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I've got an old Regal Wooden Resophonic guitar (aka Dobro), so I
may be able to answer a few of your questions...
> - All metal body. What kind of metal is this??? Nickel covered
> steel of some kind?
This sounds about right, but it may vary from instrument to
instrument. What color is the metal on the outside? There are
painted metal ones as well as bare metal colored ones.
> - One resonator inside I believe.
This also varies. There are single resonator models as well as
tri cone resonators. If this one has one big round pie plate
it is a single resonator model.
> - A wooden neck with a low nut. In other words the guitar can be
> played as a regular guitar, not only with a slide.
I take it the neck is rounded in the back? There are models that
have flat backed necks which usually have high nuts for playing
slide only....
> - The word "Dobro" at the top of the, of the, of the... whats that
> piece called with the tuning pegs on it???
Headstock??
> - The number 0392 on the top edge of the same tune head thing. The
> headset I think?? The number and "Dobro" are the only
> identifying marks that I see anywhere on the guitar.
I took my dobro to Mister C's in Marlboro mass. so he could help
identify the year, etc. He has a book by Tom Wheeler called
"The Guitar Book" (I believe) that has a whole section on Dobros,
Nationals, Regals, etc. If you can get ahold of this or borrow it
it may tell you more. Actually, Mr. C had a nice old metal body
(brown colored body) dobro in there a few years back.
> And one last question... what kind of strings would one put on a
> Dobro??
Again, it depends. If you are going to play mostly slide, you
would want to use flat wounds. If not, a good wound string would
be okay. Probably a heavier guage would be appropriate. I use
GHS "Jerry Douglas" Dobro strings on my dobro.
Hope this helps....
_gary
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| I have a metal-body Dobro,and have found it almost impossible to date
these guitars,as they have been made almost the same way since the '20s
and are still being produced under the Dobro and National labels today.
They started out as an improvement in volume for Hawaiian style
guitarists when that style was popular,but were quickly picked up by
Blues and country guitarists too.A guy called John Dopyera invented a
guitar with a cone made of spun Aluminum,(not much thicker than a
modern day Coke can)shaped like a speaker,with the bridge in place of
the magnet.
With financial partners,he set up the National Co.who produced many
succesful variations of the guitar(as well as mandolins,ukeleles,etc.)
mainly with metal bodies.
John Dopyera and his brothers left in 1928 to form Dobro(DOpyera
BROthers)and made some changes to the guitars,making them from wood as
they couldn't afford the machinery for stamping out the metal bodies.
They also came up with a new design for the resonator cone.with the
sound being transmitted via a metal spiders-web shape.
In 1934,the companies amalgamated,and from then on things got even
more complex;they produced metal Dobros,wooden Nationals,Regals
Silvertones,Kays etc,with both kinds of resonator and cover-plates,and
had a troubled time of takeovers etc.to this day.
My guitar has a National style cone,a Dobro coverplate and logo on
the peghead,and a nickel-plated plain steel body.I don't give a damn
about it's age or worth,I just play it and love it!!
Hope this helps,
Big Jim.
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A friend was given a dobro recently. The person who gave it to her
said he paid $7.00 for it used in 1937. I can't verify that, but
that's what I was told. Anyway, I've played it. It's playable, beat
up but no cracks that I could see. Can anyone recommend a shop/repair
person in the Nashua area that could check this out and give it a
little tune up. This woman wants to give it to her young son to learn
to play on. My sense is that it won't be the easiest thing to learn
on, and it may be too valuable for that, but I promised her I would
check here for some recommendations.
I didn't get the model or name.
Justine
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PLEASE, DO NOT LET THAT HAPPEN!!!!! ARRRRRRGH!!!
Fiddler's Choice, In Jaffery New Hampshire, is the
local Dobro/National Steel place to go. These guitars
are not to be used as a "beginner".
-- Do *NOT* use that Dobro as a learner.
-- There are PLENTY of starter guitars for sale in the file.
-- Hell, I'll *GIVE* you a nice acoustic/electric six string,
(if you give me the Dobro.) Hmmm, no kiddin', ask her.
Rick.
264-7661
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