Alabama Resonator ..Naa or Yaa

[copperheadroads]

A local Music store has new Alabama Resonator for less than $400
I wanted a resonator for a long time as I mostly am electric player ..tried playing it then the Wife walked in ..so I hung it back on the wall ....lol (I am a wuss)
anyway what's the quality of these guitars .?.......the action didn't feel high & felt quite nice . ......

[Ceabeceabe]

Am not familiar with the brand. What type of resonator (single / tricone ? set up for lap steel playing or bottleneck slide ?) and what type of music are you going to play? That makes a difference, I think.

There is quite a bit of tinkering that can be done to mid level resophonics to increase / change the quality of tone, etc. You can the cones, change the bridge, string spacing, etc.

In my personal experience, playing Hawaiian Slack Key, Blues, Slike Guitar, and English Fingerstyle, what I've been able to do with and enjoy the guitar has depended roughly upon the money spent.

I bought an inexpensive Fender at one point, thinking that it would be a "test" to see if I liked playing resophonic. It ended up not being a great guitar and did not help in my decision. Later tried a Recording King at a bit of an increase in price, and quality. I played and enjoyed it for a number of years. Ended up selling it to fund a custom acoustic that never materialized.

Finally ended up getting a somehow very affordable used National tricone that has become my muse. Dynamic, tone and sonorous range of the guitar is quite amazing. Action is pretty high in order to accommodate slide, but not so high that it interferes with non-slide playing. Generally, I think these guitars are supposed to be played more rather than less powerfully.

If you are going to play lap steel style, you may be looking for some different qualities than I was looking for.