dpasq - Posted - 06/30/2024:  18:42:13

I’m wanting to buy a dobro from a guy at maybe a good price. The serial number is weird. It’s D 274, odd that the D is first add nothing following the number 274. Does anyone have an idea of what year this was made. Is it a fake? Korean? Or an older model.

Thanks in advance. Don

 

MarkinSonoma - Posted - 06/30/2024:  20:45:53

May or may not be an OMI Dobro from 1974  onwards. But not a lot to go on from  from one photo only, not even a picture of the headstock - more info needed. 

Edited by - MarkinSonoma on 06/30/2024 20:46:37

dpasq - Posted - 07/01/2024:  06:08:56

The full serial number is D 274 7. The owner confirmed.

Another photo with slotted headstock. .

 

MarkinSonoma - Posted - 07/01/2024:  08:59:17

The "D" for wood body has often been found first in the sequence. Mike Cass did a great job in cataloging serial numbers so that we could look them up online but exceptions have popped up on occasion.

It looks like a legit Model 60 to me, and the serial number indicates it is from 1977,  built in Huntington Beach. 

 

Extremely rare to come across "fake" Dobros. There is sort of a "cottage industry" of Chinese made fake Martins, but there probably isn't enough interest and money in OMI Dobros to to go through the whole process of creating fake versions of these guitars, particularly since many players prefer imported squareneck reso guitars in the same general price range from the likes of Gold Tone/Beard or Recording King. 

Edited by - MarkinSonoma on 07/01/2024 09:07:58

dpasq - Posted - 07/01/2024:  09:55:23

Thanks. I have it figured out it’s a 70 dobro made by Dobro in California. It’s $550 I’m getting it Saturday.

MarkinSonoma - Posted - 07/01/2024:  10:30:45

That's a good deal! Enjoy your Dobro.

But as I wrote earlier, it's a 1977 guitar (not 1970). In the decade of the Seventies, beginning in 1974 the numeral on the end was added to indicate the year it was built. And prior to '74, they didn't include  a letter to indicate body material (D = wood, B = brass, etc.).

You can check all of this out below: 

guitarhq.com/dobro.html

And this guitar is a prime example of why there isn't a market for fake Dobros from this era since you are able to acquire it for $550. The fake Martins that show up for sale online for considerably more money have surely fooled some folks, but people  with reasonably good knowledge of Martin guitars can spot the fakes. 

Edited by - MarkinSonoma on 07/01/2024 10:37:53