Hi Scott,

You are definitely a ways away from any luthier that comes to my mind. The closest one that I’m familiar with is Kent Schoonover in Locust Grove, OK - roughly 500 miles away. If you are up for the drive, you won’t find many better than Kent. He builds phenomenal resos and is a great guy to talk to and deal with. The same can also be said for Paul Beard too, so you can’t really go wrong either way.

Scott, before you drive 500 miles or ship your dobro, have you checked the number 3 string from top to bottom:

-all the other strings sound good?
-tried a different brand of strings ?(sometimes manufacturers have had bad batches)
-ball end
-tail piece, maybe needs a felt shim?
-bridge (that luthier/shop knew what the were doing?
-cone bridge screw is set right?
-nut needs work (maybe put something like tinfoil under the string in the nut and see if tone changes?)
-tuner is smooth and not needing tighening?

I’m no dobro set up expert, and I’m most the time intimidated by mechanics of it all, but occasionally figure stuff out (after mild panic attacks).

There are some dobro jedis on this site that might throw you a bone that fixes it…..

quote:

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Originally posted by SlimPickins

Hi Scott,

You are definitely a ways away from any luthier that comes to my mind. The closest one that I’m familiar with is Kent Schoonover in Locust Grove, OK - roughly 500 miles away. If you are up for the drive, you won’t find many better than Kent. He builds phenomenal resos and is a great guy to talk to and deal with. The same can also be said for Paul Beard too, so you can’t really go wrong either way.

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Great advice, thank you!!  I'm trying to avoid a long drive (and the temptation that would happen if I visited a master luthier who makes great dobros...one might come home with me, and I'd be in trouble with my wife).  :-)  But this may be an option--thanks again!

quote:

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Originally posted by Lounge Primate

Scott, before you drive 500 miles or ship your dobro, have you checked the number 3 string from top to bottom:

-all the other strings sound good?
-tried a different brand of strings ?(sometimes manufacturers have had bad batches)
-ball end
-tail piece, maybe needs a felt shim?
-bridge (that luthier/shop knew what the were doing?
-cone bridge screw is set right?
-nut needs work (maybe put something like tinfoil under the string in the nut and see if tone changes?)
-tuner is smooth and not needing tighening?

I’m no dobro set up expert, and I’m most the time intimidated by mechanics of it all, but occasionally figure stuff out (after mild panic attacks).

There are some dobro jedis on this site that might throw you a bone that fixes it…..

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Great advice, thank you!  I've tried most of those things, but not the tailpiece trick, and I'll try the nut / tinfoil test as well.  I'm with you on the panic attacks too--which is why I generally run to a luthier.  :-)  But I'll try these and see what happens.  Thanks again!