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Help: 7-string Dobro?
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Subject: RE: Help: 7-string Dobro? From: deadfrett Date: 03 Sep 09 - 09:10 PM When I was at the International Pedal Steel Guitar show in St. Louis a few years ago, the Paul Beard Co. had a 7 string Reso on display. It was setup with the 6th or b7 in the middle of the tuning. This seemed to work very well. I've wanted one since. I believe the tuning was G B D E (or F) G B D. With a six sting there are still lots of possibile tunings. In a Open D tuning (D A D F# A D), tune the first string down by 1/2 tones to get a DMaj7, D7, D6. The DMaj7 has a sweet Jazz or Hawaiian sound. Dave |
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Subject: RE: Help: 7-string Dobro? From: GUEST Date: 03 Sep 09 - 07:56 AM A man that plays the DOBRO and Hawaiian slide cut his teeth on the instrument and used it to give his early albums a unique sound is BEN HARPER.
He runs the "Folk Music Center" in Claremont California.
It has been my pleasure to visit for hours and hours on many days and several thousands of dollars between us. Through the T-shirt he was wearing for his step-sons group
One review states, "The live Ben Harper experience is as close http://www.trouserpress.com/entry.php?a=ben_harper&tr=y
He has a large local following and is highly regarded in France. For some musical clips - try number One first. http://www.jr.com/product/music/pm/_108424/
There are also video clips of him playing scattered in fan sites across UK, FR, and RU.
Sincerely, |
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Subject: RE: Help: 7-string Dobro? From: Jack Campin Date: 03 Sep 09 - 06:04 AM Was it intended to do some of the same stuff as a Russian 7-string guitar? The Russian tuning is DGBdgbd. |
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Subject: RE: Help: 7-string Dobro? From: Peace Date: 02 Sep 09 - 08:40 PM I worked with a fellow years back who'd added a seventh treble string to his six string guitar. He tuned it in unison with the treble E. Gave his axe a neat sound. |
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Subject: RE: Help: 7-string Dobro? From: GUEST,travis Date: 02 Sep 09 - 08:33 PM I have a 7 string "Dobro". My grandpa just gave it to me about 6 weeks ago. I believe it to be a 1977 model. It appears to be an original factory 7 string model. I guess by what you guys are saying that it is fairly rare. |
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Subject: RE: Help: 7-string Dobro? From: Rick Fielding Date: 28 Aug 01 - 01:32 AM Hi Lyle. Yeah it's all about the tuning. The normal dobro tuning used by virtually everybody is (from the bass) GBDGBD For years I've been using GDGBDG I constantly retune the first string to: E (for a sixth tuning...nice for Hank Williams kind of tunes), F (for some nice bluesy sevenths) F# (major 7th tuning for ballads or jazz) back to high G (for everything else) I've noticed however that to get the "real" Jerry Douglas, Mike Auldridge, Buck Graves "sound", that B in the base is neccessary To keep it there, and still have my "moveable" string on the top, I need seven strings. My little conversion that I've done, proves that it's a great tuning and by far the most versatile I've found, so that's why I'm lookin' for a "real" Seven Stringer. Rick |
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Subject: RE: Help: 7-string Dobro? From: GUEST,Lyle Date: 27 Aug 01 - 09:35 PM OK, I'm curious, and I guess this is directed primarily at Rick. Why would you prefer a 7 string to an 8 string? I could guess some answers if they were strummed, but since they're picked, it would appear that it might be easier to "finger" with 8 string tuning. Then again, maybe I don't understand 8 string tuning! I'm assuming something like GACEGACE, or ACEGACEG. Help! Lyle |
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Subject: RE: Help: 7-string Dobro? From: Rick Fielding Date: 26 Aug 01 - 10:17 PM Hi Rocket. Yep, an 8 string would be great. My modification is only temporary to see if I could really get into this tuning (I have!) and if I can find an instrument more suitable I'll return this to it's original condition. Have to invisbly mend a small hole (for the banjo peg that's given me the extra string. I just run the two high strings thru one slot in the tail piece. Thanks Lyn. Rick |
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Subject: RE: Help: 7-string Dobro? From: Lin in Kansas Date: 26 Aug 01 - 10:06 PM Gads, I'd forgotten about this too! Rick, I'm pretty sure I'll see my friends Friday (Aug. 31st). I'll ask them if they're interested in selling their beastie, and get back to you. GUEST, I don't know what they paid for it; they found it at a local auction, I believe, and didn't have a chance to look it over good until AFTER they'd bought it. 'Spaw and JustaPicker, thank you for the links and the additional info--interesting stuff! Lin |
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Subject: RE: Help: 7-string Dobro? From: RocketMan Date: 26 Aug 01 - 08:58 PM Nice to see some discussion on dobros here, one of my favorite instruments. One comment/question for Rick, would it not be easier to acquire an 8 string dobro and put 7 strings on it rather than modify a 6 string for 7 strings? Also, how did you handle the 7th string at the tailpiece? RMan |
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Subject: RE: Help: 7-string Dobro? From: GUEST Date: 26 Aug 01 - 05:44 PM Lin, Just out of curiosity... Your friends probably paid a fair bit of money for this instrument, no? Yet, they only noticed that it was a '7 stringer' when they came to restring it??? The mind (mine at least) boggles! |
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Subject: RE: Help: 7-string Dobro? From: catspaw49 Date: 26 Aug 01 - 05:37 PM BTW, did you check out the Dobro-Uke at the bottom of the Dobro info page? The mind boggles.......I've never heard one......don't want to either..... Spaw |
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Subject: RE: Help: 7-string Dobro? From: Justa Picker Date: 26 Aug 01 - 05:20 PM You can also try sifting through here and here. From what I've been reading 7 strings models were strictly custom orders and don't appear to have been stock models. The Shot company makers of "Sho-Bud" pedal steels and other instruments was also making 7 stringers for a while as well. |
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Subject: RE: Help: 7-string Dobro? From: Justa Picker Date: 26 Aug 01 - 04:54 PM Dobro info National Resonator info |
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Subject: RE: Help: 7-string Dobro? From: catspaw49 Date: 26 Aug 01 - 04:46 PM As to more history, why not write to George Gruhn Guitars in Nashville? The e-mail addy is on the website ... Gruhn Guitars Spaw |
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Subject: RE: Help: 7-string Dobro? From: Rick Fielding Date: 26 Aug 01 - 02:25 PM Yow! I'd forgotten about this. Just last night I did a (temporary) conversion on an old dobro...adding a seventh peg, and widening the nut and saddle. Tricky but it works! I'm using a variation on the tuning above that sounds really nice. From Bass to treble it's G,B,D,G,B,D,F# Now here's MY question...Do ya wanna sell your seven stringer? I've tried everywhere to find one. There are 8 string dobros and even 10 string ones, but 7 stringers were just not popular apparently....don't know why. Rick |
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Subject: RE: Help: 7-string Dobro? From: Lin in Kansas Date: 19 Apr 00 - 11:40 AM I don't understand why the factory historian didn't have any info, but I would have bet money Mudcatters did--many thanks, Rick! I'll let my friends know about the tuning. If Frets is defunct, does anyone have any ideas about where they might find out more about their beastie? Lin
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Subject: RE: Help: 7-string Dobro? From: Rick Fielding Date: 19 Apr 00 - 02:01 AM George gruhn in Nashville, has shown one of of these in his "Rare Bird" colums in the late lamented "Frets" magasine. There are a few of them around. I'd tune it (from bass to treble) GBDGBDG. You can then move the 1st string around (down to F for a seventh tuning and down to E for a sixth) Rick |
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Subject: 7-string Dobro? From: Lin in Kansas Date: 19 Apr 00 - 01:07 AM Some friends of mine recently bought an old (1934 or thereabouts) Dobro, and while putting a new set of strings on it, they discovered it was set up for seven strings. They called the Gibson factory, and the factory historian said he'd never heard of such a thing. I promised my friends I'd ask the gurus at Mudcat. Does anyone have any information I can pass along? For instance, one of the things they'd like to know is "How the heck do you tune it?" Lin |
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