Building Resonator Guitars

[Joey Herscovitch]

Has anyone had any experience building a resonator guitar? I am just finishing up my first acoustic & have a friend who is asking me to build her a square neck style resonator. Any feedback out there?

[sgodbe]

I'm going to stand by and watch this discussion as I'm in the midst of building a squareneck myself. I got the plans from Elderly, and found step by step directions for free from Stew Mac. I've got the box built and still haven't figured out how the resonator cone fits into the tone ring.

[William F.Eden]

IT DON'T LOOK LIKE YOU HAVE IT ROUTERD OUT FOR THE CONE TO SIT DOWN IN TO THE HOLE AS YET??????

[Joey Herscovitch]

William, sounds like you have some experience, or at least knowledge, which is more than I can say at the moment.

[William F.Eden]

i HAVE BUILT A FEW OF THEM i COULD HELP YOU ALONG THE WAY BUT i HAVE TO MAKE AN 8HR DRIVE RIGHT NOW AND WILL NOT BE BACK FOR 3 DAYS. I WILL LOOK IN ON YOU WHEN i GET BACK TO SEE HOW YOU AER DOING.Bill:::::::::

[Mike Kolb]

Built one up in '07, you'll need a strong rim under the top to hold the cone. Here's how I built and installed the rim (from straight pieces)... this one also got little threaded inserts to attach the "hub cap" cover, as the wood screws will, eventually, tear-up the holes. Make sure, also, to give the cone plenty of room to float on the rim because any crimping of the cone at the sides will distort the levelness. Mine used 6 or 7 little sound posts in lieu of a soundring... for no real good reason, but it seems to work OK.

[Mike Kolb]

The hardest part (for me, as usual) was doing the binding... particularly at the waist. Here's a few more shots, just because it's fun to share ...and there's something kinky about a zillion rubber bands :)

[David Houchens]

Mike, How thick are your top and back plates? Also I would have thought there would have been a rim on the back to support the sound posts as on the top. would this be a problem using mahogany for the back do you think. I am going to build a dobro out of cocobolo (sp) and maybe spruce top. Thanks david

[Mike Kolb]

Hi David...

I don't really remember the thickness dimensions of the top and back plates, although the top was spruce and the back was maple. My individual soundposts are mounted either on bracing or little round maple pads, so there's no direct post contact with either the top or back.

The inside cone-mounting rim was a good 3/8" thick, as it needed to be routed down a taste to accommodate the cone edge depth, so that tells you that the top thickness wasn't thick enough to let the cone edge float. I've become a big believer that 90% on the sound on these things comes from the cone and screenhole baffles, leaving lots of room for "tank-like" construction everywhere else. But that's just my take.

A reso out of cocobolo? Wow, now that sounds like a lot of fun and easy on the eyes, too. Take care...

[Joey Herscovitch]

Thanks for the pictures Mike. BTW was this guitar a square or round neck? After talking w/ my friend some more, she may want to go w/ a round neck style. She has rented a square neck resonator to play w/ for a month & might rent a round neck after that to try out. The Dobro guitar she had rented was a fairly cheap looking thing made in China, that sells for about $600. Gives me more time to get some feedback & ideas.

[David Houchens]

I here the Beard E model has what they call a bass baffle. Do any of you know exactly what this is? David

[Mike Kolb]

Joey, mine is a squareneck, only because (a) I like the authentic old-time look and (b). there seems to be a little more "security of mass" that might help keep the neck straighter, down the road.

David, I can't say exactly what Beard has in mind, but a bass baffle is usually a piece of long curved plastic (sometimes bent wood) that sits inside the body, from side to side, and curves upward toward the soundholes. The idea is to direct some of the stray "cone sound" upward toward the player through the soundholes. Tim Scheerhorn used them and they're pretty common now, but I wonder how much difference it makes to the listener.

[William F.Eden]

Mike throw the away the rubber bands and get your self some Supper glue.Al l you have to do is put a little on about 2inches at a time hold it for a few minets and then move on a bit further. May advice is don;t build a Round neck they don't stand the strain of the strings. The top and back are 1\8th thick. and routerd down 1\4" for the cone and spider. The rim on the back will do away with all them cross braces. If you want to give your Guitar some more Bass you can do that the same way as you would on a flat top Guitar by what you do on the inside. [ Hay] this is just my Two cents worth you can take it with a grain of salt if you like . Just trying to help....Bill""""""""""