Hi Guys.  I have a recently purchased DEAN CHROME S.  I bought it because I could not afford a National, and I loved most of the sound it made when I played in the shop.  It is quite different to a wood body and that is good for different songs.  The best thing I like about it is the "Duck" like quack sound that the top three strings give me.  I have been looking for that sound for years, and I found it with this one.  My only gripe is the serios lack of bottom end bass.  Now I know that I am not going to get the same as a wood body.  But I am thinking of buying a Quaterman or National 9 1/2 cone that will drop right in.  The question is, will this give me more bottom end, and will a National cone kill that beloved Quack (banjo-esk) tone on the high strings.  I play with bare fingers and thumb so perhaps the simple solution is to get used to playing with a thumb pick, something that I find un-natural and difficult.  Thanks in advance for any advice.  Regards Terry

A National Hot Rod cone (about $80 w/biscuit) is the best you can get. What tuning are you using? I suggest trying Spanish (open G) tuned down to the key of D or E. A HR cone will definitely improve the tone but I can't really say if it will give you exactly what you describe. Try the tunings I listed first.

I'm not knowlegeable about cones, but on the topic of fingerpicks....I've been playing fingerstyle guitar for forty years and always hated fingerpicks, but once I tried them on the dobro, encouraged to give it a go by the great folks on this forum, it opened up a world of sound!

I love going neck and neck with the banjo player, if you like that banjo sound you'll get more of it with picks. 

Try the Propik ones with the bare finger pad for starters http://elderly.com/brand/PROPIK.html , I think you'll find it addictive. I still play bare sometimes, when I need to turn the volume way down (I have a big bodied wood resonator).

Good luck with the cone! 

I have the same guitar as you but rarely play it because I can only get good bottom end when it's plugged in...but then it really sings! Let us know how the cone works out, I may have to get one!

Andy

Thanks for the comments Guys.  Much appreciated.  I do play mostly in open D or G on the resonator for delta and piedmont style, and it is currently strung with D'Addario phosphor bronze 13's.  I also have a Johnson AXL spider resonator that I did my own set-up on (micarta nut and ebony tipped saddles, getting spider feet and cone properly seated etc).  I actually bought a BEARD cone for it, but surprisingly the original cone sounded much better with brighter highs and better bass.  So the BEARD cone is gathering dust in the parts box.

This is why Im a little hesitant to get NATIONAL to ship me a HotRod cone half way round the world to NZ if it is going to ruin that awesome nasal twang that the current cone has in spades.  One thing that I do know is that every guitar is different and if you get one that suits your ears and playing style, dont change it.  My biggest concern is the bottom end that I want more of but not at the expense of the twang (a real beautiful nasal quack) that the DEAN cone presently has on the highs.  Regards Terry

Why not install the Beard cone you already have gathering dust?  If it doesn't make a difference, you can put the original cone back in.  If it does sound better, then you can decide whether or not the Hot Rod cone will present even more of an improvement or not.

Hi Brad.  I would if i could, but the Dean Chrome S is a biscuit cone.  The spare is spider.

Why change to picks now? Aside from using a plectrum for flat-pickling, I completely ditched picks a couple of years ago and its one of the best guitar decisions I made. When I see a player with nails & flesh I immediately think they are better than if they had picks.

With the cone issue, now is a perfect time to get your second (etc) resonator - solved!

TT

Edited by - deuce on 08/12/2012 22:41:46

Ah, I see.  Well, a new cone will give you a different (probably better) tone, but probably won't give you the additional bass you seek. Have you checked with Dean Guitars to see if they have any suggestions on getting more bass out of your guitar?