acadams - Posted - 12/14/2008:  20:29:22

Hi all,

I've been in love with the resonator guitar for ages, and I've finally convinced my wife to let me buy one. The only problem: I'm a seminary student, my wife is a private school teacher, and we have a daughter. In other words, we have NO money. I'm a hymnwriter, hoping to use a dobro/resonator in some of my bluegrass/gospel hymns and in our church's music ministry, so I've been able to justify a budget of about $230 (including shipping), mostly because I expect my dad might loan me a little of the money. The instrument can be old, beat-up, ugly, blemished, well-loved; it just has to sound good and play well. Does anyone know where I can get such an instrument?

Blessings to you,
A. Adams

Edited by - acadams on 12/14/2008 20:32:12

Brad Bechtel - Posted - 12/15/2008:  08:04:31

Try Rondo Music. They have an SX resonator guitar for around $170 USD. I don't know how much shipping would be to your location.
tinyurl.com/65zxx2


=================
Brad''s Page of Steel:
well.com/user/wellvis/steel.html
A web site devoted to electric and acoustic lap steel guitars

ekistl - Posted - 12/15/2008:  08:30:48

Since cost is a major factor, see if you can locate an acoustic 6 string guitar on the cheap. You can find decent acoustics at a very modest price.

Then, purchase a nut extender, loosen the strings, and slip it right over the existing nut. It is $3.77 here, stewmac.com/shop/Nuts,_saddles..._Nut.html

I got mine at my local music store for $5.

Don't tune it to GBDGBD, as this will put too much pressure on the neck. Others suggest open D tuning. I just tune down a step to FACFAC.

acadams - Posted - 12/17/2008:  09:40:12

Thanks for the suggestions. Brad, I have been told that inexpensive new resonators usually require a good deal of work to make them "playable" - such as replacing the cone and spider. Do you know whether this is the case with the Rondo SX models?

ekistl, thanks for the suggestion. I plan to get a nut extender for one of my guitars to tide me over.

I suppose I was hoping someone knew of a very used resonator that would fall into my price range. If you spot an old, ugly resonator, please let me know.

Brad Bechtel - Posted - 12/18/2008:  08:26:28

As with any inexpensive instrument, you're not going to get the sound that a better and more expensive instrument will give you. $230 is a very, very low price for any instrument, be it guitar, bass, violin, banjo, whatever.

The Rondo SX should get you started and will sound just fine as it is. I would recommend changing the strings when you first get it, as that will almost always result in a big improvement. Later on if you want, you can upgrade the various parts of the guitar that don't work for you.

=================
Brad''s Page of Steel:
well.com/user/wellvis/steel.html
A web site devoted to electric and acoustic lap steel guitars

SGB - Posted - 12/19/2008:  18:33:37

In their used and vintage section under resonator instruments Elderly Music has an Aloha Hawaiian guitar for $175 and a Dean Sq Neck for $295. elderly.com/vintage/cats/50U.html
Also check out Liberty Resonator guitars libertyguitars.com/models.htm

Steve

9 out of the 10 voices inside my head are telling me to go home and clean my guns.

Edited by - SGB on 12/19/2008 18:40:34

DNickell - Posted - 12/21/2008:  14:45:23

If you are willing to spend more time to save more money, check all the pawn shops in your vacinity to find out which ones routinely have musical instruments and keep checking back with them. Maybe even leave your contact info with the owner. What with Christmas coming on fast and the economy in the ditch, a lot of those fine instruments that have been sitting in the closets are being released.

If you are any where near a military base, try the pawn shops around the base.

acadams - Posted - 12/21/2008:  19:42:17

Thanks for all the suggestions, friends! If anyone comes across a beat-up old square-neck, let me know. It looks like, for the time-being, I ought to hold off, since there's no way I'll be able to afford $300 in the near future. Pawn shops are a good idea, but I'm a Texan in exile, and I have no idea whether I'll find anything up here in Illinois at a pawn shop - it's time I started looking.

SGB, I didn't see a price list at Liberty's website. Do you know what their entry-level resonators cost?

Blessings and merry Christmas to all,
A. Adams

Preston Thompson - Posted - 12/24/2008:  06:28:44

A fellow I was working with last week had a dobro that needed more work than he said it was worth. I told him for around $250 he could get it to sound and playing pretty decent. He said I only paid $200 for it. I told he overpaid somebody.

Remember whether you can afford it or not, if you cannot get the sound out of it, you will never know where you stand as to what you've learned. The basics you can get, but tone, feel of the note, controlled sustain, you will not know what do to to get it.

It may be hard for you, but save till you can get a good used Beard GT or WS that is set up to play. For my advice, only then give it a shot. I had a regal BL that had me so frustrated I almost quit. It rattled and buzzed, so much I about gave up.

Wait for a better one.

..pt..

Play it again, Sam. Over, and over, and over:

acadams - Posted - 12/24/2008:  08:31:59

PT,

Thank you so much for the advice. I think this thread has really helped me realize that you're right. I suppose that my original request stands - if anyone finds a GOOD resonator that LOOKS terrible, let me know. Otherwise, I'll just be saving for a few years and converting my very old, very beat-up acoustic with a nut extension for the time-being.

dex54 - Posted - 01/02/2009:  15:51:49

I have a brand new Morgan Monroe came from a failed music store its 275 shipped. it regualarly goes for 349 without case.This one is brand new still has warranty

dyermaker8 - Posted - 01/04/2009:  14:24:48

In reguards to squarenecks only...I got a new Danville reso off ebay a couple years ago for about 150. It looks nice and sonds fine. Not exceptional, but I gig with it weekly,. never had any complaints, only compliments. I've purchased instruments from Rondo Music before as well and have had good luck with their products. Also the Rogue dobro at musicans friend for 199 gets decent reviews. I would recommend any of those. Any of the import dobros you might purchase will sound and play just fine. As a bonus, unlike a cheap imported acoustic guitar, there are things you don't have to worry about the price affecting the quality of. Such as Fretwork(you don't use them), The neck(basically a 2x4 with tuners on one end,.no worries) , Quality of wood(most all dobros are plywood, doesn't matter ,.tone is primarily generated by the easily upgradeable cone system which, even the cheap ones, still sounds like a dobro when setup correctly. You will need to set it up prior to playing to get the right tone,. the instructions at the Stewmac website explain the process very well. Buy one,. buy one now. Buy a cheap one. You will make new friends easily. It will make you a smarter,. sexier person. Do it. Don't wait.

acadams - Posted - 01/04/2009:  20:18:14

dex54,
Are you offering to sell the Morgan Monroe to me for $275 or are you letting me know that such a deal can be had? In any case, it's a tad above my price range at the moment, and I don't know anything about the brand, so could you fill me in on it a little more?

dyermaker8,
Your advice goes against what several other folks have said. I am only interested in squarenecks, but nevertheless, I've heard words such as "unplayable" attached to cheap, new resonator guitars. I appreciate your suggestion, but I've never been one to buy new when I can buy used, especially when a new one will still require significant set up. Am I missing something, or is there a great advantage to a new, cheap resonator over against a beat-up, higher quality one?

dyermaker8 - Posted - 01/05/2009:  17:02:32

Yes,. I can see how my statements would contrast with others here,. but something to keep in mind is that alot of people here are probably nurotic to an extent when it comes to dobros and the ever elusive search for the "perfect tone". Can't say I blame them,. I have the same tendancies. That being said, my very cheap, non upgraded (other than adding a cheap pickup) dobro plays well and sounds good. Yes, It could be a little louder and the bottom end could be improved a little, so eventually I'll splurge on a new cone which should improve both of these things. But when it comes to tonal clarity and playability the differences between a 200 dollar dobro and a 600 dobro will be minimal at best. The "beat-up" dobro your looking for is one thats likely been abused. If you get a new cheap one,. it will look nice, play well, and sound good. Down the road when/if you want to squeeze more tone out it,. you upgrade the cone. Then it will sound as good as a more expensive name brand dobro and not be "beat up". The procedure is not complicated,. neither is setting one up. If I get a few minutes I'll make a quick recording and post it to give you an idea of what a cheap dobro sounds like.

Also,. the Morgan Monroe line has a solid reputation in the bluegrass world for making quality import instruments at very good prices. If you can get the extra scratch I would definatly pick that one up from Dex,. otherwise the rogue from musicans friend for 199 with free shipping sounds like it got you name written all over it,. Musicians friend is also pretty easy to work with,. if you don't like it,. just send it back.

acadams - Posted - 01/06/2009:  07:46:21

dyermaker8,

Thanks again for the response! I think I understand where you're coming from. I think I'd fall in line somewhere around you - I'd be obsessive about "perfect tone" if I could, but "good tone" is good enough for me to start. If you get the chance to record a little something, I'll be glad to hear it.

Peace to you,
A. Adams

R1RU2 - Posted - 01/17/2009:  11:28:39

Mr. Adams, have you found your instrument?

acadams - Posted - 01/19/2009:  08:16:53

I haven't found one in my price range yet, but I may have just found a way to increase my budget (marginally). Why, do you have something in mind, R1RU2?

acadams - Posted - 01/19/2009:  12:43:35

Okay, okay, I know I just posted, but I recently got some news that may change things a bit for me. It might be possible for me to scrape together enough to buy one of the resonator guitars in the $350 price range. I remember reading that the cheap Hound Dogs and Morgan Monroes are worth checking out. Could anyone give me a comparison of the following?

1. Dobro's cheapo - music123.com/Dobro-Hound-Dog-S....Music123
2. Regal's RD-40 - music123.com/Regal-RD-40-Reson....Music123, a little out of my price range
3. Morgan Monroe - janetdavismusic.com/morgan_mon...tars.html
4. Johnson's squareneck - janetdavismusic.com/johnsondobro.html

Peace to you,
A. Adams

phil dean - Posted - 01/19/2009:  13:45:51

Tell you what I will do for you. I have a demo at my shop that is a great guitar. You send me $300 and pay the shipping and it is yours. . It is just taking up space. There wouldnt be a case at that cost so you would need to send a case. Phil Dean

masteresoguitars.com