? for Reso Players

[Jerry Overstreet]

I love the L body sound from just about every player out there. It seems they're all I hear the big boys play. I'm curious to hear how gigging players here feel about the traditional body or R sound. Are you pretty satisfied with your R sized body's tone and projection?

I had to let my mid priced large bodies go and pick up a custom luthier US built traditional body for less money. It has all the good stuff in it, on it, has a very nice tone and I'm a pretty aggressive player but I guess I'm just spoiled with the L bodies' tone and volume having played those for a few years.

I guess I won't really know until I get a chance to play or jam a little again to see how it does with other instruments.

That's what I started on back in 88, an OMI 60D but been chasing sound ever since.

Don't guess I'll ever be able to afford a high end L body but it would be nice to try a 'horn, Meredith, Fishook, Beard etc. Yes, I know a lot of it is in the player.

I'm open for general discussion on the topic.

[Howard Parker]

It's always been 90% in the hands and 10% what your ears want to hear. Not all large body guitars sound the same. Not all small body guitars sound the same.

Once you're in the market communicate with your builders of choice. Every builder you mentioned builds for a different "voice". Some more than 1 voice.

Know what you want to hear and communicate thusly.

Of the builders you mentioned, neither Scheerhorn (National licensed his design) or Meredith are in business, I'm uncertain about Fishook. Beard is certainly the best known. There are other smaller producers.

Good luck

p.s. "L" was a Scheerhorn specific designation

h

[Michael Lester]

Don't forget the Clinesmith.

https://www.clinesmithinstruments.com/resonator-guitars

[Jerry Overstreet]

Of course. There are several custom builders. I didn't try to list them all. Just looking for observations and thoughts basically between R and L bodied conventional spider bridge resos in general rather than specific builders.

I know L is a Scheerhorn model term much like R is a Regal, Beard or earlier designation for traditional bodies. I don't think either of them object to using those letters to describe body size.

I've been playing them since 1988 so I have some reference all the way from cheap imports, Black Lightning, OMI, Wechter 'horn, Sehy, Appalachian, just never any higher end brands. Well, I do have a Beard Deco 47 but that's a biscuit so that's a different animal.

Thoughts and discussion on the basic topic welcome.

[Howard Parker]

Maybe I'm not understanding as I thought I addressed the question.

Overall the larger body guitars do have bigger and often more complex "voices" than the smaller body counterparts. Beyond that, there's not much commonality between one builder's large body guitar and another's. I own both large and small. I play both.

Just one viewpoint of course.

Full disclosure - Former Beard employee. I once calculated that I've played over 3,000 guitars over the years from just about every builder during that period. Some guitars I liked. Others, maybe not so much.

h

[Jerry Overstreet]

Nothing wrong with your entry. I know of and appreciate your experience and tenure with Beard, but there are many other players of resonator guitars here. No reason why we can't have further comparison and discussion about the aspects of different guitar models.

[Howard Parker]

Nothing wrong with your entry. I know of and appreciate your experience and tenure with Beard, but there are many other players of resonator guitars here. No reason why we can't have further comparison and discussion about the aspects of different guitar models.

I quite agree!

h

[Jerry Overstreet]

I'm a member over at the hangout too where the bulk of these kinds of discussion are held and many other experts live. There's just not a lot of traffic plus it's good to get a perspective from those of us who are not particularly dedicated reso players but primarily steel guitar players or players of both.

Of course it could be this weather has given me cabin fever and I'm just bored and trying to stir sumpin' up.

[Howard Parker]

Of course it could be this weather has given me cabin fever and I'm just bored and trying to stir sumpin' up.

Ha..No worries! I don't usually get involved with guitar discussions because those choices are so, so personal.

I will say that 2 of my favorite players known for playing smaller body guitars are the Seldom Scene's Fred Travers (The tone..the tone) and the terrific Eddie Ortego.

h

[Brooks Montgomery]

Jerry, using your size terms, I own one L-Body (a spectacular maple Tim-built Scheehorn, IMO) and two R bodied dobros. I first became aware of L-model dobros because of Jerry Douglas (those early Union Station days), and Rob Ickes’s ripping rosewood-spruce Scheerhorns in his Blue Highway and solo album days. Those guitars sound so good……but when I hear them, they are mic’d….so how much of the sound is the mic and the sound guy? I have sat in a small living room with Rob Ickes and listened to him play his L Scheerhorn. It blew my hair back. And in the same living room, had him play a “Frugalhorn” R body…..it blew my hair back. To Howard’s point, it’s in the hands. But additionally, a HUGE component IMO, is the set up, and also the soundwell, or lack-there-of , cone, strings, and of course, the wood. Yes the wood does make a difference.

I think some of the best sounding dobro I’ve ever heard was Jerry Douglas playing his RQ Jones on those “Bluegrass Session” live albums, way back when. Now I’ve heard that those RQ Jones guitars were hit-and-miss and quirky to keep set up. And those were recordings, mic, and sound guy responsible for a big part of the sound I suppose.

I don’t play much in bluegrass circles, and lately for the last ten years play with a group of friends that are running guitars thru amps. Both of my R-bodied guitars have Aura nashville pu’s, one has Hipshot Double Stop, one has a Quarterman cone, the other a Scheerhorn, and those two quitars are the ones that I play now 99% of the time. I’m comfortable with their size, comfortable with their dings and scratches and wear marks, and they are as comfortable to play as is my old scratched up SxS shotgun to shoot, and my broken in boots to hunt in. My L body (no electronics) rarely comes out of the case. But when it does, I admit, it sounds pretty damn good. But my R’s are more comfortable….if that makes sense?

[Mark Eaton]

Don't forget the Clinesmith.

https://www.clinesmithinstruments.com/resonator-guitars

Unless something has changed recently, it's been several years since Todd has built a resonator guitar since he stays busy with the electric steel guitars. He doesn't keep the website current.

[Jerry Overstreet]

I know Todd Clinesmith, Tim Scheerhorn, Tooter Meredith, Frank Harlow guitars et al are not built currently but they are still relevant to the discussion as there are several of each still available used or a few NOS out there.

I see players looking around for newer builds, newer body and hardware treatments so some of theirs and others older used ones are being offered but they're still quite viable options.

[Gary Meixner]

Jerry,

Like you, I am more of a steel player who also plays a resonator, altthough lately I seem to favor playing my reso. I have played a few high end L model guitars and have to say they sounded pretty awesome, but not so much that I had to own one. I prefer the more compressed, nasal - vocal character of the older R body designs.

My main complaint about the R bodies, at least the ones that I have played, is they seem to lack clarity in the low end. Having a more balanced response across the strings, and up the neck is one reason I might consider a bigger guitar. I have owned several vintage factory built Dobros and Regals: I have also built a couple R model guitars with plywood bodies and soundwells. All have suited me very well despite lacking low end clarity to varying degrees. I have just started building another R model but this one will be with solid wood, support posts and a baffle - maybe it will be an improvement.

For me when it comes to resonator guitars I take the - love the one you're with - approach. As much as I admire the operatic qualities of the modern L designs I realy do prefer the character of the older styles and will work around their deficiencies. And as Howard and others have pointed out, 90% is in the hands of the player. I am certainly not there yet, but the good thing is, practicing doesn't cost thing.

Good luck,

Gary

[Jerry Overstreet]

Sure, soundwell vs. open body is another aspect to be considered along with body woods with the cone and associated hardware having the biggest influence on how a guitar sounds.

Of course sound is subjective and varies from one individual to another, but if 90% is in the hands, which I don't totally agree with BTW, those hands will still produce differences in sound with different styles of guitars as would those differences still transfer with the quality of the setup .

Interested to hear your new build when finished. Thanks for your input.

[Fred Treece]

This may be a little off your topic of playing in a purely acoustic setting. Let me know and I’ll delete it

I have a Fishman pickup in an R body Dobro that I play through an Aura Imaging Blender (c. 2005) loaded with a Sheerhorn L body image. It’s way off topic to explain how this system works, but it does, and it sounds great. So, I cheat when I play plugged in. Not quite the best of both worlds maybe, but it’s a good sound.

I have owned this Dobro since before Fishman was even a twinkle in a reso player’s eye. I would play it acoustically at jams, and I was always surprised at the projection. All that midrange really jumps out of the cone - kinda like the shock you get when a banjo player takes a solo after a guitar player. The one thing I can think of that it might not do as well as an L body is sustained harmonics. Mine definitely has some dead spots.

Hope I redeemed myself there.

[Jerry Overstreet]

Oh no, not at all Fred. I welcome your input and perspective concerning the way electronics alter and influence what I'm hearing from the shows and videos.

The Fishman gear would be a great and welcome addition for my Adams, it's just out of my financial reach.

Actually, I've only done a handful of gigs on the reso in all those years where such reinforcement might even be needed.

Point taken considering sustain of the larger body and of course the bigger volume in most cases.

[Mark Eaton]

I know Todd Clinesmith, Tim Scheerhorn, Tooter Meredith, Frank Harlow guitars et al are not built currently but they are still relevant to the discussion as there are several of each still available used or a few NOS out there.

I see players looking around for newer builds, newer body and hardware treatments so some of theirs and others older used ones are being offered but they're still quite viable options.

I'm well aware of what you meant Jerry, I was just replying to Michael Lester regarding his posting of the link to the Clinesmith website. It was sort of like calling a time out and saying "now don't anybody get excited - I don't think Todd is building any new reso guitars." It's been going on a couple years since the last time he and I had some back and forth emails or phone calls, and I should really get a hold of him to see how everything is going.

As far as a modern R-body guitar, it's just not something most players want, but the best version I have ever played, and it has been several over the years is the Beard R Mahogany made of solid mahogany. And it used to be the best value in the Beard product line of the higher end models but it's taken some pretty serious price increases over the years. I've wanted to add one to the stash for a long time, but like a lot of us, I already own too many instruments that don't get out of their cases often enough.

Though it's always difficult to describe these things, the R Mahogany has a clear "focused" sound, but it also puts out enough volume when needed to be a player's only resonator guitar. A good all rounder.

[Dave Thier]

To summarize what has been said above, sound largely comes from the player and the guitar, including the setup. Setup includes but is not limited to the cone bridge inserts, strings, and nut and bridge height. As someone once told me, everything matters. That said, in my opinion, the only way to achieve nirvana is to play as many guitars as you can and try to match the sound you are hearing with the sound in your head.

I am an amateur player playing out occasionally and with friends, jams, etc. I have a James deep body (3.75) R, cherry wood and cherry soundwell, a Clinesmith maple large body, and a Beard Odyssey walnut/spruce. The James came first, then the Clinesmith which I commissioned sight unseen. When was in the market for another guitar, I began playing every guitar I could get my hands on. I ended up at the Beard shop with Clinesmith in hand and Paul graciously let me play everything in his shop at the time. I settled on the Odyssey and never looked back. I play them all but the Beard cured my lust for another resonator guitar.

[Patrick Jackson]

I've only played a handful of gigs on the Dobro, so I hesitate to answer, but the old-style sound of Oswald, Shot, and Josh is what drew me to the instrument. I fool around with several bluegrass instruments, but the reso is the only one where I look at ads and watch videos of expensive instruments and have almost no interest. I also feel like Dobro and OMI guitars had nicer aesthetics than a lot of today's guitars do.

I'm completely satisfied with the sound of the R-bodies I've had (a Tut Taylor, OMI, and a prewar Dobro) for my preferences and purposes. I don't even think in terms of bass on a reso; I hardly ever play the 6th string even. I'm usually playing higher up the fretboard, trying to get that "whining, insinuating Hawaiian guitar style," as the liner notes on an old Flatt & Scruggs album put it.