I love it- i made one of these about 10 years ago from an old yard sale guitar and aluminum skillet lids, and a biskit bridge and tailpiece I fabricated at work.. the thing i love most about these guitars is that they really sound like a Dobro, and they cut very well- you can hear one over a whole room of guitars. The great thing here is, you've given new life to an otherwise worthless instrument- Excellent work, my friend-
It's very gratifying to get a compliment from someone whose videos I've been enjoying for so long. Please keep posting your wonderful videos. Thanks - Jeff
I know this video was posted over a decade ago but man even when you said if I can only learn to play slide I thought that was crazy talk. You already had it lol. Guitar sounded great by the way.
I think were limited by our imaginations...you appearantly have an ingenious side to yours...good job. Almost makes me want to bust up my ibenez to build my own. Oh yeah, your not as bad as you may have thought.
Thanks for your comment Keni. I've watched and enjoyed your videos. Here's the thing - a classical guitar has the saddle already positioned in the center of the lower bout (most steel string guitars are above center) making it much easier to install a sound well in the guitar. The top is "braced" with three layers of plywood - it's not going anywhere. The heel joint is another story - but I wanted higher action for slide anyway. But, as I say in the video, this was a < $100 experiment.
Great proyect... very suggestive... i think you've got better results than myself after aplying what i've seen on your video, but it's still a good thing to try it... thanks
Nice job. Interesting you decided to use a classical guitar that is usually braced and strung with gut strings. Thanks for sharing this video. It was fun to watch.
vleb, I'm borderline honored that you saw this and posted a comment. You were instrumental in the making of the AlvaRezo. I used your step-by-step Building the Vleb-O-Nator pictures to help me make see this project through. It's no exaggeration when I say without your photos, I might not have had the guts to start the project at all. By the way, I got to your photos through your youtube videos, which I think are great. Jeff
@gogogodancer A resonator cone is something you'd want to buy pre-made. The shape, metal thickness and metal composition all affect the volume and tone you get, a hammered down biscuit tin lid would give you nothing
good job. Another thing you can consider is this: initially being a classical guitar and you putting steel strings on it will mean that in a few years the neck will be so bowed that you can play it like a squareneck reso. Best of both worlds.
Very nice, good sustain, good tone. I see people use substitutes for the cone, bad place to substitute or go cheap. Its the basis of the sound I think. Your substitute is unique, looks great. Bridge guard/hand rest is unique too, and a good idea. You like the feel of a classical fingerboard better? I guess if you have the instrument, you have to make do. Great conversion.
Man that is brilliant. I have to try this out for myself and try to make something good out of a cheap, second-hand shop guitar. It would be real easy to just buy a resonator but how much more interesting to make one. Oh yeah, your playing is not awful - it's good and that guitar sounds great.
not awful at all...very very cool. the sound well, did you place that down onto the inside of the back of the guitar? or beneath the hole you made? the cone can be any metal thingee? like maybe a biscuit tin lid? hammered down a bit?
Very nice. I've asked other people about a specific thing or two since I've got all the components to do the same thing. I've put off the project for actually about 4 years. Did you have the cover inset into the body? Someone else who did the same thing couldn't tell me if they did. Also did you port the soundwell?
How do you get the circular sound well inside the smaller circle cutout of the top of the guitar. Looks to me like you made the sound well in one piece (and ones I have seen are made in one piece?
Have you had any problems with the increased string tension? Classical guitars aren't built for steel strings and don't have a truss-rod so I was wondering if the neck is still ok.
Wow am impressed ! That's exactly what i want to do. I have an old classical guitar here.. dunno what brand it is .. anyways the wood is really old ( which is great for slide guitar )so anyway i went down to the local music shop and told em what i intended to do with it and they said NO DONT DO THAT.. THE NECK WILL BREAK ETC.. so i didnt do it.. Now i am wondering does your guitar have a truss rod in the neck ? Although just now i realise that with the biscuit brace ya probably wont need one.
Jeff, I think you should remove your apologies because your playing sounds just fine. I just wish you had shown how the inner cone is atached and worked. I have a similar project in mind
I have a couple of questions if you don't mind? Why not use a resonator bowl? How do you adjust for intonation? I was thinking of using old drum cymbals stacked on a small threaded rod fixed at 3/4" apart. Would this work or am I just waiting my time? Thanks
Surely with steel strings, the neck will warp won't it? only reason I'm asking is cause, I wanna convert a guitar one day myself and I've always preferred spanish resonators to regular acoustics. Great build otherwise :)
Excellent job man! Still holdin' up a year and a half later? Sounds like a little Guitar Rag/Payday medley followed by You Got To Move. Maybe I missed something else. I've been toying with ideas like this. I've got an extra cone and coverplate just sittin' around askin' for a project. You've inspired me. Much thanks.
I like that you are using a deep ratchet socket for your slide in that last ditty! I see you use colored tape to keep your sized labelled just like I do! LOL!!!!
can you briefly explain how a resonator works. what does make the sound, what ´resonates´. a resonator is louder than a normal guitar right? hows that. please help me out. what has the pliewood to do with it? greets from Holland
Hey man, do you by chance know any good instructional videos on playing slide? I need to learn bluegrass and I'm a guitar player so I figure this might be the easiest instrument to learn.
Sorry about being unclear. That would be 26" from the bottom of the nut to the front edge of the bridge. The 12th fret is ALWAYS the halfway point of a scale length. Thus, 13" to the 12th fret.
Great video!! How does the top plate attach to the cone piece inside the guitar?? Also is the handle you put on the top plate neccessary or for decoration? I have an old guitar I might convert!
Csendesmi You are correct that they are "too far" -- assuming you were interested in playing this thing fingerstyle. When you play slide, a higher action is helpful. Too low, and the heavy slidebar will bottom out and knock on the frets.
That's awesome! I'm sitting here with a cover that is identical to what you used. I've got most of the pieces from a thrift store. The guitar was given to me. Lightnin says that it's not good to use substitutes. I guess I'm just cheap. :) EljibaroBrave suggested that you cover up the original sound hole. In hind sight, is this something that you wished you had done? If I don't have to cover up the hole and paint the whole guitar, I don't want to. I like the colour the way it is.
i wonder how it would sound to take half of one of those hibachi (or whatever they are called) bbq's... the round black ones... and make a jumbo bodied 12 string into a resonator. if i werent so lazy, and had such little idea what the hell im doing i'd probably try that... but i have a more realistic sence of what i can accomplish with my own two hands hahaha. i made one guitar... but doing that to an acoustic would be far more tedious i'd assume.
Thats cool. It doesn't seem to have much bass power, but the trebly notes just SING. I'm trying to make a guitar some time of solid wood with a hollow body and glass top. Look up garbage drain resonator. Someone had a good sounding guitar made of acoustic with metal piece in the sound hole and a old pickup on top.
Lots of funky old-time mojo...! Fun project!! 🤩
I love it- i made one of these about 10 years ago from an old yard sale guitar and aluminum skillet lids, and a biskit bridge and tailpiece I fabricated at work.. the thing i love most about these guitars is that they really sound like a Dobro, and they cut very well- you can hear one over a whole room of guitars. The great thing here is, you've given new life to an otherwise worthless instrument- Excellent work, my friend-
you have nothing to apologize for! Very creative and fun project. sounds good and your slide playing aint half bad!
Great project and the end product sounds great. You must be OK having a Springer 🙂
Dude, you did great. And I love that "AlvaRezo" name.
It's very gratifying to get a compliment from someone whose videos I've been enjoying for so long. Please keep posting your wonderful videos.
Thanks - Jeff
So much honoured and pleased my photos has been helpful for your great project ! I really enjoyed coverplate and handrest ;-)
I know this video was posted over a decade ago but man even when you said if I can only learn to play slide I thought that was crazy talk. You already had it lol. Guitar sounded great by the way.
ha this is great. I got the idea to do this the other day but didn't think it was as straightforward as this until i saw your video. great job.
Great stuff Jeff... One of the best reso conversions I've seen and a great sound too.
that has to be the best sounding resonator I've ever heard
MAN!!!!! thats amazing!!!!!! hahaha alvarezo, i love it! man, i am diggin that handle for a bridge cover. and man, that thing sounds amazing.
This is great! I saw another video where the guy covered up the original sound hole. That forced all the air to vibrate through the new cone.
Nice job! And I even learned a little slide guitar!
I think were limited by our imaginations...you appearantly have an ingenious side to yours...good job. Almost makes me want to bust up my ibenez to build my own. Oh yeah, your not as bad as you may have thought.
Glad you like. Can't wait to see what you come up with.
what a bad ass idea man!!! great stuff!!!! its not aweful either, i've toyed with this idea myself
This is awesome! I'm thinking about making one myself with all pieces I find at goodwill
Impressive all the way around..
Thanks for your comment Keni. I've watched and enjoyed your videos.
Here's the thing - a classical guitar has the saddle already positioned in the center of the lower bout (most steel string guitars are above center) making it much easier to install a sound well in the guitar. The top is "braced" with three layers of plywood - it's not going anywhere. The heel joint is another story - but I wanted higher action for slide anyway. But, as I say in the video, this was a < $100 experiment.
Like a mellow dobro, Bro. Nice work!
Ha I have been contemplating using a socket for a slide, you sir have just made me believer :D
Thanks for sharing this, enjoyed the song!
Ok...I was a little whatever at the start of this video but I'm so glad I watched it all...now I know it will work...cool video
Great proyect... very suggestive... i think you've got better results than myself after aplying what i've seen on your video, but it's still a good thing to try it...
thanks
Nice job. Interesting you decided to use a classical guitar that is usually braced and strung with gut strings. Thanks for sharing this video. It was fun to watch.
sitting on top of the handyman's world at the end. nice.
thats just cool - cant say much else. i kinda want one even though i just got a reso
Nice sound. Nice socket lol, didn't even think about using one of those
That is the coolest guitar I have EVER seen!
wow sounds surprisingly amazing. very nice build and playing
Well done men , is great what you can do to your guitar, dont stop.
vleb,
I'm borderline honored that you saw this and posted a comment. You were instrumental in the making of the AlvaRezo. I used your step-by-step Building the Vleb-O-Nator pictures to help me make see this project through. It's no exaggeration when I say without your photos, I might not have had the guts to start the project at all. By the way, I got to your photos through your youtube videos, which I think are great.
Jeff
This is, wow I can't even find the words for this..cool! How is it that the top's integrity was not compromised when the hole was cut?
@gogogodancer
A resonator cone is something you'd want to buy pre-made. The shape, metal thickness and metal composition all affect the volume and tone you get, a hammered down biscuit tin lid would give you nothing
good job. Another thing you can consider is this: initially being a classical guitar and you putting steel strings on it will mean that in a few years the neck will be so bowed that you can play it like a squareneck reso. Best of both worlds.
Excellent work, thanks for showing it throughout construction!
Very nice, good sustain, good tone. I see people use substitutes for the cone, bad place to substitute or go cheap. Its the basis of the sound I think. Your substitute is unique, looks great. Bridge guard/hand rest is unique too, and a good idea. You like the feel of a classical fingerboard better? I guess if you have the instrument, you have to make do. Great conversion.
Man that is brilliant. I have to try this out for myself and try to make something good out of a cheap, second-hand shop guitar. It would be real easy to just buy a resonator but how much more interesting to make one.
Oh yeah, your playing is not awful - it's good and that guitar sounds great.
very nice but do worry about putting steel strings on a classical? Just wondering if the tension might be too much
it is NOT awful, its awesome. you are very talented. =D
Very nice sound and well played! Gonna bite the bullet and do something very similar. Thanks for the inspiration!
thats awesome! what i would have done, i would cut two extra round sound holes above the main sound hole
I love this thing. I've got an old guitar and a Buick hubcap.. Yea buddy, I am beginning to picture my next project.. Yee Haw!
That's just amazing! Looks awesome too!!
the plywood rings which make the soundwell? how do you get them inside, as they are larger than the whole in the top of the guitar??
Great work!!!
not awful at all...very very cool. the sound well, did you place that down onto the inside of the back of the guitar? or beneath the hole you made? the cone can be any metal thingee? like maybe a biscuit tin lid? hammered down a bit?
Very nice. I've asked other people about a specific thing or two since I've got all the components to do the same thing. I've put off the project for actually about 4 years. Did you have the cover inset into the body? Someone else who did the same thing couldn't tell me if they did. Also did you port the soundwell?
Truly amazing dude!
Thank you. So, there was a method behind your madness. I say pretty darn good for a $100. Keep experimenting. Sounds like you got a knack for it.
Looks Great! Do the strings go thru the handle or over? How did you adjust the action height ?
How do you get the circular sound well inside the smaller circle cutout of the top of the guitar. Looks to me like you made the sound well in one piece (and ones I have seen are made in one piece?
Very cool, and the guitar sounds great!
Have you had any problems with the increased string tension? Classical guitars aren't built for steel strings and don't have a truss-rod so I was wondering if the neck is still ok.
Yes! I like it. Thanks for the info.
Wow am impressed ! That's exactly what i want to do. I have an old classical guitar here.. dunno what brand it is .. anyways the wood is really old ( which is great for slide guitar )so anyway i went down to the local music shop and told em what i intended to do with it and they said NO DONT DO THAT.. THE NECK WILL BREAK ETC.. so i didnt do it.. Now i am wondering does your guitar have a truss rod in the neck ? Although just now i realise that with the biscuit brace ya probably wont need one.
This is super cool! Good for you.
Great video ! Thank you for sharing this...
Nice project. I have a junk guitar or three laying around in closets that need to be resonator guitars.
Jeff, I think you should remove your apologies because your playing sounds just fine. I just wish you had shown how the inner cone is atached and worked. I have a similar project in mind
nice socket slide so you said the bridge should be 26 inches to the bridge is that right?
Very interesting documentery. Thanks.
I have a couple of questions if you don't mind? Why not use a resonator bowl? How do you adjust for intonation? I was thinking of using old drum cymbals stacked on a small threaded
rod fixed at 3/4" apart. Would this work or am I just waiting my time? Thanks
woahh! you're a beast!
good job!
Thank you. Well done.
that's pretty much right. I bought the biscuit bridge too.
Surely with steel strings, the neck will warp won't it? only reason I'm asking is cause, I wanna convert a guitar one day myself and I've always preferred spanish resonators to regular acoustics. Great build otherwise :)
Great job! Loved it
Excellent job man! Still holdin' up a year and a half later? Sounds like a little Guitar Rag/Payday medley followed by You Got To Move. Maybe I missed something else.
I've been toying with ideas like this. I've got an extra cone and coverplate just sittin' around askin' for a project. You've inspired me. Much thanks.
Good job with the guitar. Sounds great!
sweet dude thats awesome
im gonna do that to my acoustic
i dont even like blues stuff but that was beautiful at the end
I like that you are using a deep ratchet socket for your slide in that last ditty! I see you use colored tape to keep your sized labelled just like I do! LOL!!!!
I have an aluminum dome top thing just like that. It came with a ring under it to catch the grease. Makes Juicy Burgers but only one at a time LOL
Hi -that makes fun to look at -greetings from germany -winfried
can you briefly explain how a resonator works. what does make the sound, what ´resonates´. a resonator is louder than a normal guitar right?
hows that.
please help me out. what has the pliewood to do with it?
greets from Holland
Hey man, do you by chance know any good instructional videos on playing slide? I need to learn bluegrass and I'm a guitar player so I figure this might be the easiest instrument to learn.
good job it sounds great
Sorry about being unclear. That would be 26" from the bottom of the nut to the front edge of the bridge. The 12th fret is ALWAYS the halfway point of a scale length. Thus, 13" to the 12th fret.
It's bloody great !
Regular resonators don't have the sound hole of a normal guitar, right? Did it effect the sound at all?
wow thank you im woprking on project to build a guitar out of 100% recicled material this really helped thanx
wow it sounds great
You are a genious indeed. i wish i had your skills =)
Amazing man! This made me make my own!
umm what a resonator guitar has more than an acoustic one? the sound?
Great video!! How does the top plate attach to the cone piece inside the guitar?? Also is the handle you put on the top plate neccessary or for decoration? I have an old guitar I might convert!
Wow, sounds awesome!!!
Great job man, but aren't the strings too far from the neck because of the cover and the new bridge ?
Csendesmi You are correct that they are "too far" -- assuming you were interested in playing this thing fingerstyle. When you play slide, a higher action is helpful. Too low, and the heavy slidebar will bottom out and knock on the frets.
Great job mate, just curious how did the neck hold up with the steel strings? did it bow much?
Nicely done
impressive ^^ keep on keepin on
That sounds great! You could make a living making these jewels! Id buy one, (hint hint) 😁😀
That's awesome! I'm sitting here with a cover that is identical to what you used. I've got most of the pieces from a thrift store. The guitar was given to me. Lightnin says that it's not good to use substitutes. I guess I'm just cheap. :)
EljibaroBrave suggested that you cover up the original sound hole. In hind sight, is this something that you wished you had done? If I don't have to cover up the hole and paint the whole guitar, I don't want to. I like the colour the way it is.
Pretty nice conversion!
the 26" is tht frm the top of the headstock or top of the neck?
i wonder how it would sound to take half of one of those hibachi (or whatever they are called) bbq's... the round black ones... and make a jumbo bodied 12 string into a resonator. if i werent so lazy, and had such little idea what the hell im doing i'd probably try that... but i have a more realistic sence of what i can accomplish with my own two hands hahaha. i made one guitar... but doing that to an acoustic would be far more tedious i'd assume.
Thats cool. It doesn't seem to have much bass power, but the trebly notes just SING.
I'm trying to make a guitar some time of solid wood with a hollow body and glass top.
Look up garbage drain resonator. Someone had a good sounding guitar made of acoustic with metal piece in the sound hole and a old pickup on top.
nice socket slide
How did you fasten the bridge in the coverplate?
nice project.