monradon - Posted - 09/02/2008:  15:14:24

Guys need help in a hurry . The cones should float right just held in place by the pressure of the strings right ?? Changing the bridge for a customer and noticed his cone is screwed down ?? Checked on my roundneck and it floats and the instructions for my kit one does not say any thing about screwing down the cone only how to adjust the cone shelf and making sure spider is flat etc. Worked on lots of instrument just getting into dobro's for my son who is the player which way is right the floating one right ??

Hobbit

Steevarino - Posted - 09/02/2008:  15:26:36

Hi Hobbit,

I have opened up some reso's. with the cones nailed down around on the edge with HO scale railroad spikes, and other such hardware. Not sure how this all got started, but I always pull the nails as part of the tune-up. You will have plenty of string pressure holding that cone and spider in place.

FWIW, every guitar I have set-up so far has performed better after the nail-ectomy. Of course, I do lots of other things during the set-up too, but the customer is usually happy with the results, even when they have suggested that I leave the nails or screws in.

Steevarino
RedLIneResophonics.com
CumberlandAcoustic.com

monradon - Posted - 09/02/2008:  15:30:58

You sound like me I am a hobby luthier that is just learning dobroanese . But have had customers get mad after I did some setup on guitars or banjo's because they had spent way more some place out and my little tricks made it come alive.!!!

Hobbit

El Dobro - Posted - 09/02/2008:  19:31:50

Most of the prewars had cones that were nailed AND glued. Early postwars tended to be just glued. Pull the nails, clean all the glue up and just let the cone lay on the shelf.

Don
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jslides46 - Posted - 09/03/2008:  14:12:37

And if the shelf is not even and flat all the way around make it so. I used a dremel by hand but I think they make a router fitting for a Dremel tool.
Also make sure all the legs of the spider rest on the cone evenly. You can make slight bends to accomplish this and then, on a large piece of fine sandpaper, sand the legs smooth.
If the customer would allow I'd even opt for a better cone.
Perhaps a Beard. (one without nail holes)
There should be a marked improvement in the guitar.