Please note this is an archived topic, so it is locked and unable to be replied to. You may, however, start a new topic and refer to this topic with a link: http://www.resohangout.com/archive/26863
Dugg - Posted - 03/04/2012: 18:24:04
A friend lent me his Dobro to play and learn on until I find the right one for myself. I am playing a "Dobro" with the serial number stamped on the end of the headstock , it is ( D 292 ), no other numbers or letters. Just wondering what year Dobro this is, what kind of quality, and maybe a ballpark price I should pay if he decided to sell it. There is a little finish rubbed off the back of the neck, and the chrome plating on the tailpiece and cover aren't perfect, but I suspect it is pretty old. Thanks for any help you can give. And I am having a great time learning to play a resonator, why did I wait so long?
Grizz - Posted - 03/04/2012: 18:32:54
quote:
Originally posted by Dugg
And I am having a great time learning to play a resonator, why did I wait so long?
Good question. 
I can't help but there are plenty here who can. Man are you in the right place.
otdobro - Posted - 03/04/2012: 19:08:06
quote:
Originally posted by Dugg
A friend lent me his Dobro to play and learn on until I find the right one for myself. I am playing a "Dobro" with the serial number stamped on the end of the headstock , it is ( D 292 ), no other numbers or letters. Just wondering what year Dobro this is, what kind of quality, and maybe a ballpark price I should pay if he decided to sell it. There is a little finish rubbed off the back of the neck, and the chrome plating on the tailpiece and cover aren't perfect, but I suspect it is pretty old. Thanks for any help you can give. And I am having a great time learning to play a resonator, why did I wait so long?
From the serial number, I'd say it was a mid-1960's . Does it have 14 frets to the body, a pearl dot on the back of the body, a small rope filler between the neck and the body and an aluminum nut attached with a single screw ?? (See photos)
Dugg - Posted - 03/04/2012: 19:35:55
Yes, it is exactly like the one you posted pics of, except the tuner button are the original plastic type. Single screw aluminum nut, rope filler at neck joint, four small holes between screened the sound ports, position markers cascading down the fretboard. Any idea of a value on this? Is this a decent guitar? He had to knock about an inch of dust off the case when he brought it to me, and I know he doesn't play it at all. Just wondering if this is a good guitar, if he decides to sell, or should I still be looking for something else? Thanks for the quick replies.
El Dobro - Posted - 03/04/2012: 20:16:15
The rope means the neck should be reset to the body. You're probably in the $400 range on value.
Slideman1939 - Posted - 03/04/2012: 21:34:36
Slideman suggests you have described a "MoBro"--a Dobro made from 1966--1970 by Mosrite guitar Co. who promised the Dopyeras (Dobro Co.) royalties in return for use of the name and manufacturing under license. The owner Semie Moseley never paid Ed Dopyera any royalties, the case went to court and Dopyeras won back the right to use the name Dobro. (In the meantime waiting 4 years for the royalties the Dopyeras made reso guitars under the name "Hound Dog" since Mosrite technically owned the name Dobro). After 1970 the Dopyeras went back to the original specifications with 12 frets to the body, no more rope filler at the neck joint, no more aluminum nut, etc. etc. For those 4 years Mosrite "MoBro's" were available round neck or square neck and there was a choice of a spider type Dobro style cone OR on another model with a slightly different coverplate design there was an option of a (National type) Biscuit cone. Typically they have a lower value on the collector or vintage market ($400-500) since most folks want the REAL Dobro made after 1970 by the Dopyera Bros when they formed O>M>I> Original Music Instrument Co. Semie Moseley was a small electric guitar manufacturer who left a trail of broken promises and unpaid bills and multiple moves to multiple other cities with "new" start up companies---the Bernie Madoff of the 1960's guitar makers.
deuce - Posted - 03/05/2012: 00:17:23
If the neck is reset to the body, wouldn't that affect the intonation quite a lot? If so, would it be best to keep the rope there? I am speaking from a postion of no physical experience of mosrites by the way.
TT
Edited by - deuce on 03/05/2012 00:18:17
Dugg - Posted - 03/05/2012: 04:29:39
You guys are like a Reso-Wiki encyclopedia. That is some great information. I knew the guitar was old, just didn't know what decade it was from and a value. It does play nice, but honestly not much better than the Regal RD-40 NS I have played it next to. I compared them Saturday when I went into get srings for this one, figured it was the least I could do for him letting my borrow it. I am still unsure if it is even for sale, I just know he is a flatpicker and doesn't play it. I will keep searching for "my" resonator, she is out there waiting for me somewhere. And I will keep playing this one as much as I can in the meantime. Thanks all who have helped.
otdobro - Posted - 03/05/2012: 05:16:03
One more thing to add to Slideman's info. My belief is that if the serial # starts with "D" It was made just before Mosrite took over the building of these. If it was built by Mosrite, it will have a metal tag on the peghead with the Dobro logo attached with 3 brads, and it will have diamond plate hole covers instead of screens. (see photos) These are not very valuable as the construction was quite lax. (Correct me if I'm wrong Tom)
But if it does what you want, it's a keeper. Another note, the spiders on these axes have no provision for wooden inserts. that along with the aluminum nut gives these guitars a very metalic sound. Not unlike Deacon Brumfield's style.
You can check out the sound of mine here resohangout.com/myhangout/vide...it=Search
Slidennis - Posted - 03/05/2012: 05:28:18
quote:
Originally posted by Slideman1939
Semie Moseley was a small electric guitar manufacturer who left a trail of broken promises and unpaid bills and multiple moves to multiple other cities with "new" start up companies---the Bernie Madoff of the 1960's guitar makers.
Bernie Madoff of 1960's guitar makers? Might be a little harsh, Slideman. Agreed that Semie certainly didn't do much good for the Dobro brand or resonator guitars. He did keep the concept and name alive when it could have disappeared into the dustbin of history entirely. Perhaps Semie did take on things he couldn't look after properly at times.
Semie Mosley was a fair maker and innovator in the area of electric guitars with perhaps better skills at making guitars than he had at running a business. That's a profile that could probably be given to many talented guitar makers. Semie made many very good guitars from the mid fifties through early 1990's. His daughter still makes guitars under the Mosrite name. As far as I can remember, The Ventures sounded pretty good on their Mosrites, Nokie was the EVH of his day on a Mosrite. You gotta listen to their 1967 live album recorded at the Budokan in Tokyo.
Barbara Mandrel, Buck Owens (yes, the original Red, White and Blue American model seen on Hee-Haw) Roy Clark, Glenn Campbell, Elvis, Jimi Hendrix, Marty Stuart, Johnny Ramone, Curt Cobain and many, many others have played Mosrite guitars,
What of the humble Melobar? Semie took on that one too.
Johnny Smith's greatest hit, "Walk Don't Run" wouldn't have Ventured into becoming a manadatory guitar anthem in 1960 without the Mosrite guitar. That helped solidify the concept of guitar bands. "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" wouldn't have been the mouth full of marbles anthem it became in 1968 had it not been played on Mosrites. We wouldn't "wanna to be sedated" in the late 1970's had it not been for a Mosrite- another anthem. We might never have developed Teen Spirit or reached Nirvana in the 90's without a Mosrite. And Buck and Dwight Yoakum might have never roamed the streets of Bakersfield without Mosrite.
While I don't particularly want to own or play a MoBro, I have owned four Bakersfield made Mosrite guitars. My 1967 Mosrite Mark I Celebrity is a fine guitar and has been for the 45 years I've owned it. Say what you will, Semie Mosely didn't get everything right but he made some good electric guitars and left his mark on both Country and Rock music. May he R.I.P. .
Dennis
Edited by - Slidennis on 03/05/2012 05:40:54
Dugg - Posted - 03/05/2012: 07:54:20
The Dobro logo is an old water-slide decal, and the spider does have wooden inserts on the bridge, is that what you are referring to?. It is exactly like the one pictured by otdobro, except for the tuning keys. I am enjoying playing it, and it is really making me want my own.
otdobro - Posted - 03/05/2012: 08:05:42
quote:
Originally posted by Dugg
The Dobro logo is an old water-slide decal, and the spider does have wooden inserts on the bridge, is that what you are referring to?. It is exactly like the one pictured by otdobro, except for the tuning keys. I am enjoying playing it, and it is really making me want my own.
I would place the year of manufacture at 1964-1966. My tuning keys and trapeze style tailpiece were replaced by the original owner. Serial number on mine is D377. I was told that mine came from the factory with no logo on the peghead. The mystery continues.
Rockygap - Posted - 03/05/2012: 09:07:51
I'm fascinated by this whole late Dopyera/Mossrite saga. I'm impressed; you guys are wonderful historians. From '59 to '66, when Mosrite began building Dobros, seems to have been a particularly fuzzy period in the history of the Dobro brand. It is amazing that you have been able to dig up as much info as you have. If all of those serial numbers that begin with a 'D' were prior to Mosrite, then Ed, et al, were doing a lot of experimenting both structurally and cosmetically with the instrument. On the face of it, it seems suspicious to me. Within the number range of D 000 - 400, we've seen or read of both standard examples and a variety of design changes being implemented, many of which ended up as standard production design for the Mosrites; the accessible neck set screws; the added row of coverplate pattern slots; the metal nut and attachment screw; the cast bridge saddle, the odd inlay dot pattern, and maybe a couple more, all originating on instruments having the old Dobro decal.
Has anyone actually seen an early sixties (Dopyera) Dobro that didn't have at least one or two of these temporary design innovations? Can the implementation of the changes be tracked by serial number, or was it just hit and miss? As far as I can tell, if all of these innovations are during Ed's tenure, the only changes that seem unique to Mosrite are the slotted, stamped screens, the metal logo and the serial numbering system. And what about the sound well and other structural aspects? Were experiments going on with the bracing and size and shape of the openings into the guitar body during this period as well? Did only round necks have the old style spiders, or was the metal nut/bridge an optional offering on all models? Did any of these design innovations end up on the "Hound Dogs"? And lastly, did any thing other than the accessible neck set screws show up on the OMI guitars? If not, it begins to look like perhaps there was an evolutionary production startup period going on at Mosrite using existing inventory and patterns, including even a continuation of serial numbering procedure, all of which eventually morphed into the standard Moserite instrument models. If for no other reason, it makes economic and manufacturing sense to use up every bit of existing inventory while training and settling on new designs and/or suppliers.
It would be unfortunate if no one is left who knows the details of this period of Dobro history.
Those questions are rhetorical. Although, if someone has some further history, I'd welcome the opportunity to read it.
Larry
.
El Dobro - Posted - 03/05/2012: 16:43:19
I had an Original Hound Dog that was made around 1967. It had the serial number 174 and was made with the 12 fret body. Other than the neck attachment medhod, it was made just like the 70's Dobros. I remember showing it to Josh Graves when F&S were playing out at Sunset Park in 1969. He said he was involved with the Brothers making them the original way again.
otdobro - Posted - 03/05/2012: 17:14:36
Check out this one. A 1963 "DB Original" ser # 9005 Sure makes you wonder about the numbering system back then.
Edited by - otdobro on 03/05/2012 17:15:12
El Dobro - Posted - 03/05/2012: 18:25:14
With the Hound Dogs, the Brothers went back to the standard fan coverplate.
Rockygap - Posted - 03/05/2012: 19:33:31
Interesting additional info Jim and Don. We may not know all the details of the transition to Mosrite, but we do know quite a bit about the legal aspects of the episode. I thought you might like to read an excerpt from Semie and Loretta's remembrance of the period included in their, "Company History and Business", written around 1990 and still available on the current Mosrite website, reestablished in 2008 by Loretta, exactly 15 years to the day following Semie's death, 8/7/93. Perhaps, given his years of struggle and accomplishments, we can forgive this seemingly self-serving rationale.
"...In 1965 Semie purchased the Dobro resonator guitar company from one of the owners, Emil Dopyera. Semie owned this company for a few years and merged it with Mosrite to become the manufactures of the Dobro Resonating guitar. While Dobro was under the ownership of Mosrite, Semie saw Emil (also known as Ed) showing one of the Dobro guitars at a trade show. Emil Dopyera was becoming quite old, and Semie thought he would just give the Dobro company back to its original owner. Semie had many people angry at him for giving the company back to its original owner. However, Semie thought that when he died, he would want to be the owner of his own company, and he wanted someone else to feel the same way."
mosrite.us/en/index.html
Larry
copperridge - Posted - 03/09/2012: 09:37:07
I have a Dobro brand with serial D247 4 on it.I guess 1974?
otdobro - Posted - 03/09/2012: 09:59:34
quote:
Originally posted by copperridge
I have a Dobro brand with serial D247 4 on it.I guess 1974?
Probably 1663-1965 like mine which is D377
copperridge - Posted - 03/09/2012: 12:07:32
Wonder what the 4 out by itself meant if anything?
otdobro - Posted - 03/09/2012: 12:22:38
quote:
Originally posted by copperridge
Wonder what the 4 out by itself meant if anything?
D 247 would look like 4 is in the middle ??
copperridge - Posted - 03/13/2012: 12:03:14
IT read D 247 then a space or two then there was a 4 Thus reading D 247 4.
otdobro - Posted - 03/13/2012: 13:24:33
quote:
Originally posted by copperridge
IT read D 247 then a space or two then there was a 4 Thus reading D 247 4.
OK, That clears it up. It's a 1974.
