Squareneck Resonator Mandolin?

[man dough nollij]

Hey,

I just had an odd thought. I wonder if anyone has ever made a real Dobro in mandolin scale and tuning? I've seen plenty of roundneck resonator mandolins, and a few reso-OMs, for fretting or playing with a slide, but never a squareneck.

I don't know if a mandolin would have enough sustain to really work as a Dobro... It might sound cool, though.

I also know next to nothing about Dobros-- they are usually in an open tuning, aren't they? Would there be any advantage or disadvantage to having a mandolin family Dobro?

If you have it horizontal, facing up ala Dobro, I suppose there wouldn't be any penalty for having a wider neck. How about a resonator cittern in CGDAE?

I suppose there's a reason I haven't seen one of these before... may be like reinventing the perfectly good wheel.

:popcorn:~o):popcorn:

[John Rosett]

Dobros(lap style, that is) tend to lose what sustain and warmth they have the futher up the neck you go. I think a lap-style mandolin would combine the worst aspects of both instruments.
Of course, just because it wouldn't sound good doesn't mean nobody would want to play one...

[Eddie Sheehy]

Once you get DAS invented I'm sure it would be a big seller....

[man dough nollij]

Once you get DAS invented I'm sure it would be a big seller....

MLTDTAS?*


*Mandolin-Lookin' Tiny Dobro Thingy Aquisition Syndrome?

[mandroid]

Had a Rigel made Reso mando for a while , he used a Spider Bridge type ,
probably make another one, on order..

as opposed to the National RM1 that uses a biscuit bridge

nothin' square necked about either of them .

[man dough nollij]

Here I go, hijacking my own thread again...


Take a look at this one (http://gryphonstrings.com/instpix/31328/31328.php), at Gryphon Strings. A round-knecker, but a beaut.

http://gryphonstrings.com/instpix/31328/313281.jpg

[jefflester]

Played hard.

http://gryphonstrings.com/instpix/31328/313288.jpg

[allenhopkins]

I have that exact same Dobro mandolin, only considerably more beat up. I love the stars-and-crescents coverplate.

Dobro and other resonator guitars played Hawaiian style, high string action, "fretted" with a steel bar, are generally tuned to an open chord. Standard bluegrass tuning is GBDGBD, low to high. To emulate on a "Hawaiian mandolin," you'd lose the advantages of "fifths" tuning. Also, I'd see little advantage to doubled strings on such an instrument (although Tut Taylor did play 12-string Dobro at one time; I have the World Pacific LP -- he had the four lowest strings tuned in octaves). What you'd probably end up with would be something like an octave-higher resonator guitar, with little bass.

Also: mandolin frets are considerably closer together than guitar frets, especially as you go up the neck. A "Hawaiian mandolin" would require some pretty precise steel placement in the upper registers; no margin for error there.

There's a picture of a Randy Wood 4-string resonator mandocello (tuned CGDA, octave below a mandola) on p.2 of this thread. (http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/showthread.php?t=47793) It has a "round" or "Spanish" (old guitar terminology) neck, to be fretted rather than played with a bar.

My suggestion would be to get a cheap mandolin, raise the action by getting a high nut made or using a nut extender, and experiment with playing it "Hawaiian style" with a Stevens bar or some such. Try different tunings; maybe take one string of each pair off. If you experience a cosmic epiphany and decide you've found your dream instrument, betcha someone will build you a resonator version.

[Fretbear]

For the Dobrophonically curious it is amazingly easy to turn any old flattop guitar into a lap slide. The fretboard can be warped or even missing frets, you just raise the nut and buy a steel, and string it up with a heavier open-tuning set (don't use your fine guitar for this.)
Paul Beard at Resophonic Outfitters has lots of neat accessories for these conversions.