dobro guitars

[Donald A. Fortune]

I'm interested in finding any information about dobro guitars that I can..

I have seen these guitars played like a lap steel in blue grass music an alike

However I haven't seen the round neck version  in the "flesh" or played one.

from what I understand there are a lot of neck problems with this guitar..

I'm thinking of making one

if anyone has information on this guitar then please post and give up any info that

you might have..

thank you in advance for any info

Peace, Donald

[Ron frazier]

Donald
As I said before I have 2 dobros searal no 1033 & 7101. Brother Oswald played one in the low 7000s. That Was a model 27.
These dobros have double thick top and back. One has sound well with diamond shape holes and the other has round holes. I have tried both an all I make now are round as it is easier.
I believe the sound comes from the cone and not the top or back.
The old necks were not made with a truss rod and all I make have such.
The neck joint was not glued in but had a stick into the body and to adjust the angle you shimmed it to change the angle. I use the dove tail joint.
I use the classical body shape. And don't think the shape makes a deferents
Don't tighten the cone to tight! Loosen the screw until it starts to raddle and tighten slowly until the raddle stops then give it 1/2 turn to 1 turn and no more! To tight to much will deaden
the sound and maybe wreck the cone.

Use all your guitar building skills!
Have fun

Ron
The name I use for them is " robro"

[Dan Pennington]

Donald

Go to Paul Beard's site:

https://www.beardguitars.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?

Take a look at the plans, parts, and kits that he sells.  Top quality stuff!

I built one of his round neck kits and was very happy with the results.

I'm still working on the finish.

[Donald A. Fortune]

Thanx Dan :)

[Steve Frost]

OK, I'm not a kits guy, but having see the Beard dobro kits, etc. I have a few questions.  I've seen the Youtube series from Clardy Guitars. There is no discussion about why Clardy is modifying the kit, so it's tough to decide if this is a winning idea , or not.  I don't want to finish a dobro, and find out, "you shoulda let the back ring free..". or whatever. Any advice? BTW, Ive built 15 guitars. 5 mandolins, a couple pedal steel guitars,and numerous other stuff over the last 30 years. Don't know from Dobros. though! Advice?

[Steve Frost]

To clarify my main question- thre Beard kit includes a soundwell, which supports the resonator and gets glued to the flat back. Some designs forgo the soundwell and use a soundring instead, with dowels that go between the ring and the back braces. I'm just wondering which appoach is recommended, and why. Thanks-

[Dan Pennington]

Before I built the Beard kit, I watched the Clardy videos, too.  So I followed his lead.  Some people feel that the sound well design restricts the sound a bit inside the well.  Using the posts opens it up and also gets the back involved in projecting sound a bit more.  

But, subtlety is kind of out because of the big ass aluminum pie plate vibrating.  It's loud.

The kit is plywood, so when I get around to it, I plan to build another body using fancy solid woods.  The kit is a good cheap way to get into building reso guitars.

And the ring I used for the cone shelf was just a section of a banjo rim.  I make those, too.

[Steve Frost]

Thanks, Dan- I'm planning on using solid wood, and I'm trying to decide between a flat back or an arched back. The arched back would certainly complicate using a soundwell, so if I do that, I may go with the soundposts. And then there's the question of a rigid, firmly braced back vs a more flexible, responsive back.I guess either approach works well, I'm just trying to avoid regrets later!

[Dan Pennington]

Steve

On my reso rebuild I plan to make it just like the kit and according to Beard's plans.  Flat top and flat bottom.  Easier to build.

[Jon Hiltbrand]

Hi Donald,

If you haven't been to resohangout.com I would suggest checking it out.  They have a building and repair section with lots of build threads and other good info.  It's nice to see what other people have done with these.

http://www.resohangout.com/gotoforum/31

I've got a couple of mine posted there. Here's a link to the tricone I used for my avatar pic. 

http://www.resohangout.com/archive/33502 

I think the best way to get into reso building is to get your hands on one, take it apart and reverse engineer it.  After a long time looking at plans that's how I ended up doing it.

Let us know how it turns out!

Jon

[Donald A. Fortune]

Hi Jon- thanks for the post- information that's note worthy is something that you can't have too much of.

Peace, Donald