stevenW - Posted - 08/10/2015:  07:40:08

I have started to order the parts! I just ordered a AA spruce top, brace wood and some kerfing from Stewmac. I will get the other parts as soon as I can.

Johnson JD-27 solid wood dreadnaught, made in China. It will get a new truss rod (old one was bad), turned around to adjust at the peghead end, solid spruce top and soundpost supports instead of a soundwell. Maybe an interior baffle too, but I haven't learned about baffles yet. I'll probably do f -holes instead of screens because i like that look, and the best quality reso parts I can get (probably a Beard legend cone since those are what everyone here recommends) and a #14 spider.

I decided to do this because the top was damaged/repaired and the guitar had very little monetary value and so not much to lose, and wasn't getting played. Plus, I want another resonator guitar. This will hopefully be an introduction to building my own some day.

Edited by - stevenW on 08/10/2015 07:59:18

Slideman1939 - Posted - 08/10/2015:  10:54:42

On YouTube there is a mini-video of a guy converting a standard acoustic to a resophonic----worth watching for ideas even if his conversion isn't exactly like yours.

BuckM - Posted - 08/10/2015:  12:23:59

What a fascinating project. It will be very interesting for us to hear about the acoustical results when you're done, since there doesn't seem to be one of these on the market. 

Fortunately the dreadnought body is wider than any reso for which I've seen statistics (see charts in the thread below), so the cone apparatus should fit easily. 

resohangout.com/archive/32374

Edited by - BuckM on 08/10/2015 12:32:11

MarkinSonoma - Posted - 08/10/2015:  12:34:58

I'm wondering if it will have some things in common sound-wise with an old Sho-Bro because of the large open body?

deuce - Posted - 08/10/2015:  23:48:04

You may need to reset the neck to get a decent break angle (unless you are using it lap style / with a nut riser etc).

Also, my advice is when measuring up the bridge position, add about 3-4mm to the 0-12fret measurement.

Also, as a large bit of the body / bracing will be missing, you'd be wise to fit a neck stick secured to the back (or extend it to the tail-block), otherwise it might collapse on you, especially if you go open G 'dobro' tuning.

TT

Doctor Proctor - Posted - 08/11/2015:  06:25:20

With the top off you have lottsa options.   There is plenty of info  on here on BAFFLES . The Gary Dussina  project will be beneficial .   ON   Most/Some  modern resos  the neck is held on by some combo of bolts , screws and glue.  I did the Johnson conversion thing , but without removing the top . I did what the dude on you tube did  and added a riser nut . Eventually I  ordered the hardware from BEARD . The neck will need help .I put 2 healthy screws thru the neckblock into the neck  and 2 not as healthy  thru the finger board into the neckblock .    I saw the dude  building the BEARD kit and the neckblock has 4  predrilled holes. With the top off you have better access to the neck block and can SEE exactly where to put THE 2..The info to do what you are gonna do is on here somewhere BUT you can also JUST ASK THE QUESTION in this thread and even tho the folks might tell you to check the archives(which has a bunch of info ) THEY will answer it . MOSTLY because I think they remember what it was like when they came across this wonderful instrument and had  ??????????????? and were fortunate to have someone willing to help em out. I've been at this for about a yr  and  I don't have as many questions as I  did but I also realize that  I've just scratched the surface. And sometimes other people will ask a question in a way that will have everybody wanting to "CHIME" in. 

when you order the hardware something to consider is the coverplate with the removable palmrest  unless you  go for one of the Beard Customs and the  pre - leveled spider

stevenW - Posted - 08/11/2015:  07:50:44

I'm wondering why the neck joint should be reinforced with bolts or neck stick. Basically, I'm only switching tops and this will be set up to play Spanish. It had an ideal neck angle before, with a high saddle, lots of break behind the saddle. I was going to try to recreate the same angle, but I'll look at it more closely when the time comes.

I will need to devise a bracing system for it for a strong top. I was thinking to maybe X-brace it in the area between the cover plate and neck block and reinforce the f-holes with the spruce scrap to make the top double thickness at the f-holes. Then, plywood cone shelf and sound post type bracing in the lower bouts.

stevenW - Posted - 08/11/2015:  11:33:51

I'm looking at Gary Dusina's Building A Resonator Guitar pdf file now. Fascinating. I want to be able to build guitars like that. Clean precise high quality. Wow.

Doctor Proctor - Posted - 08/11/2015:  13:15:22

I was thinking you were convert it into a lapstyle reso

stevenW - Posted - 08/11/2015:  20:52:43

quote:

---

Originally posted by Doctor Proctor

 

I was thinking you were convert it into a lapstyle reso

---

OK, thanks Doc. No, just setting it up to play regular Spanish style. I like lap style too, but I'll eventually get a square neck for that.

Doctor Proctor - Posted - 08/12/2015:  05:20:38

   I am  a lapstyle   reso junkie so I will defer to the folks who are rounders .

BUT a Johnson dread makes a KICKING lapstyle reso

stevenW - Posted - 08/12/2015:  15:38:47

I got my woods from Stew Mac today. The AA grade Sitka spruce top looks pretty good and it was only $22. I also got some spruce bracing material and mahogany kerfing to repair the top kerfing on this guit.  I will have fun joining the halves of the top and penciling the profile this weekend.

stevenW - Posted - 08/18/2015:  10:07:24

Here's the joined top! Luckily, a friend has an old, small Craftsman joiner which made this a lot easier. I wasn't having any luck getting a good looking joint with a hand plane. Nothing done to it yet except a tracing of the profile.

stevenW - Posted - 08/29/2015:  15:26:29

Here's what I have so far. I decided to go with the screened sound holes (holes not cut yet of course). The diamond shaped cleats are added insurance against the center joint coming apart. I think the upper bout area is braced OK, just like a conventional flat top guitar, but what about the lower bout area? When the posts are added under the tone ring/cone shelf, is that going to be enough support, or should I add some sort of bracing in the lower bout area? If so, maybe some fan bracing radiating from the ring?

By the way, the cone shelf and big hole in the top are not absolutely perfect. The circle cutting tools I had were not the best. But if I ever make another resonator, I'll get better. Better tools, better skills.

Edited by - stevenW on 08/29/2015 15:33:09

stevenW - Posted - 08/30/2015:  09:35:11

Would appreciate some feedback on this. How about these braces radiating from the tone ring/shelf cone? They are not glued in yet, but I think it would work to stiffen the entire top. Too stiff, or? I think I still would have room for the sound holes.

stevenW - Posted - 09/24/2015:  08:14:43

Not sure if I should post this or not since people quit replying to this topic a long time ago, but here it is, just far enough along to string it up for a test playing. Top and cocobolo headstock veneer are still bare wood. It is LOUD and has what I consider a good tone. I have no idea what kind of cone that is in it, just a used one. Hope to get a new good quality cone for it one day. I'm considering just refinishing the entire guitar since the finish is kinda scraped up from scraping the binding, reinstalling the fretboard and new headstock veneer.

otbreso - Posted - 09/24/2015:  08:42:13

From the photos it looks like you did a very nice job. From the photos it looks like you didn't put any sound posts in. Is this so?

Love to hear a recording

otbreso - Posted - 09/24/2015:  08:42:45

quote:

---

Originally posted by otbreso

 

From the photos it looks like you did a very nice job. Also, it looks like you didn't put any sound posts in. Is this so?

Love to hear a recording

---

stevenW - Posted - 09/24/2015:  09:29:15

Yes, it has soundposts. Only four though, at 12, 3 , 6 and 9 o'clock.. Only four because the top is stiffly braced.

Doctor Proctor - Posted - 09/27/2015:  03:25:46

quote:

---

Originally posted by stevenW

 

Yes, it has soundposts. Only four though, at 12, 3 , 6 and 9 o'clock.. Only four because the top is stiffly braced.

---

 IMO   4 is plenty,  you are not raising the action so the load on the top  won't be as much .

LOOKS GOOD

stevenW - Posted - 11/17/2015:  07:02:19

Well, here it is. It is sure enough loud. A good fingerpicking or country/blues guitar, and it plays in tune very well for a reso. Plenty of flaws in my Krylon "finish" job and I'm not happy with that. One day I might totally strip it and give it a nicer nitro lacquer finish, but it has already been an unbelievable amount of work to get it to this stage. But hey, I just don't like the look of some of those conversions that utilize the original top and plug the soundhole, so I thought I'd try replacing the top. I can't believe how heavy the guitar is. It is like it's made out of solid steel. The tailpiece is a vintage something or other out of my parts stash, the coverplate is genuine Dobro as is the #14 spider. The cone is of unknown origin.

Edited by - stevenW on 11/17/2015 07:16:53

hlpdobro - Posted - 11/17/2015:  10:47:11

Just one comment based on the photo is that you have under strung the tail. The strings go over. There is considerable probability that the tail will prematurely fail.

h

MC5C - Posted - 11/17/2015:  10:51:36

Nice! I really like the way the bridge lines up with the cover plate, looks perfect. Finish-wise, I just finished an archtop guitar, and I used spray can acrylic lacquer. Sprayed and sanded around 12 coats, then wet-sanded and hand polished, and it came out a glassy finish. Not hard at all, just took several weeks (last coat has to cure for 2 weeks before the polishing starts).

Brian

Dobro Fanatic - Posted - 11/17/2015:  12:16:53

Well don't keep us waiting! How does it sound? :) Nice looking guitar.