Resonator and Dobro Guitars

National is a fine maker of resonator acoustic guitars. In fact, they invented the resonator. The Dobro Guitar Company came to being shortly thereafter as a response to the overwhelming success of the National brand. National offers single-cone biscuits, single-cone spiders and tricones. Each one of these resonator guitars comes in multiple models. The single-cone biscuits come in multiple brasses, steels and woods. The single-cone spider resonator guitar comes in the model D and the model D western. The tricones come in multiple steels, baritones, polychromes and cutaways. They also offer custom resonators where you have a choice of everything from the design to the materials used.

Dobro is a trade name now owned by Gibson and used for a particular design of acoustic resonator guitar. Originally known as the Dobro Manufacturing Company it came, in time, to mean any resonator guitar, specifically a single resonator cone design. Gibson now offers Dobro resonator guitars in a variety of roundneck and squareneck models.

Johnson Guitars is a fine manufacture of resonator dobro acoustic guitars. They offer three different models: Bottle Slide Triolian, Delta Blues, and the Swamp Stomper. The Swamp Stomper is an electric resonator dobro. Each model has very unique aspects and are built to perfection.

All acoustic resonator guitars are hand built by John Alderson. Every dobro guitar is built to order, so it can be tailored to your particular requirements regarding finish, scale length and a whole host of other options. Cool Delta Resonator Video Performance

Adams Resonator Guitars offers 4 main guitars, the Baltic Birch Basic, Baltic Birch Sunburst, Curley Maple Pro, Claro Walnut Pro. These are single cone acoustic resonator dobro style guitar models. All have either a gloss or satin finish, open sound-post system, and claro walnut fretboards. Owned and built by James Adams.

R.E. Phillips has been building metal and wood bodies resonator guitars since 1992. Ron has built many resonators for players of the Country Blues genre, including John Jackson, John Cephas, Del Rey, Steve James, Robert Lowery, Andra Faye, Annie Raines, Cathy Fink and others. All of Ron's designs are inspired by his interest in the Art Deco period.

Bonnie Raitt, Keb' Mo and David Lindley all play Pogreba resonator guitars. Larry's designs are original, many look and sound like nothing else. His aluminum body resonator is a prime example. The aluminum makes for a lighter weight instrument, which is very important in the resonator guitar world.

Beard builds a variety of resonator guitars, including squareneck, roundneck and custom designs. There are over 10 models to choose from. The first Beard resonator guitar was delivered to a customer in 1985. Beard has achieved many milestones in the design of resonators, including the first "R" body and open soundwell construction.

Allen Resophonic Guitars is a respected resonator dobro guitar company. Their main acoustic guitar being the Allen Squareneck Resophonic with Flamed Koa Back Sides, German Spruce Top, shell trim, shell inlayed fret markers, with wood binding, high quality hardware including cast Allen tailpiece. Also offers many resonator parts.

Clinesmith resonator dobro guitars are hand crafted and made of only solid woods that are personally chosen from thousands of board feet. These acoustic style guitars come in 6, 7 or 8 string models, and consist of a variety of woods. All his standard resonator dobro guitar models come with hardshell cases, Schaller tuners, genuine quarterman cones, #14 spider ebony, fret boards, bone nuts, ebony-capped maple bridge inserts and sound posts, and baffle construction. Clinesmit guitar models are built from figured maple, walnut, mahogany, Brazilian or Indian rosewood and Koa. You also have a choice of custom designs, including custom inlays, engravings, wood bindings, inlayed wood frets and purflings.

S.B. MacDonald builds custom resonator electric guitars that are made strictly by special order. Each guitar is designed around the needs, spirit and personality of the customer. He insists on getting to know as much about each customer and their music before the design and construction of their resonator begins. Each one of his instruments is as unique as its owner. He has also designed electric resonator guitars for Robert Hunter and Lucinda Williams.

Ellis offers three models of acoustic resonator dobro guitars. The first model is the single cone resonator. The neck is genuine mahogany, its body is nickel platted brass, its cover plate is a chickenfoot design, the fingerboard is Madagascar ebony and it has 19 frets. The second model dobro is the Jeff Martin seven string harp guitar. This is the same as the single cone resonator except its fingerboard is East Indian rosewood and it's nut is bone. The third model guitar is the 8 string tricone baritone. This model differs from the other because it has three cones and a Madagascar ebony fingerboard.

Fender acoustic resonator guitars come in four different models: the FR-48, the FR-50, the FR-50 square neck and the FR-50CE. The FR-48 resonator dobro model includes a chromed steel body, a rosewood fingerboard, a 25” scale and custom Fender F-hole. FR-50 model resonator dobro guitar includes a spruce top, mahogany back and sides, a rosewood fingerboard, a 24.75” scale and die-cast chrome tuners. The FR-50 square neck model is the same as the FR-50 model but just with a square neck. The FR-50CE is also the same as the FR-50 but with a cutaway and a dual pickup system, making it an electric resonator.

Goldtone manufactures four distinct models of acoustic resonator dobro guitars: the PBS-DLX, the PBS, the PBR-DLX and the PBR. The PBS-DLX has a square neck with an ebony fingerboard, maple back and sides, and a high gloss tobacco sunburst finish. The PBS resonator dobro guitar is the same as the deluxe but with a high gloss vintage mahogany finish. The PBR-DLX model has a round neck with an ebony fingerboard, maple back and sides, and a high gloss tobacco sunburst finish. The PBR resonator dobro guitar is the same as the deluxe but with a high gloss vintage mahogany finish.

Manufacturer of high quality resonator dobro guitars. They offer six-strings, seven-strings, eight-strings, ten-strings, mahogany, walnut and birch models. Each resonator dobro guitar comes with the same standard features which include: a traditional body shape, square necks, Grover tuning machines, a 25” scale, rosewood or ebony fretboards, bone nuts and hard maple bridges. McKenna also offers many different types of finishes on their acoustic resonator guitars, such as a dark mahogany stained lacquer finish, a dark stained lacquer finish, a dark stained lacquer finish with gold stained top, a red mahogany lacquer finish with gold stained top or a walnut finish.

Wechter guitars offer four elite series of resonator dobro guitars: 9000 series, 6000 series, 5000 series and 3000 series. The elite 9000 series acoustic resonator guitar consists of 7completely different models. The 6000 series were designed by master luthier Tim Scheerhorn and consists of 5 different models. The 5000 series or resonator dobro guitar has solid spruce tops, scalloped braces, rosewood back and sides and consists of 5 different models. The 3000 series are patented double cutaways with 19 frets that are clear of the body, and they consist of 7 different models.

Benoit Guitars offer five different models of acoustic resonator dobro style guitars: the MB-128, the BB-120, the MM-131, the MME-114 and the MB-126. The MB-128 has an ebony fretboard, a curly maple neck, a European flame maple top, figured bubinga back and sides, and a Gotoh tuning machine. The BB-120 resonator dobro guitar has an ebony fretboard, a curly maple neck, a big leaf maple top, birdseye maple back and sides, and a Schaller tuning machine. The MM-131 has a Madagascar fretboard, a curly maple neck, a European flame maple top, Madagascar ebony back and sides, and a Schaller tuning machine. The MME-114 resonator dobro guitar has a European flame maple fretboard, a curly maple neck, a big leaf maple top, Madagascar ebony back and sides and a mini Schaller tuning machine. The MB-126 SP has an ebony fretboard, a walnut neck, an Engelmann spruce top, Flamed Koa back and sides, and a mini Schaller tuning machine.

Amistar is a fine manufacture of very intricate and unique metal and wooden acoustic resonator dobro style guitars. The metal guitar models come in tricone and single cone, while the wooden instruments only come in single cone. Extremely detailed.

Rayo builds resonator guitar models only with the highest standards using figured maple, mahogany, rosewood and more. All these resonator dobro style acoustic guitars come with solid wood construction, "nut-serts" with stainless steel bolts, dovetailed neck joints, ebony fretboards, maple bridge inserts and Schaller tuners.

B&B Resophonics manufactures custom acoustic squareneck resonator guitars that are handcrafted by luthier Dan Brooks and feature only the finest materials and tone woods. They are guaranteed against construction defects for the lifetime of the original owner. Standard resonator dobro guitar features include solid wood construction, sound posts, 25”scale, Quarterman cones, bone nuts and Waverly tuning machines.

Gonstead guitars creates instruments that fit the exact needs of their customers. They also have five different acoustic resonator dobro style guitar models available for purchase: the 3033, 4029, 3037, 2035 and 3035. Woods for these models include flamed walnut, flamed myrtle, ebony, Madagascar rosewood, Indian rosewood, Sitka spruce and quilted cherry.

Mattsen builds resonator dobro style guitars by himself, one at a time, which allows him the freedom to customize each guitar to fit the players’ needs. His specifications for these acoustic resonator guitars are curly maple necks with 2-way adjustable truss rods. Mattsen offers various designs for headstocks in ebony, rosewood or maple, and inlays with abalone or mother of pearl. The resonator dobro bodies each have unique designs with natural finishes and his cover plates come in various designs. Some guitars that he has made include brass silicones, cutaway tricones and gothics.

Schoonover guitars are individually hand-crafted resonator dobro style guitars. Standard features include: flame maple back and sides, maple necks, ebony fingerboards, Quarterman cones, bone nuts, chrome plated brass hardware and ivoroid body bindings. Other acoustic resonator dobro guitar features are available for additional cost and include decorative back plates, fan cover plates, screenless rings or custom inlays. Additional woods are also available, including black walnut, Sitka spruce, Indian rosewood, flamed koa or cedar.

Fluger personally builds his resonator guitars a few at a time. He offers his standard dobro models, but can add any custom features that you are looking for. His standard acoustic guitar models all feature soundwell construction, Quarterman cones, number 14 spiders, ebony fret boards, high quality metal parts, Grover mini rotomatic machines, bone nuts, ebony cap maple inserts, a satin or high gloss finish, and a hard shell case.

Tyler Mountain resonator dobro style guitars come in a few different models. These include round necks, square necks, cutaways, custom inlays, different colors and different finishes. Top woods for his acoustic resonator dobro guitar models include flame maple, mahogany and spruce. Back/sides wood available includes flame maple, mahogany and spruce. Colors come in mahogany, black and sunburst.