About Dobros

[smojo]

Can you experts tell me about Dobros please. What I really mean is spider cone guitars which seem to get mainly labelled as Dobros. I know about the different constructions of resos but what is the main difference sound-wise between spider cones and single or tric-ones.

Seems dobros are mainly the choice of country & bluegrass players - any particular reason?

Do they also sound good for blues playing?

Michael mentioned in another thread that they are usually tuned differently - any particular reason? Any input welcome - just trying to get a handle on why anyone would choose them over other type resos.

[LouisianaGrey]

The spider cone was invented by the DOpyera BROtherS after they left National and lost the rights to make the biscuit bridge cone. That's why they're called dobros (I'm not sure how much it was a pun too, as dobro means good in Czechoslovakia, which is where they were from).

Generally I would characterise it as a sweeter tone with more sustain. Usually the term "dobro player" is used to refer to someone who plays a square necked instrument. I think they're used nowadays in bluegrass because the two pioneering players of the bluegrass dobro style, Josh Graves and Pete Kirby, played them so people are used to hearing that tone. How would things have turned out if they'd played tricones instead?

I like dobro for blues playing and I think they sound good - and

The lap-style tuning is usually high bass G (GBDGBD) for bluegrass styles although for other styles (particularly Celtic/Folk) D is a common tuning, and that's the same as the blues D tuning (DADF#AD). Each tuning has its advantages, depending on what you're playing.

[robn]

Hi Smojo,

Here is a short clip of a guy playing a 1930s round neck dobro, which will give you a good idea of the classic dobro sound when played with a bottleneck. For me, the dobro evokes more of an Appalachian landscape than a Delta landscape.

I have a spider bridge square neck that I'm really enjoying - It is a good instrument for jam nights as it adds something different to the mix. I play mostly in open D or low bass G (DGDGBD) coz there is only one 3rd to worry about in those tunings

I'd quite like to try a round neck spider bridge guitar but have not chanced upon a reasonable one yet. But I'm going to London in a couple of weeks so I'm hoping the LRC will have some in stock

Robn

[LouisianaGrey]

As I've said in other threads, G6 (GBEGBD) can be a nice tuning for blues because if you only play strings 1 to 4 that gives you the relative minor (with the root note on the 4th string) of whatever position you're playing at: e.g. 5th fret all strings is C, 5th fret 1to 4 is A minor.

[smojo]

Thanks guys I'll check out the clips when I've time to wait for them to download (even broadband seems take forever on U-tube). Would you say that most blues players prefer National style resos rather than Dobro mainly because that's what most of the old blues guys used rather than them sounding more "bluesy" and do bluergrass players prefer dobro type guitars for the reverse reasons. There's a certain "image" to maintain with a lot of people and maybe it just feels better to have the instrument associated with your style of playing. I must confess as an out and out bluesman what appeals to me most visually is a nickel plated tricone rather than a wood bodied Dobro but I've never played either and have no idea how they comapre for playablilty or sound for producing blues. In an ideal world it would be nice to have one of each.

[robn]

I'll give G6 a try on my squareneck Pete - Thanks.

I've found this short article on the history of Appalachian music. www.mustrad.org.uk/articles/appalach.htm It doesn't mention the dobro but it does talk about the fusion between European-Celtic and African-American music in the Southern Appalachians. The Dobro and National type guitars are fairly recent instruments (both round neck and squareneck) - I don't know what exactly about each led to their adoption by either African-American musicians (National) or European-American musicians (Dobro). The colour of each sound seems to suit the roots of the music - the rhythmic attack of the National and the nasal drone of the Dobro and perhaps they just best fitted and so were adopted.

Can anyone else help expand on this point?

Robn

[rickS]

smojo, my own experience of spider vs biscuit resos has been that it's harder to find a spider type with good bass-response, which is a desirable factor when playing/singing blues; so it's not so much an image-thing, as practicality - my first ever reso, that I bought back in the late 60s (off the original owner) was a high-end 1930 Dobro, beautiful instrument, engraved cover-plate & all, but I was happy to replace it with a beat-to-sh!t National Duolian, simply to get that bass snap a la 'Future Blues' - never yet found a spider that could do that, tho I'm sure they exist -they mostly just seem better suited to that higher-register thing that bluegrassers use'em for, IMO,

regards,

RS

[smojo]

rickS - thanks you've helped clarify things. A beat to shit Duolian would make me happy too

pete, robn - thanks for the links I checked them out - there's some great stuff on U-tube isn't there. The guy sitting in his garden playing the old dobro is cool and I like the tone very much.

What would an old 1930's dobro set you back these days, are they generally cheaper than National single or tricones? Modern budget dobro copies seem to be cheaper than metal bodied resos for some reason.

[robn]

Hi Smojo,

The sound of that old Dobro in the clip is very evocative. The player has it tuned to DADADD (no 3rd in the tuning - and possibly a custom string set) so both the major and minor are implied.

I am off work with "man-flu" at the moment (the common cold ) so spent some time yesterday woking out a DADF#AD version of the tune (avoiding the F# on the root cord and droning with the high A but allowing the 3rd to sound when playing the IV cord and V cord.)

Looks like a vintage roundneck dobro will cost about $2000. www.jimpaschguitars.com/stock/index5.shtml But I'm not sure if you need to go vintage to get that tone? A Beard/Goldtone www.beardguitars.com/guitargoldtonepbr.html at the budget end on the market, or one built to order by Pete Woodman www.petewoodmanguitars.com/page2.htm would probably do the job just as well. The Quarterman cone has a good reputation for spider bridge set-ups, as do Beard. I have an ebony-capped bridge on the treble side of my squareneck (to play against banjos!!!!!) but, if I bought a roundneck dobro I would just go for maple inserts to mellow the sound a little.

Robn

PS There are a lot of really dreadful "dobros" at the <£300 end of the market

PPS If you want a Dobro with Smojo how about trying one of these www.beardguitars.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=RO&Product_Code=KIT-162R&Category_Code=BGK ;D

[smojo]

Thanks Robn, I like the idea of making one from the kit, I do have some carpentry skills and have made some cigar box guitars but the kit isn't particularly cheap to risk ending up with a crappy guitar that I could have just bought anyway. Food for thought though.