A Pilgrimage to Mecca (resphonically speaking)

[Brian Dellinger]

Hi, all.

Sometime lurker, rare poster here. I'm a new steel guitar player - having bought a squareneck last fall via the forum. Since then, work has fought me for time to noodle and I've also been waffling on whether what I really want is a lap steel with benders so I can make those around me cry into my favorite beverage...

I've decided to stick with what I have and spend the next year really focusing on getting as up-to-speed as I can. I have a music background (performance degree) so the theory and ears are good... it's this amazing thing y'all do where your fingers on both hands do different things at different times that's going to be a veritable Everest for me.

To incentivize myself (and to keep myself from blowing more money on a Duesenberg I also can't play), I've decided to reward myself with a new instrument about a year from now if I've been consistent. Having been a professional musician, I'm picking with what I hear, though, and would really like to go somewhere and play as many instruments as possible to decide what I want. Up here in northern New England, there's a dearth of music shops in general let alone any that cater to bluegrass- or country-adjacent instruments like steel guitar.

If you all were going to mount a pilgrimage somewhere to get your hands on as many instruments as possible before spending an irresponsible amount of cash, where would you go? Are there shops/locations that come to mind as 'the place to be'?

Thanks in advance for fueling the dreams. And look forward to interacting with you all more in the months to come.

-Brian (Windsor, Vermont)

[Brooks Montgomery]

Hagerstown, Maryland

[Ken Pippus]

Brooks tells no lies.

Second choice would be Nashville, but you’ll see less resos, even if you hit all the shops.

[Ken Pippus]

Beard, Inc. in case you missed the reference.

[Howard Parker]

This is the place!

As far as I am aware, the only builder with multiple internal designs. Guitars designed for the "classic" sound or contemporary players with everything in between.

Full disclosure - I'm the retired "beardbizguy"

[Brian Dellinger]

I _did_ miss the reference... So, thanks to Ken for clarifying. I grew up on Delmarva, so I was looking at music stores in Hagerstown and scratching my head trying to see the significance.

Appreciate the replies, everyone. Just one last question: So, am I right that, while I imagine reso guitars might be a backorder kinda deal, that Beard has some sorta factory shop where you can see/try their various models and then place an order?

(MD works well because, assuming they're still kicking, I can more easily make an excuse for this adventure.)

[Howard Parker]

It's a significant shop. Depending on where they are in a batch build, guitars are often available to try.

ALWAYS call ahead. You'll probably speak with Denny. Explain what you're after and he can check availability and advise you.

If you're in the right place at the right time you might well be able to leave the shop with a guitar. All depends exactly what you are looking for.

Good luck and have fun!

h

[Glenn Wilde]

I'll throw out National Resophonic in California, you can also hit up the vintage shops in LA, lots of good stuff out here, the reso was born here after all, and Rickenbacker, and Fenders, and.....

[Brian Dellinger]

Thank you all soooooooo much. Appreciate the help.

[Brad Bechtel]

I think you've had some good suggestions so far, but I think you'll find the largest variety of vintage steel guitars in Nashville, Tennessee, with Gruhn Guitars, Carter Vintage Guitars, etc.