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Looking for a Resonator Style Guitar


Azzurro

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Obviously there are huge differences in tone between metal and wooden guitars and between bridge types. This is just a matter of taste, although you won't hear many country players using metal bodied instruments, or Delta blues lovers using Dobro type instruments.

http://www.frailers.com

This is a good place to look for new and used guitars- the best selection outside of London (and they will haggle).

Ozark and Recording King guitars are pretty good for the money, as are the Chinese Hound Dogs (made for Gibson). The Goldtones, that Frailers sell, are better value, IMO. Great second hand- but you need to know what you are looking for, with resonators. Faults are hard to correct and the stresses the instruments suffer can be terminal. Busker guitars are building a reputation among steel body players- but I have never had my hands on one, so can't comment from experience.

Ozark and Recording King are often sold locally and come up second hand, from time to time. Expect to pay no more than £250 and walk away, if the neck isn't perfectly straight and solid, or if the cone rattles and squeals excessively. If you were thinking of spending much more than that, look at a new Goldtone Dobro- and play as many steel/brass bodied instruments as you can.

Amplifying a Resonator can be a pain- so don't get your hopes up:). Some of the best players use an SM57, rather than messing with Piezos. Others nail on a humbucker- which works, in a not very Resophonic way......

We are not talking about the difference between a Mex and a US Tele, if we compare an Ozark with a National, by the way. If you are really into slide blues and want to spend £500 plus..... save your money and buy a used National, for £1100 or so. It's an investment, in every sense of the word.

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http://www.fineresophonic.com/contact.htm

This Guy. Problem being, he's in Paris :) It's a really specialist thing. Most people in Britain who claim to have lots of experience with Resos....... don't.

Dropping a National cone in your guitar would improve the tone no end. Sounds like the original one may be done......

For all the talk of 16-60 sets on Nationals, serious dealers like Frailers don't recommend anything past a 14. If you're using super low tunings, you might get away with it though.

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