Beard Dobros vs. Crafters of Tennessee Dobros

Subject: Re: Fwd: Beard Dobro
Date: Wed, 13 Nov 2002 19:08:26 +0000

Hi Mickey

On the Beard cherry dobro, it is $200 more for a cherry stain and gloss finish? They are both basically birch laminate guitars?

Yes...this is what I remember Paul himself telling me...therefore, it appears that the Vintage Birch model would be the best value...I personally have no problem with a matte finish...

More questions, sorry.

What is your opinion of the Crafters TTV?

I believe the Crafters does have lots of presence with a big voice...it's a high-grade, well-made Dobro...I believe it sounds tremendously good recorded...

The Beard is made with an amazing attention to detail...

I love the appearance of it. Is it a maple laminate or maple veneer on laminate?

It's a maple laminate...

Does it have a brighter sound than the laminate Beard?

No...I believe that they both have fat resonant tones...

Is the quality as good? What is the difference in the soundwells?

The quality is most definitely as good as you can ask...

This is referencing the soundwell which is a circular wood frame that surrounds the resophonic cone system:

"Old Style Parallelogram" of the Crafters: This is referencing the angle that the soundwell is positioned.

On a standard soundwell for dobros, you'll find them standing straight up connecting the back of the instrument and enclosing the vibrations emanating from the resophonic cone. The standard soundwell also soundholes drilled through them...

The Parallelogram has two angles of equal proportion that lean outwards...almost giving it a concave look as you look fromt the top...this allows the sound to resonate much clearer and brighter sound...if you consider that there's less area for the sound to travel within, this most definitely affect the sound...and as is true with smaller guitars or archtop banjos, a clearer brightness would be achieved.

Normally you would see a round circle for a standard soundwell when looking at it from the top...in the case of the Parallelogram, you'll have a more concave look with the bottom of the soundwell being located closer to the resophonic cone system...while the top of the soundwell is further from the resophonic cone system.

Does it have the same Quarterman cone as the Beard?

No...they both have Quarterman cones from different sources...I believe that Beard is still acquiring directly from Quarterman; whereas, Crafters bought the rights and is having them produced themselves...

Does it have a maple/ebony spider? Would I be making a mistake to buy a Crafters?

You would not be making a mistake by purchasing a Crafters...I believe you'll find it to be as nice a Dobro as you can ask...an excellent tone in its own right...

I believe they both have maple/ebony bridges...and, sandcast spider assemblies...

Thanks again for your time.

Hopefully, I've been of some assistance...if you do come up with more questions, get back with me...Mickey