Krabo - Posted - 02/25/2021:  04:45:38

I'm looking to buy a basic resonator that I can use for playing whilst camping. So far I have narrowed it down to two options (very few in Australia).

The first is a RK 46 that was identified in a stocktake. As far as I can tell there is no RK 46, but it looks like a RK 66. It doesn't come with a case or bag.

The second is a Regal Squareneck that was made in Korea in 1995 (black). It does come with a case.

In both situations I would be buying without playing. I would have a seven day return policy on each. What would you recommend as a "beater" resonator? Thanks.

wlgiii - Posted - 02/25/2021:  07:17:09

My first dobro was a used late 80s/early 90s Korean Regal, and to me it was the most awesome thing ever. So, I vote Regal. If it's just you noodling by the campfire, most anything is just fine; these days I camp with an old non-reso Oahu. It also has a case. But they're probably close enough sound wise that you can go with which finish/color you like better.

Note- Once it gets dark it gets hard to play lap style; the campfire isn't enough and head lamps don't always point where you'd like for playing. Get a light source that works well for you.

MarkinSonoma - Posted - 02/25/2021:  10:48:07

I couldn't find an RK with either 46 or 66 as the model number.

Closest thing is RR-60. Model 60 was the typical Dobro produced for many years at OMI Dobro here in California going back to 1970. My guess is they chose that number at Recording  King as sort of a tribute. The Model 66 was the one with the elaborate pattern "etched' on the top and back. 

I have never been a fan of stock imported Regal dobros. Of course we have no idea if this particular Regal has been upgraded. 

But I have played a few recent Recording King dobros in the past couple years and have been impressed. I think you get more for your money with these than any of the other inexpensive imports that are out there these days. 

Sight unseen, I would go with the Recording King. 

Edited by - MarkinSonoma on 02/25/2021 10:49:48

FrederickPatterson - Posted - 02/25/2021:  16:34:20

+1 on the Korean Regal. I had one for years.

 

MarkinSonoma - Posted - 02/26/2021:  11:09:06

Frederick - have you played any of the newer Recording King resos  in the past couple of years?

FrederickPatterson - Posted - 02/27/2021:  17:22:29

No, but I can vouch for a stock Korean Regal.

RezBluez - Posted - 02/27/2021:  21:34:39

My Korean Regal the soundwell was half an inch off center. I ripped the soundwell out of it, turned it into a open post and baffle, put in a Scheerhorn cone, Beard #14 spider, good bridge inserts and bone nut. Now it sounds good, but stock it was a mess. I would go with the Recording King, I think they probably have a little better quality control. It’s hit and miss with a Regal, you could get a good one or a complete mess like I got.

tomkatb - Posted - 03/01/2021:  07:32:51

I own a professionally set up regal black lightning. 2004.  



$3-500 used. $300 set up with parts.



For the money it is good.

not thrilled with my Recording King tri cone. 

MarkinSonoma - Posted - 03/01/2021:  09:54:23

Lawrence - you didn't just bring your Regal to a "professional" - you have the good fortune to live near one of the best setup men (and builder) in the business,  Frank Harlow. 

I remember when you bought that guitar you were not thrilled with it at all. 

Since you're not thrilled with the RK tricone, have you considered bringing it to Frank?

On the other hand, there are major differences in design and construction between a tricone and a spider bridge resonator. 

Krabo - Posted - 03/01/2021:  18:32:39

Hey everyone,

Thanks for the feedback. Part of the challenge is that I live in Australia and right now there is a great deal of difficulty getting anything into the country. So for now I am still considering my options. An alternative might get to get a Gretsch Boxtail.

tomkatb - Posted - 03/05/2021:  10:50:11

The black Lightning I received was a basket case almost. Valued at likely $100. I paid for excellent.

Frank is my friend. He fixed it. I suspect it took him several days. It is not a thing of beauty, but plays well. Really well.

The tricone I purchased was my first. I frankly do not have time to play it much. Not sure it is worth the cost to fix it to me. I have a biscuit cone brass guitar I had Frank fix. Again, just not enough time to play it.

The RK is probably worth what i paid for it 3 years ago.

I was going to sell it and have Frank make me another reso. However, the DW(dear wife), does not approve. She is a 0 beginner. She kind of liked Franks $7000 guitar. Which I hesitate to purchase for her not to play.

Buying both guitars is sort of $12,000. Sort of too much.

Three_Eyed_Willy - Posted - 03/05/2021:  22:45:43

I'm not saying that I'm an expert on setting up tricones, but I know a thing or two. Your Recording King tricone probably has a set of "Continental" cones, which are made in Eastern Europe. They look sort of like a set of National cones, but they don't sound like a set of National cones. You can get a set of National cones for about  $130.00 US. Or you can order a set of Quarterman cones from Blue Note Woodworks for a dollar more.



I have two tricones, one is a Republic metal body instrument, the other a Royall wood body. Both are squarenecks, set up for lap steel, basically Dobro style playing. I've had the Republic for just about a year. I put National cones in it first, and it improved the sound markedly. I decided to try the Quarterman cones just on a whim, and I'm glad I did, because they really woke the Republic up. It sounds great now, and I don't think I'm going to mess with it any more.



The Royall has basically the same innards. I'm reasonably sure that your Recording King does, as well. However, the wood body gives it a mellower voice. I was browsing Reverb.com and found a set of OMI cones there. It seems that the fellow who spins the cones at Blue Note Woodworks worked for OMI a long time ago. I purchased those cones and installed them in the Royall. WOW!!! That guitar came to life!



Some of the guys have been removing the paint from the T bridge. They say it makes the guitar sound a little brighter. If you do this, you might have to replace the bridge saddle.

Anyway, that's some of what I've learned about tricones.

Willard.

quote:

---

Originally posted by tomkatb

I own a professionally set up regal black lightning. 2004.  



$3-500 used. $300 set up with parts.



For the money it is good.

not thrilled with my Recording King tri cone. 

---

Krabo - Posted - 03/18/2021:  03:24:05

Hey everyone, sorry for the lengthy silence, work kind of overwhelmed me. Anyway...

I have found another instrument that might match my criteria, an OMI 80s Dobro Model 27. For something that would be an intermediate instrument, it probably costs only a few hundred less than the Recording King or Regal and would be a fair bit better I reckon. What do you think?

cc7 - Posted - 03/18/2021:  05:46:10

Bought my 86 OMI f style sight unseen and it is great. Built like a tank but a sweet loud tone. I would choose it over the others mentioned.

Edited by - cc7 on 03/18/2021 05:48:48

MarkinSonoma - Posted - 03/19/2021:  12:24:52

Krabo, being in Australia, you of course are playing in a different league when it comes to reso purchases. The pricing "hierarchy"  and perceived value of  used squareneck resonator guitars I would imagine is not nearly as developed as it is in the U.S.

A 1995 Regal from Korea isn't something we would see here in the U.S. selling for a few hundred more than an '80s OMI Dobro Model 27. Usually it's the other way around - the Regal would sell for less. 

OMI Dobro quality is all over the map from the '70s to the '90s. I've come across Dobros from those years I'd be happy to own, and others that hit me that they were just junk. 

The following has almost reached legend status in when it comes to these guitars. 

Regarding  Dobro quality in the '80s, a story that has been circulating for years is the best ones were made when the late Don Young was the shop foreman. It was his second "tour of duty" at Dobro in Southern California, he started at one point in the '70s then left for a number of years and according to a couple sources returned in 1984. Can't vouch for the accuracy. If this is true, then the safe bet would be a guitar from 1985-1989 are the preferred years.  Christopher's post above show his Dobro as a 1986.

Don Young left Dobro in 1989 to revive the National brand of guitars with co-founder and fellow Dobro employee McGregor Gaines.

I've come across some OMI Dobros and when I play or hear them I think, "wow - I'd be happy to own that guitar!"

And others have been dogs. The problem with evaluating a resonator guitar when you pull it off the peg at a shop and give it a test drive is you often don't know anything regarding its history. Since I like to refer to the instrument as sort of half guitar/half mechanical device, it might be like test driving a car and it's bogging down and you later find out something is wrong with it.  Which is tha case in my family. My son's 2001 Honda Accord, which I bought new  and drove for its first six years is running pretty rough. We took it to a mechanic and he discovered it's running on 3 cylinders instead of all 4. A setup on a reso could be poor and have worn parts. It's not as "transparent" as evaluating a flattop guitar. 

There's no easy answer. For myself, I tend to like the modern Asian-built, designed in the United States resos more than a lot of OMI Dobros. Like Gold Tone/Beard, the newer higher end Recording Kings, and the no longer made Wechter/Scheerhorn. As I wrote in earlier posts - not a fan of stock original equipment Regals. There is a characteristic to my ears that runs through that product line - difficult to describe - I think of the tone as being sore of "muffled." But I like a lot of what Saga Music headquartered here near San Francisco does - I have been impressed with many of their  Blueridge flattop guitars. I was at a jam a couple years ago and a guy had just bought a small/medium 00 size body Blueridge, and we all agreed it was a bargain @ $500.