Cheap Dobro + Cool Rails =

Re: Cheap Dobro + Cool Rails =

Blue_Fingers_Jay said:
Keep in mind that you can buy a Johnson resonator and later upgrade the cones to National ones, it will still be cheaper.

Most early blues players that use resonators had cheap ones.
Nowadays people look for a resonator when they want a specific sound, but back in the late 1920s early 1930s it was because they were louder than a traditional acoustic made of wood, and were far more resistant.
Just picture a small juke joint with lots of smoke, you have a small band behind you and a singer that sings extremely loud (just check Ma Rainey for example) you had to play loud and cut through the mix, and resonator guitars did just that, they weren't much more expensive than other acoustics. I read somewhere that a National single cone would go for 60 bucks in the 1930s a Martin of the same era would be between 50 and 60 bucks.
It's funny how things change, they were created out of necessity to sound later and cut better.

As for Blues players that use resonators I mostly listen to some pretty old stuff, here are some names:

Tampa Red (first person to record with a National Tricone, that I am aware of).

Son house, he used a single cone, and had a very different style from Tampa, much more percursive and raw.

Bukka White, also used a single cone, kinda similar style to Son House.

Blind Boy Fuller somewhere between the raw style of Son and Bukka and the smoother style of Tampa, very nice voice too.

Some more modern reso players that I really like:

Rory Gallagher, altough he played mostly electric his tunes with a reso were amazing! What a great player.

Taj Mahal, he plays alot of music styles and alot of instruments, but he also has some great tunes played with a reso.

Eric Sardinas, forget everything you know about a resonator guitar, he uses a Washburn resonator with some (sometimes alot) of distortion, he also plays fast not your traditional reso player, but you might like it.

If you find a 5E3 for a nice price, get one, they're such nice amps, great cleans especially with single coils, and they're sweet when you drive the tubes. I have a combo with a G12H I prefer the G12H highs especially when you overdrive the amp, they are smoother.

I some big muffs, but couldn't stand the sound, maybe it's the pedals because I like recorded fuzz. Any fuzz pedals suggestions?
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Again Thank You very much for the informative post !

I actualy know all the reso players you mentioned !
I also have CD's of all of them. Some more than others !
HUGE Son House fan myself.
LOVE Eric Sardinas & Johnny Winter (got all of their Reso albums - both underrated when it comes to their chops).
But i do believe that Rory Galhager is THE most underrated player of all mentioned ! What a guy he is ! Got his 3 DVD live concert pack last year, and i can not stop watching it !
Also a HUGE Chris Whitley fan (R.I.P)

* http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_g...as=aps&field-keywords=Chris+whitley&x=15&y=20

* http://www.amazon.com/War-Crime-Blu...bs_sr_4?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1207174288&sr=8-4 - my fav !


Never could get into Taj Mahal. Does nothing for me ! :(

Another muso who use a metal reso on an on-off basis is, John Hammond Jr. but he is not one of my fav.

The funny thing is (like you mentioned) those early 30's blues muso's that used "cheap" metal-reso's, used Nationals (i think it was the only metal reso avalable at the time, except maybe for Dobro, who after splitting their ways with National might have made some bell-brass reso's back then) and today they are among the most expensive.
Atleast the most expensive among the well known brands - excluding 'small' boutique brands.

Getting back to the "old-school" muso's.
I started reading a book last week, you might know it; DEEP BLUES, A Musical and Cultural History, from the Mississippi Delta to Chicago's South Side to the World - by ROBERT PALMER.

I got 5 fantastic books about the blues (this one being one of 'em) in a little second hand book store in Key West, FL, when i was there Sept. last year.
So my blues literature is growing slowly but shurely. Well over 15 now.

Unfortunatly i do not have the funds for a 5e3 clone, as all the 5e3 amps out there today is booteek stuff :(
But this is the one that is calling my name :

http://www.nickgreerexpdesigns.8m.com/underdogmod.html
A 5e3 clone, but slightly "hotter" than the standard circuit ! YES PLEASE !!!



James
 
Re: Cheap Dobro + Cool Rails =

Gearjoneser said:
I've had 2 of the Johnson resonators, and can honestly say they're the best bell brass resonator you can buy for the money. I've tried all the other ones in the $600 range, and nothing compares to the Johnson. Johnson acoustics tend to be crappy, but their resonators are made by someone else, I think......way higher quality.

Mine has rosevine engraving on the top, sides, and back, and the neck is a nice rounded C neck. Some of the other brands have a skinny neck, or the whole guitar doesn't resonate like an old National. The Johnson is just a tiny step below a National.
All the rest are WAY below that quality.

If you want one, just keeping watching Ebay. I see them go for around $400 sometimes. My current one was gotten by trading away a Fender Am Std. and I don't regret it a bit.
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Looks like there is a Johnson in my future :)


*off to ebay i go*


James
 
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