Help: Choosing a resonator guitar

Subject: Choosing a resonator guitar
From: Grab
Date: 17 Oct 00 - 02:39 PM

Folks,

I made the fatal mistake the other weekend of visiting a guitar shop with some time to kill. After that, I made the even more stupid mistake of taking a guitar down to have a play! And my wife made the unbelievable error of mentioning that we might actually have the money to buy it with...

The guitar in question was a Fender resonator. I've always liked the sound of resonator guitars, and I had a grin from ear to ear after messing about with this one. I've now got my little 3/4-size classical tuned to open-tuning to get some practice in, so that I don't look such a complete lemon in the shop (oh god, slide guitar is such a giggle, why didn't I do this earlier? :-)

The question now is, can anyone advise me how to choose a resonator guitar? I'm a bear of little bankroll, so I can't afford a new expensive one. There's a few possible alternatives for me:-

a) Buy this one now! (This Fender one was £280 - that's about $400)

b) Look through mail-order catalogues (but I don't know what they sound like).

c) Bid for one on eBay (some cheaper ones on there, but again I don't know what they sound like, and there's the risk of getting ripped off).

d) Order from the US, where they might be cheaper (same drawbacks as c).

e) Head down to London or somewhere and see if there's any second-hand instrument shops with one.

f) Suggestions?

What should I be looking for in terms of construction? brand? general build? I don't care at all about resale value or "pose power", I just want something that sounds good and will last. Also, is it better to have a round-neck or square-neck for slide? I'm sliding quite happily on the square-neck classical, but I don't know what's recommended.

Once I've got one, what open tunings do ppl use for slide? Does everyone even use open tunings? (I've tried it on standard tuning and it sounds cack, but maybe other more interesting tunings might work - or maybe it's just me.) Are these open tunings also useable for general fingerstyle? And chords? (working out a chord chart for open-A is throwing up some real nasty fingerings!)

And if there's anyone about to sell theirs, gizza call! I don't care about dinks/scratches, etc, so long as the sound is good and the price is (relatively) OK.

Grab.

Subject: RE: Help: Choosing a resonator guitar
From: GUEST,Alex H.
Date: 17 Oct 00 - 03:10 PM

My rule of instrument buying has always been never buy an instrument sound unheard. If you like the sound of the Fender, if the action, the appearance, and the price are right, go for it. If the Fender has problems, keep playing until you fall in love.

Subject: RE: Help: Choosing a resonator guitar
From: GUEST,CraigS
Date: 17 Oct 00 - 08:09 PM

There are a lot of duff resonator guitars about, as well as good ones. The best in the world are made by a firm in Leeds (called, I think, Beltona - one loses interest at 4000 GBP). Music Ground in Doncaster usually have a couple in stock, and the Guitar Player in Rochdale is worth referring to. It sounds like you haven't played seriously for some time. Find someone to appraise the instrument before you commit yourself - the price sounds OK, but if you get seriously into bottleneck you'll probably want to finger some notes as well, and it is no good if you get that far and find the action is too high or the neck is twisted. If you're nervous, leave a deposit of not more than 20GBP to stop the shop from selling it - if you don't buy it, you'll lose the deposit, but you won't lose the chance to make your decision.

Subject: RE: Help: Choosing a resonator guitar
From: DonMeixner
Date: 17 Oct 00 - 08:27 PM

Square necks are generally used by Dobro and Hawaiian style players. Round necks are usually prefered by the blues guys and bottleneck sliders. But the advice to play before you buy is excellent. As to the brand, I didn't know that Fender made a resophonic guitar. I haven't been wiped out by their accoustic flat tops tho' I'd look into Regals for a good price, old National round necks if affordable because they are the best that everwas. And any number of others that sound and play good no matter the name or the price. Quality is always apparent and each instrument has its own unique qwerks and beauties.

Don

Subject: RE: Help: Choosing a resonator guitar
From: RocketMan
Date: 17 Oct 00 - 08:36 PM

First, check out Brad's Page of Steel. You will find answers to many of your questions as well as other things to consider. HTTP://www.well.com/user/wellvis/steel.html

Your choice of square neck vs round neck will be determined by the style of playing you wish to pursue. I don't know what instruments are available in your part of the world, but make a point to play expensive as well as inexpensive guitars to know how they sound and play. My guess is that you will do better with a better previously owned instrument, but as stated in an above post, your ear is the final judge. Good luck!

RMan

Subject: RE: Help: Choosing a resonator guitar
From: Grab
Date: 18 Oct 00 - 09:28 AM

Thanks everyone for the advice so far. Craig, I play "normal" fingerstyle guitar pretty seriously (classical, folk and blues), but I've never done much in different tuning b4 now, mainly bcos it's a pain to retune all the time! And you're right about that price - £4k is a bit steep.

The Fender sounded and felt pretty nice, but given that I haven't played any other resonator guitars, I've got nothing to compare the sound against, and I'm loathe to splash out my hard-earned without checking for any better instruments that may be around. Thanks Don for advice on other brands - I know Fenders have a reputation for mass-producing cheap guitars so I'm unsure about that, but this one does seem to sound nice.

RocketMan, cheers for that link. There's links from there to a few resonator forums, so I might try asking on there. And there's loads of different tunings to try as well, so that should keep me busy for a while.

Grab.

Subject: TUNING
From: GUEST,P)(
Date: 18 Oct 00 - 09:44 AM

There are several different tunings people use for slide- open e is pretty cool. My makeshift system for slide guitar tuning improvisation may be fun: Start out in a drop D (Drop your bass E down to a D)

Play alternating bass between this D and the next D down

Then just start sliding away while tuning the rest to anywhere they sound good

It works well. (When you make up a good tuning, figure out what it is and write it down!)

-P)(

Subject: RE: Help: Choosing a resonator guitar
From: GUEST,Bigchuck at work
Date: 18 Oct 00 - 10:26 AM

I haven't played any of the Fender resonators. We have had both Regals and Dean resonators in the store. Both are affordable, probably made by the same factory in Korea (as are all Korean made instruments, as far as I know). Dean makes a neat little resonator cutaway with a single pick-up that is very cool that we sell for $449 US. Dobro is now owned by Gibson, and there are some Epiphone models that may be fairly affordable. Nationals are very good, of course, but are very pricey. I think a roundneck is more what you're looking for. Serious blues players prefer metal-bodied resonator guitars, but they are both ungodly heavy (at least to this old fart) and quite pricey. Both Johnson and Dean have affordable brass bodied instruments that list for about $800 US. (remember that NOBODY has to buy guitars at list). Regals metal bodies list at about $600. Good luck and have fun.
Sandy

Subject: RE: Help: Choosing a resonator guitar
From: Guy Wolff
Date: 18 Oct 00 - 09:32 PM

Hi As to tuning. I would start with what was called "Spanish Tunning' wich is DGDGBD from 6th to 1st string also known as G tuning.. Get a banjo chord book and figure out your neck for chords ... Brass is a great slide.. Mr Jim Dunlop sells a good one..Remember to keep your fingers of the left hand on the neck when sliding (with pinky) to help the tone (ALso great for vamping).Right hand alternating bass with treble "story telling" is the trick..Once you have G chord thinking down the good news is you just move everything over one string when going to D tuning >So the second string is played like the first(in G).. At any rate have fun and good luck.. Also there are alot of great old wooden guitars that are great for slide work.. Old "Kays" and "Slingerlands" and Kallamazoo's can be ery inexpencive and realy do the trick.. All the best Guy Wolff

Subject: RE: Help: Choosing a resonator guitar
From: Steve Latimer
Date: 19 Oct 00 - 12:02 PM

There was used Johnson listed at the Twelfth Fret site a week or so ago for $849 Cdn (about $565 U.S.) with a case.

Subject: RE: Help: Choosing a resonator guitar
From: GUEST
Date: 21 Oct 00 - 03:24 AM

you got to play the one you are going to buy. i have played expensive ones that sounded cheap & brash. The one i ended up with has THE SOUND - TONE. You will know the one when you pick it up & play it. in general the National style - cone & biscuit bridge is though of as "cooler" but i find that it has less sustain. i much prefer the sound of the DOBRO style with the cast aluminum spyder bridge. play both types befor you decide. if you are not going to play "pure" slide with the strings raised up then you will need a very playable neck. i bought a high end Quarterman Cone for my Dobro & took it back out & put the original one back in - the quarterman was too tinny & brash sounding.