Pics of my fiddle edge Dobro

[washboardchris]

Hi Deuce has posted some pics of my Fiddle edge Dobro in my previous post "fiddle edge Dobro problem" if anyone remembers this Dobro pre mid 70's(it has been in the UK for some time)please let me know. It would have had the customised !!!!!!! neck on it then. All the best Chris

[Michael Messer]

That neck and headstock are quite something!

I have never seen that guitar before.

Shine On
Michael.

[washboardchris]

Hi Michael, have you seen a finish like that before.As far as I can see it has never been plated & the only one like it I have seen was on the cover of a Taj Mahal CD

[Michael Messer]

The Dobro on the front of Taj's Music Fuh Ya' album is apparently gold-plated, although from talking with Mark who knew your guitar when Colin had it, your one is brass. The photo of yours is not good enough quality for me to see what the finish is.

Shine On
Michael.

[rbe]

I have seen several, all brass, unplated, fiddle-edges. I have also seen several made of both brass and steel. My guess is that you have the body from an M35 with the finish removed. It would not be unexpected for National/Dobro/Regal to have used an available brass body to complete an order for a painted steel body, especially in the later years. You find the same situation with Collegians being made in both steel and brass, even though they were thought to be a painted steel guitar.

[washboardchris]

I had thought that it may have been plated at some time but there is no indication of it & its not matt brass but finished like a trumpet or saxaphone ( it looks like a factory job to me)

[Michael Messer]

Interestingly, of all the many hundreds of Nationals & Dobros I have seen, I cannot recall seeing any polished brass Dobros. The only one I know of, apart from the Taj one, is Colin's one that you now have. The Taj Mahal 'gold plated' story must have been written in an interview at some point and has circulated as a rumour. I don't think it is gold-plated, but that was the rumour. I have spent time with Taj on a few occasions when I have opened shows for him, but never had a talk about brass Dobros.

Shine On
Michael

[washboardchris]

Thanks for tyour time Michael .I find that the guitar upstages me at times,as in what is that, is it made of gold and other daft questions(the weight of the thing I could melt it down and buy another house)

[Michael Messer]

Hi Chris,

I am pretty sure the Dobro is brass, as I have spoken with someone who saw it when Colin first got it.

I would love to see some good quality photos of it sometime?

Shine On
Michael.

[rbe]

Someone polished and lacquered the brass body. It was most likely not done at the time the guitar was manufactured. (A little "Brasso" can do wonders.) My guess is the original finsh was a sunburst.

Did you ever get the spider problem worked out?

[washboardchris]

Hi,the spider I have in it works(I had to file the legs down (the
spider and cone are both Beard) but the bridge is very low,about 1/8 th of an inch. I will keep my eye out for a lugged cone on ebay,you never know!!!

[Michael Messer]

I too am fairly sure these were not factory finished with polished brass. They are most likely stripped painted finish bodies.

Chris, I am almost certain yours is a brass body, but just to be sure, could you do me a favour and test it with a magnet?

Thanks,

Shine On
Michael

[washboardchris]

Hi, have tested it and its all bras including the cover plate. It weighs a ton.

[Michael Messer]

Thanks Chris. I thought it was, but I was just checking.

Shine On
Michael

[Deleted]

My OMI metal dobro weighs in at 3.27kg, my MM weighs 3.66kg, but feels a LOT heavier.