Members unit11 Posted November 8, 2006 Members Share Posted November 8, 2006 I can't find any real examples of it in my music library - can any body give me a couple CDs to get the sound? I love slide blues guitar and for some reason I've always associated dobro guitar with that, but, strange as it is, I'm not sure. I'm referring to the playing style, not the brand/model of guitar. Any help? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bjorn-fjord Posted November 8, 2006 Members Share Posted November 8, 2006 Dobros are more associated with country and bluegrass music. The "darker" steel guitar sound you're hearing in blues music is likely a National Guitar. Nationals are similar to Dobros but their resonator cone is sort of "inverted" compared to a Dobro and a National's body is usually made of metal, where Dobros are usually made of wood. A classic example of blues played on a National is Son House's Death Letter album and much of his other work. A modern example of some fine National playing can be found on Colin James's album titled, appropriately, National Steel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Joseph Hanna Posted November 8, 2006 Members Share Posted November 8, 2006 Jerry Douglas "Look out for Hope" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Cldplytkmn Posted November 8, 2006 Members Share Posted November 8, 2006 yeah jerry douglas is kinda the 'dobro guy' in my mind... right or wrong, he's who i associate with the instrument... and the guy from union station too, but i can't remember his name Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 360 Posted November 8, 2006 Members Share Posted November 8, 2006 I have one of the new Gibson Dobros and I love it. It was only $900.00 @ GC and when I pick it up I can't put it down. Mark Knopfler made me want to get one when I heard 'The Ragpicker's Dream' and a few of his other discs. They are really fun guitars to play. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Freeman Keller Posted November 8, 2006 Members Share Posted November 8, 2006 The term "dobro" can really have three different meanings. 1- It is the brand of Resonator guitars, I'll usually write it as Dobro. They build both wood and metal bodied guitars with both spider and biscuit bridge in both round and square neck, but are mostly associated with square neck spider woodies. 2 - it is a style of playing in bluegrass music - Cindy Cashdollar, Jerry Douglas (who is the guy on Union Station), etc. Get either one of Douglas' cd's or Alison Kraus. Ironically Jerry doesn't play a Dobro brand, there are others that make square neck woodies. 3- it is loosely associated with all resonators played in blues, country, folk and pop music. I would rather just call these "resonators" since it includes National and the new Asian imports. Players range from the great Delta bluesmen (House, Fuller, etc), to Roy Rogers (even plays a 12 string Dobro), Knopfler, Bonnie Raitt, EC on "Unplugged" and can be played with a slide or fretted, open tunings or standard. They are characterized by the loud, sometimes nasty, sometimes nasal, sometimes whiny sound. These are both Dobro dobros - I play blues style, mostly with a slide. They are a ball Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 360 Posted November 8, 2006 Members Share Posted November 8, 2006 I am sorry if I was not clear. I have a Dobro brand wood body guitar with f holes and I like it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members guitapick Posted November 8, 2006 Members Share Posted November 8, 2006 Originally posted by Cldplytkmn yeah jerry douglas is kinda the 'dobro guy' in my mind... right or wrong, he's who i associate with the instrument... and the guy from union station too, but i can't remember his name Guy from Union Station is Jerry Douglas. And you're right: he's an absolute monster player. Here's a CD with a lot of styles on it (Bluegrass/Country/Jazz). Won the 1995 Grammy Award for Best Bluegrass Album. I like it a lot: http://www.bestprices.com/cgi-bin/vlink/015891220628?source=GBase Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members unit11 Posted November 8, 2006 Author Members Share Posted November 8, 2006 Thanks for the info, Freeman Keller - helped me clear up a little! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Freeman Keller Posted November 8, 2006 Members Share Posted November 8, 2006 Originally posted by unit11 Thanks for the info, Freeman Keller - helped me clear up a little! If you really get interested in these critters (and I think you should), I have a little Word document that tells all the basics - kind of cones, materials, tunings, yadda yadda. PM me your e-mail addy and I'll send it to you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Cldplytkmn Posted November 8, 2006 Members Share Posted November 8, 2006 Originally posted by Freeman Keller If you really get interested in these critters (and I think you should), I have a little Word document that tells all the basics - kind of cones, materials, tunings, yadda yadda. PM me your e-mail addy and I'll send it to you. i'd like to give that a look over as well FK... dunno if i'll go through with it, but i've been getting interested in 'bros lately... my email should be in my profile... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Steverino Posted November 9, 2006 Members Share Posted November 9, 2006 Get the DVD; Alison Krauss and Union Station Live. You'll be hooked. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bc1Wiv4ggoA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Freeman Keller Posted November 9, 2006 Members Share Posted November 9, 2006 Originally posted by Steverino Get the DVD; Alison Krauss and Union Station Live. You'll be hooked.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bc1Wiv4ggoA I saw Alison and Jerry in concert recently. We were in front row balcony seats, looking down directly on JD's Shearhorn. Other than being blinded by the light flashes from the cover plate it was totally fun to watch him. He did the dobro solo piece from the Unison Station double album (can't remember the name right now) and the audience was stunned into silence when he finished (briefly). For modern bluegrass style dobro, Douglas is the man. But remember that is only one style of playing and back to Unit11's first question, it should be pointed out the he plays a squareneck spider bridge held flat (lap style) with a very high action using a steel bar. That is not the only way to play a resonator. Cldplytkmn, I can't seem to attach anything to an e-mail sent thru the HC interface, PM me your addy and I'll shoot the doc to you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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