Oddball Resonator with Schireson Cone

[Dotneck]

There seems to be a fair amount of interest here about resonator guitars...especially less expensive non-NRP guitars. So I thought I would post a couple photos of a guitar I got a couple years ago. Its branded SS Maxwell and has a schireson cone. Its a beat up player guitar but it sounds cool and has a sweet singing sustain for a single cone.

Schireson was a builder in the 30s and was successfully sued by National for patent infringement which was the end of their company. They built guitars under their own name (from what I understand although I've never seen one) but they also sold cones and had resos built by Regal and Kay. Their cone was installed what appears to be upside down if you are used to Nationals.

Anyway I recommend trying one of these if you run across one in a flea market somewhere....

[IMG] SS Maxwell 1 by flickos.cary, on Flickr[/IMG]


[IMG] SS Maxwell 2 by flickos.cary, on Flickr[/IMG]


[IMG] maxwell 3 by flickos.cary, on Flickr[/IMG]

[blue]

Okay, first of all, I LOVE the straightened F holes!!!!!!!!!! Nice burst. Wonderful headstock shape. If it's playable as well, you got yourself one heck of a guitar there!

[Dotneck]

Originally Posted by blue

If it's playable as well, you got yourself one heck of a guitar there!

Oh yeah...its playable and its got a unique sound when compared to modern NRP guitars. I enjoy it...just waned to show it to folks who may never have seen one of these...

[Wade Hampton]

Wow....very interesting. This is the first time I've heard of these, much less seen one. I'd love to be able to sit down and play it.

So I take it it's a round-neck, what would have been called a "Spanish" neck at the time? Where do you have it tuned?


Wade Hampton Miller

[Dotneck]

Originally Posted by Wade Hampton

So I take it it's a round-neck, what would have been called a "Spanish" neck at the time? Where do you have it tuned?

yes its a "round neck"...actually a kind of soft V neck. Kind of chunky which I like. I've got it tuned to open D...which is where I stay most of the time when I get the bottleneck out.

I had never heard of them either...until i came across this one. The unique thing with it is the singing sustain...for a single cone. When I think of a single cone reso I expect a quick decay...almost banjo like...this one sustains more like a tricone....I've enjoyed it....

[blue]

Originally Posted by Dotneck

yes its a "round neck"...actually a kind of soft V neck. Kind of chunky which I like. I've got it tuned to open D...which is where I stay most of the time when I get the bottleneck out.

I had never heard of them either...until i came across this one. The unique thing with it is the singing sustain...for a single cone. When I think of a single cone reso I expect a quick decay...almost banjo like...this one sustains more like a tricone....I've enjoyed it....

That's the wood. Same with my National Radiotone Bendaway. Sustain like a tricone. Weird.