Thinking about learning a new instrument...resophonic guitar

fieldgrade

fieldgrade

waiting...
2A Bourbon Hound 2024
2A Bourbon Hound OG
Charter Life Member
Benefactor
Supporting Member
Multi-Factor Enabled
Joined
Dec 16, 2016
Messages
29,532
Location
Wake/Harnett
or more commonly referred to as Dobro (if it’s a Gibson, since they have it trademarked.)

I’ve played guitar on and off since the mid sixties. Picked up the five string banjo about twenty years ago, and taught myself Scruggs style three finger picking, and got to an intermediate, maybe sometimes advanced level.

I realize playing a fretless instrument is a whole new ball game. How many orders of magnitude are we talking about?
 
Last edited:
You might as well continue that quest to pedal steel. Dobro is a very cool instrument, for sure, but to watch someone absolutely blaze a C6 or E9 pedal steel is a thing of beauty. Blows me away how heavy the slides are for those type instruments

Good luck on the Dobro thing, Ash!!
 
1911gobang said:
You might as well continue that quest to pedal steel. Dobro is a very cool instrument, for sure, but to watch someone absolutely blaze a C6 or E9 pedal steel is a thing of beauty. Blows me away how heavy the slides are for those type instruments

Good luck on the Dobro thing, Ash!!
Click to expand...
Thanks Alan. I told one of my sons I was thinking about a dobro. He said the same thing about pedal steel. I told him I can barely walk and chew gum as it is. I think operating both hands and both feet at the same time “in tune” on a fretless instrument would be harder than flying a helicopter.
 
Love the sound of a pedal steel.

Never took up any stringed instruments, although it always interested me.

My oldest son played trumpet in his highschool jazz band.

My daughter played violin in school.

I used to play piano and organ but it's been a lifetime since I've touched a keyboard
 

This bloke and his family were opening for another band at Walnut Creek in Ral. We were tailgating in the parkinglot, heard them and hustled in. Wow they were great. That's been the only time I've heard a band that far away an hustled over to see who they were.
 
Last edited:
Why not go all the way Junior Brown and get a Guit-Steel?
 
If I were to pursue this I think I would very likely stick with the acoustic iterations of square neck resonator guitars played exclusively with a slide.

Beard, Sherhorn, Gibson. Those are the brands I at least once was familiar with. Or at least start with a more “entry to intermediate” level import like a Goldtone because the first three I mentioned are pretty pricey.
 
My old man has a Gibson lap steel from what I’d guess to be the 30-40s, judging by pics maybe a EH100. Cool little thing, haven’t seen it in years. I unfortunately never learned the guitar or the banjo. Love the way they sound.
 
NKD said:
That Dobro looks hella expensive. Sweet.
Click to expand...
It’s a pretty thing ain’t it? All that curly maple.

I don’t know if it’s a Beard or Sherhorn, but I’m thinking at least $4500. I owned a banjo of that caliber, but couldn’t operate it like Ryan Cavanaugh in that video.
C363C6CC-AC97-4836-8D0F-C604C4F3370E.jpeg
 
  • Like
Reactions: NKD
motoman247 said:
Steel guitar....or stand up double bass
Click to expand...
As one who has played the “doghouse” (stand up bass to you non-bluegrassers), go with the dobro Ash.
It’s soooo much easier to carry, store, transport, etc.!
 
fieldgrade said:
or more commonly referred to as Dobro (if it’s a Gibson, since they have it trademarked.)

I’ve played guitar on and off since the mid sixties. Picked up the five string banjo about twenty years ago, and taught myself Scruggs style three finger picking, and got to an intermediate, maybe sometimes advanced level.

I realize playing a fretless instrument is a whole new ball game. How many orders of magnitude are we talking about?
Click to expand...
Years ago, I was with a Scruggs girl, one of Earls nieces. Crazy, freakin Pill head, Redhead.. I met a bunch of that side of the family up in the hills a couple of times. Interesting folks.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom