about a year ago. It is IMHO
a well built, great sounding instrument. They are built down in Florida by a man named Bobby Blue(spelling?). Although it comes from the factory ready to play, I replaced the plastic nut with a bone nut and the maple saddle with an ebony saddle. This increased the volume and sustain by 10-20%. I also replaced the plastic tuners with some nice nickel plated tuners that I got from Paul Beard. I was going to put in a Quarterman cone, but the stock cone sounded so good, I just left well enough alone. I have two freinds with Dobro brand resonators(one is mid 80s, the other mid 90s)and we all agree that my Liberty sounds as good or better than their guitars for one-third the price.(with all the upgrades and the original price of the guitar, I have @ $375 invested) As you can see, I'm very happy with the instrument. If you have any questions, go to the Liberty web site. They have a tele. number you can call. Nice People.

Mike Winfield

I don't like the one that I picked up off Ebay. It was a roundneck with a wood body and a metal top. I've heard form those that agree with me, and I've heard from others that they picked up a good value from Liberty. Perhaps their consistency isn't that good? Definitely play it before you pay for it, if at all possible.

They do LOOK pretty nice. Mine looked good in the picture, but having it in my hands allowed closer inspection and the instrument definitely lacks. Very poor job of binding the top to the body on mine.

Proceed with caution.

The one that I bought off ebay is a piece of garbage. That's not an opinion. That's a fact.

It seems that some have had a decent experience with Liberty guitars while others like myself have not.

Be very, very careful. Make sure that you have a return option. "Fore warned is forearmed."