Weissernborn / Dobro question.

[DiabloRouge]

I am hoping to get a Weissernborn in the next month and have had absolutely no joy in finding any tuition books for the instrument. Excuse my ignorance but would Dobro techniques transfer easily to the Weissenborn?

Thanks for any advice guys.

Midge

[Mooh]

I tune mine to open G (DGDGBD) or open F (CFCFAC) depending on the string gauges and play it as one would a square neck Dobro. Mine is a simple Gold Tone reproduction and it's very lightly braced and can't handle much string tension without the top bulging considerably. I play it in much the same style as my electric lap steel.

[DiabloRouge]

Thanks Mooh
You say you get some bulging of the top, does this problem occur in Open G at all please? I will be starting in Open D but would like to have other options along the road. My main interests are in Acoustic Country Blues.

[Hobo_King]

It's all steel guitar playing. I'm assuming by Dobro you mean steel guitar as it is usually heard in country and blue grass. Dobro is really a brand that made resonator guitars, not a type of instrument, but's become a generic term for resonator guitars. A lot of the technique would be the same, the primary difference other than musical genre is typical tunings used. Any books on lap steel, Hawaiian steel etc. should be useful. I've never used books for the little bit of playing I do. Typically used the DVDs out there, many from Home Spun with Bob Brozman. Youtube is a great resource now for instruction as well.

[blue]

Bob Brozman published DVDs for both Blues and Hawaiian for Lap guitar if either of those styles would work.

Weissenborn is just the name of a company, and has spread to any guitar built in that style. Often but not always with a hollow neck. So any instruction for Dobro will work for you. In fact any 6 string lap steel instruction will work.

Ooops. Just saw the response above...

[royd]

Originally Posted by Mooh

I tune mine to open G (DGDGBD) or open F (CFCFAC) depending on the string gauges and play it as one would a square neck Dobro. Mine is a simple Gold Tone reproduction and it's very lightly braced and can't handle much string tension without the top bulging considerably. I play it in much the same style as my electric lap steel.

I think that most Weissenborn style instruments would chaff at open G - too much tension - and would feel much more comfortable in D. Beyond that, any resonator techniques would transfer

[blue]

Originally Posted by royd

I think that most Weissenborn style instruments would chaff at open G - too much tension - and would feel much more comfortable in D. Beyond that, any resonator techniques would transfer

The difference is the 5th string in open G is tuned down a whole step, while 3rd string is up a half step, and the second tuned up one step in relation to Open D. I don't own a Weiss, I play an old national so strength isn't an issue, but i can't imagine Open G would be a problem.

[royd]

Originally Posted by blue

The difference is the 5th string in open G is tuned down a whole step, while 3rd string is up a half step, and the second tuned up one step in relation to Open D. I don't own a Weiss, I play an old national so strength isn't an issue, but i can't imagine Open G would be a problem.

The tuning that blue reports is a G chord, just a different voicing than the one I'm accustomed to on dobros. I thought that the typical G tuning for a dobro is G, B, D, G, B, D - taking the 6th string up a minor third, 5th a step, 4th-2nd strings stay put and 1st drops a step compared to standard guitar tuning. Is that not accurate? My limited experience with G tuned dobros have all been like that. Pulling those bottom two strings up that much adds a lot of tension to the top and neck.

[tdq]

I have a weissenborn which mostly lives in DADF#AD but have no issues tuning it to open G (DGDGBD). I would not, however, tune it to Dobro G (GBDGBD).
As for your initial questions, "Lesson with Troy" offers many open D lessons which would work, and he also has Weissenborn specific lessons too, I believe.

[Mooh]

Originally Posted by DiabloRouge

Thanks Mooh
You say you get some bulging of the top, does this problem occur in Open G at all please? I will be starting in Open D but would like to have other options along the road. My main interests are in Acoustic Country Blues.

It's not the tuning, it's the instrument, it's (mine) built too lightly. Open D and open G will have approximately the same string tension and neither should affect a guitar that's built for it.

[Mooh]

Originally Posted by royd

I think that most Weissenborn style instruments would chaff at open G - too much tension - and would feel much more comfortable in D. Beyond that, any resonator techniques would transfer

No. The open G I use is DGDGBD. The alternate one has more tension and usually isn't recommended for Weissenborn, in my understanding.

[blue]

Originally Posted by royd

The tuning that blue reports is a G chord, just a different voicing than the one I'm accustomed to on dobros. I thought that the typical G tuning for a dobro is G, B, D, G, B, D - taking the 6th string up a minor third, 5th a step, 4th-2nd strings stay put and 1st drops a step compared to standard guitar tuning. Is that not accurate? My limited experience with G tuned dobros have all been like that. Pulling those bottom two strings up that much adds a lot of tension to the top and neck.

Dobro G that most country players use is different than the G the rest of the world uses

Weissenborns are hawaiian instruments. The first hawaiian standard lap tuning was the same G tuning used by the blues guys.

In general when folks in the guitar world say "Open G", everybody but the Dobro folks go DGDGBD, Taking the 6th, 5th and 1st down one step from standard tuning.

[DiabloRouge]

Thank you so very much for all the advice guys, it's truly appreciated.


Kind regards

[Silly Moustache]

Midge, I play both Dobro and Weissenborn, and in my humble O, they need to be played quite differently.

The Dobro was designed to replace the flat-top Hawaiians because as they became popular they need louder instruments for larger audiences.

Weissys (depending on the maker) are delicate instruments, whilst Dobros ...aren't.

A Weissy needs to be played with sensitivity, to draw out the tone - which is why so m,any modern users bug them up and turn them into electric guitars.

The Dobro (at least a good resophonic with a good spider and cone) is LOUD. and usually tuned to a higher tension - GBDGBD.

I tune my Weissy to CGCGCe - but there are no "standard" tunings on Weissys but they are lightly built and cannot take the tensions that a Dobro can.

If you haven't yet got a Weissenborn might I recommend Peter Gosden in Petersfield: http://www.gosdenguitars.co.uk/

I would also advise you NOT to buy a cheap Far-eastern model to start of with as I did - they have no tone.

[blue]

Originally Posted by Silly Moustache

but there are no "standard" tunings on Weissys but they are lightly built and cannot take the tensions that a Dobro can.

Hawaiian Lap Guitarist: "A musician who plays guitar in the lap style and comes up with his own tunings"

That's why I chose the wording "The first hawaiian standard lap tuning was the same G tuning used by the blues guys"

They got bored pretty fast because it wasn't pretty enough...