Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum
At The Back => The Dressing Room => Topic started by: WezV on April 27, 2011, 03:43:59 PM
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well, i have been after a reso for a while - mainly for a bit of slide/lap playing and noticed this on ebay last week. the auction just finished and all being well it will be on its way to me soon
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/reso.png)
its a pre-war regal dobro
after a few searches i found the previous owner had asked about it on the Michael Messer forum and had it dated to 1934ish. certainly no later than 1937. Michael also suggested a good deal would be about £500 with it easily doubling that in a guitar shop, so at £411 i am pretty happy - its about what i was looking at spending on a new one
So, its obviously a basic model and not the prettiest reso out there, but it doesnt really matter with reso's, some argue that the laminated ones are much better for the bluesier stuff anyway. the odd things are the wooden cover and the stella 'idento' tail piece, both of which are original to the guitar but a version like this was not really ever advertised as far as anyone can tell.
at the time regal were making dobro's under license, buying all the metal arts from dobro so best guess is that they had a shortage of the chromed parts from dobro and decided to improvise (stella were also chicago based which explains the tail piece)... they were knocking them out so fast back then it would not surprise anyone.
i did find some pics and clips of a similar (but earlier) wooden covered one and if mine sounds anything like this i will be happy :)
http://pickinparlor.nationalguitar.com/_Rain-38-Thunder-Bottleneck-Blues/audio/689719/51645.html
http://pickinparlor.nationalguitar.com/_Regal-Dobro-193039s-/photo/8752882/51645.html
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now why would i go and post it in this section :?
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looks great Wez, I love a bit dobro action - been a while since I've played acoustic blues, would love a dobro and get back into that. our bass player played me something on his ipod that we recorded around 8-10 years ago, one room mic, very bluesy, will see if I can dig it out and post a copy.
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yeah, go ahead
i also have a ceramic slide coming which should be interesting
http://www.stoneslides.com/
i am more used to lapsteel and am kinda used to a heavy chromed steel and think it does a lot for the tone having something so heavy, but i want to try non-lap slide playing with this and i dont like the idea of a heavy brass or steel slide hanging from my finger - apparently the ceramic has the tone without the weight so it should be interesting
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Looks very nice! I'm not a slideplayer, but I love Ry Cooder.
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Looks good Wez although the guitar does look rather sad with those tea bag strainer eyes and hand support thing.
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Wez if you don't get one with the ceramic - Ian McWee at Diamond Bottlenecks is your friend - lots of options - mail him to discuss what your going to be playing and how and you will get the best advice ever. His work really is that good! 8)
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yeah, i looked at the diamond stuff, it was my first option but the website was not working right and i wanted to get one ordered in
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Great stuff Wez- looks to be a bargain.
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Nice one Wez, looks well righteous :D
On the slides, try a bunch - they're like picks, none are "better", just different. After trying all sorts, I seem to have settled on a set that's out all the time: clear glass, chromed steel, brass. Funnily enough, they're all standard Dunlops (although my old piece of brass pipe a drummer cut for me in the 80s is still there ready as well). I find I need glass and the two metals available for the different tones I want.
However, the more expensive diamonds, mudslides, etc, that I tried over the years are all back in the slides box gathering dust :lol:
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i remember one i had was thin aluminium given out free on the cover of a guitar mag. cant see anyone being convinced to learn slide after using aluminium though. its a stupid material for the job
i have a brass one somewhere and seem to remember it feeling scratchy - maybe just needs a good polish
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it looks like an interesting guitar. I've tried brass & ceramic slides, but I've realised that I'm not really a slide player! I like the lap steels a lot more for slide. However I'd like a Dobro for acoustic playing.
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Great find and price, I'd love to have that. Judging from the sound clip I think a ceramic slide will suit it very well. I've got all sorts of slides, but only use ceramic these days. I love the tone and playability (lightness) of them and don't particularly miss the big sustain I get from my chunky metal ones.
Things have improved quite a bit strings wise for resonators with a lot of choice now esp if you shop on the American net including exotics like silver plated reso strings. I'm going to go over to Elixir's log life ones as if it's not your everyday style they'll pay dividends.
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i have a brass one somewhere and seem to remember it feeling scratchy - maybe just needs a good polish
thats exactly how my fave brass slide sounds, but thats what I like about it.
my heavy glass slide is much smoother and purer in the 'note' you get - and gives more sustain.
my small aluminium slide is only for electric playing and is very lightweight, maybe only 1.25" long.
ain't got any ceramic ones so can't comment.
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Nice find Wez. I've never really been a fan of that finish to be honest as I've always thought it looks a bit like an ashtray I used to own :lol:
I can vouch for Ian at Diamond too, he's a friend of a friend and a top bloke (but being so feckless, I haven't seen either of them for a couple of years). Incidentally, speaking of being feckless, an envelope containing a neck plate has turned up in my house again. I'm fairly sure it's been posted twice now, but the bloody thing keeps hanging around. I'll take it up to the post office and wave it off next time.
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Have you got it yet Wez?
I'd kind of agree with HTH on the scratchy-ness of brass slides.
I've got two:
The old brass-pipe I've had since 1982/3. I used to use this regularly in gigs back years ago and that would keep the playing area polished. I'd also give it a go with brasso to keep it nice...
But over the years I stopped bothering. If I haven't used it for a while it feels a bit dull, but soon "gets going" after half an hour or so.
The newer one is a Dunlop that I used to try out the resonator I bought at Vintage & Rare a few years back. I liked the slide so much that she chucked it in the case as a freebie :D.
It actually relegated my trusty old piece of pipe to second-best for a while. And then I noticed that the Dunlop actually had some sort of lacquer on it (to make it look cute, I guess) which wears off!!
Now, the Dunlop still feels "cleaner" inside but it plays pretty much like "ole trusty", so I use "ole trusty" instead for the mojo that's in it :lol:
It really is about finding something or somethings that do it for you.
For electrics, standard tuning, I tend to use a light clear glass slide for most stuff (think Rory, Duane, Ry, etc, etc). But a light chromed steel does a nice job too. It seems I want a light slide with as smooth a surface as possible on electric. The lightness cuts down on fret-clunking noises, and the smoothness cuts down the rasping on the strings. (However, if I'm playing open tuning with a raised action, ole trusty gives us the required rasp :lol:).
Ordinary acoustics, with lowish actions, I've never managed to master slide on. Probably the same clear glass would do a job, but there might not be enough volume/sustain.
On resonators with nice raised actions and 015s on it's a choice for me. If the strings are new, ole trusty is way too bright and I use a green bottle neck from Diamond (I believe). That is a righteous tone. However, when the strings are more than a couple of weeks old (and they stay on resos for a long time with me), the green bottle doesn't quite cut it. That's when ole trusty comes into his own. They pretty much do the same job tonally, as long as the strings under them are the right match...
It's all about getting a weight/density you're happy with and a size/shape that feels comfortable. Heavier, by theory, means more volume, it also enables you to get a consistent contact without having to apply too much pressure. However, the weight itself brings problems with physically controlling it. In the heat and excitement of a gig, I've found it's quite easy to groove your frets if you're using too bulky or heavy a slide... great slide tone but the guitar needs a fret-dress afterwards :lol:
(Amongst all this waffle, bear in mind that the finger you use is a factor. I almost exclusively put the slide on the weaker little finger. That's the way I learnt from watching Rory live (and an old bloozer I used to watch regularly in Exeter). I know I can get better control and tone out of my ring finger, but most of the time I want the first three fingers for fretting as well.)
Nowadays I believe that full appreciation of various materials and surfaces really comes later, after you've learnt to control this "over-size ring" on your finger.
Like picks, grab a couple of different (cheap) ones, use them as you feel like, but concentrate on getting the tones out of the instrument with your technique - it happens almost by magic if you keep fiddling around. Once you start getting your slide "voice", you can actually get it with whatever slide comes to hand, but you'll find different ones are more "suitable" for different songs or applications.
I'm personally coming from the other direction - I keep meaning to get a Steel like you'd use on a laptsteel, to try out on the resos. That might force me into wanting an electric lapsteel further down the line, but I just haven't got round to it...
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Andy
there is always the Feline Lap Cat
http://www.felineguitars.com/custombuilt/recent_finished.htm
David
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Andy
there is always the Feline Lap Cat
http://www.felineguitars.com/custombuilt/recent_finished.htm
David
and since its my thread lets not forget i make lapsteels too ;)
http://wezvenables.co.uk/GuitarsLS.html
thanks for the tips andy - my main problem with my old brass slide is going to be finding it :) So far i have always just gone for ring finger, but i am tempted to give pinky playing a go at some point
it shows up every now and again then i dont see it for years. Checked all the usual drawers and little boxes of tat but its nowhere to be found (same place as my decent capo no doubt!)
the regal should be with me tomorrow morning!
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Sorry Wez!
David
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Very cool lap steels 8)
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Sorry Wez!
David
oh, dont worry about it - i was just teasing. perfectly happy to see jonathan's lapsteel, i have been meaning to do a weissenborn ish shaped lapsteel for ages.
i reckon bill asher makes some of the nicest modern lapsteels
(http://www.elderly.com/new_instruments/items/images/185N/ABHII.jpg)
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oh my, its here. I am rather smitten so far.
obviously its not ever going to play like a new guitar and i am not even going to try and make it, but it sounds bloody lush.
in better condition than i expected, tuners work fine and the (original) resonator cone is well seated and not buzzy!
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Pics and a clip would be nice.
How do you guys feel about damping behind the slide? Most people think it's essential, but I don't do it for two reasons. One I prefer the sound which is more reverby and spooky and two using the finger behind stiffens your wrist and feels like you're playing with the handbrake on.
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yeah will get some pics and maybe even a clip at some point
when playing lapsteel i always damp behind the slide - finding it hard to do the same with this slide and the fact the guitar has an absolutely massive neck does not make things easier. tbh i am pretty cr@p at playing so dont take my word on anything playing related ;)
had a little look inside and it has a 4 legged 'spider' with original 30's pressed lug cone in great condition, no soundwell which may put it later 30's. at some point i may try a 8 legged spider , maybe even a short legged spider if i can find one. but it does sound great as it it, i suspect the more efficient spider design may just give more volume. the cone had been screwed down at the edges, looks like it was done at the factory as a cheap way to make the cone sit properly, but removing those screws opened it up a bit
seems to like open D tuning, but i think i need some finger picks again to get the most out of it
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Excellent news :D
I've never got on with finger picks myself. Partly because I learnt the "Rory way" originally - flatpick and fingers together, and partly because I use just fingers so much nowadays on all guitars and basses. I've tried the finger picks, and I can see for some styles they'd be almost essential, but then I lose the option of "bare flesh" tones.
(And also, you saying you're cr@p at it... I'm worried I'm sounding like an expert here! :lol: ... really, I get by with a slide, and am confident enough to whip the slide out in front of people and not feel embarrassed... but really... I ain't no expert neither!)
Choucas09 - when I was learning it years ago, damping behind the slide was absolutely necessary to get rid of the extra noises caused by clonking about with this alien thing on my finger.
Years down the line though, I tend to use damping and no damping depending on the tone I want and what else is happening with the part.
I think I'd recommend that a "learner" goes for damping all the time initially - unless they're really lucky and sound beautiful from the start - otherwise they might get put off by the godawfull noise that seems to be coming from the guitar all the time :lol:. The main thing is to get some results you're happy with asap, otherwise you give up fairly quickly (I did at first - it was only my drummer insisting on having some slide in the set that made me carry on...). Going for learning the damping method seems to remove some of the variables and gives you a better chance at the start.
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just uploading a clip to youtube now - although its not great as i am finding my intonation and vibrato are off today. shame because it sounds awesome as long as one of them is close, when both are out its a bit odd :?
anyway - i am blaming the new slide for that, its wider than i am used to and after just checking with a tuner i realised how i was holding it too close to the fret and it was sharp. so i am trying to adjust position and often ending up a little flat - but its all coming along nicely, the slide is starting to feel more natural than it did yesterday
speaking of rory - some bugger has defaced the case - although its not original to the guitar anyway
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/new/case.jpg)
that case is well oversized, but then this is an odd shaped, rather small resonator
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/new/dobro1.jpg)
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/new/dobro3.jpg)
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/new/dobro4.jpg)
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gX3H1W8SXRs
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It has a nice tone judging by the clip.
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Sorry I'm a bit late catching up on the pics and clip. Now I want it even more. Very very nice tone and looks.