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Post by bluesbottle on Apr 30, 2008 3:31:33 GMT
Hi everyone, I'm new around here and I'm loving it!! The news is I just got made redundant and now I want to blow the money on a better reso to cheer myself up. There seem to be metal Dobro md-33s and National style Os and 1s on Ebay. Can anyone give me any guidance about how these differ in sound? Some of the Dobros are very pretty (eg Shield dm-1000) but do they sound any good? I don't have the luxury of being able to try them so I have to buy them sound unheard. I would really appreciate your collective wisdom.  |
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Post by robbie on Apr 30, 2008 8:20:36 GMT
hiya bluesbottle,
to my way of thinking the first thing to sort out is if you want a metal bodied reso or a wooden one, I will probably get pilloried for say this but I believe that metal bodies are synonomus with blusey stuff and wood bodies are , well more country with regards to national v dobro, mabye thats subjective and you should take a look at them as both make wonderful instruments, Hope you get fixed up with work soon ( if thats what you want )
regards
robbie
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Post by Michael Messer on Apr 30, 2008 8:39:49 GMT
G'day Bluesbottle, Welcome to our forum. There is an article on my website that you should read. It won't totally answer your question, but it will help. www.michaelmesser.co.uk/RESONATOR%20GUITARS%20INTRODUCTION.htmDobro 33s and 1000s were made by a company called OMI and are an acquired taste as their tone is different to a National. I think the best way to move forward is for you tell us what you want from your new guitar - what kind of repetoire do you play, and if you could name one player....who do you want to sound like. Then with that info I can advise you. For example; Blind Boy Fuller & Bukka White = National Duolian / Mark Knopfler = National style O....etc. There is no need to hurry with your decision - there is a constant supply of resonator guitars turning up on ebay these days. Shine On Michael. |
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Post by bluesbottle on Apr 30, 2008 20:47:10 GMT
Thanks guys, At the moment I am playing mainly slide and I am a passionate blues lover. I have a Epiphone steel bodied guitar but it seems rather dull at the top end no matter what gauge strings I put on it. It has a biscuit bridge with plenty of grunt on the bass strings. I like the sound that Jeremy Spencer gets on some tracks of his album precious little. I also like the sound Bonnie Raite gets when she plays accoustic on a track in the album Blues around the world. Not to keen on the real metal sound that old players like Robert Johnson have but I suspect a lot of that is to do with recording quality. Any advise would be very welcome. I live i a little counry at the end of the world and will never get to try before I buy!   |
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Post by robbie on Apr 30, 2008 20:50:30 GMT
Hi bluesbottle,
take a look at this video, the guy looks at a few instruments................it may help
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Post by mikevernon on Apr 30, 2008 21:52:03 GMT
Hi Bluesbottle
A steel bodied Epiphone Biscuit? Really? I haven't come across one of those. Do you have any photos?
Mike
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Post by Michael Messer on Apr 30, 2008 23:17:52 GMT
Hi Bluesbottle, The reason your Epiphone sounds the way it does is because it is not a very good instrument. There are a few reasons for the thin sound high up the neck, but mainly it is two things...set-up and a weak sounding resonator cone. Bonnie Raitt is a great player. You should get her first couple of albums from the early 70s, especially the first...just called Bonnie Raitt. It is always very hard to advise via email, but if you want a real classic instrument that you will never regret buying, you should get an original old National. If you get a good one, you just can't go wrong. Contact Lenny at www.vintagenationals.com and ask what he has in stock. Tell him I sent you and he will look after you. He'll look after you even if you don't mention my name! I think you would be happy with either a steel or brass bodied single cone guitar. My personal preference is 12 fret join to the body, but you may prefer a 14 fret model. Duolian, Triolian, or a Style O. They all sound great! If you do not want an old 1930s guitar, you should look at getting a National Reso-Phonic, or jumping up a notch from there to a hand built instrument by Fine Resophonic Guitars in Paris (www.fineresophonic.com) - Mike Lewis is the man behind the Fine Resophonic name and he builds the best new National style guitars on the planet. I know somebody in New Zealand who could do a beautiful set-up and any work on resonator guitars that you have. His name is Steve Evans and he lives at Whangare. I have no idea where that is, but Steve has built guitars for Mark Knopfler, Eric Clapton and many other well known resonator guitarists. I hope that has been helpful? Please feel free to ask more questions. There are lots of knowledgable people who read this forum and can help advise you. Shine On, Michael. |
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Post by bluesbottle on May 1, 2008 1:41:14 GMT
Many thanks Mike, Yes Steve lives near Whangarei which is at the very top of the North Island. I live in Christchurch which is halfway down the South Island. I have one of his resophonic ukes. Yes I think the Epi comes from the same generic factory in China where most of the national style copies are made. (Not the one where yours are made) It's even got the Gibson name on the trussrod cover! I still haven't got a straight answer from anyone on the Gibson metal Dobros for blues. I take this to mean that they are inferior to the Nationals but their price secondhand is right up there, maybe because they are not made anymore and people want to collect them rather than play them. Kia ora Brian |
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Post by Michael Messer on May 1, 2008 9:24:57 GMT
Hi Brian,
I thought you would know Steve Evans!
Regarding the OMI & Gibson metal-bodied Dobros; OMI are better instruments than the Gibson ones. Basically, Gibson bought the brand & destroyed it. OMI Dobros are nice guitars, but if I were mail ordering and not trying it first, I would not go for one. The advice I gave you in the last message was because you need a safe and reliable way of buyingh a good instrument.
Can I ask how much (in US dollars) you wish to spend on a guitar? It would be helpful information.
Shine On
Michael.
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Post by bluesbottle on May 1, 2008 9:57:56 GMT
Around $2000US max. The kiwi dollar is hig against the US at the moment but not the pound so no good buying a National in Britain!
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Post by davey on May 1, 2008 19:41:05 GMT
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Post by Deleted on May 2, 2008 0:57:47 GMT
Those Don Morrisons look tasty, never come across them before  Anyone played em? On the actual topic, there are many videos of resos being played on youtube. Just stick 'national' or 'dobro' in the search engine. To start you off, here's a guy who plays loads of old blues on all sorts of guitars: uk.youtube.com/user/daddystovepipe |
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Post by bluesbottle on May 2, 2008 23:04:20 GMT
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Post by Michael Messer on May 3, 2008 8:58:16 GMT
Hi Bluesbottle,
Looking at your budget, your best bet would probably be a wood-bodied 1930s National Trojan, they turn up in your price range. Or, an OMI Metal-bodied Dobro, which is what you originally asked about. They are lovely guitars, but sometimes the cones are not great. These days NRP are making replacement cones. The Australian Donmos made by Don Morrison are good guitars and some people really love them, but in my opinion they are an acquired taste. That is just my opinion. Then there are the fibreglass Beltona guitars made by Steve Evans in NZ. His 'Southerner' model, if it is still made, is an excellent guitar. It is a 14 fret fibreglass single cone guitar, and the ones I have seen are very nice.
Keep in touch,
Shine On
Michael.
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