Resophonic guitar

Bill Baker · Post by **Bill Baker** » 13 Jan 2005 5:32 pm

What would a l981-square neck - 8 string DOBRO , top of the line , w/hard case, made in W. Germany, great shape, one owner, BE WORTH???????

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HowardR · Post by **HowardR** » 13 Jan 2005 5:47 pm

Hard to say without knowing the maker and what woods it's made of.

Could be one of the better guitars, or,.....one of the wurst!

[This message was edited by HowardR on 13 January 2005 at 05:48 PM.]

Bill McCloskey · Post by **Bill McCloskey** » 13 Jan 2005 6:16 pm

Well, I can't tell you what it is worth, but I can give you the price of a brand new Beard MA8 8 string, which is about as good an 8 string you are going to find: $3,500 new and around $3,300 on the used market. So you are well south of there. There are two problems with 8 string dobro: it is a small market.

Unless your Howard, in which case you are a small market all by yourself.

It was great meeting you yesterday Howard and seeing the Benoit. Fantastic instrument.

HowardR · Post by **HowardR** » 13 Jan 2005 7:00 pm

HowardR · Post by **HowardR** » 13 Jan 2005 7:11 pm

This is the only German reso builder that I know of.

http://www.manzanita.de/

Post by **Brad Bechtel** » 13 Jan 2005 9:36 pm

Dobro® brand resonator guitars were never made in West Germany. Assuming it was made in California (all Dobro®s would have been manufactured in Huntington Beach during 1981), it could be worth between $500 and $2000 depending on condition. I'd have to see some pictures to give you any sort of better assessment, and even then it would be a guess on my part.

If you want a good appraisal, try contacting one of these vintage guitar stores:
Gruhn Guitars, Nashville, TN
Mandolin Brothers, Staten Island, NY
Elderly Instruments, Lansing, MI

If your Dobro® guitar really is made in West Germany, it's a fake and could be worth much less. How does it sound? 1981 Dobro®s aren't considered particularly collectible, but as an eight string it may have a bit more value.

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Brad's Page of Steel
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars
[This message was edited by Brad Bechtel on 13 January 2005 at 09:38 PM.]