Resonator guitars - from creation to modern times

Those musicians who do not know as deeply as possible all possible instruments and their meaning are bad. Even those who are not going to play directly on resonator guitars should figure out what their history is from creation to the present day, and what are the features of the Dobro musical instrument. Those who are going to master them will also need to familiarize themselves with the list of manufacturers and a description of the game technique.

The resonator guitar appeared back in 1925. Its creators were solving only one actual problem at that time - how to make the instrument louder. It was in the "Roaring Twenties" that big bands gained popularity, in which the guitar was combined with wind instruments. Of course, loud and ringing brass easily overwhelmed the string "partner". Electric guitars were still in their infancy at that time, were a large and expensive rarity, and the designers did not know how to cope with many problems at first.

Therefore, it was necessary to look for an alternative solution, and it was found in the use of the resonance phenomenon, already well-known to engineers at that time. Unlike electrified sound generation, there were no:

• resonant pickups;

• distortion;

• other parasitic noises that were constant companions of early electric guitars.

Resonator systems didn't just make the sound louder - they radically influenced its timbre. No wonder - at first such tools were made partially of metal, and then they completely switched to all-metal versions.

But manufacturers could not exist in peace and harmony. They tried to divide the emerging promising market, bought up and "absorbed" each other. The case was not without scandalous lawsuits regarding the authorship of individual improvements. And yet, over the past 95 years, the resonator guitar has actually proven its right to life; it will serve more than one generation of musicians.

The earliest musical instrument with a resonating component was of the Tricon type. On these guitars, released in the late 1920s, it was already possible to adjust the bridge. A characteristic feature - three cone-shaped resonators, produced from high-quality aluminum alloy. Everything changed when in 1928 a new company, Dobro, appeared on the market. Its organizer, John Dopiera, had previously worked for another guitar company, and he chose the name of his project for a reason.

It was an abbreviation for the words Dopreya Brothers - and it was with his brother that the founder prepared the upgraded product. In addition to the meaning understandable for English speakers, it contains a reference to the Slovak word "good", which has the same interpretation as in Russian. Soon, the brothers introduced a guitar with a single curved resonator. Later, their company and the National they had just left merged into one and combined production. At this time and later, a number of original design solutions appeared.

But still, the capabilities of the instrument are sufficient even for difficult wagering. The number of resonators varies from 1 to 5, and the single-resonator circuit is a classic version of "Dobro". There are always 2 holes located on either side of the neck; guitars are distinguished by body material, but still it is mainly a combination of wood and plastic, the length of the instrument is on average about 1 m, sometimes slightly larger.

Now one of the leaders in this market segment is National Guitars, which appeared in 1989. This Californian firm actively uses numerical control machines. However, its manufacturing process contains a large number of delicate manual operations. The manufacturer has successfully recreated a number of models from past decades. At the same time, the models have been significantly modernized, their sound has been improved compared to the old prototypes.

The National Guitars line now includes a number of licensed Dobro products. The cost starts from about 3000 conventional units. It increases depending on:

• from the types of finishes;

• body materials;

• used electronics.

Quality resonator guitars also supply brands:

• John Morton;

• Rule;

• Beard;

• Trussart.

Savings are possible if you choose models:

• the famous Dobro company;

• Recording King;

• Washburn;

• Dean;

• Regal.

A resonator guitar is meant to be played like other metal guitars - it is held on your lap. If the neck is square, the instrument is tuned for a high pitch. Round neck versions have a slightly less variety of settings than their square counterparts. The point is that they cannot provide the same strong tension on the strings. In the bluegrass approach, the resonant guitar must be played in a hard syncopated manner; manipulate with three fingers.

In country music, such an instrument also performs well.

You can tune the strings:

• like a simple six-stringed instrument;

• according to the E-Dur method;

• to the classic slide format G-Dur.

You will have to press the strings to the surface of the neck using a slide. - this is the name of the steel tube, which is strung on the finger of the right hand. Other fingers are used for picks. Curiously, the standard tuning perfectly matches the tuning of the seven-string guitar used in Russia. The thickest strings are usually tuned to the notes G, B.