Help, Dobro for beginners

Subject: Help, Dobro for beginners
From: Glen Reid
Date: 18 Aug 04 - 10:04 PM

Anyone know of good websites for Dobro instruction for beginners etc.
Thanks, Glen

Subject: RE: Help, Dobro for beginners
From: Steve-o
Date: 19 Aug 04 - 02:11 PM

Happy and Artie Traum have a whole series of "Homespun Tapes", with instruction on a multitude of stringed instruments. Check out Homespun.

Subject: RE: Help, Dobro for beginners
From: Willa
Date: 19 Aug 04 - 03:22 PM

This link might be useful.
http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&q=dobro+beginners&meta=

Subject: RE: Help, Dobro for beginners
From: Glen Reid
Date: 20 Aug 04 - 09:44 AM

Thanks for the info guys, gonna check them out now.
Cheers, Glen

Subject: RE: Help, Dobro for beginners
From: mooman
Date: 20 Aug 04 - 10:59 AM

This site has some useful information and tabs and

this one is quite good as well.

Peace

moo

Subject: RE: Help, Dobro for beginners
From: Ebbie
Date: 21 Apr 05 - 11:09 PM

I've been reading some old threads on the Dobro and/or the resonator guitar. It appears that a good many Mudcats play the instrument, so it would be great if I get some feedback.

I've developed a diagnosed case of tendonitis on my fretting hand and am under orders not to play for awhile. (Oh, Dr. Guitar? Where are you?) The therapist said it could mean the difference between allowing a few weeks for healing versus a year or two- and that got my attention.

So. I've decided I'm going to see if I like the dobro. If it is done well, I like the sound a lot, but I also think that it can be atrocious if it ISN'T done well.

My plan is to practise at home until I am fairly proficient before I ever take it out of the house. In the past I have played around with one enough to know where the chords are and to know that I can get tunes out of it. But the trick is to get good at it.

A Friday Night regular has a resonator guitar for sale and wants to lend it to me initially. I haven't talked with him directly so I don't know what kind it is or how much he wants for it. A mutual friend is to bring it over to my house tonight and let me dink around on it.

I think I would prefer the lap style dobro. I don't know which one this lender is but the owner has a chrome beauty that is played on the lap. I understand that is the square neck model, and that the round neck is held the same as a regular guitar. QUESTION: WHY?

I would like not to pay more than say $300 for a used guitar. QUESTION: What price should I expect to pay for a model that is pleasing to the ear?

Thanks, folks.

Subject: RE: Help, Dobro for beginners
From: Ebbie
Date: 21 Apr 05 - 11:46 PM

I've been reading some old threads on the Dobro and/or the resonator guitar. It appears that a good many Mudcats play the instrument, so it would be great if I get some feedback on the matter.

I've developed a diagnosed case of tendonitis on my fretting hand and am under orders not to play for awhile. (Oh, Dr. Guitar? Where are you?) The therapist said it could mean the difference between allowing a few weeks for healing versus a year or two- and that got my attention.

So. I've decided I'm going to see if I can learn the dobro. If it is done well, I like the sound a lot, but I also think that it can be atrocious if it ISN'T done well. There are a lot of different styles, I realize. I wouldn't be content with doing only chords. A man I knew played the dobro for 35 plus years and never required himself to learn leads. In the past I have played around with one enough to know where the chords are and to know that I can get tunes out of it. The trick is to get decent at it

My plan is to practise at home until I am fairly proficient before I ever take it out of the house. (At last night's music I told a friend that I was thinking of taking it up and she cried in horror: You're not going to bring it over here! I said, But thank you for being supportive. LOL)

A Friday Night regular has a resonator guitar for sale and wants to lend it to me initially. I haven't talked with him directly so I don't know what kind it is or how much he wants for it. A mutual friend is to bring it over to my house tonight to let me dink around on it.

I think I would prefer the lap style dobro. I don't know which one this loaner is but the owner has a chrome beauty that is played on the lap. I understand that is the square neck model, and that the round neck is held the same as a regular guitar. QUESTION: WHY?

I would like not to pay more than say $300 for a used one. QUESTION: What price should I expect to pay for a model that is pleasing to the ear? What price is he expecting to propose?

Thanks, folks.

Ebbie
PS
Well, before I got this posted there was a ring at the doorbell. The resonator guitar is a Dobro in seemingly good shape. I suspect that it is a 'round neck'. The top of the fretboard, of course, is flat but the neck below is shaped pretty much like any guitar. I've never noticed a square neck on anything - other than on a guitar that my brother built out of boards and strung with baling wire, about 60 years ago - so I don't know what it would look like. (For some reason my brother didn't make it to the big time...)

Can someone give me some words of (en)or(dis)couragement? I'm assuming open G tuning would be the easiest to start with- is that correct? BTW, Rick F had some great posts on this kind of thing.

Now, to go do some more reading on the 'net.

Eb

Subject: RE: Help, Dobro for beginners
From: GLoux
Date: 22 Apr 05 - 08:49 AM

There is no reason that a round neck resonator guitar can't be played on the lap. It's that a square neck resonator guitar can't be played like a regular guitar because of the square neck.

You may need to boost the height of the nut on a round neck to raise the strings higher. You should be able to find a metal "nut raiser" at a music store for just this purpose...

-Greg

Subject: RE: Help, Dobro for beginners
From: GLoux
Date: 22 Apr 05 - 08:57 AM

Elderly Instruments has a GUITAR EXTENSION "PERFECT" NUT listed on their web site. Scroll down the page and you'll find it...

-Greg

Subject: RE: Help, Dobro for beginners
From: GUEST, Ebbie
Date: 22 Apr 05 - 12:23 PM

Thanks, Greg. The extension nut sounds interesting but I'll wait until I have a chance to talk with the loaner owner. He is willing to get me started.

Incidentally, thanks for the insight on square neck/round neck. Do you have any idea why they formed square necks at all?

Subject: RE: Help, Dobro for beginners
From: GUEST,orvillej
Date: 22 Apr 05 - 02:36 PM

the squareneck is useful for at least two reasons. the greater mass in the neck adds sustain to the sound and also allows you to use heavier gauge strings without the neck becoming bowed. most dobroists use strings gauged from .16 on top to as much as.056 on the bottom. it sits on your lap better as well rather than sliding around.
as far as prices go, there are guitars plenty good enough to learn on in the 4-700 dollar range. the really cheap ones (2-300 dollars) that i've seen have such crummy tone that i think it would set back a student's progress because it's almost impossible to produce a good tone on them even when you know how to play!
the most common dobro tuning is open G (GBDGBD bottom to top). that would be the best tuning to start using.
i have a DVD available that is designed for beginning dobro players. if you'd like more info on that mail me at [e-mail].

Subject: RE: Help, Dobro for beginners
From: GLoux
Date: 22 Apr 05 - 03:01 PM

Ebbie,

Looks like you've gotten some sage advice about dobro from orvillej...You might also want to investigate Weissenborn guitars, especially if you're interested in Hawaiian music. They've got a hollow neck that's actually an extension of the soundbox/body of the guitar. I saw Bob Brozman make one of them really sing a while back.

-Greg