ParlourMan Posted November 25, 2011 Posted November 25, 2011 Not Gibson related necessarily, but as I speak to a lot of you almost daily I thought I'd ask, any reso players among us? It's an itch I may have to scratch....
Guth Posted November 25, 2011 Posted November 25, 2011 Not Gibson related necessarily, but as I speak to a lot of you almost daily I thought I'd ask, any reso players among us? It's an itch I may have to scratch.... I've owned my National Vintage Steel Delphi for 9 years or so now. Haven't played it too much lately, but I'll occasionally go through spurts where I'll have fun with it. It makes for a real nice contrast to my all wood boxes. All in all, a real nice way to mix things up.
MissouriPicker Posted November 25, 2011 Posted November 25, 2011 I've got a Gold Tone squareneck reso/dobro. Plays real nice and was set-up by Paul Beard. Not a bad instrument at all. I think playing it has increased my knowledge and technique for all of my different instruments. I've actually made myself learn and focus on things I've known and understood primarily by osmosis over forty-some years...lol...I'm still (and always will be) a "jack of all trades, master of none" in regard to all of my various instruments, but I have a heck-of-a-good-time at it...Plus, I've got an Oscar Schmidt Applachain Autoharp coming between this Monday and Wednesday.........Back on the reso------I play it lap style. Real easy to find all the major chords and I had to learn the note forumla for the minors and 7ths. I really wanted to learn it, so it's turned-out pretty good for me. Didn't know how much I already kind of knew.......and now I'm actively using it on all the instruments.....If you play a guitar, then a reso/dobro guitar is a great addition. It can only add to your technique and enjoyment.
zombywoof Posted November 25, 2011 Posted November 25, 2011 I be here. 1931/32 National Duolian. This one has a bit of extra Mojo - John Hammond Jr. played it when he was in Salina, KS recording "In Your Arms Sgain" in a coverted church.
larryp58 Posted November 25, 2011 Posted November 25, 2011 Zombywoof, what a treasure! I bet that Duolian sounds incredible! Nice instrument.
Mojorule Posted November 25, 2011 Posted November 25, 2011 Pas moi, but I'd quite like a tricone. The frets on my old Washburn Lyon are getting a bit worn now and it'll never be worth refretting, so I'll need a new campfire guitar in the next couple of years. If I could have have my pick of any plywood beater out there I think it would be one of these... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSNWAFnHm_4 I'm only about 2000 quid short at the moment.
ParlourMan Posted November 26, 2011 Author Posted November 26, 2011 Pas moi, but I'd quite like a tricone. The frets on my old Washburn Lyon are getting a bit worn now and it'll never be worth refretting, so I'll need a new campfire guitar in the next couple of years. If I could have have my pick of any plywood beater out there I think it would be one of these... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSNWAFnHm_4 I'm only about 2000 quid short at the moment. Oh yes, I want one..... ;) My logic is that a reso is something that I've never had, adding another Gibson would quench a thirst but it's not so different to the three I have to an audience.. this is something a little less ordinary... not the cheapest though, are they?
retrorod Posted November 26, 2011 Posted November 26, 2011 Pas moi, but I'd quite like a tricone. The frets on my old Washburn Lyon are getting a bit worn now and it'll never be worth refretting, so I'll need a new campfire guitar in the next couple of years. If I could have have my pick of any plywood beater out there I think it would be one of these... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSNWAFnHm_4 I'm only about 2000 quid short at the moment. Man! I want one too!....How mUCH? Yep, I keep looking for a National, ....in my price range. Would be a great addition...
jdd707 Posted November 26, 2011 Posted November 26, 2011 I've been sorta GASing for a reso also ... you guys got me going again. I'm thinking playing spanish style, not lap. Rather than the National website, where are other places to get info ... books or online?
BT Bob Posted November 26, 2011 Posted November 26, 2011 OOoh, spooky. My lovely lady is buying me one for Christmas. I've had a bit of a hankering for a while (as I have for a 6-string banjo), so she's offered to buy me one as I can't decide what else I might want. There's obviously something spreading throughout this board...
ParlourMan Posted November 26, 2011 Author Posted November 26, 2011 OOoh, spooky. My lovely lady is buying me one for Christmas. I've had a bit of a hankering for a while (as I have for a 6-string banjo), so she's offered to buy me one as I can't decide what else I might want. There's obviously something spreading throughout this board... What you going for, single cone, tricone? decided on a model yet?
BT Bob Posted November 26, 2011 Posted November 26, 2011 What you going for, single cone, tricone? decided on a model yet? Yep - after a fair old bit of research, it's the Fender FR50. For the money (in the UK) it seems like a good starting point. It gets good reviews, and I figure if I take to it, I can "upgrade" to an all-metal guitar later (should I feel the need). If I do that, I'm hoping the Fender badge will help trade/resale value (although I'm not getting it expecting to sell). Andertons have them in stock at a good price and will do an exchange/refund if I'm not happy. I bought my SWD from them 2 years ago and they were first-class.
zombywoof Posted November 26, 2011 Posted November 26, 2011 I would recommend anybody looking for a metal body guitar check out Lenny's Hot Rod Steel guitars.
Versatile Posted November 26, 2011 Posted November 26, 2011 A bit of Reso-Fun.... Here's one I acquired recently.... V
BluesKing777 Posted November 27, 2011 Posted November 27, 2011 Yes, I am late to the party but I have a Dobro like this one below. (pic from eBay). It is the only acoustic I owned for many years, and has an incredible sound. Other guitarists use to comment on how much bottom end it has for a metal guitar. It is very heavy - I would take the Gibson Blues King now if I had to walk to gig! They are hard to keep on your leg when playing - they slip around - and they are hard to damp they strings in fingerpicking style because of the metal cover over the biscuit bridge, but everything can be adjusted to after a while.... BluesKing777.
ParlourMan Posted November 27, 2011 Author Posted November 27, 2011 Yep - after a fair old bit of research, it's the Fender FR50. For the money (in the UK) it seems like a good starting point. It gets good reviews, and I figure if I take to it, I can "upgrade" to an all-metal guitar later (should I feel the need). If I do that, I'm hoping the Fender badge will help trade/resale value (although I'm not getting it expecting to sell). Andertons have them in stock at a good price and will do an exchange/refund if I'm not happy. I bought my SWD from them 2 years ago and they were first-class. After watching a few videos online I think I'm fairly sold on a Tricone. The NationalGuitars videos are quite informative on this with some comparison vids on youtube, trying to find the range of models I'm particularly interested in have been some expensive viewing in the last few days. Seen a couple of Recording King, Regal, Johnson models which are a lot more budget friendly but they all seem to get mixed reviews, some weird, some down right scary. Some of the Amistar's get some good feedback, folk such as Michael Messer an a lot of generally favourable reviews. I like the look of this one currently: http://www.thomann.de/gb/amistar_tricone_vintage_biscuit.htm
BluesKing777 Posted November 27, 2011 Posted November 27, 2011 Have you tried the Messers? I haven't, but they got a good review in "Guitarist'. http://www.michaelmesser.co.uk/ If you buy a copy (Amistar?) it is yours forever. It is hard enough to sell the real thing. Just a thought. The Messer Blues would be a cheaper start? BluesKing777.
jt Posted November 27, 2011 Posted November 27, 2011 I've got a 1931 Style 1 National tricone, that I take to every gig. I think that every acoustic guitar player needs a resonator guitar.
j45nick Posted November 28, 2011 Posted November 28, 2011 I've got a 1931 Style 1 National tricone, that I take to every gig. I think that every acoustic guitar player needs a resonator guitar. Wow! Love that art deco style!
ParlourMan Posted November 28, 2011 Author Posted November 28, 2011 Have you tried the Messers? I haven't, but they got a good review in "Guitarist'. http://www.michaelmesser.co.uk/ If you buy a copy (Amistar?) it is yours forever. It is hard enough to sell the real thing. Just a thought. The Messer Blues would be a cheaper start? BluesKing777. Good point BK. The MM Blues by Busker guitars was on my list, but I much preferred it visually when it was called the Busker Delta with a kind of worn look to it, the paint job on the MM versions is not quite as instantly appealing. I'm not ready to make the jump yet as I'm still noseying around looking at clips and stuff...
Mojorule Posted November 28, 2011 Posted November 28, 2011 I know even less about MM's own resos than I know about resos in general, but almost everything I do know about resos I learnt from his site. Definitely a fine source of info. Agree also about the National site and marketing videos as a fine source of additional knowledge, not least because they've got Brozman on board and he is as phenomenal in the role of encyclopedia as he is in the role of player. Have you seen him talking about his Tricone baritone yet? I get the feeling from what I read and hear that Tricones are the Gibson slope-shoulders of the reso world, even if they are especially loved by slide specialists who want more than that (lovely, and in its way no less desirable) Delta grunt (see Zomby's beauty). They seem to get the thumbs up from all sorts of quarters (jazz, fingerpicking specialists, etc.). I can hear more balance in them anyway. Although I've not yet seen any videos of JT playing his, I'm not entirely surprised that his reso is a beautiful Tricone. PM, if you're going the way you were going with your Woody (loving the Keb Mo, but seeing the Woody as the only one you really need), I imagine that the Tricone would be your reso instrument: clearly resophonic enough to stand out from your Gibsons, but also varied enough within its own tonal spectrum to cover just about any kind of music you feel like playing. On the other hand I can see why Zombywoof has a biscuit, given his musical preferences. The question, though, is whether a spider-bridge dobro is less versatile than a Tricone? They can sound pretty mellow too, especially in classic wood format. Can we make an analogy chart here? E.g. Gibson Reso LO, L1, LG2 Duolian, Triolian, something with a biscuit single cone J45, SJ M1, something with a T-bridge tricone ???????? Dobro, something with a spider-bridge single cone Anyway, I really like the sound of the wooden M1, and it is ever-so slightly cheaper than an equally splendid-sounding 1 series brass body. But in Europe they're both more expensive than a Gibson, because they cost as many pounds or euros as dollars in the US. A bit beyond me, as I'll probably have to sell my soul before I can buy another expensive guitar. Nice to hear that others can afford such things though. Eventually the envy just gives way to a feeling of pleasure that somebody is playing these things and making their production viable!
ParlourMan Posted November 28, 2011 Author Posted November 28, 2011 ...not least because they've got Brozman on board and he is as phenomenal in the role of encyclopedia as he is in the role of player. Have you seen him talking about his Tricone baritone yet? Yes, I've seen those vids, he's a wicked player for sure... I get the feeling from what I read and hear that Tricones are the Gibson slope-shoulders of the reso world. I'm slowly coming to a similar conclusion. PM, if you're going the way you were going with your Woody (loving the Keb Mo, but seeing the Woody as the only one you really need), I imagine that the Tricone would be your reso instrument: clearly resophonic enough to stand out from your Gibsons, but also varied enough within its own tonal spectrum to cover just about any kind of music you feel like playing. On the other hand I can see why Zombywoof has a biscuit, given his musical preferences. Yeah, I don't want to get into a situation where I feel I need two or three reso's, so a general purpose one would be ideal and I'm loving the sustain of the tricone models based on the vids I've been watching.
ParlourMan Posted November 29, 2011 Author Posted November 29, 2011 Model selected, ordered and being setup ready to ship late this week.
Mojorule Posted November 29, 2011 Posted November 29, 2011 Model selected, ordered and being setup ready to ship late this week. But which?
ParlourMan Posted November 29, 2011 Author Posted November 29, 2011 Busker Guitars in the UK. The 'Deco' tricone model. Fairly positive all round write-up's and the owner Robin couldn't be more helpful thus far, I considered the Amistar, but these review equally as well, and as was pointed out above, if I decide it's not for me, I'm not quite as much out of pocket. Michael Messer is involved with them too, plenty of good reviews for his own sig 'MM' models as well as the general Busker models. Hopefully have it in under 2 weeks. The model I'm getting is not as listed though, mines has an 80 to 70 taper on the body rather than 80 all round, generous nut width and with all the original stock (cheaper) items such as tuners changed out for better parts already. So a little bit of a hybrid model. pics and videos to follow on it's arrival and inspection.
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