changing cone, advantages and disadvantages

[Seu João]

I would like to know if somebody here in this forum changed the cone on a busker/republic/continental/amistar for a national hot rod cone, what improvements did you get, does it get louder, buzzing problems, etc..
Talk about every aspect you find relevant!

[Michael Messer]

We have talked about this many times on the forum. Do a search and you will find some discussions.

Some people believe it improves the guitars to fit a National Reso-Phonic cone, but personally I don't think it does. It is obviously different in some aspects, but in my opinion not really an improvement. To get a National guitar, if that is what you want, you have to buy a National.

I cannot speak for all the brands you have mentioned, but the correct and proven way to improve a resonator guitar is by having it set up properly to optimise its performance. This must be done by an experienced National repairer, or you are wasting your time.

There is a difference if you fit a 1920s/30s National or Dobro cone in any resophonic guitar including a new National, but that is bringing in a whole other discussion which in addition to the cones and their quality, is age related.

If I were you I would just keep playing whatever guitar you have got and stop worrying about all this stuff >.....which guitar, which cone, which pickup....etc.

Shine On
Michael.

[Matt]

A note on the searching, make sure you change the dates you want to search between, and possibly the number of results. I think the default is 10 results form the last 7 days, and it took me ages to work out why I could never find anything!

[gaucho]

I put hot rods in my Republic Tricone and it made a noticeable difference. Not necessarily better, just different. But I do prefer the tone now. I was actually in the process of trying to trade it off for a square neck Dobro. But I like it enough now to keep. I agree with Michael that a good set-up on it would have probably improved the tone (and definitely the playability) even more but I don't know of anywhere to get a qualified technician (without sending it off by mail). I've read horror stories about set ups by qualified guitar techs who don't really have reso experience. I read somewhere (possibly here) that the Continental Tricone cones were thicker (and therefor less responsive) than the Hot Rods and that seems to be supported by the difference I found. The biscuit cones are very similar in thickness and tone. My Republic biscuit sounds great with the stock cone.

[toremainn]

Apr 10, 2011 13:17:57 GMT Michael Messer said:

If I were you I would just keep playing whatever guitar you have got and stop worrying about all this stuff >.....which guitar, which cone, which pickup....etc.

Did you really mean that, Michael ?

[Michael Messer]

What I said was meant for Seu João, not for everyone!

Shine On
Michael.

[Michael Messer]

Hi Gaucho,

My comments in this thread have been about 9.5 inch single cone National-style resonators, not Tricones.

You are correct that with Tricones it is a whole other discussion, because there are some differences in the gauges of metal and the designs of the resonators.

Shine On
Michael.

[Seu João]

Hello,

First i have to thank you greedyostrich, i tried to search but didn't find anything, now i know why!
Michael you're right i need to play whatever guitar i have, a godin 5th avenue kingpin, but i'm buying a busker delta without trying it so i'm worried and want to know everything about it in this forum.
If you find that my questions are not pertinent that's ok with me i can go to another forum, i thought this was made to help people with any doubt, and i've been posting mine.

Thank you all,
Joao Mota

[Michael Messer]

Hi Joao,

I am happy with you asking the questions. Over the past few months you have been on the forum asking questions which I and other forum members have answered.

If you are getting a Busker Delta, that is great news. I am sure you will enjoy it as they are excellent guitars. I think that before you ask about upgrading it and replacing parts, you should play it for a while and see what it actually is.

The first resonator guitar I bought was an OMI Dobro 33H which I ordered via mail order from a local music store. I played that guitar every day for four or five years before I ever thought about whether it was any good or not. It was a shiny metal resophonic guitar and I was deeply into mastering the art of playing it, so that is what I did. There was no Internet and no tuition DVDs, just one or two books that guided me in the right direction, and a determination to succeed in my endeavour to master the art of blues slide guitar. There was no one to ask, so I listened to records and copied what I heard, and went to gigs to see anybody that might play some slide guitar in their show. I consider myself lucky that I learnt before the Internet existed, because I would have spent the time I spent playing and learning on the Internet and not playing my guitar. During my first five years of serious learning I had no TV and no phone!

Don't worry about the cone, or the strings, or the tuners, or the colour, just get the guitar and immerse yourself in mastering the art of playing it.

Shine On
Michael.

[fitchmeister]

Hi Seu João

From this post and your last post re a vintage AMG guitar

If i understand you correctly - I think you are using the Vintage guitar you tried as a bench mark for Busker/Republic guitars? They are a lot better.

About 4 years ago, i bought an Vintage AMG Tricone and it sounded bad when i tried it in the shop. I upgraded it with a set of NRP cones and a new Tpiece - this was all done by an experienced luthier and the guitar was transformed. BUT this was a bit of a risk as i had no idea how much things would improve and some of these instruments have serious flaws in their manufacture. So it can be a bit of a gamble

With the advent of Busker & Republic alot of this guesswork has been removed by people who know resonators, working with the workshops in China, and performing proper setups/checks before they ship them out to customers.

I have tried various Republic and & MM guitars and the MM guitar are alot better (in my opinion) Busker guitars essentially come from the same UK workshop as MM guitars. I think Busker have a very fair returns policy too.

I spent along time looking at all the various angles and options when buying a resonator guitar and in the end there was nothing as big an improvement on the sound of my instrument than my ability to play. And that took time

I hope that helps

Roj

BTW if anyone on this forum has a Vintage tricone with 'Mojo Grande' engraved on the truss rod cover - that was my guitar

[Steverb]

Hi Seu João,

I have a Busker Delta which I bought without trying it first. It is a superb guitar - loud, resonant and deeply bluesy. I am not the slightest bit interested in swapping the cone for a NRP Hotrod or anything else; there's no need because it sounded great great straight out of the box and it keeps on sounding better the more I play it.

I can understand your anxiety as you are ordering from overseas and you have no experience of MM/Busker guitars to guide you, whereas I had played a few beforehand and heard them played by others. But what Michael says is correct - when you get your Busker Delta just play it and keep playing it. If after several months playing you still think you need to change the cone then do so, but I don't think you will want to do so because I'm sure you will be very happy with it just the way it is. And, as Roj says, it is likely to be the improvement in your playing technique that will produce the biggest improvement in your tone.

Have fun with your Delta. Let us know what you think of it when it arrives.

Steve

[DaveRed]

Joäo,
I bought an MM Lightning from Busker without trying it first and it's a fantastic guitar and I haven't needed to make any modifications to it.. I don't think you have any need to worry.

Dave

[gaucho]

Yeah, the whole Amistar post was what had me thinking Tricone. As I mentioned, my Republic biscuit cone (same cone as the Busker) is fantastic and I will not change that cone. If I was in Europe, I'd definitely check out the MM/Busker line....

[thebluesbear( al)]

Hi

I have since 2008 bought about 5 resonators from robin...
The first thing i will say( hopefully to set your mind at rest!) is I am from the UK originally, but i have not lived in England for a long time ....there is at least one other forum member that springs to mind as well ..who lives out of the UK and has ordered from Busker

Each and every time i have ordered something and i have spoken with Robin beforehand my instruments have always arrived in perfect order
Each time i have got more than i hoped for.
On two occasions out of curiosity I upgraded the biscuit and bridge in my Lightnings ....to a NRP it on reflection just made it different that is all.

Well..... Being the cone head i have become i did it again last week... i send a certain email To Robin and yet another Instrument is coming to my orphange for guitars without a home .

My point is you will not go wrong with Robin and any product he sells.
Nor will your Guitar need any improving, the only thing budget about MM-Busker guitars is the price

When she comes give her a name and play her i agree with that viewpoint .....and worry not!!!!!!

Al

[Malc]

I totally agree with Michaels comments.We all tend to worry to much about the instrument instead of just getting on and playing it. When I was trying to learn guitar in the 60s there was no internet, no tab to speak of and you even had to make up a decent set of strings using banjo strings.Just kept playing a 33rpm over and over again until it did or did not sink in.Even had to do that with the lyrics hence we often got them wrong. When I first learnt a song with TAB I found that I could not remember it without it in front of me so all I was doing was to copy someone else. If I use tab now its just for the basic framework and I then put my own bits in. Not that good but keeps me happy. Sorry to go on a bit. Malc