mmead - Posted - 11/25/2014:  05:45:13

I view many videos of the classic slide guitarists and see they are playing flat neck reso's that are not dobros.  Can you name several makers who offer *square* neck reso guitars with high action steel strings?

DaveInAL - Posted - 11/25/2014:  07:36:53

Not sure what you are asking here.  Resonators are generally of two types, square neck that has raised strings and played face up and round neck which is played like a conventional acoustic guitar.  There are resonators other than the "dobro type" spider bridge resonator.  There are also acoustic guitars with raised strings that are played face up.

SamCy - Posted - 11/25/2014:  07:41:39

I don't know about today, but National Reso-Phonic's policy in the past has been that they would build a square-neck version of most of their guitar models at no extra charge. They offer tri-cone square-necks with both wood and, in very limited production, with hollow metal necks. Recording King offers a tri-cone square-neck and Gold Tone offers a biscuit-cone square-neck.

Edited by - SamCy on 11/25/2014 07:44:05

Slidennis - Posted - 11/25/2014:  07:45:05

When you say "dobro", can I assume you are talking about guitars with the "Dobro" brand name?  Or are you looking for resonator lap guitars without the spider bridge construction used in the Dobro?  Are you talking vintage guitars or modern guitars?

VIntage - Certainly the National hollownecks and squarenecks would qualify, tricone and biscuit bridge models.  Would have been some Regals too I'd think, fauxbros included.  Radiotone guitars were made by Regal, I think. Harmony made four legged spider models.  There were likely others around as well.  

Modern - Talk to National Resophonic.  The tricone hollowneck has been brought back.  They should do biscuit bridge squarenecks too.  I am sure several small volume, custom shops could do a biscuit or a tricone for you too.

Dennis

Edited by - Slidennis on 11/25/2014 07:53:07

wlgiii - Posted - 11/25/2014:  08:04:38

For a non-resophonic squareneck, there seem to be a fair amount of old Oahus out there. You should be able to track one down online without much effort.  For a new, non-custom, the only one I'm aware of is the Paul Beard/Gold Tone PBK. It's pretty decent, though I passed on one and kept my own 30s Oahu.  The Gold Tone was louder and cleaner, but lacked the personality of the Oahu.

 

Phaedrus - Posted - 11/25/2014:  08:08:13

Taking your question at face value… that is, ‘Can you name several makers who offer *square* neck reso guitars with high action steel strings?... the easy answer is to Google ‘resonator guitars’. It will give you some idea of the people who make these things, along with price. That may sound ‘cheeky’, but really, the list of today’s manufacturers is a bit long. Too long to go into here…

Back ‘in the day’ there were several companies or small time luthiers offering square neck resonators, Dobro (later, “OMI”) was probably the most recognized, but National, Sho-Bro and R.Q. Jones were fairly common, to name just  a few.  Resonators guitars have (arguably)  come a long way in quality and sound since those days.

MarkinSonoma - Posted - 11/25/2014:  08:09:43

I'm confused - I sent in a long post, then deleted it because when I went back to the original post from Miles I'm wondering if he modified it? Maybe I don't have enough coffee in me yet since I just had the first one here on the west coast.  If it isn't what Miles was looking for perhaps someone else will benefit.  Here is what I wrote earlier:

Miles, I'm not clear regarding your question. Are you looking for squareneck flattops guitars, or are you looking for a guitar with a resonator a.k.a. dobro? You use the word "reso" in the second sentence. If it doesn't have a coverplate protecting an aluminum resonator cone, then it isn't a "reso."   I will assume you are referring to squareneck flattop guitars. 

There are many old Hawaiian squareneck flattop guitars available  under the Oahu brand which can be had pretty inexpensively on eBay and elsewhere. Oahu Publishing Company, which was headquartered in of all places Cleveland, Ohio was company that had operations throughout the country for teaching steel guitar decades ago. They weren't a guitar building company, they had the guitars built under contract by manufacturers like Harmony and Kay. Gibson and Martin built some legendary acoustic Hawaiian guitars in the 1920s and 1930s and though they usually don't sell for anything remotely as high as classic roundneck guitars from those builders, they can be pricey.

Reverb.com has a number of these old guitars available right now, prices and condition are all over the map. Here is one that looks pretty nice with an asking price of $599. 

reverb.com/item/217493-oahu-66...0-s-burst

​For a modern instrument that won't break the bank I have played a couple Gold Tone Paul Beard Signature Acoustic Squareneck PBK guitars, designed by Paul but manufactured in China. Were I in the market I'd likely go with one of these. When I was a kid starting out on steel guitar in the 1960s before I went electric I had a few different old loaner acoustic squarenecks that even though it's been a long time, I recall them being pretty funky. Though they were "loaners" to kids so no doubt they saw their fair share of abuse. 

beardguitars.com/Merchant2/mer..._Code=PBK

Or you can spend a whole bunch of money on a high end luthier-built guitars in this style. On the same website as the Gold Tone/Beard PBK Paul has his built-in-Maryland K Model, with a nice demo recording by Chris Barkley, the guitar sounds great to my ears in its Open D tuning:

beardguitars.com/guitarkmodelmain.html 

Other boutique luthiers to name a few whom have made some outstanding high end acoustic squarencks are Rayco of British Columbia, Tim Scheerhorn and Sven Gonstead, both of Michigan and Scott Walker, a few hours south of me in Santa Cruz, California. 

I sure hope you are referring to squareneck flattops and not resonator guitars or this whole post has been a waste of time! 

Dobrojan - Posted - 11/25/2014:  11:16:02

Tom Warner also makes a great acoustic Squareneck guitar. I have a maple one, I believe there are photos on my
homepage. Tom makes a great reso or squareneck acoustic, you choose the woods, etc.

Short Mountain GuitarsLLC - Posted - 11/25/2014:  12:46:49

I have made few , here is pics of one

countryboy - Posted - 11/25/2014:  13:56:12

Check out J.P. Johnson's Pearl River Resos....great guitars a reasonable price. Besides sounding great they are beautiful exotic wood creations. Message JP here I think.

mmead - Posted - 11/25/2014:  15:46:37

looking for companies who make....straight flat fretboard. and reso cone...Son House always had one. 

Lounge Primate - Posted - 11/25/2014:  16:45:20

Hey Miles, I think you're describing every squareneck reso ever made.  Just google "squareneck resonator" crack open a cold beer and read the plethora of options.

*Except, I thought Son House played "spanish style" round neck??

Edited by - Lounge Primate on 11/25/2014 16:47:37

Phaedrus - Posted - 11/25/2014:  17:59:26

quote:

---

Originally posted by mmead

 

looking for companies who make....straight flat fretboard. and reso cone...Son House always had one. 

---

By all accounts I've read, Son House played a 1930 Style O National.  You might want to Google it and do a little research on what that baby is. It's not what I think you think it is....