by Child Of The 60s on July 27th, 2005
A Dobro is a guitar which incorporates a thin, aluminum resonating cone inside the body to help amplify it acoustically. It was an idea to help a guitar be heard in a band setting before there were amplifiers and electric guitars. The name "Dobro" nowadays is used like a generic (like a "Coke" or a "Kleenex" isn't necessarily that brand); but the word was derived by combining "Dopyera" and "Brothers". The Gibson guitar company now owns the name "Dobro"; and they are producing a number of them currently. You may have seen one. They look kind of like they've got a fancy chrome hubcap stuck on the top of them. Here's a link: http://www.gibson.com/products/oai/dobro/
John Dopyera is considered the inventor or the resophonic or resonator guitar. His art deco, "tricone" steel guitar was designed first (check out my avatar); and was first manufactured and sold under the brand name National. ( http://www.nationalguitars.com ) The wooden bodied, (and metal bodied) single coned, resonator guitar came slightly after he left that company to form the "Dobro" brand with his brother Rudy. Most players associate the word Dobro with the wooden bodied single cone versions. There are square neck versions designed to play on your lap with a slide, and round neck (aka Spanish) versions that you play like a regular guitar with or without a "bottleneck" slide.
You can hear examples of both in Blues recordings; and the wooden square necks are very popular in country music. People made famous as Dobro players? Not really. Many of the early Blues Masters played them: Tampa Red, Blind Lemon Jefferson, and the like. Johnny Winter uses one on most, if not all of his acoustic songs. Ry Cooder can be heard on a number of Rolling Stones recordings playing a resophonic guitar. The late great Rory Gallagher employed the use of an old steel bodied, single cone National often. Jerry Douglas is the top dog in Country- using the wooden square-necked lap style...
OK, I'm not going to ask the obvious question. However, have you ever dropped a pick in your' guitar a second time?
by GregPredmore on October 15th, 2009
| 1 person likes this
Is this a problem , i am a bit obssessed with my guitar practicing , i hate to leave my practice for even 1 day,now i am tensed because i may not be able to practice for 1 week or so 'cause i am going out of town?
by prometherion on October 17th, 2009
| 1 person likes this
Could someone recommend a good song to play with two guitars?
by Berryfield on October 28th, 2009
| 1 person likes this
I have my guitar here. What's your request?
by MusicalChef on October 9th, 2009
| 4 people like this
How long is a bass guitar compaired to a reg eletctric? And is a reg bass too much guitar for a 8 yr boy?
by Hypocrisy_Central on November 8th, 2009
| 3 people like this
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Comments
Highly informative.
by Alonzo Garbonzo on July 29th, 2005