Dobro Resophonic Resonator Guitar Roundneck vs. Squareneck

Subject: Other Genre's
Date: Mon, 22 Nov 2004 10:55:56 -0600

Mickey,

Greetings Tommy,

Glad to assist if I can:

I have been playing guitar (acoustic, electric, fingerstyle, etc) for 15 or so years. I've recently got into music such as Ben Harper, Robert Randolph, and other rather "out there" guitar players. I'm thinking about buying a resonator and even after the FAQ I am still undecided about round vs square necks.

I would really like to play lap style, as the samples that I have viewed on your website are really more the sound/genre of music I am wanting to play. As far as the round necks go, can I:

Play in regular 440 tuning?

Yes, roundnecks can be played exactly like a standard acoustic guitar...and tuned up to the same pitch.

Play in Alternate tunings (other than the open G)?

Most definitely...in fact, it's highly recommended for the roundneck dobro really shines in open tuning. I love open G tuned as: D G D G B D

The open G for squareneck tuning does not work on roundneck...the stress on the neck would be too much.

Play with it on my lap without having to get the extension nut?

Sure, you don't have to have an extension nut to play a roundneck on the lap...only, you'll want to be careful in your choices for steels. I believe the Stevens-Type would be too heavy; you'll end up with a lot of fret noise. I know that there have been some bottleneck blues guitarists who have used the standard guitar, and roundneck dobro, in a lap-style fashion.

I know that this is actually a lap steel being played, but would similar be possible on a round neck? <http://benharper.net/jump.php?id=131>http://benharper.net/jump.php?id=131

I tried to pull this file up...through a download....and nothing happened. Notwithstanding, I'm still familiar with lap steels...and, no, you will not get that exact sound. You will be able to achieve a unique sound unto itself by ensuring that you have a pick-up system installed on your Dobro. If you like the sound of a lap steel, try installing a magnetic pick-up system on your roundneck dobro. This will give you the added sustain that you're hear with Ben Harper's music.

Hope this helps, Mickey

Thanks in advance,
Tommy

Subject: Roundneck vs Squareneck Dobros
Date: Tue, 6 Jul 2004 18:45:08 -0700

Dear Folk of the Wood:

Greetings Mark,

I am interested in playing dobro-style guitar. I have been playing acoustic and electric guitar for some 20 years, but only recently started picking up slide. I want to know the advantages and disadvantages of the round neck vs. the square neck.

We have an extensive database of FAQ's on the upside and downside of the roundneck vs. squareneck dobros... http://www.folkofthewood.com/page142.htm

I do know that square neck is more traditional for dobro and lap-style playing whereas the round neck is more favored by bluesman for fretting purposes and guitar-style playing.

Yes, this is the main division between the two...

My main question boils down to this: can you play a round-neck resonator lap-style or should I buy a square-neck dobro for that purpose??

Yes, you can play a roundneck in the sqaureneck lap fashion...however, it requires the right set-up...you'll need an extension nut to raise the string height...and, it's not easy to go back and forth. Additionally, you may encounter problems when bringing the tuning up to the G B D G B D level...this will put a lot of tension on your roundneck neck and can cause warpage...it's not recommended on vintage or expensive instruments...

The other downside is that it still will not have the volume of a traditional squareneck...this is due to the strings not set as high with the nut extension...on a traditional squareneck the string height is still more than two times on average than a nut extension.

Somebody told me that the roundneck guitar (esp. Tennessee Blues Resophonic Guitar) does not have the action for dobro (or lap-style) playing?? They said that the action is too low on the roundneck for dobro-style playing. I would prefer a dual-purpose resonator guitar but that may be wishful thinking on my part.

Any roundneck dobro can be played in the lap style approach as we've discussed above; it only requires an extension nut. Which, of course, can be problematic...again, it would not be recommended on as nice a roundneck as the Tennessee; too much stress.

My suggestion would be to purchase both a roundneck and a squareneck dobro...maybe Regals for affordability...and upon playing them both, you may find your configuration of choice...upon doing so, you can always use our 100% trade-up policy and graduate into the Crafters Tennessee line-up...

Hope this helps, Mickey

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Mark Farrar

Subject: Neck question
Date: Tue, 29 Jun 2004 14:37:33 -0400

Greetings Terry,

This may seem a simple question but I'm new to resonators. I am considering purchasing a resonator guitar and right now I'm looking at the Gibson and Regal brands but this question probably applies to others as well. Squareneck and Roundneck models are offered. Does this shape description apply to both sides of the neck, i.e., to the fingerboard and the back of the neck or only to the back of the neck?

A squareneck's fingerboard is only used visually...on a squareneck, the steel only rides on top of the strings and no fretting is involved whatsoever. The shape description only applies to the back of the neck...the fingerboards remain the same, even though on the squareneck, the fingerboard is only used visually as reference of where to place the steel bar.

The reason I ask is that when I was looking at a Gibson DWF60RDB which is a Roundneck with a "radiused fingerboard" which I took to mean that it has rounded somewhat also, whereas a Gibson DW90 has a flat fingerboard. The DW90 is described as being designed especially for bottleneck playing. Does that mean the DWF60RDB and other roundnecks are less suitable for bottleneck playing?

No, they all work well for bottleneck...depending on how the action is adjusted. To prevent the fret noise, or rattle caused by the bar hitting the frets, a dobro set up for bottleneck, or slide, is usually set up with a higher action. This ensures some distance on the bottleneck from the frets and allows for better volume and clarity of tone. Now, a flat fingerboard, with a lower action, may help prevent some fret noise as compared to a radiused fingerboard with a lower action. Notwithstanding, if you're serious about your bottleneck slide, you would have your dobro set up with a higher action which means that the flat or radius fingerboard wouldn't necessarily be a consideration...

Mickey

Terry Jackson

Subject: dobro
Date: Sat, 27 Mar 2004 22:30:47 -0500

I am looking for a dobro to play guitar style blues. What is the diffence between a square neck and round neck. Thanks sandy

Greetings Sandy,

To play guitar style blues, I would recommend the roundneck dobro...this is even common in traditional blues with Mississippi Delta artists...

Squareneck dobro is normally played within a bluegrass context...however, more and more artists are using the squareneck within other genres of music...especially blues...and our "Intro to Squareneck Dobro" Parts I and II cover the squareneck as it's applied to a variety of music including blues...

Even so, for traditional blues, the roundneck dobro has set the precedence...we also offer a roundneck video titled: "Roundneck Dobro Blues and Slide" technique...this video may offer you a window on what roundneck dobro is about...and may make a good preliminary purchase before deciding to buy a dobro itself...

For further answers about the differences between a roundneck and a squareneck dobro, be sure to read through the following:
http://www.folkofthewood.com/page142.htm

Best of luck to you in your research, Mickey

Subject: Questions for Mickey Cochran
Date: Mon, 1 Mar 2004 09:58:28 -0330

Hi Mickey

Greetings Bill,

Glad to assist:

I recently bought a roundneck dobro...I really like it and I think it's going to be a lot of fun! I notice in your lesson #1 that you mention needing an extension nut to play the roundneck on the lap. I play guitar and bass and the dobro is new to me. I am in Gander, Newfoundland, Canada and there few if any dobro players around here and I'm kind of on my own...so I have a few questions:

where is the extension nut placed or is it moved around for different keys sometimes?

The extension nut is placed directly over the existing nut...it's not moveable to achieve different keys...

how is the dobro tuned, is it tuned open G first and the nut placed afterwards?

The lap-style acoustic dobro is tuned to open G: G B D G B D...

can I buy an extension nut from FOTW or can you recommend a good one?

Yes, we sell these at 7.95...

how is the roundneck different from the squareneck (other than shape) so that it that requires the nut?

The tonal range should be the same...as is true with most resophonic cones...and some depends on the size of the cone. If your dobro is standard size, it should have a very similar sound in the lap style conversion as other squareneck dobros.

would your video series be appropriate for me with the roundneck or would you recommend a different one?

We have a roundneck dobro video and a squareneck series...your choice...it depends on what you hope to achieve with your new dobro...

Here's our video section:
http://www.folkofthewood.com/page645.htm

anything else that might be good to know...(at some point, is it likely I'll want a squareneck?)
The lessons you've placed online look great! I'm sure a lot of players will appreciate them.

It depends on the style of music you hope to pursue...for bluegrass, you'll want nothing but a squareneck...for blues, it can be played well on both roundneck or squareneck...however, blues on roundneck is the norm...

Check out our FAQ database for many more answers and concerns about the nut extension:
http://www.folkofthewood.com/page142.htm

Hope this helps...Mickey

thanks

Bill Butt

Date: Wed, 11 Feb 2004 09:05:16 -0800 (PST)
Subject: Questions about My Recently Acquired Dobro and Your Store

Greetings,

I live in Nashville, TN and I just recently acquired a
used Dobro roundneck metal body DM 33H.

These are superb sounding Dobros...

I am a reasonably proficient hobbyist who also plays six string flat top, some mandolin and electric guitar. I want to play some blues on my new instrument and also use it with a steel for some limited bluegrass type applications.

This is where it may become difficult...the Gibson metal body makes a superb blues dobro...however, it will definitely fall short as a bluegrass dobro...yes, you can use an extension nut, only, keep in mind, it will put unnecessary stress on the neck...and, it's also impractical to stand up with due to its weight...

The instrument has the correct
timbre for that bluegrass sound, but the fact that
it's a roundneck takes away some of the presence that
could be achieved using a steel on a square-neck.

Yes, see above...again, the extension nut can solve this and bring out more volume...and, it can then be tuned to standard open-g tuning as is common with most bluegrass dobro players.

My first question is: the serial number on the end of
the headstock is "01156". Do you have any idea what
year that might indicate that the instrument was made?

Unfortunately, I'm currently out of town...and cannot truly assess its date without my bluebooks...since you're in Nashville, it would be quick and easy for you to have your Dobro dated...call the Gibson Showcase at Opry Mills or call George Gruhn with Gruhn Guitars...

My second question is: do you have any instructional
materials for a non-novice, but a non-professional
like myself?

We have both Roundneck and Squareneck dobro instructional videos...these are your best window to acquiring skills quickly and ensure that you have a solid foundation in both correct positioning and medium...

These may be accessed for further info by clicking here:
http://www.folkofthewood.com/page645.htm

Best of luck to you in your research efforts, Mickey

I think I ordered a catalogue from you guys yesterday.
My name is Brian Moore. If you have no record of me,
let me know and I'll go back and fill in the page.
Thank you in advance for your assistance.

Subject: Dobro FAQ
Date: Fri, 18 Apr 2003 13:10:26 -0400

Dear Mickey,

I am trying to decide between the Regal Round and Square Neck Dobro and have a few questions. I am primarily a fingerstyle blues player and would like to get into bottleneck slide style blues. I understand that the round neck seems like the obvious choice, but in reading some of the FAQ responses I've become hesitant because of the tunings. A lot of the songs I want to play are either tuned to Open G, D or E. Do any of these tunings pose a problem, i.e. warping of the neck, that would require professional modifications or adjustments? If so, is there a dobro that can be played easily with these tunings and still maintain the non lap approach.

Thanks in advance,

Adam

Greetings Adam,

Glad to assist if I can:

For fingerstyle blues, truly, the best route to go would be the Roundneck Dobro...

1. The Roundneck is the traditional blues player's choice. The Squareneck is almost exclusively applied within bluegrass settings.

2. All of the above tunings you've listed work very well on a roundneck. Now, the open G tuning on a squareneck is unique unto itself and is almost exclusive to bluegrass:

G B D G B D from low to high...

The open G tuning used commonly within blues settings would be:

D G D G B D from low to high...

This open G tuning poses no problem for a roundneck dobro...keep in mind, the bluegrass tuning listed above would be too stressful on the neck of a roundneck.

Open D tuning for roundneck is quite common for Mississippi Delta blues:

D A D F# A D

Personally, instead of tuning to open E tuning, I would use the above open D tuning and capo up two frets.

Again, all of the above blues tunings, outside of the bluegrass open G tuning, work very well on a roundneck and should never stress the neck...especially, if you follow my approach to the open E tuning...

Hope this helps...Mickey

Date: Sat, 9 Nov 2002 12:42:13 EST

Hi Mickey,

Great website! I am interested in a black Regal Rd-45 squareneck.
Question for you, too. I am drawn to the dobro first and foremost by the blues. I know that a lot of the guys I am listening to played metal bodied dobros. I, however would like to sit in with my bluegrass buddies now and then. Should I still look at the Regal or are there inexpensive metal-bodied dobros that are worth my time. I want some versatility of sound but I don't want to spend a huge amount until I know better what particular sound qualities I am looking for.

Thanks for your help. I attached some pics of the possible trade-ins...

Best,
Aaron Skolnik

Greetings Aaron,

In answer to your questions:

If you're interested in playing blues Dobro, the instrument of choice would be a roundneck Dobro...all traditional acoustic Dobro blues have almost always been played on a roundneck (the wooden bodied and/or metal bodied)...that's not to say that blues cannot be effectively played on a squareneck...only that traditionally, blues has almost always been played on a roundneck...

If you're sitting in on a bluegrass session, you'll most definitely want to be playing a squareneck...traditionally, this is the Dobro of choice for all bluegrass settings...A roundneck can be played within a bluegrass setting...only, it's very rare...and, the approach at this point would be in a flatpicking style...

The Regal squareneck would be a a tremendous value as a bluegrass squareneck Dobro...the RD-45 is the best entry level squareneck I've played to date...tremendous to learn on...and, yet, still a powerful traditional squareneck tone...nice spacing on the strings which adds ease of playability. With the Quarterman Cone upgrade option, you'll find the RD-45 will sound as close to a pro-level Dobro as would be possible while still offering a tremendous price.

Be sure to check out our video samplers on the Quarterman upgrade option...

http://www.folkofthewood.com/page2520.htm

Let me know if I can assist you further in any way...Mickey

Date: Mon, 21 Oct 2002 18:16:12 -0700
Subject: Re: squareneck vs. roundneck

Your Web site is fantastic! It's easy to use, and seeing and hearing the different guitars via the video samplers makes up for me not being able to put my hands on one.

I'm planning on buying either a Regal squareneck or roundneck Dobro-style guitar. From what I see and hear, they have essentially the same sound, with the primary difference being the playing position. Is there any reason why I couldn't play the roundneck on my lap like a squareneck? If so, it'd seem to be the more versatile of the two instruments. Are there any other differences of which I should be aware that'll help me make my purchase decision?

Scott

Greetings Scott,

Glad to assist if I can:

Thanks for the kind words regarding our website...

I believe your choice, between a squareneck or a roundneck, would be predetermined by the style of music you hope to pursue.

For instance, for bluegrass, you'll most definitely want a squareneck dobro...for blues, a roundneck...yes, a roundneck can be played on the lap, however you'll need a nut extension to bring up the string action...and, upon adding the squareneck gauged strings and raising the action, and tuning to the High G Tuning, you'll be putting far too much stress on the roundneck...and the roundneck tends to slide of the lap and doesn't stay stationary as well as the squareneck.

If you're already playing guitar, you'll find that the roundneck may fit your needs better...especially if you hope to play fingerstyle blues and slide.

If you haven't taken up an instrument to date, you will find it far easier to learn a squareneck dobro approach to playing...especially, if you purchase an accompanying squareneck dobro video to learn from...

Therefore, if you're serious about bluegrass, stay away from the roundnecks...even though they have the versatility...if you're serious about blues, and already play guitar, go for a roundneck.

Hope this hleps...Mickey

Subject: Roundneck or Squareneck Dobro
Date: Fri, 3 May 2002 12:53:12 -0500

Greetings Eric,

We're glad to assist if we can...

I'm interested in adding a dobro to my instrument collection, but I have a
few questions that might help me make the decision of which one:

My intention is to emphasize on playing bluegrass, but can certainly
picture myself switching over to blues on occasion. After reading a lot of
reviews and the other FAQ's I'm pretty sure I'll be going with a Regal.

The Regal is one of the best values in the industry...however, don't settle for anything less than the RD-45 models...there is a cheaper model called the RD-35 that is somewhat of a compromise...

I know you can use the roundneck dobro for blues style and then just add
the nut elevator for lap style bluegrass. Is there going to be a big
difference in sound or play between the square neck or a roundneck with a
elevator?

There's a difference mostly in playability...

The roundneck with the elevated nut adaptor will have a narrow string spacing...limiting the facility when playing on the lap...additionally, the strings are not elevated as high as the traditional squareneck model...volume will have a subtle difference...the volume on a squareneck will be slightly louder due to the strings being even higher than the roundneck with adaptor. I suspect the sustain would be different due to the squareneck having a thicker neck...and, keep in mind, a squareneck can withstand the heavier gauged treble strings; whereas, the roundneck with adapter should only be played with a light gauge string set...the heavier gauge will have more volume and fullness in tone.

The other question I have is in regards to the RD-45 compared to the RD-75.
I know that the strings on the RD-45 are spaced wider than the RD-75 and
therefore easier to play. Am I going to have a hard time converting over
to a dobro with narrower spacing after I've learned on the RD-45?

Yes, it will be somewhat difficult to adapt to a narrow string spacing after playing with the wider spacing on a RD-45...other major manufacturers of Dobros...Beard and Gibson for instance, also have a wider string spacing...the RD-75 is designed to the exact specs of the original early '30s Regal model which also had a narrow string spacing...the early Original Musical Instruments, which Gibson bought along with the Dobro trademark, also had narrow string spacing...

A better upgrade for the RD-45 would be our 200.00 Quarterman Upgrade...which includes a new maple/ebony nut and high grade bone nut...along with the Paul Beard strings...

Hope the above helps...Mickey

Thanks a lot-
Eric Evenson

Date: Tue, 16 Apr 2002 17:06:14 -0500
Subject: Thanks for you Web site!

I've played guitar for over 30 years and now I'm planning on getting my first resonator. Your FAQ is very informative but I have a couple more questions:

Greetings, Glad to assist if I can:

1. A guitar dealer who didn't know much about resonators said that putting a nut extension on a round-neck resonator in order to play it dobro style may put too much tension on the neck and warp it. Is this really something to worry about? If so, would a steel body as opposed to a wood body make a difference? Is a tension bar in the neck essential in case the neck does warp?

Yes it is...there's quite a bit more tension on a standard guitar due to the strings being tuned up to an Open G dobro tuning...in my opinion, roundnecks are designed to be played in a traditional fashion...a steel body wouldn't make any difference since the necks are still made of wood...a tension bar (or truss rod) would most definitely be essential to ensure that you can straighten the neck upon it becoming warped.

2. Why is a spun cone better than a stamped one?

Spun cones are machined to exact specifications to ensure a better tonal quality...if you were to tap a spun cone with an object, the cone will resonate and have a bell-like tone. If you perform this same experiment on a stamped cone, the cone seems to just thud and does not have any sustained resonance...

3. What's the difference in the sound if the resonator has one cone or three?

The Tri-Cone, (three-cone dobro), has relatively more fullness...however, the cones are smaller and does not contribute to a bassier sound as you'll find on a single larger cone system.

4. What do I have to consider when choosing between a biscuit bridge and a spider bridge?

The main consideration would be the style of music you hope to achieve:
For a raw blues sound, there's nothing like a Biscuit Cone to punch out the monotonic, nasal, lowdown Delta Blues...
If you're looking for a more versatile tonal range, that can be applied to a variety of musical settings, I'd go with the Spider Bridge. The Spider Bridge will have a fuller sound with more overall volume.

Hope this helps...Mickey