I picked up a Johnson resonator last summer. Slightly used, one of the wood roundneck Chicago Blues models. I wasn't going to drop $2k cdn for a Gibson Houndog or whatever at the time.
Anyway, it seemed solid enough, the tone was not what I wanted, didn't stay in tune, the action was too high. I think they try marketing them all as square neck 'dobros'. I took it to my luthier and had him install a Quatermann cone, Grover tuners, a bone bridge and lowered the action. I can honestly say it now matches any of the upper end models. Sounds perfect, it's a 'keeper'. He also told me he was impressed with the quality when he opened it up to install the cone. No need to make any adjustments at all, it was clean and tight.
Needless to say I'm satisfied and content with my Johnson.
While on this subject anyone have any opinions on Liberty resono's. They seem to make the impression that they are US made, when they are actually off shore produced.