Subject: Re: Regal RD-45 Squareneck
Date: Sat, 10 Apr 2004 04:14:25 +0000

Thanks Mickey

Greetings Bret,

I do have one more question concerning the resonator. As I have been trying to learn it, I continue having problems keeping the picks on my fingers tight. As a guitar player who has only used flat picks in the past, this is turning out to be quite an adjustment. What type of picks do you recommend? Also, would you recommend the same picks for dobro and banjo?

Unless you're playing your very own style, and have no plans of playing bluegrass, picks are essential...keeping in mind, that a squareneck is almost always played in a bluegrass context, my suggestion would be to try your best to adapt to the fingerpicks and thumbpick. I've found that using just the right brand, and having them adjusted to fit your fingers properly, can make all the difference in the world. I've tried most everything out there before I settled onto the picks that best fit my playing style and approach:

Dunlop Small Thumbpick (white)
Dunlop Brass Fingerpicks (.018s)

On banjo I use two fingerpicks and one thumbpick...on Dobro I usually use three fingerpicks and one thumbpick...for bluegrass, it's recommended that you use two fingerpicks on both banjo and squareneck dobro...

The same brand and fit of picks, once you've found what fits you best, will work well for both banjo and squareneck dobro...

Picking with the third finger is my biggest challenge; I am pretty comfortable with the thumb and index.

Developing the third finger only requires a methodology approach through exercises and studies...such as the roll patterns and exercises we've included on our website at:

http://www.folkofthewood.com/page3.htm

By taking it from step one, and not attempting to learn a complete song using the third finger until you've gone through many exercises, you'll find the process far more attainable...as opposed to trying to find your way through a more difficult piece without the dexterity being first established through exercises and studies...our online roll studies may help...and there are many other exercises you can find in other books and videos...only, look for books and videos dedicated to this effort...as opposed to material that just teaches one song after another...

I am also going to start learning mandolin soon. I will be ordering one of your starter packages (probably one of the Kentuckys but I haven't decided for sure) within the next week or two. Other than the pick issue, I seem to hear melodies and pick things up faster on the ukelele, dobro, banjo and madolin even though I have just recently started playing them. I should have branched out from the guitar a long time ago. I have directed many of my Texas music buddies to your site and they are all impressed. Hope I can send some business your way. I appreciate your personal attention to your customers.

I really appreciate your promotional efforts...and, be sure to get back with me if I can ever assist you further...Mickey

Bret

Date: Mon, 29 Mar 2004 21:49:21 -0800
Subject: Resonator Guitar Setup

Greetings Art,
Glad to assist:

Boy, do I love your site! It's a life saver. 

I'm rather isolated geographically, and decided to teach myself to play lap style. (We're talking Canada, here... it's a long winter.) To this end, I acquired a round neck Fender metal body resonator. Had the nut raised and bridge trimmed back. 

So, now the dumb questions: how much pressure should I be putting on the bar?

This depends on a few things...
1. How level are your strings? If there's any variation in the height of the strings, you may have problems getting them to ring clear.
2. What type of steel bar are you using...the lighter the bar, the more pressure is required to get all the strings to ring clear...my suggest would be to use a Stevens Style bar for both weight and better pull-off capability...for more definition and better articulation on both hammer-ons and pull-offs...
3. What type and gauge of strings you're using...a lighter gauge string will not allow you the same level of applied pressure as you will get with heavier gauge strings...only, since your Fender is converted to a lap style dobro, you'll want to avoid using heavier gauge strings...it may add too much pressure to the neck...

When I play squareneck dobro, I've found that I do not have to add too much pressure at all to get a clear tone...and, I'm sure a lot of this has to do with the tools at hand along with the right set-up...

If I'm too light, I get some nasty buzzing. Would this be a result of the strings not being absolutely even on the tops? (They appear to be.) Does a small change in string diameter affect this greatly? Also note that the third string sounds "plunky" and doesn't really have the clarity and purity the other strings do, especially when I get up around the twelfth fret. Is this to be expected? 

You might be encountering something entirely different on the third string...it could be as simple as lightly sanding out the grooves of both the bridge and nut...or replacing the strings with a heavier gauge (be careful to not overdo the gauges on a converted roundneck)...if your other strings are ringing true and clear, then it would have to be one of the above issues...

I'd just generally appreciate any advice you can offer. And thanks for such a great web-site! Your lessons are terriffic!

Thanks for the kind words...and I wish you the best with your new Dobro journey...Keep on Pickin', Mickey

Art Richardson