Pre-war Dobro rattles

Raybob · Post by **Raybob** » 12 Feb 2002 4:04 pm

I got a `33 Dobro that is gorgeous but has rattles in the sound. One screw was missing on the cover plate which deadend some of the rattles but it still rattles. This has no cover over the bridge. I don't know if there was one in `33 but if it was, it must have been bolted on with the two screws holding the cover to the spider.

If anyone can provide any info on this it would be greatly appreciated. The two screws from the cover to the spider have leather washers. Was that original? Doesn't the leather deaden the sound? Should these screws be tight?

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Good tunes

Gary Pederson · Post by **Gary Pederson** » 12 Feb 2002 6:52 pm

Was this guitar made by the Dobro company? I have never seen a dobro of any brand that had the coverplate bolted to the spider. Also, I can't undestand why it would be done. String tension on the bridge inserts will hold the spider in place. I would expect the bolts to be detrimental to the sound(with or without the washers). If this is a Dobro brand guitar & the coverplate is orginal, I would expect to see Patent Pending stamped on the topside of the coverplate. Very unusal that there is no strap over the bridge. Normally the strap & coverplate are all one piece. Detailed pictures would be interesting.

Raybob · Post by **Raybob** » 13 Feb 2002 1:20 am

Yes, it's a Dobro brand. The cover plate is marked 1,896,484 other pats pend. Yes, I would think it would deaden the sound. There are two tapped holes in the spider.

Raybob

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Good tunes

<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Raybob on 13 February 2002 at 01:22 AM.]</p></FONT>

Mike D · Post by **Mike D** » 13 Feb 2002 7:52 am

It's tough to tell what it is from the pics but it ain't no Dobro. It's a knockoff, the spider is four legged, as opposed to a Dobro's eight, plus the coverplate is wrong.

As to the rattle, makes sure (while the strings are tensioned) that all 4 legs make contact with the cone's rim and make sure the center tension screw is snug. Check the saddle slots, they should be cleanly cut and fit the strings well.

Hope that helps.

Raybob · Post by **Raybob** » 13 Feb 2002 9:25 am

If it was a Knock off, how could it have Dobro's patent number on the cover plate?

Scott Camara · Post by **Scott Camara** » 13 Feb 2002 9:36 am

I think this looks like one of the lower end models Dobro made, I belive it was called the Angelus or something like that. I know they had simpler cover plates with the round holes like that. I have never seen a spider like that, but since it was a lower priced model they may have had a unique spider for that model. If I remember correctly, they did have a palm rest over the bridge, it may have been lost over the years though. Its hard to tell from the picture, but I assume that it has a tension screw in the middle of the bridge that goes down and screws into the cone like most Dobros, and this may be your problem. However, you have to be careful adjusting the tension.

Greg McKenna has an excellent troubleshooting section for resos on his website. His address is www.mckennaguitars.com

Good luck

Mike D · Post by **Mike D** » 13 Feb 2002 11:45 am

Having a pat. # doesn't make it a Dobro. If you have a Dobro of the same vintage to compare the # with that would be helpful.

I may be all wrong (it's happened before

) but all the Dobro's and Dobro-licensed guitars like Regal and Kay etc. that I've seen have always had a standard spider bridge regardless of the style of coverplate.
There were several companies such as the Shireson(sp?) Bros actively infringing on National-Dobro's patents. Like Scott says perhaps it's a Ward's or other Store brand that used budget parts but I don't see alot of savings in having two casting set ups.

Regardless of what it ends up being, the stuff I mentioned in my earlier post still applies. Get all the parts nicely mated and the saddle and action right and it should sound good.

Paul Warnik · Post by **Paul Warnik** » 13 Feb 2002 11:54 am

It looks to me like the lower end "Angelus" or Model 19 coverplate with the round holes-Coverplate has been modified-handrest removed and those leather disc things are not original-four legged spiders were used on some of the lower end guitars for a while

Gary Pederson · Post by **Gary Pederson** » 13 Feb 2002 1:10 pm

Very interesting dobro.
As a last resort, you could upgrade it with Quarterman cone & number 14 spider (provided that the current cone is a standard sized cone). Your current coverplate may not work with the number 14 spider.

Gary Pederson · Post by **Gary Pederson** » 13 Feb 2002 4:14 pm

It just occurred to me that maybe the screws are to cancel out some of the downward pressure on the spider caused by the strings. To much downward pressure might break off leg(s), since there are only 4 of them.

Howard Parker · Post by **Howard Parker** » 13 Feb 2002 4:41 pm

Tis a new one on me...tough to tell from the photos. How's about a full frontal and rear view?

Is there a logo and/or a s/n at the end of the headstock?

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Howard Parker
poobah@resoguit.com
www.resoguit.com
ListOwner RESOGUIT

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 13 Feb 2002 5:18 pm

Paul Beard's video on Dobro Setup & Maintenance is an excellent investment. There are 6 or 8 things that could cause noise and you have to systematically eliminate or fix them. These include stripped screw holes and string tension warping the cone. Most experts say that the cone should never be glued or screwed into place. Check out these links:
http://www.stewmac.com/freeinfo/i-4006/index.html
http://www.stewmac.com/cgi-bin/hazel.cgi?client=69502403&action=SERVE&ITEM=catalog/p.html&A=%2BNAME_LINK%3DDobro_Setup_and_Maintenance

Raybob · Post by **Raybob** » 13 Feb 2002 9:56 pm

I want to thank everyone for all the information and links. I think I found the cause of the vibrations. There is a round nut under the cone that was soldered to the cone but he solder was broke loose and probably caused the rattle. I removed all the solder and I'm re-assembling now, checking to make sure everything else is OK along the way. Gary could be correct on the screws being for downward pressure on the spider. It rests on the cone in four formed spots but there is no support underneath those spots. I lost one of the 12 screws and our hardware store doesn't have those in slotted round head, only phillips. Gotta get a magnet and try to find that one screw.
As for serial numbers, there's a 4 digit number stamped on the tailpiece, nothing on the peg head.

Raybob

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Good tunes

Tom Olson · Post by **Tom Olson** » 14 Feb 2002 10:39 pm

Only the owner of a particular valid patent can use, or authorize the use of, the number of that patent on a product. If the patent number is a patent owned by Dobro, then whatever the patent number is on has been made by Dobro or has been made under the authority of Dobro.

Thus, while a given instrument may have a patent number which is owned by Dobro, that doesn't necessarily make the instrument a Dobro (it could have been made under license -- by Regal, for example). By the same token, if the instrument has the same patent number as a vintage Dobro, that doesn't necessarily make the instrument a vintage Dobro either (it still could have been made under license).

If the term of the patent has expired, anyone can stamp the patent number on whatever they want.