Howdy..Reso friends....I am considering getting a used Beard Dobro. I recently sold a Hudson Pedal Steel guitar and yesterday sold a Fairchild large body Brazilian Rosewood back and sides with a spruce top Dobro to a gent in California. I needed to thin the Heard...however now I plan to go through a time of trying other Dobros and Standard guitars. Last week I bought a De Angelica mahogany dreadnought size guitar...locally...good deal and a very nice "seller". A couple weeks ago I bought a Castilla CS7S standard guitar...locally. Pick guards top and bottom...no Hummingbird design on the guards but decorated with roses. I'll post a photo also one of the De Angelica...for your amusement under my photos....default album.
I'm asking for your opinions with comparing a Beard R style versus the Beard L style Dobro. Also birch versus mahogany.
Keep the peace with music, especially Dobro Music.
Tom
The Beard R body in my experience doesn't have the ""horsepower" of the E Body (not "L" - that was originally a Scheerhorn term) but then it shouldn't since it's smaller.
However, the Beard solid mahogany R can come pretty close. I have played several of that model in stores over the years and I have two friends here in California who own them. Back when Beard prices were considerably lower I thought it was the best bang for the buck in the product line.
The Beard Vintage R is a good sounding guitar, though they are no longer in the product line, it's been replaced by other birch models that have open body construction and no soundwell. But the Vintage R models I have played in the pastI have lacked the aforementioned horsepower of the solid mahogany. Which is interesting because when you compare the solid wood E models to the E body Finnish birch laminate Mike Auldridge model - there's nothing lacking in the power department in Mike's guitar. Maybe a little more "mellow" tone wise because it's not as bright sounding as a solid maple E.
Regarding modern reso guitars, since I can't "collect 'em all" as Jerry Douglas used to say, I prefer the large bodies from any of the builders.
But a good deal on a used R Mahogany in very good condition is awfully tempting.
You can't necessarily go on what I'm saying, everyone has a different experience. But since you asked for opinions, this is my 2 cents.
Firstly:
Let us not confuse the R body with the R model, as there are several.
Let us not confuse the E body with the E model as there are many Beard designs built on the E body, each with its own internal design and "voice" characteristics"
Exactly which models are you comparing? Answer that and the opinions become much more coherent.
hp
I was trying to go for the ballpark take rather than the fine tooth comb approach Howard. It was sort of the cursory overview.
My apologies - I'll try and not be so incoherent in the future.
???
Maybe I took it wrong Howard, but your final sentence with "the opinions become much more coherent" struck me as being a bit condescending.
Of course you're correct about comparing specific models, particularly since Paul has greatly expanded the product line over the years.
Again my earlier reply was sort of an in-a-nutshell comparison, not really different than someone asking on an acoustic guitar forum about the differences between a Martin dreadnought and a smaller body like a 000. They have umpteen different variations between those two body styles, but one can still draw general conclusions from one size to the other.
Sorry Mark...
Nope, just referring to the overall lack of specificity by the op that doesn't offer those offering help (including me) much of a real chance..
There is nothing between the lines.
h
Edited by - hlpdobro on 02/26/2025 10:40:44
Okay, we're good.
Edited by - MarkinSonoma on 02/26/2025 10:45:33
I've tried out other people's Beards here and there. I couldn't tell you make, model, wood, etc., but they have all felt solid and sounded really good.
quote:
Originally posted by DobrotomeI'm asking for your opinions with comparing a Beard R style versus the Beard L style Dobro. Also birch versus mahogany.
I've played a few Beards here and there, and I own a Mike Auldridge (MA-6) model (E body Finnish birch).
The E body maple (Beard Legacy E model) had more snap and brightness to my ears. Very good attack and dynamic response, especially on the top 2 strings.
My E body Finnish Birch (MA-6 Model) is plenty loud, but its differentiation (IMHO) is the volume balance and clarity across all 6 strings.
The mahogany E (JD Blackbeard) I test drove had more of the proverbial warmth, but I could tell the strings were starting to go south and I couldn't tell a whole lot beyond that.
Not sure how much that helps...and YMMV.
That’s my kind of “thinning the herd”! 
Edited by - FrederickPatterson on 02/27/2025 06:50:36
The comments about the E and R models being different from E and R size bodies confused me as I thought that is what the letters indicated. However, I have an E Odyssey, which I love, spruce and mahogany. It fits nicely in an epiphone dobro case which an E size body does not fit.
Off the top of my head (past and present). May not be 100% complete
R body models:
Mahogany R
Vintage R
RF
Legacy R
Radio Standard R
206
Deco Phonic 27 & 37
E body:
E model
Mike Auldridge Series
Jerry Douglas series
Josh Swift series
Odyssey E
Trailhead
Radio Standard E
Belle E
Deco Phonic 57
These are the major models that I can recall. There are many (many/many) variations and customizations within these models
Edited by - hlpdobro on 02/27/2025 13:31:25
Thanks for that.
quote:
Originally posted by mudman612The comments about the E and R models being different from E and R size bodies confused me as I thought that is what the letters indicated. However, I have an E Odyssey, which I love, spruce and mahogany. It fits nicely in an epiphone dobro case which an E size body does not fit.
I cannot speak to Epiphone cases.
I can state that _EVERY_ Beard built R body or E body guitar will fit in a standard TKL square neck case.
The only exceptions are guitars built with the optional Hipshot "DoubleShot" tailpiece. These guitars ship in a TKL case designed to accomodate the option.
Without exception, I can (and do) swap cases between my Beard R & E body guitars, including the Odyssey.
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