Budget Resonator Guitar Recommendations

[Slim Zooms]

Hi all

I’m after a roundneck dobro-style resonator to add a bit of colour to my home recordings. In the past I have owned a Regal RD-30 I think and also a couple of steel-bodied resonator guitars, a Continental single-cone and a Vintage tri-cone, but I am now considering a return to the Dobro mellow sound rather than the harsher National steel sound.
I look forward to hearing your suggestions I have a ‘budget’ of around £300-£450 so I mean ‘budget’!

Cheers

Slim

[WilburForce]

Ozark are very good. you can get a 2nd hand one for under £200

[Eldergreene]

If you can get eg a Regal within budget & upgrade the cone to a Beard, say, you can get a good-sounding dobro for minimal cost - I've done this a couple of times with excellent results.

[mawmow]

Hot Rod if you could ever find one on the used market
as they are not sold anymore.

[Slim Zooms]

Originally Posted by Eldergreene

If you can get eg a Regal within budget & upgrade the cone to a Beard, say, you can get a good-sounding dobro for minimal cost - I've done this a couple of times with excellent results.

Thanks for this. I’m in the UK do you have anyone in mind who could do the conversion & source the cones?

Cheers

Slim

[MBee]

Gretsch has a line of inexpensive resonators: metal vs wood bodies, biscuit vs standard, round vs square neck. I have an "Alligator" round neck. Seems like a pretty nice guitar.

[Silurian]

Michael Messer is UK based. New they start at £500 +. You might get something used for less of course. Personally, I don't know much about resonators but they are highly rated on a UK guitar forum that I frequent.

[Robin, Wales]

Originally Posted by Slim Zooms

Hi all

I’m after a roundneck dobro-style resonator to add a bit of colour to my home recordings. In the past I have owned a Regal RD-30 I think and also a couple of steel-bodied resonator guitars, a Continental single-cone and a Vintage tri-cone, but I am now considering a return to the Dobro mellow sound rather than the harsher National steel sound.
I look forward to hearing your suggestions I have a ‘budget’ of around £300-£450 so I mean ‘budget’!

Cheers

Slim

The Recording King spider bridge round neck guitars have the Continental cone in them, which is fine. You may want to change the bridge inserts to all maple to mellow the guitar out a bit. The problem will be the set-up on the Recording Kings, which may be awful. The Gretsch spider bridge ones are more expensive than RK but do seem to play well and sound nice.

Surprisingly, most of the very cheap spider bridge stuff out of China is quite likely to be fitted with a Continental cone and cast spider (because that's what's easily available out there). As long as the neck angle is OK (not a big ask really!) then they something like that would possibly set-up fine for home recording. All in all, perhaps the Recording King RR36 from Thomann at £293 may be OK. It will all depend on the neck angle as to how it will set-up. You could upgrade to a Beard cone and spider, but I really don't think you'll need to for your application. The Continental spider bridge cone as their biscuit bridge cone are really very good.

[Psychopasta]

I just got a Gretchen Honeydipper and am well impressed with it.

[Slim Zooms]

Here goes chaps, I’ve ordered the Regal R30 in Mahogany finish.
Got 7 days to return it if I don’t like it.

Cheers

Slim