Probably the weirdest shopping advice requests you'll ever see. I live in MA and the best music store has exactly one square-neck reso in stock. I'd like to check out some better ones as I'm enjoying my $189 beater enough that I'll eventually want to get something better. I'm flying to CO in October to drive back to MA with my son. Not sure of the exact route but we might drive the lower route in the pic as I'd like to hit the USAF museum in Dayton OH. We are going to make a couple stops along the way for tourist stuff but we only have 4.5 days. If we had a week, I'd head south and hit Nashville as I've never been there. If anyone happens to know of any stores on the way from CO to MA more or less along the routes shown in the map, feel free to make suggestions of places to stop to look at instruments for a bit.
-Ken
40 years ago I was actually able to find sitar strings in Boulder (a story for another time). It's been a while, but Boulder hasn't changed in general and may be a good starting point. Also, check out Craigslist- there may be instruments along your route. And check out Guitar Centers along the way; one never knows. My National tricone came from Guitar Center, of all places.
Possibly Acoustic Music Works in Pittsburgh, PA. I’m on the other side of the state and there’s not a whole lot going on over here in eastern PA as far as squareneck hot spots. If you do have a few extra hours going through PA, you could possibly drop down to Hagerstown, MD to Beard Guitars. Call in first to see if you’re able and what may be in stock.
Edited by - SlimPickins on 09/12/2024 08:09:19
IMO your best options, given your route(s), would be either Elderly Instruments in Lansing, MI, or Morgan Music in Lebanon, MO. I’ve bought resonators from both establishments, and they are top notch folks in both cases.
Elderly has a better selection of budget (Recording King, Goldtone PBS…) and premium (various Beard models, and a National Scheerhorn) on hand to test drive.
https://www.elderly.com/collections/category_acoustic-guitars?filters%5Bcategory1%5D%5B0%5D%5B0%5D=Guitars&filters%5Bcategory2%5D%5B0%5D%5B0%5D=Acoustic%20Guitars&filters%5Bcategory3%5D%5B0%5D%5B0%5D=Resonator%20%26%20Hawaiian%20Guitars&filters%5Bcategory4%5D%5B0%5D%5B0%5D=Squareneck%20Resonator%20Guitars
Of course, this would necessitate taking that northern connector route on your map, to hit Lansing.
With either option you’re adding a few hours to your trip.
It’s not totally crazy to swing the southern route to Dayton for the USAF Museum (an incredible place…), then bombing due north to Lansing for square neck test drives, then cutting across the northern route to your home. Like I said, adding a few hours when all is said and done.
I’ve done nuttier things.
The Air Force museum is unbelievable. You could spend days there. And, the price is right. Free.
Call me and I will let let you play my Harlows. A good choice on the used market.
I also have 2 hot rodded Chinese guitars A Gretsch and a Regal Black lightning.
There are shops in Nashville. Also in Michigan is Elderly. Were good in the past. Things change.
Attending Resogat during the fourth is a good plan. There will be over 100 there. I suspect most anyone there would share.
Ken, there is obviously a huge canyon dollar wise between a $189 starter reso and a Beard that sells for $4500. It would help if you gave us an idea of what you think you're willing to spend. Though the idea of test driving professional grade instruments to get an idea of what's out there is a good one. It will really help shed some light on the matter.
Unfortunately it's not not like flattop guitars where one can start out on a cheap Chinese instrument and move up to a very respectable instrument from one of the Big 3 (Martin, Gibson, Taylor) for $1500 - $2000.
Take Beard for instance - I believe their least expensive models begin @ $3200 in 2024.
As far as the high end of the scale that will be near the route, I would definitely contact Byrl Murdock in Indiana. Rob Ickes has been playing his guitars over the past several years and there is even an Ickes signature model these days. If Byrl is available for you to visit, the education you'll receive will be invaluable.
https://www.byrlguitars.com/#/
Current inventory @ Elderly in Michigan:
https://www.elderly.com/pages/search-results?offset=72&q=resonator%20guitar
Morgan Music in Lebanon, Missouri:
https://www.morganmusic.com/c-105-resonators.aspx
The Denver Folklore Center has a long history of stocking resonators, but the current page is pretty vague. Since you're going to be in Denver it's definitely worth a shot:
https://www.denverfolklore.com/shop/Instruments/Resonator-and-Dobro.htm
Not a lot currently, but Olde Town Pickin' Parlor near Denver has sold resonators in the past and a buddy of mine who lives in the area used to attend regular jams there:
https://www.picknparlor.com/resophonic-guitars
Oldtown School of Folk Music in Chicago has carried resonators in their store in the past, no idea what they have now:
Thanks for the responses. With the planned stop in Dayton, Lebanon, MO only adds two hours to the total drive time 31->33 hours and the selection looks pretty good. That may be the best idea for a spot. Of course we haven't planned the timing yet so we'll have to figure out if we'd pass during business hours.
If that Redline R-body "Stowe" model is still available at Morgan Music when you visit, give us your take.
https://reverb.com/item/77153691-redline-the-stowe-2018-square-neck-resonator-w-hard-case
And enjoy your USAF Museum visit!
Being new to this world, what I've noticed is the imports start at a few hundred and go up to a bit over a grand. There there's a huge gap and the handmade domestic instruments start are about $3K new. What I don't know having not played a bunch of instruments is whether I'd notice a difference between a higher level import and an entry-level domestic instrument. That store in MO has some used USA instruments in the $2k-$2.5K range. I'd spend that if it would be a lifetime instrument for an amateur.
-Ken
Come play my Harlows. I also have a hot rodded Black Lightning. We are 15 miles from the AF Museum.
Likely you can find a used one for $2000 or so. Gene Wooten played one of them with the Osborn brothers on many recordings. I own the same Cherry guitar as Ferrell Stowe. Spelled wrong.
I was never impressed by the $1000 imports. I picked up a gold tone up in a music store. My wife told me to stop playing it. Sounded bad to her.
Take your time. Play what you have. A lot of it is you.
If you don’t find anything on your trip It might be worth your time to contact Zach Hoyt or Jack Stepick. They advertise here and are in the Northeast. I would be interested to hear some opinions on their resonators.
> If that Redline R-body "Stowe" model is still available at Morgan Music when you visit, give us your take.
> reverb.com/item/77153691-redli...hard-case
That does look interesting. I looked up that brand and it doesn't look that widespread. That model seems unique. From what I recall of small mandolin brands, sometimes smaller makers try something new with an experimental model. Might be great, might be a work in progress. I don't know if I know enough to tell. They have a couple of the entry-level Beards. I suppose and I find time to stop there, maybe if I fall in love with the sound of something, it'd be worth buying.
