Resophinic Mandos

[jaybee]

Does anyone on this board play one? #Are they real instruments or just novelties? #Are they played with a "bar" or "slide" like a dobro or slide guitar? #I can't explain my new found curiosity on this subject but if y'all can give me a bit of discussion it will be interesting (at least to me).

[onlyagibsonisgoodenuff]

Sam Bush used to play one in The Newgrass Revival. Used a slide, too.

[danb]

I've got an old national. It's super cool, very loud to boot. Kevin Macleod has one from Fine Resophonics, also extremely nice!

[Lee]

I have a Dobro Resophonic mando I believe from the 50's. It is very real; definately not a novelty. I play just like a regualr mandolin with a medium pick. It has a wonderful sustain and a bright jangly attack. It's not so loud as a top-end barky BG mando but it's louder and has more presence than an oval hole. The skinny frets and neck geometry aren't to modern styles so it's not my favorite to play. But nothing else comes close to the unique tone. Rigel makes a respohonic but I've never seen one live. You'll see the old Dobro's on Ebay if you wait awhile

[Jim Garber]

I have a vintage National silver Model 2, circa 1929. Sounds great however, the scale is longer than a std mandolin. To my ears it sounded kinf of thin at std tuning. What I did was tune it down so a G chord would sound as E and then used octave strings on the lower two courses. That gives you a sort of bluesy sound.

Jim

[Joe F]

The mandolin player in a local folk band plays a Rigel resophonic mandolin (along with a Phoenix neoclassical mando and a 5-string electric fiddle). #The Rigel has a very full sound, with enough of a metallic accent to make it interesting.

[jaybee]

Thanks folks. Very helpful. I notice comments on tuning. Are they ever tuned to an open chord or is it normal to use standard gdae tuning?

[MandyLynn]

Sam Bush still does play one, live at least; both times I've seen him he's played at least a couple tunes on it each show. That man sure can jam.

[erick]

I've got a Rigel resophonic that's basically a CT-110 back, neck and body with a custom resonator and chrome top installed. It sounds amazing- the wooden back adds some warmth and reduces some of the "garbage can" type bite I've heard in all-steel respohonic mandos. The thing is definitely loud though, and very fun on blues and foot- stomping numbers.

[Jim Garber]

Thanks folks. #Very helpful. #I notice comments on tuning. #Are they ever tuned to an open chord or is it normal to use standard gdae tuning?
Tune it to whatever you want. Have fun!

Jim

[Bob DeVellis]

I was a hard sell, based on earlier experiences with resophonics. But I recently got a Dobro/Regal that I love. This one has had some work to restore proper scale length and it sounds great. It's more "mandolin-like" to my ear than the metal-bodied Nationals and sounds great when played with the same tuning and approach as a conventional mandolin. Among my mandolins, I think it's the current champ in the "fun for the dollar" category.

[Jim M.]

I just met a luthier in Winters, California, Keith Cary, who is making very nice resonator mandos. He uses a bedpan (I'm not kidding, and it's a new one) and calls them "Commodium". He's selling them for $600.

[Jim M.]

Here's a picture. These sound great, very loud of course, but also good tone. The one I tried is strung in octaves on the lower courses, which he uses for jug band tunes. He has one available now, if anyone is interested, you can call him at 530.795.3173, or e-mail at kcary@dcn.org

[BluegrassPhilfromFrance]

I played on this mandolin and it was a "Killer" instrument, very loud AND clear ! www.beltona-net http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[Django Fret]

I was a hard sell, based on earlier experiences with resophonics. But I recently got a Dobro/Regal that I love. #This one has had some work to restore proper scale length and it sounds great. #It's more "mandolin-like" to my ear than the metal-bodied Nationals and sounds great when played with the same tuning and approach as a conventional mandolin. #Among my mandolins, I think it's the current champ in the "fun for the dollar" #category.
I have to agree. I recently got one of those wooden Dobro/Regal mandolins, and it is a lot of fun to play.

Does anyone know of a good source for dating these Dobro/Regal mandolins by the serial numbers? The only ones I can find show only those from the 30's, but I understand that they were made later than that. It also seems that some of the numbers overlap since some were made by Dobro for the Western markets and others by Regal for the Eastern markets.