Murph Posted November 12, 2022 Share Posted November 12, 2022 The square neck is awesome and stuff, but I want to be able to fret some. I only use the square on a few songs and dragging it around is added stuff, plus then I need a barstool or chair. What cha got? How do you like it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksdaddy Posted November 12, 2022 Share Posted November 12, 2022 I’ve had several. My Cadillac was a 1986 Dobro Model 1000, metal bodied, engraved to excess, more pearl than 3 J200s, biscuit cone. I sold it. Just didn’t warm up. I currently have a 1973 Dobro model 114, which is a weirdo. Small dreadnaught body, natural top with sunburst back and sides. 14 fret neck. Not a huge amount of volume but the neck is big and fat and round and feels great. The best sounding one I’ve ever had is a 1993 Original Hound Dog. No sound well, no binding, the sunburst looks like it was done with a can of brown spray paint. The fretboard is natural maple and has either no finish or very little. This was made just before Henry bought OMI and ultimately moved it to China. It would have been made in a converted body shop in Huntington Beach. Rumor has it the employees would raid the dumpster of a manufacturer down the street to get plastic to make nuts. It’s the cheapest POS Dobro I’ve ever owned but it downright booms. Side note, I’ve had a couple others, a couple Model 60s and a Model 55, none stood out. I also had an El Monte Dobro made around 1960 from leftover 1930s parts. It would have been great if it had a truss rod. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt Posted November 12, 2022 Share Posted November 12, 2022 I've got a lovely 1930 National Style 1 Tricone: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuestionMark Posted November 12, 2022 Share Posted November 12, 2022 I’ve got a metal Regal round neck made overseas. And, a wooden square neck Regal made overseas. The biggest issue with either is they kinda weigh a lot, making bringing either to a gig or a jam a bit of a hassle when also bringing a guitar. As a result, I have found as I’ve gotten to be a much better slide player over the years, is that I don’t need to bring either to a gig or a jam. Instead I just retune my guitar to open tuning and play slide on my regular guitar when I want to or need to play slide. Then, retune to standard tuning. As I’ve progressed as a slide player, my slide playing works fine on a regular guitar even if the guitar I am playing has low action on it. (Low action meaning, of course, that there is no fret buzz anywhere up or down the neck without the slide. My finesse with the slide has improved over the years where I can get clean pretty clean notes even with low action with a slide on a regular guitar.) I find the sound of playing slide rather than the sound of the resonator is the slide playing I am after. So both resonator guitars of mine, though fine and usable in my book, aren’t really needed like they once were. Just the slide. But, both resonator guitars helped me get to that point for sure. That’s my experience. QM aka “ Jazzman” Jeff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluesKing777 Posted November 12, 2022 Share Posted November 12, 2022 I also have taken to playing a standard guitar in open tuning for bottleneck......different sound but a way lighter guitar. I have a National Tricone that has to be close to 10lbs, but a National wood body mahogany M14 that is a bit over 5lbs.....and since your thread on bottlenecks, I have dragged out the Redhouse slide and played the M14. Made for each other. BluesKing777. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissouriPicker Posted November 13, 2022 Share Posted November 13, 2022 (edited) A friend of mine recently bought a Recording King brass resonator. It’s kind of a greenish-antique color and has a nasty tone to it. I mean ”nasty” in a good way. Very bluesy. Sounds like you need a bottle of Jim Beam at your side. He plays it in standard tuning and it has a very different tone than a regular guitar. I need another guitar like I need a hole-in-the-head, but this one has me thinking. And it IS heavy. Edited November 13, 2022 by MissouriPicker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murph Posted November 13, 2022 Author Share Posted November 13, 2022 22 hours ago, ksdaddy said: The best sounding one I’ve ever had is a 1993 Original Hound Dog. No sound well, no binding, the sunburst looks like it was done with a can of brown spray paint. The fretboard is natural maple and has either no finish or very little. This was made just before Henry bought OMI and ultimately moved it to China. It would have been made in a converted body shop in Huntington Beach. Rumor has it the employees would raid the dumpster of a manufacturer down the street to get plastic to make nuts. It’s the cheapest POS Dobro I’ve ever owned but it downright booms. That sounds like my style! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murph Posted November 13, 2022 Author Share Posted November 13, 2022 13 hours ago, BluesKing777 said: I also have taken to playing a standard guitar in open tuning for bottleneck..... I've been just using my J-45 in standard tuning / ala Warren Haynes and it's working out fine. I just love the sound of the resonator! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murph Posted November 13, 2022 Author Share Posted November 13, 2022 20 hours ago, QuestionMark said: I The biggest issue with either is they kinda weigh a lot, making bringing either to a gig or a jam a bit of a hassle when also bringing a guitar. As a result, I have found as I’ve gotten to be a much better slide player over the years, is that I don’t need to bring either to a gig or a jam. It's not the weight, but I also bring a mandolin, plus if I use the square neck, then I will need a bar stool or chair which some places don't have extra, adding yet another thing to load and unload. But yea, LIKE YOU the last few gigs I've just left the square neck at home and used a slide. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murph Posted November 13, 2022 Author Share Posted November 13, 2022 8 hours ago, MissouriPicker said: He plays it in standard tuning and it has a very different tone than a regular guitar. Yep. I'm digging the tone, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrairieSchooner Posted November 13, 2022 Share Posted November 13, 2022 I bought a Regal Duolian on ebay that the previous owner had hot-rodded. Don't play it much but it's fun to have around... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuestionMark Posted November 14, 2022 Share Posted November 14, 2022 6 hours ago, PrairieSchooner said: I bought a Regal Duolian on ebay that the previous owner had hot-rodded. Don't play it much but it's fun to have around... Looks similar to my round neck except the Regal headstock on mine isn’t the cool color yours is. They are cool looking instruments. Heavy, though, as previously mentioned. But cool looking. QM aka “Jazzman” Jeff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MorrisrownSal Posted November 14, 2022 Share Posted November 14, 2022 (edited) I’ve owned a Gretsch Hound Dog, which I gave to Guitars For Vets. Very nice inexpensive ballpark instrument. and I owned a Goldtone Beard set up and bought by/from Paul Beard. The model was PBRCA. Real nice instrument. Edited November 15, 2022 by Salfromchatham 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murph Posted November 15, 2022 Author Share Posted November 15, 2022 Well, I drove an hour to put my hands on a Gretch Boxcar yesterday. The internet likes them, for the money. I must say the short scale and wood body had a unique tone to it. NOTHING close to the power and tone of my square neck Fender. Couldn't pull the trigger, and he dropped the price to $ 420. (new). The search continues... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluesKing777 Posted November 16, 2022 Share Posted November 16, 2022 (edited) If you really want tone, you may have to pony up for a newer (used?) National Reso...and I would go for a wood body of some description. Wood body Resorocket, M14, El Trovador..... I have played and friends have owned most of the cheapies....then they play mine and go: ‘AHA! It has bottom end!’ As mentioned earlier, I have a National M14 and that is to die for! National is one of the few companies that make better guitars than the old ones! BluesKing777. Edited November 16, 2022 by BluesKing777 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murph Posted November 16, 2022 Author Share Posted November 16, 2022 3 hours ago, BluesKing777 said: If you really want tone, you may have to pony up....... Ain't that always the case? I'm quite sure you are correct, good sir. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larsongs Posted November 16, 2022 Share Posted November 16, 2022 This may be of interest for some choices that are reasonably priced Resonator’s.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissouriPicker Posted November 17, 2022 Share Posted November 17, 2022 (edited) Murph, they can be a lot of fun. I’ve got a Gretch 9220 Bobtail and I fingerpick with it. Not real loud, but it’s great for folk tunes. Has a piezo in it if I need a lot of sound. I’ve learned to play some slide on it in standard tuning. Just stick with the gbd strings for chords and look for the melody notes on other strings. You’re a better picker than I am, so I bet you’d sound pretty good. Got a Bobtail Squareneck too. I like both, but once I learned how to play a little slide on the roundmeck, I favor the round neck. However neither has nasty tone of the Recording King I heard last week. Edited November 17, 2022 by MissouriPicker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tpbiii Posted November 17, 2022 Share Posted November 17, 2022 This is a dobro 1978 -- so Gibson. I id a round neck which historically done back and forth. Best, -Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murph Posted November 17, 2022 Author Share Posted November 17, 2022 11 hours ago, tpbiii said: This is a dobro 1978 -- so Gibson. I id a round neck which historically done back and forth. Sweet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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