Post by pledge on Mar 25, 2016 15:40:52 GMT
Hi all
I have searched far and wide and this forum seems to be the most sensible and the one that keeps coming up!
My story is this:
I have just got my hands on a terribly abused Regal/Dobro (I have never even played a reso before) which through various sites' info I believe to be a steel M32. It has no serial number or transfer, but my guess is between '36-'40. It has the solid headstock, 14th fret join, gold body, lugged cone/#14 short spider and the fiddle edge with original tailpiece.
I shudder to traumatise anyone with the condition it was in but if I say there was a lot of 2-part filler inside the body cavity, around the resonator and tailpiece. The body, cover plate, neck and tailpiece had been badly slapped with black and gold paint and varnish, and the Kluson tuning pegs (3-on a strip but still working) were badly sprayed gold too, I think you get the idea - collector piece it ain't! Thankfully the body and neck are structurally sound.
So these are my challenges: After removing all the epoxy filler I am restoring the sanded neck with stain and tru oil (coming along nicely), and I want it refretted as I would say they are the originals and look like someone has been at them with a file! There are also a few divots around the first few frets suggesting a lot of open G or chords of C over the years. I will have the body and coverplate gently blasted and resprayed in the original colour of gold, but I don't know what to do with the cone and spider/cover.
The cone has signs of being over-tightened but I have a mad dream of trying to have a panel-beater look at it (expensive) or try and undo the dents and kinks myself (worth a careful try) to keep it original. I haven't found one on sale online yet. The #14 spider (are #14 always short?) would be fine if someone had not ground down the bridge retaining section and literally stuck on (badly, with 2-part!) a Gibbo-type bridge (I know, I know.....). I could buy a new cone and long spider but I am worried this will affect the height under the cover plate and lead to more problems....
Sorry about the long post but I will get such great pleasure when I get this baby back in playable condition. I will try and post pics in a bit.
Many thanks in anticipation of any help.
Cheers
Pim
I have searched far and wide and this forum seems to be the most sensible and the one that keeps coming up!
My story is this:
I have just got my hands on a terribly abused Regal/Dobro (I have never even played a reso before) which through various sites' info I believe to be a steel M32. It has no serial number or transfer, but my guess is between '36-'40. It has the solid headstock, 14th fret join, gold body, lugged cone/#14 short spider and the fiddle edge with original tailpiece.
I shudder to traumatise anyone with the condition it was in but if I say there was a lot of 2-part filler inside the body cavity, around the resonator and tailpiece. The body, cover plate, neck and tailpiece had been badly slapped with black and gold paint and varnish, and the Kluson tuning pegs (3-on a strip but still working) were badly sprayed gold too, I think you get the idea - collector piece it ain't! Thankfully the body and neck are structurally sound.
So these are my challenges: After removing all the epoxy filler I am restoring the sanded neck with stain and tru oil (coming along nicely), and I want it refretted as I would say they are the originals and look like someone has been at them with a file! There are also a few divots around the first few frets suggesting a lot of open G or chords of C over the years. I will have the body and coverplate gently blasted and resprayed in the original colour of gold, but I don't know what to do with the cone and spider/cover.
The cone has signs of being over-tightened but I have a mad dream of trying to have a panel-beater look at it (expensive) or try and undo the dents and kinks myself (worth a careful try) to keep it original. I haven't found one on sale online yet. The #14 spider (are #14 always short?) would be fine if someone had not ground down the bridge retaining section and literally stuck on (badly, with 2-part!) a Gibbo-type bridge (I know, I know.....). I could buy a new cone and long spider but I am worried this will affect the height under the cover plate and lead to more problems....
Sorry about the long post but I will get such great pleasure when I get this baby back in playable condition. I will try and post pics in a bit.
Many thanks in anticipation of any help.
Cheers
Pim