Reso Hangout - Building, Setup, and Repair Forum Feed

muted tone

eric@resohangout.com — Wed, 8 Feb 2012 13:07:59 CST

Yesterday I put on my blog the issue I was having with my Regal dobro. The better player I become the more I can hear when an expected tone is off. My dobro instructor and I both have noticed that the bass side of my instrument, especially the low G has sounded muted. I installed new strings, checked the cone and spider and took it back to the repair shop where I had my pickup installed. No change in the muted tone. I sent e-mails to Beard (no reply) and read information from Stewart MacDonald (very good information) and still could not find the problem. Took the instrument to another local luthier just minutes from the office and within just a few minutes of hearing the sound Linda London knew what the problem was. It was the size and angle of the slot where the G string sits on the nut. A small file and a few strokes later and my dobro sounds much better. This is another reminder to listen to those repair folk who have 40 plus years of repair experience. No wonder folks from all over send their instruments to London, in Lincoln, NE. Thanks Linda. BRUCE

muted tone

eric@resohangout.com — Wed, 8 Feb 2012 13:07:33 CST

Custom Orders?

eric@resohangout.com — Wed, 8 Feb 2012 08:49:12 CST

Who has a new guitar on order? I just saw pictures of Liz Williams' beautiful new Bear Creek hollowneck, and I am curious to know what else is being built. I know there are a few Hooks in the works as well as at least one of Tom's Appalachians.

Z.I.

30's Cyclops info needed.

eric@resohangout.com — Tue, 7 Feb 2012 13:49:40 CST

Hi all, kind of a newbie here but not to the instrument world. Mostly a mando builder ( 1 Dobro build to replace my Scheerhorn, a few Weissenborns & guitars, etc..), but I just scored an old Cyclops & have a few questions. I'll post a video later this eve. It's black & I'm wondering if it was re-colored/ and or if I should consider some sort of re-finish. Did they make any all black ? Pretty sure it's the real deal, has 4- holes in the peak of the cone. Surprisingly heavy as well. I've played a few 30's - 40's Dobros that were considerably lighter. The bigger question would be: there are also 7 divots on either side of the top; something decorative mounted there ? and 4 divots in a diamond pattern with 1 larger divot in the middle of the headstock, which I imagine was for some sort of logo mounting ? Lastly, the spider seems to be sitting on the inside lip of the cone, like it could have been a bit wider to rest upon the outside edge. May just be the original design. If the cone's toast, I'll likely be getting a new spider & cone ( if it's a standard size) . Used the Beard stuff off Stew-Mac a few years back when I finished my dobro build & am very happy with it. Seems Quarterman's are done ( no?) Any new latest greatest spider/cones makes I should be aware of ?

Thanks in advance & I'll get a vid up this eve or tomorrow.

Oh yeah, came from an antique store CL posting simply entitled " Unique Instruments" , half assed pic here :

http://denver.craigslist.org/msg/2827355330.html

Just goes to show you gotta check out the odball listings ! Won't even say what I stole it for, but the new strings their guitar guy installed were running OVER the coverplate. Stick shoved in where the nut used to be. They told me it was 'home made'.

Buzzing problem

eric@resohangout.com — Mon, 6 Feb 2012 22:34:53 CST

Last week I had just bought my first square neck dobro off of ebay. The lady assured me that there was no buzzing, but if that was the case I wouldn't be posting. It is a 1976 squareneck dobro. I brought it to a local shop and the guy turned the spider slightly clockwise and that got rid of the one horrible rattling overtone. However now I have a slight buzz on certain strings. When I apply slight downward pressure on the spider it is as quiet as can be. Does anybody have any suggestions? I thought about wedging some foam in between the spider and the cover, but wasn't sure if there was another solution. Any help would be great. Thanks

pat lyons

Damping cone.

eric@resohangout.com — Sat, 4 Feb 2012 16:03:24 CST

Some where someone had inserted pieces of cloth under spider legs. Assume to help damp cone or cure a rattle.

Would green felt, adhesive backed, work the same.

Wire a humbucker to a piezo preamp?

eric@resohangout.com — Sat, 4 Feb 2012 03:24:02 CST

I'm making a new slide guitar. Got a piezo system. Got a humbucker. I want to use the bucker for the pickup, and I don't want to buy a set of electronics if I can wire it to the preamp system.

Will it work? Anyone have experience?

Timber harvest time

eric@resohangout.com — Thu, 2 Feb 2012 07:01:11 CST

I have recently been dwelling on the various properties of wood and the specifics of bark holding on to wood was a subject of interest. If a tree is cut in the winter while it is dormant, the bark has a natural tendency to hold on tight to the log and you fight every inch trying to peel it off. On the other hand, a tree cut in the spring while the sap is rising is loosening up, and after a period of seasoning, the bark literally falls off the logs.

The heartwood doesn't move much if at all, and the diameter expansion happens at the outer edges so it only makes sense for this area to get a little more pliable in the growing season. What really happens on the inside in various seasons though. There may be very little difference in the heartwood at different times of the year but I suspect differently, The heartwood is continually expanding and what was once sapwood turns into heartwood so change is happening. There has to be some difference in trees cut down in different times of the year. To my mind, I would think that a winter cut log would be "tighter" and possibly a better choice for instrument wood. The tree is snugging itself in to ride out the inclement weather with less sunlight, snow and ice storms, etc. Any other thoughts on this would be appreciated.

spider bridge walls

eric@resohangout.com — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 06:47:34 CST

Hi there. Quick question - on one of my (admittedly cheap) spiders, one bridge wall is thicker than the other. Is this down to its cheapness, or a design feature? And would it really matter if the thicker wall was at the front or back? If a pic is needed, let me know. Cheers, TT

Inside my Beard

eric@resohangout.com — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 16:35:21 CST

My guitar that is.. Just thought I'd post some pics of the inside of my Paul Beard, I know sometimes there's questions about building and 'how to' and stuff. I only had an old Johnson roundneck apart before this, so I was kind of curious as well. I hope this helps somebody out with their process.

Cone and Bridge Upgrades

eric@resohangout.com — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 12:31:23 CST

Is there a significant change in tone in one cone vs. another? Beard vs. Scheerhorn, etc.?

Thinking about upgrading the cone and bridge insert in my Gibson Dobro (1999).

I assume harder bridge materials transfer the vibrations to the cone more efficiently? Has anyone played around with materials other than ebony and maple? Thinking of micarta, hickory, bakelite, etc.

What upgrades to do on Rogue Triolian Biscuit cone

eric@resohangout.com — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 12:51:43 CST

Hi, I just ordered a Rogue triolain biscuit cone roundneck resonator guitar from MF and hopefully I will get next week , but I am wondering what upgrades can I do to make it better. The cone is 91/2, and I think the nut is some kind plastic, the bridge is hard maple biscuit bridge. Thanks.

Tuning Round Neck to GBDGBD

eric@resohangout.com — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 14:09:26 CST

I have a Gibson Dobro DM33 round neck that I have been playing lap style with an extension nut. I have been playing mostly open D or open G, which is fine for my old bottle neck repertoire, but there is a ton of material available for high G (GBDGBD) tuning. Can my round neck tolerate the extra strain on the 5 and 6 string? Even if I back off to 12-50 acoustic strings?

Tim Scheerhorn contact info

eric@resohangout.com — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 09:29:07 CST

Does anyone have a current contact number for Tim Scheerhorn. Has he moved back to Michigan?

thanks

Kelly

Just Another Newb Looking For Help....

eric@resohangout.com — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 05:58:30 CST

I have heard of people for sometime taking out and replacing cones on their resonator guitars and getting superior ones, but i cant figure out how to remove mine!!! It seems to be stuck to the back of my guitar (i have a roundneck regal RD-40) and it wont budge, wont turn move up or down or anything. I know there is a way to take it out, but how!?

Hot rodding resonator guitars( roundneck)

eric@resohangout.com — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 16:15:19 CST

Hi, I asked the last question on round neck resonators, and I may go with Goldtone PB deluxe round neck. But I have seen people hot roddng their resonator guitars ,and I am wondering if one can hot rod the Goldtone reso. guitars. But before that what is hot rodding anyway. Thanks.

Best place for dobro setup in MA

eric@resohangout.com — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 09:19:25 CST

Hey everyone! I'm new to the site. Sorry if anything like this has been posted before. I tried searching and didn't have any luck. I have a Dobro Hound Dog Deluxe Squareneckand I made the mistake of trying to set it up myself. I've done lots of guitar work over my 12 years of playing so i figured with that and the internet I could do an ok job. Boy was I wrong haha as you could imagine. I was wondering if anyone out there knows of any good luthiers or repair shops in Massachusetts(or somewhere close, Rhode Island or New Hampshire?) that do a good set up. Ideally I'd like to send it to Beard or something like but shipping alone is probably over $100 round trip and the setup, although I'm sure it's worth it, is $200. Not really in my budget. Also, if anyone knows of any good sites that really spell out how to do a good home setup, i wouldn't mind looking at it and maybe giving it a second try. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Also, I think I may need a new cone, I notice a weird dent last time I looked at it. Any suggestions? thanks very much !!

60's Rickenbacker Lap Steel - parts question

eric@resohangout.com — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 17:39:20 CST

Hi helpful musicians,

I just picked up a 1960's Rickenbacker lap steel at a thrift store for $40, score! It needs some TLC and parts which is why I'm posting. Does anyone know where I can find a knob (tone), a headstock logo and just the plastic part of the tuners which literally disintegrated and turned to dust in my hand when I tried tuning it?

I'd love to find original parts but since I'm keeping this for myself I'd settle for after market...

Your help would be greatly appreciated!

Rock n' roll!

Bret

new appalachian reso fromTom Warner

eric@resohangout.com — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 19:25:10 CST

Having a new build from Tom Warner here are the pic's. Salvaged redwood top and claro walnut back and sides.

Charlie Collins has Passed Away

eric@resohangout.com — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 06:56:05 CST

With a Heavy Heart ,I just read of the passing of My Friend Charlie Collins

http://www.springhillfh.com/obituary/user/show/template?id=58044#.TxGVnqyLkws.facebook

rectangular box dobro

eric@resohangout.com — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 09:44:25 CST

Another new build....a square neck box dobro. I missed that week in guitar school where you learn to make curvy wood guitar bodies. Actually I never went at all. I guess my theory is that volume is important and density of the wood used also....curvy shape, maybe not so much. I don't want to seem gloomy but building depression era box instruments right now seems appropriate and much simplified and less expensive to build. I pieced the top and back from edge grain Bolivian Rosewood and appropriately box jointed the corners of this 3 3/4" x 12" x 19" golden rectangle. The resonator parts are from Saga, the tuners are 21:1 Gotoh sealed units...very smooth and lately I have been using 16-56 Elixir strings. The pickup is a Lace square neck dobro sensor. I posted a video of Harry Manx doing a demo of this instrument with one of his tunes. The sound is good but the video lighting ..well ...its a little dark and looks mysterious...don't strain your eyes. The wood finish is two coats of a tung oil sealer, hand rubbed. It protects the wood and is easy and inexpensive to repair at home

I cut the three piece neck blank the full length of the instrument so there is no dowel joint or sliding v tenon in the neck assembly and thus, no glue line. The neck transitions at the heel into a substantial rectangular dowel that is cut away under the cone.

I reinforced the neck entry point with a Baltic Birch ply block and the tail end of the dowel works down against a notched push block. The instrument is held together with its own string tension and one tailpiece screw. The consensus is that the sustain is improved with this one length neck construction as there are no disruptions or damping of the neck vibrations that support the sustain of the notes. The neck width is a constant 2.5" and the string spacing a constant 7/16" from nut to ebony bridge.

Question about offset spider

eric@resohangout.com — Sat, 7 Jan 2012 16:09:42 CST

I have a "Fullerton" brand round neck resonator with a spider bridge—made in China. I bought it sight unseen for $99 some time ago just for playing slide and getting the resonator sound on one recording—a purpose for which the guitar performed admirably. I figured that would be the end of it. Trouble is, I got hooked on the resonator sound, and especially the sound of that guitar played fretted. Against all odds, it's a great sounding guitar.

Well, playing it fretted is a problem because the intonation just plain sucks. I finally couldn't take it and bought myself a Gold Tone Paul Beard round neck cutaway, which is the second best sounding round neck wood resonator I've ever played (the first being a Beard resonator). But that junky old $99 Fullerton still sounds terrific, and I'd love to solve the intonation problem.

The problem, specifically, is that the fretted notes get progressively sharper as I move up the neck from the nut toward the 12th fret...which I gather is a fairly common problem, especially for non-standard tunings that put the strings under greater tension than normal. Clearly, the mere act of fretting the strings is stretching them sharp.

I figure I can mitigate it somewhat by lowering the action (through a combination of truss rod and saddle height adjustment...assuming I play exclusively fretted, with no slide). It seems reasonable that if the fretted strings don't have to stretch as much, they won't be as sharp. But I can only go so low without engendering fret buzz. And in any case, I don't think lowering the action is going to be enough to fix the intonation, especially on the lower (wound) strings.

There's a bit of play in the location of the spider inside the cavity on top of the cone, and I've already shifted the spider back toward the tailpiece as far as it will go. It helped, but it's still not enough. So, it looks like the next step is to try one of Paul Beard's offset spiders.

So, here's my question to anyone who has any experience with the offset spider as a retrofit:

Are there any special considerations I need to be aware of (I mean other than all the things that accompany the need to install a new pair of bridge inserts for the new spider)?

Yeah, I know...this probably seems like an awful lot of trouble for an El Cheapo $99 Beijing Special, especially when I've got the closest thing to pure nirvana in the Gold Tone. But the truth is that, for whatever reason, the El Cheapo guitar sounds incredibly good, and I don't have much to lose by using it as its own lab rat to solve the intonation problem.

Thanks!

lap slide hockey stick bass

eric@resohangout.com — Wed, 4 Jan 2012 16:22:50 CST

And now for something completely different! I have just completed a Hockey stick lap bass for a client. I ended up making the hockey stick from standing grain eastern maple. The scale lengthy is 30" with a Lace square neck dobro sensor and intonation adjustable bridge/tail hold. Strings are Elixir .065, .035, .018, .016 for a F#F#C#F# tuning. The swing out stabilizers are concealed and then swing out to rest on the players legs for a steady, stable playing position. There is also a swing out finger rest. Tuners are Gotoh 18:1 The peghead and fretboard are Nigerian ebony. And it fits in a rifle case. So it looks like a hockey stick and plays like a guitar and although its not a resonator, it sounds great.

Thinking About Pickups and Amplification

eric@resohangout.com — Tue, 3 Jan 2012 20:57:30 CST

I think the new pickup and pre-amp combinations made by Fishman are just as slick as owl grease, but those systems seem to take the string excitation of the pup and modify it to sound like a specific resonator (or guitar) micked with a certain model microphone in a specific way, at a specific distance, etc. Am I just out of luck if the image folder doesn't have my reso file with a suitable mic setup recorded in the resources folder? If I wanted my Bell Brass Dobro to sound like a J-45, I would just play a J-45. What if I just want it to sound like a louder DM33(g)? What pup and pre-amp combo will accurately reproduce the sound of my reso and not force it to some other sampled guitar? I know with the Spectrum you can zero out the image file component used to reproduce the tonal mix in the pre-amp, but is what's left over the best reproduction of my guitar or would something else work better?

new alternate tuning!

eric@resohangout.com — Mon, 2 Jan 2012 18:22:34 CST

can anybody help me out? i want to tune the high 4 or 5 strings of my roundneck with medium gage strings to a banjo tuning, and the low 1 or 2 to a dobro tuning. this would be in pursuit of playing banjo style tunes on the treble strings with the low bassiness in the low strings. im looking for sort of a hybrid sound so fhe funkier sounding the better! thanks for your help!

Dick DeNeve

eric@resohangout.com — Sun, 1 Jan 2012 16:45:38 CST

This was just posted on Resoguit. Thought it would be of interest here also.

It is with sadness, anger, and frustration that I announce I will no longer be able to transact any business at my home/shop, or make any deliveries to private individuals within New York State. The personal information requirements and reporting requirements of the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, effective Jan.1, 2012 are too onerous for a small part-timer like myself to tolerate. (Like, they need to know my accountant's contact info and SSN; ALL my bank account numbers and funds transfer info; I would have to regularly check on line to see if there are any new rules for me to follow; I would have to pay a $50 application fee to be granted a certificate giving me the "privilege" of being an unpaid sales tax collector for them, etc.) I have painfully decided that I'm too old and too small to put up with this kind of crap. If I would be required to collect a sales tax, I must decline the business.

Happily, this would not affect most of my customers, as well over 90% of them have been from out of state. I will gladly continue to serve past and future out-of-state customers through the mails, telephone, etc.

I wanted my friends to know some of the ways businesses can be discouraged from continuing in their home states. Welcome to New York!

Think I'll grab my reso and see how loud I can make it sound. Grrrrr.

Dick DeNeve

String gauges for roundneck resonator?

eric@resohangout.com — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 01:47:51 CST

Hello everyone! I just ordered a roundneck resonator guitar (Recording King RR-50VS) and I want to play it in D or E tuning.

Is it safe to use 0.16-0.56 (resonator G tuning) strings on it or is the tension too much to wood roundneck?

If the tension is too much,which set of strings is recommended for D or E tuning,0.13?

I use 0.16-0.56 set on my squareneck with high G tuning but is it possible to use the same setup on wooden roundneck without hurting the guitar?

Thanks for your help!

Subtone Sam

Under construction: the Tuxedo Junction solidbody resonator electric guitar

eric@resohangout.com — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 07:02:38 CST

This is my third solidbody resonator electric guitar, and it's shaping up to be my best yet. P90 neck pickup and piezo-equipped biscuit cone. This conversion started out as an Epiphone Les Paul Junior.

Midi pickup for lap steel

eric@resohangout.com — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 05:46:02 CST

Has anyone ever had experience with installing or using a lap steel with a midi pickup? a piezo pickup? I am wondering how well that would work.

What year was my dobro made? need help!

eric@resohangout.com — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 11:13:50 CST

I have a d-60 model Dobro with serial # F5 303 91 D stamped on the end of the headstock. I was wondering if anybody on the hangout knows how to decipher the numbers and tell me what year it was made. Thanks in advance for any help at all.

Brian

Fishman aura jerry douglas signature and pickup

eric@resohangout.com — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 22:57:18 CST

My wife gave me the new Fishman aura-box as a Christmas present .... Boy, was I happy, until I tryed it out ;-(

I have the old Fishman pickup mounted. You know: The one mounted on the cone. Is that the reason why it dont seam to work properly? Do I have to buy the new Fishman undersaddle Pickup too?

-Axel

Odyssey Baffle

eric@resohangout.com — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 18:07:03 CST

I finally got around to posting a pic of the baffle that Beard installed in my Odyssey.

Strings and setup question - noob alert :-)

eric@resohangout.com — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 12:09:17 CST

Hi,

I´m glad I found this nice little site, coz my first Dobro Hound Dog Round Neck Deluxe arrived today and I´m curious about the setup.

I tuned the strings to what I thought, sounded quite nice in my ears (no machine plugged in). I later plugged in a tuner and was dissapointed: when I got in tune, the reso sound was nearly gone, it sounded like any other steel strung guitar. I dropped the tuning for about 2 semitones (actual it´s: d g C F A d from low to high string) and it sounded really good.

Now here´s the question: Is it the right way, to play the guitar with dropped tuning, or is it possible to tweak the reso, when played / tuned in standard tuning? It´ll make it easier playing together... :-)

btw, have a nice Xmas everybody!

tia, regards

roundneck newbie

eric@resohangout.com — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 13:57:48 CST

What are your recommendations as far as string brands for a Regal rd40 v roundneck ? I'm looking to play mostly finger picking.

martin strings

eric@resohangout.com — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 13:30:37 CST

so i re-strung my baby today with some martin phosphor bronze medium gage strings. i instantly heard a difference and they sound quite good to me. what do you all think of these strings? did i do good?

Reso Cases

eric@resohangout.com — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 21:25:29 CST

Hello,

The original case with my 1974 OMI dobro is missing the handle and is worn out. Recently, I needed to get a different case to replace this without spending over a limit of $100. I have just started working again and have other priorities. I am tired of carrying the instrument on my shoulder with the accessories rattling around in the case. So, my quest was on.

An under $100 case was what I was looking for. When I went looking, I did not find many hard shell cases for the price I needed to match. When I looked at Amazon, the case @ price selection was better. Amazon is a great place to get good deals on some things. However, the cases being sold were for Round neck instruments.

One model stated that the GoldGate model CP-1512 claimed to be Dobro/Reso ready. The images did not show the neck rest well with the Zoom. Even with the magnify button with an MS mouse or with IPAD did not help me see any better details like the heel cut. The dimensions and the construction looked good. So, it was purchased.

When I received it, the case was for a round neck guitar. In addition, body molding was not compatible with any guitar including the OMI with modification. This was a final purchase, no returns. I had a case but not one guitar would fit it. Upon inspection, I had an option.

One redeeming quality was that the interior molding was Styrofoam. Using a cloth chalk and my Xacto kit, I modified the body to accommodate the square neck and recovered the cut molding. The instrument is now secured and I have a "custom" fit case. This model is much bulkier then the original. But, I now can use a handle.

Square neck reso's must be difficult to find cases to fit. Of the two guitars I have, a replacement case seems easy. But, reso's seem hard to find unless over $100 must be spent.

Sincerely,

AradoReso,

John

Raised Nut on a Resophonic? (Pros and Cons)

eric@resohangout.com — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 12:38:22 CST

Hey Yall,

I have been playing my resophonic like a dobro for a month or two because the intonation just isn't really that great in some spots. One of my friends mentioned that I could just get a raised nut to put on top the old one and kaboom, it would play more like a Dobro. I really dig the idea and have played the guitar he has set up like this, and it sounds pretty good. Has anyone on here done this? And if so, got any pros and cons of the process or things I should watch out for?

hawaian tuning

eric@resohangout.com — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 03:35:45 CST

I want to learn how to play more hawaian style on my dobro and six string lapsteel. I thinking about players like Sol Hoopi and Ray Kinney. HOw did they tune their instruments. Anyone have any suggestions?

Weissenborn wood source

eric@resohangout.com — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 18:12:45 CST

Hi Anybody know of a source for weissenborn wood sets in the US? Seems like the only thing I can find is in Australia. Not really looking for any koa, some more common woods. Thx, Steve

loose bracing?

eric@resohangout.com — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 01:04:48 CST

Hi everybody!

When i press gently on the bottom of my dobro (or when I simply place it in my lap) I can hear a klicking sound from the guitar. My first thought was that the bracing might be loose somewhere in the bottom. Do you think that might be the case? It is an almost new Beard E model with an arched back.

All help is very appreciated.

//Daniel

replacing republic neck

eric@resohangout.com — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 11:40:56 CST

As the title said, I would like to replace the nec.

I have a republic brass body guitar, it has a mahogany round neck neck and I was thinking I would like to replace it with something a little nicer/better. I am at the buy a blank or make a blank and buy/make the fret board stage, but do not know what would be best. The present neck is mahogany. Any suggestions as to what wood to use, maple would look good but do you think it would sound right. When I look at the fret board it is looking quite flat, as in not much radius to it. I like to play slide so I am thinking rather flat is good but, could be wrong about this. The neck is fine it is mostly a urge to mess with the thing and make something.

So any direction would be nice, neck and fret board, wood type radius tuners, the ones on it are not great willing to up grade. Thanks all, Ron.

national cones... worth it?

eric@resohangout.com — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 17:56:28 CST

not that i have the money or plan on buying them soon, but is buying a national tricone set for my republic tricone worth the 130 bucks its priced at on elderly? also would it be doable for me to install them myself?

Converting a roundneck for bluegrass style

eric@resohangout.com — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 07:56:22 CST

Hey all. I’m a member of the FPHO and MHO but this is my first time posting here. I’m planning to convert a roundneck for bluegrass style dobro playing. This is hopefully temporary – my son wants to learn dobro, but we don’t have the funds for a new instrument right now, so my dad offered to loan us his roundneck and we’re going to see what we can do with it. Any recommendation/advice/warnings you guys could share about doing this?

I don't have the roundneck yet, hoping to spend some time with it this week if possible...so I may not be able to answer specific questions about the brand, type of bridge/cone, etc.

Thanks!

Jesse

Conversion from square neck to Spanish

eric@resohangout.com — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 18:53:29 CST

About 6 years ago I purchased a Johnson squareneck Tri-cone knock-off. Being the obsessive person that I am, I replaced the cones with Nationals. I also put in new machines since the originals were awful. It is a great sounding instrument now. The problem is that I don't really ever play it. I want to convert it to a round-neck. I know that I have to replace the bridge insert and the nut. I was a violin maker for many years, so carving the neck is no problem for me. My question is, are there any problems that I am not considering? Is there something that will not work if I re-carve the neck?

Thanks for your help.

Restringing Question

eric@resohangout.com — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 14:36:18 CST

I couldn't find an answer using a search, so if this is a common question, please provide a pointer....

When wrapping a new string around its post, do you wrap the string first then insert it into the hole? Or insert it into the hole, leave some slack, then wind tight?

I've seen videos online using both techniques...any advantage to one or the other?

strings for roundneck tricone?

eric@resohangout.com — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 09:49:42 CST

so my guitar came and i love it, but i need to put new strings on it. any suggestions for what would be the best strings to put on my new guitar?

Attention Luthiers - Possible Project For You

eric@resohangout.com — Fri, 9 Dec 2011 21:24:53 CST

Here is the problem. I have terrible nerve damage in my hands and wrists, and the muscles are atrophying rapidly. For example, over the last three months I have lost 14 pounds grip strength in my left hand, and one pound in my right hand. This has been the most rapid loss the Dr. has measured on anyone in a long time. The prognosis is not good, but maybe the strengthening exercises I do will help keep the wolf at bay. So far not so much.

A few years ago I started tp concentrate on bottleneck playing because I have always been a blues stringer, and the slide style fit right in with my knowledge and skills. Now I am having a hard time getting and keeping my left hand in the proper position for good playing and good tone. I had been using a composite style with a flat pick in my right hand and a good fingernail on my birdie finger, and a slide on my left pinky for starters, but now shifted to my left hand ring finger. I am finding my left index and birdie to be less and less useful for fretting strings, and I play almost everything with my slide, a heavy brass Robert Johnson on my left hand.

I've begun to study some players stringing blues with a lap style resonator and a steel. I think I can do this, and keep playing for a few more years, if I learn their styles and get similar equipment. Here comes the prospective project. My Gibson Dobro;ektric is off the table. Neck is way too small to do a conversion to a square neck. But I have a Gibson Dobro DM33 bell brass resonator with a highly flamed curly maple round neck. It too is a bottle neck and pickin' guitar, being only 1 7/8 - inches at the nut. Gibson made these models in both round and square neck varieties, so I suspect this is just a parts bin guitar much like the Fender Stratocasters, Telecasters, and anything else doesn't come from the custom shop. It makes me feel like you should be able to order a new neck, do some fitting work, and screw thar bad boy in place. Then I should be able to handle GADGAD tuning without worrying about about ruining the neck. Alternatively, I could have a complete neck custom built. The instrument is worth less than $2000. so spending anything near that would be foolish.

So, there's the project. Can you convert this into a square neck for less than the worth of the guitar? While we're at it and the guts are on the operating table, could you install an active (on board pre amp) Fishman pickup on the resonator spider bridge that will work well with the Fishman Aura Spectrum pedal? It has a lot more flexibility than the Jerry Douglass, and way better feedback control, so I would like to go that way. If you are a real magician, you could install a P90 magnetic soapbox pickup by the neck and blend them on board (kind of like my resolektric or a National.

So, guestions for my honored experts: Which if any of these things can you do? Can you do it for a price that makes sense in light of the guitar's value? I have a luthier up in Bloomingdale that can do it all, but I won't see the instrument for a couple of years and for the price, it better come with a front door key because that's where I'll be sleeping for the rest of time. Help?

Kelly

Resonator Voices

eric@resohangout.com — Tue, 6 Dec 2011 21:41:22 CST

I tend to paint with a broad brush sometimes. Having messed with a bunch of different resonators, I have concluded that the spider bridge instruments are louder and "sweeter" sounding than than the biscuit bridge instruments. Biscuit bridge instruments tend to be quieter and have more of a barky, quacky voice than the spider instruments. Am I close or totally out to lunch with my observations?

Can some tone woods crack easier than others?

eric@resohangout.com — Thu, 1 Dec 2011 09:21:35 CST

Hello!

I would like to know if some tone woods can take more "abuse" than others without cracking. I'm mostly talking about temperature changes but also other kinds of situations that could harm the instrument. Is a hard wood like maple more resistant or does it crack even easier than a soft wood like spruce? I´m referring to SOLID-woods only.

It would be interesting if you could find it in your hearts to share your experience with me:)

Thanks alot!

Dobro set up

eric@resohangout.com — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 04:44:11 CST

What is the proper string height off the frets for a resonator that I play as a regular guitar, in other words no slide work and mostly flat picking rather than finger picking. My bridge is as low as it can be adjusted and I still have about 1/8" or more on the lower (on the neck) frets. It is hard for me to play with the arthritis in my old mechanics hands. Thanks.