Submitted by Tom Coletti (see all reviews from this person) on 5/4/2014

Where Purchased: eBay

Year Purchased: 2014
Price Paid: 370 (body/neck only) ($US)

Sound

Gann's Dobros are all custom builds, and they all have a superb sound: clear and bell-like with a lot of sustain on the highs, usually more towards a "traditional" sound with the inclusion of soundwells. That being said, this one is vastly different, with its 6-soundpost design and my inclusion of a parabolic baffle. It has much more of an aggressive growl in the midrange while still preserving the ringing highs. Cherry has an interesting tone that's kind of hard to describe, bright and cutting like Maple but with rich warmth and bass like one might find in Rosewood or something similar, and just the right amount of sustain, so very much a middle ground between the tonal extremes. With the screens in, it has a focused sound to cut through a crowded mix at full speed, and with screens out, the openness and bass response of this squareneck are great for slower solo work. In summary, it is a very versatile guitar with a stellar range of tone.

Sound Rating: 10

Setup

I set it up myself, so I don't think that a rating is applicable here; however, the cone shelf fits a standard Beard cone perfectly, and its good construction aided my setup efforts.

Setup Rating: not rated

Appearance

Don has a great eye for tonewoods. The wood is solid flamed cherry, with a remarkable bookmatched back which shows a lighter stripe through the rich reddish brown stain. All hardware is gold-plated, and the neck inlay consists of mother-of-pearl ovals, a simple yet very tasteful design that matches the oval pearloid tuner buttons perfectly. This guitar's beauty lies in its sublety and coherency.

Appearance Rating: 10

Reliability

The bolt-on neck is sturdy with no signs of warping or pulling up at the heel, and all wood, joints, and bracing are great structurally as well as visually. It has only been strung up recently but everything seems to be in good working order, and I would easily expect it to last for decades with due care.

Reliability Rating: 10

Customer Service

Don is a great guy to work with: quick communication, smooth transaction, with dimensions, build assistance, and other information provided when requested. I knew exactly what I was getting and it arrived quickly in good packaging.

Customer Service: 10

Components

I bought the kit as an unfinished body and neck, so any and all components were of my own findings. All of the mounting holes were pre-drilled and only a couple required plugging and re-drilling due to my choice of tuners and tailpiece.

Components Rating: not rated

Overall Comments

All in all, Don does a great service to the Reso world: providing wonderful instruments that punch well above their price point, allowing both players and builders alike to get high quality materials for their one-of-a-kind guitars.

Overall Rating: 10