A brief introduction of Resonator guitar

[Emma]

1.Three different kinds of Resonator guitars
There are three main resonator designs: The tricone, with three metal cones, designed by the first National company. The single-cone "biscuit" design of other National instruments. The single inverted-cone design (also known as a spider bridge) of Dobro brand instruments and instruments that copy the Dobro design.

2. origins
The resonator guitar was invented by John Dopyera in the mid 1920s in an attempt to make an acoustic loud enough to compete with big bands in the pre-electric guitar era. In 1927, he partnered with George Beauchamp, later of Rickenbacker fame, to form the National String Instrument Corporation, which released the first resonator model, a metal-bodied instrument with three conical aluminum resonators.

By the following year, conflicting design and business philosophies led Dopyera to leave National and form the Dobro Manufacturing Company with four of his brothers. The company name “Dobro,” commonly used as an eponym for resonators, is actually short for Dopyera Brothers. In the early 1930s, the brothers would take control of National to form the National-Dobro Corporation.

So while the term “Dobro” shouldn’t be used to refer to all resonator guitars, the company’s founder did set the template for the designs you’ll find nowadays. Today, Gibson produces resonator guitars under the Dobro name, while the National brand has been revived as National Reso-Phonic. But models by other modern resonator manufacturers—including Gretsch, Fender,Ibanez, Washburn, Recording King and Dean — also owe a lot to the original National/Dobro legacy.

3. Other things you should know

1) Round Neck vs Flat Neck Resonators
• Square-necked resonator guitars are set up with a high nut to be played with a bar or a slide, only in lap-style.
Round-necks are set up for regular fretting or slide-playing in the normal, “Spanish”-style posture.
• Squareneck resonators are traditionally used by bluegrass and country players
Round neck resonators are typically used by blues slide players
• The joint of the squareneck resonator joins the body at the 12th fret while most roundnecks are at the 14th fret.
• The neck of a square resonator is wider than on a round neck guitar.
• Square neck resonators in bluegrass are typically tuned to GBDGBD, while roundneck resonators are tuned to standard, open G, or D.

More about Square neck resonators:
• Most squareneck resonators have a very tall nut and heavy strings.
• Squarenecks in this type of setup are played with a steel bar called a ‘slide’ (e.g. Jim Dunlop, Shubb, etc)
• The tuner knobs on a squareneck resonator point up, which makes them easier to access.
• Some squareneck resonators don’t have frets. This is because you are not actually ‘fretting’ the neck. The slide itself acts as the ‘stop’ for the string, and the frets are just used as visual guides.
• Some folks feel that the square neck is stronger and able to hold up better to the strain of raised action and heavy strings.
• Additionally, some folks would say that the square neck plays more accurately in terms of intonation.

More about Round neck resonators:
Round neck resonators look very similar to the traditional acoustic guitar. Oftentimes, you can play one of these just as you would a normal acoustic, holding it upright and strumming it. Why would you? You may just want that “Dobro” tone. Or you may be thinking that you can just buy one guitar and use it for multiple purposes…
…and it’s true. You can switch a round neck resonator back’n’forth between a regular-nut position for strumming and a high-nut position for lap-style slide. This is accomplished by using a nut extender to change the height of the strings. You may want to do this to save money. You could theoretically buy one guitar and use it as both a regular steel-string acoustic and as a lap-style resonator. But it’s usually not advisable because:
• It’s hard on the guitar to switch it back and forth consistently.
• The round neck doesn’t lay easily across your lap when in “resonator” mode.
• The round neck may not stand up as well to the strain from the higher nut and string tension.
• It takes a bit of time and effort to switch the guitar back and forth.



2) Wood vs. Metal Resonator Bodies

1. Metal Resonator Bodies will feel “body heavy” compared to Wood body resonator guitars
2. As for sound, wood is major contributor to the warm tone of someone like Jerry Douglas, while metal bodies to be brighter and louder.

[devon]

good articles

[angellachu]

Thank you for your kind share ,it is benefit for us to know more better