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Please note this is an archived topic, so it is locked and unable to be replied to. You may, however, start a new topic and refer to this topic with a link: http://www.resohangout.com/archive/8298
Mule - Posted - 04/02/2009: 18:42:50
I just purchased a Samick resonator guitar, mostly because my arthritis yearns for a easy neck which it has. Got the cheap guitar from ebay with the intention doing cone upgrade spider leveling and medium guage strings, but the guitar is pretty horible sounding out of the box. Of course it comes with light guage strings which doesnt drive the cone very well.....pretty mushy sounding
So Im wondering if I should continue or not? Its a jumbo body rather than the traditional 000, with HPL mahogany back and sides with a spruce top and a 14 fret neck.....and a sound well
I've only got $189 in it, and I understand that I'll never get my money back from the possible upgrade, but affordable sound is what Im after not the investment concerns..
Any guidance would be apreciated....Im sure you guys get worn out with questions like this.....
Thanks, Mule
PS....And Oh yes this is my first post to the forum, Im a newbie.
phil dean - Posted - 04/02/2009: 19:02:04
Mule, to be honest with you, you could spend a couple hundred dollars on it and it might sound great,but, it might not make much difference at all. The first thing to remember is that most resonator guitars use much heavier gauge strings than a standard 6 string, so the neck should be reinforced with a metal truss rod or in the case of a squareneck a much beefier neck. I assume this is a roundneck guitar since it joins the body at the 14th fret. If you feel that you are capable of doing the work and doing a satisfactory set up you might just get the sound you want if you remember the neck is the week point and has to be very sturdy. Get a Quarterman cone, #14 spider , maple inserts and make sure the slots are even and level on the nut and the saddle. If you do that correctly it should sound much better. Let me know if you need help. Phil
mastereso1guitars.com
Mule - Posted - 04/02/2009: 19:11:29
quote:
Originally posted by phil dean
Mule, to be honest with you, you could spend a couple hundred dollars on it and it might sound great,but, it might not make much difference at all. The first thing to remember is that most resonator guitars use much heavier gauge strings than a standard 6 string, so the neck should be reinforced with a metal truss rod or in the case of a squareneck a much beefier neck. I assume this is a roundneck guitar since it joins the body at the 14th fret. If you feel that you are capable of doing the work and doing a satisfactory set up you might just get the sound you want if you remember the neck is the week point and has to be very sturdy. Get a Quarterman cone, #14 spider , maple inserts and make sure the slots are even and level on the nut and the saddle. If you do that correctly it should sound much better. Let me know if you need help. Phil
mastereso1guitars.com
jaykellogg - Posted - 04/03/2009: 03:22:44
I started with an Abilene roundneck that I was told was made by Samick. I installed a Beard cone, (dobro) nut, and ebony capped bridge inserts. I had to smooth out the well and redrill the screws for the coverplate. I was trying to make a squareneck out of it and I couldn't get the action as high as i would like. When i was done I had a sweet sound with nice highs, but the lows didn't compare to my Beard. If you are making it for spanish style playing I think you can get a pretty good sound out of it.
W. Jay Kellogg
Mule - Posted - 04/03/2009: 06:01:14
quote:
Originally posted by jaykellogg
I started with an Abilene roundneck that I was told was made by Samick. I installed a Beard cone, (dobro) nut, and ebony capped bridge inserts. I had to smooth out the well and redrill the screws for the coverplate. I was trying to make a squareneck out of it and I couldn't get the action as high as i would like. When i was done I had a sweet sound with nice highs, but the lows didn't compare to my Beard. If you are making it for spanish style playing I think you can get a pretty good sound out of it.
W. Jay Kellogg
jaykellogg - Posted - 04/03/2009: 09:37:09
When I took out the old cone it was held in by 2 screws. The router that made the recess (well) for the cone left the surface rough and I wanted the cone to touch all the way round. I had to smooth out the surface where the cone sits and I massaged the lip of the cone so if I touched it anywhere on its rim it wouldn't tip up. (or wobble) I also levelled the spider legs. In my opinion the nut had problems also so I installed a Beard bone nut. I couldn't get the action as high as I liked. As I said it had a nice sound, but wasn't quite as loud as my Vintage R. The Beard had better low end. I only had it a short while after I did it and never replaced the strings after my original setup.
W. Jay Kellogg
Mule - Posted - 04/03/2009: 16:20:56
I think I've figured out partially why this guitar doesnt have any bark....the tailpiece is REALLY far from the saddle beings its a jumbo body, thus the string span is much longer, lowering the tension. Along with slinky, light strings......
Tom Jr. - Posted - 04/09/2009: 08:01:49
Mule, if you look at Allen tailpieces, they are shorter than standard and do create a longer string span but also open up the coverplate a bit more. I put one on the dobro I built and it sounds great. I have not tried a standard tailpiece to compare it though.
Don''t squat with your spurs on.
Mule - Posted - 04/09/2009: 15:20:45
quote:
Originally posted by Tom Jr.
Mule, if you look at Allen tailpieces, they are shorter than standard and do create a longer string span but also open up the coverplate a bit more. I put one on the dobro I built and it sounds great. I have not tried a standard tailpiece to compare it though.
Don''t squat with your spurs on.
