Strange resophonic dilemma. Advice?

[rickcrna]

Many years ago I purchased a mid-1930’s Dobro/Regal with a lap style high setup to use with a bar. A few years ago I sent the guitar to Paul Beard for a pro setup and he replaced the cone, installed new tuners, etc. and it sounds very nice to my ears.

Here is the catch. The neck is round and it’s unclear to me that was the original condition of the neck. I’ve wondered if someone had rounded off a square neck but left the action high for some reason. Seems odd.

The round neck makes it cumbersome to play on my lap and I’ve been thinking of having the action lowered to play finger style and slide blues. Am I on the right track with this thought? Here are a couple of pics.

Thanks
Rick

[frankmcr]

Sure, why not?

Resos were usually offered in either square neck for lap style or round neck for "Spanish" style.

[Silly Moustache]

Before I read your question, I saw the pictures and through - "why has someone carved down that square neck so poorly?"

I'd suggest that someone tried to convert it to "Spanish" style by simply rounding the neck, then discovered that it didn't work because the neck angle is wrong for playing in that style, so stuck the Hawaiian nut back on and moved it along.

[MC5C]

I have a 1935 Dobro (made by Regal) round neck, and I can guarantee that neck started life square. A round neck Dobro has a slim tapered heel, not square like that, and has a a deep vee section. Quite thick. Before going whole hog for spanish style do a mock up of what the action will be like. You may find that you don't have a correctly set neck to give you sufficient break angle over the bridge with low action, or the cone/spider may not allow a low enough saddle height. 5 minutes with a straight edge will tell you what you need to know.

[rickcrna]

I really appreciate the collective input and wisdom. As previously mentioned, the neck angle etc is a concern as far as playability with the action lowered. I too, am now wondering if the "roundneck" experiment was deemed to be a failure on this guitar and the action height restored for lap style. Unwittingly, the instrument got passed along to me and now I may have a clunker.

I'll probably take the guitar to my luthier and have him do the aforementioned measurements and let him have the final say.

Rick

[frankmcr]

That nut looks super high, by the way. General consensus is 3/8" (for slide playing).

[Wade Hampton]

I agree with what's been written so far about neck angles, but want to mention that resonator guitars are like banjos in that if you don't like the neck angle you have, and know a repair tech skilled enough to do the work, it's generally not too difficult to shim the neck to get the neck angle you need.

The woodbodied National resonator mandolin I'm currently performing with the most is a modern prototype based on the vintage pre-WWII one I was given and had restored. National ultimately chose to go with a different design with what became the RM-1 mandolin, but before that Don Young had made the parts for one based on the original design.

But he never completed it or finished putting it together. Years later I managed to talk National into letting me purchase the parts for it. My local repairman here in Alaska put the mandolin together for me.

Part of that entailed him creating a different neck angle for it. He accomplished that by gluing a wooden shim in place.

So it's feasible to do if you so choose and know an experienced repair tech with the necessary skill set.


Wade Hampton Miller

[Silly Moustache]

Originally Posted by rickcrna

I really appreciate the collective input and wisdom. As previously mentioned, the neck angle etc is a concern as far as playability with the action lowered. I too, am now wondering if the "roundneck" experiment was deemed to be a failure on this guitar and the action height restored for lap style. Unwittingly, the instrument got passed along to me and now I may have a clunker.

I'll probably take the guitar to my luthier and have him do the aforementioned measurements and let him have the final say.

Rick

well that is what I suggested a few comments earlier.

[rickcrna]

Yes...precisely. Thank you for your suggestion Silly Moustache.

Rick

[MC5C]

My wood bodied 1935 Dobro has a set neck, dovetail mortise. Not all wood bodied Dobro's have a stick and shim neck. Easy to tell, of course, just look inside.