Help to Identify a 1994 OMI DObro

[dbonvarlet]

Hi all,

I'm new to this forum, which I discovered while looking for information to correctly identify the model of a Dobro that was brought to me. According to the serial number it is from the period IMO, 1994. I found traces of a model with the same engravings on the body on Reverb, identified as a DM36 Rose, but while looking for this DM36 model, I falls different engravings...and closer to roses.

Does anyone have a lead for this model? Is this a limited edition?

Thank you

Damien

[Michael Messer]

Hello Damien,

Welcome to our forum.

This guitar's body is a standard Dobro design. It is copied from the 1920s & 30s Style 2 (Wild Rose) Tricones.

Here is one that turned up on here ten years ago

michaelmesser.proboards.com/thread/7163/omi-model-36

I can't be sure about the fretboard inlays. It doesn't look like OMI's work to me. At this time Gibson had just bought the Dobro company, but manufacturing was still happening at Huntingdon Beach.

My opinion is that it is not Dobro's work.

Shine On
Michael

[Noah Miller]

It has the exact same engraving as The Rose in the 1996 catalog. There's no DM36 designation, just "The Rose", so the other guitars you saw might have been earlier. The big difference is the fretboard, which might be a custom order but I suspect was customized after the instrument was bought.

[dbonvarlet]

Thank you Michael and Noah,

after reading your answers, I take a closer look at fingerboard and saw that position marks at 15 and 19 were filled .
But it doesn't seem that fingerboard had been refretted. I understood that  custom order from Dobro is not your primary opinion, but did DObro sometimes done this kind of work? and if so, is there's a catalog of custom works?

I'm luthier, but I'm more comfortable with acoustic or electric guitars .

regards,
Damien

[Michael Messer]

Hi Damien

My pleasure.

In all the years of seeing National and Dobro instruments we have never seen a fretboard inlayed with the same designs as the body. Also, this work does not in any way resemble anything that Dobro or National have ever done. In my opinion, considering the type of abalone used, it has been done sometime in the last 20 years. It is not really very well done and doesn't match the style of the body.

If you want a book about such things, the only book to get is "Palm Trees, Senortitas and Rocket Ships!" by Mark Makin. Available direct from Mark... markmakin.co.uk/book.html

Shine On
Michael

[dbonvarlet]

Thank you Michael,

I 'm agree with you concerning the quality of inlay

thank you again for your valuable expertise.

regards

Damien

[Michael Messer]

Feb 9, 2024 15:34:12 GMT dbonvarlet said:

Thank you Michael,

I 'm agree with you concerning the quality of inlay

thank you again for your valuable expertise.

regards

Damien

My pleasure, Damien.

Shine On
Michael