I love the sound of a dobro, which is why I clicked on this. A clear how-to presentation, good editing. Nicely played, at the end. A great dog. Hope you are doing well.
I have had this nice little Art & Lutherie Roadhouse parlor guitar. I used to love to play this little guitar in bed before falling asleep. I don't think my dogs liked it much, but it relaxed me. Anyway, one night I rolled over in my sleep and fell out of bed. right onto the face of this guitar. The top is now riddled with cracks, but the rest of the body and neck is fine. That was 5 or 6 years ago, and I've held onto that broken guitar hoping to find a good use for it. Now I think I have. Thank you for this video!
Somehow making this out of broken bits of guitars and a door seems much more genuine to the classic blues sound as opposed to say a $4000 Gretsch. This seems like something Robert Johnson would play.
7:25 "It's not pretty, but I don't care; I just want to have something that sounds good and plays well." A-MEN. Absolutely. And like, the home brew character makes it all the more appealing anyway, gives it some soul, even if it does look a little ragged.
Absolutely gorgeous sir, simply inspiring. I just pulled an acoustic learner guitar out of the trash room at my apartment building and your video has me all itching to convert it to a resonator. Thank you so much for this.
I bought a cheap dobro and it ended up being a scam. The body was made out of disgusting composite wood and the dam thing was so quiet!! My 3/4 Cort 510 is at least twice as loud and it's half the size. I have an old Cort 850 ns and I'm going to do what you've showed in the video and use the resonator parts that came with the nasty composite wood one. Cheers for this, at least this way I'll feel like I got use out of this shitty situation.
HiJack (haha get it)Thanks. It is easy for me. Been a contractor for 40 years. This was spur of the moment. Didn't give it much thought and I should have cleaned up the shop. Good luck to ya.
Good job! I built a National(biscuit-type) last year, and picked up some parts to make a Dobro(spider-type) in the future. I picked up a couple tips here for the different type. Might help some of your viewers(maybe Tony above) to know that there's a little bit of difference. The biggest one being that the ring(soundwell on the biscuit) will be deeper and won't fit in the hole in the soundboard. I stacked a couple wood rings, and re-assembled them after I put them in the soundbox. Great job.
Finished another conversion of a cheap acoustic to resonator and it turned out great. I took the neck off, cut the heel a bit and then shimmed under the fingerboard (about 3/16" at the hole) and the action is perfect. It plays and sounds great, and doesn't look that shabby either.
+Jeff McDermott I sent you an email with a picture to your AOL address. I think it looks nice. Here's a tip I learned. If you drill holes in the wooden bridge inserts to lighten them (like some banjo bridges) it really improves the volume and response. If you drill them under each string so that it forces the vibrations from the string to take an indirect path to the spider it makes the tone richer.
Thanks for the video, i'm redoing an old Yamaha with neck disease. I had a super cheap, thin body electric resonator given to me and it had neck disease also. So, I've taken the guts out of it and putting it in the Yamaha. I've got a nut that raises the strings too high to fret so it can be slide only. I play lap steel so this should be fun; like a square neck. I'm glad I watched this because I hadn't counted on the dowel bracing.
Hey man! This is really great, your video! Your explanations are great. It's super, that you put it in a nutshell, short and easy to follow, enough explanations and instructions! Many thanx, GbY, Greetings from Duisburg in the Ruhrvalley in Germany.
Nice job... I like the soundboard to back bracing you did, and I have an old Martin with a couple of holes in the soundboard-- I might give this a try! By the way, your flag is backwards-- whether horizontal or vertical, the star field should always be in the upper left.
Hey Jeff Have you ever though of building a pedal dobro, I herd Zane King playing one the other day, best sounding machine I ever herd, If I can find some plans for the thing, I am going to try to build one, with some kind of plans it would make it lots easier, it was 3 pedal and tuned in the open E the song I herd him play was Amazing Grace and you win again, now I have to build one, just got to have it
Hi Randy. I have one of these set up for lap dobro. Added a piece to the bottom of the neck to get it a little higher off my leg. Amazing grace is one of my favorites to play. Along with Pony Boy by Allman bros. Good luck Thanks for watching
Thanks Tony. It's best if you can remove the neck and sand the bottom of the heel to get the tongue of the finger board to raise about a 1/16th to an eighth of an inch. Bolt on necks are a piece of cake. Also glue in a piece of wood at the underside of the soundboard from the round rim to the piece of wood joining the sides. The string tail piece has moved on me in the past.
+Robin Harrison Hi Robin.You don't need to remove the neck. But I like to (especially with bolt on necks). You can sand a little off the bottom of the heel to obtain a little more angle which will give you a little more tension on the nut. Good luckJeff
I have an old Yamaha 12 string laying around,you've just given it new life,she was headed for the dump.Oh by the way,I have a small crack in the headstock,any ideas on fixin this sir?
Hi David If it isn't a structural problem try clamping it or filling it with super glue and accelerator. Check out my video on how to make a toneanator. YOu will like the results on your guitars. Happy Holidays Jeff
¿Hola Jeff, disculpa mi ignorancia pero se puede hacer lo mismo con una guitarra española con cuerdas de nylon? ¿Suena igual, o solo se realiza con una guitarra acustica? De ya gracias por su respuesta.
You might be able to but it might be a little tight getting the rim in the box. If you try this you can also use 3/4 inch plywood for the rim. Just cut the inside diameter 3/8 inch less than your cone. Good luck. No habla espanol!!
Just bought a guitar and a conversion kit to make one. One question - when your're judging the cone recess depth are you holding the straightedge on the nut and parallel to the fingerboard, then eye ballin' the distance between it and the top of the spider bridge (you say needs to be about ¼") ? Thanks for this video BTW.
HI Capn. THanks for veiwing. Hold the straight edge along the fingerboard about an eighth inch above the fingerboard and then eyeball over the spider bridge. 1/4 is good. That way your maple nut will be about 3/8's above the slot. THis way you can lower it later after everything settles. ALso. Install a little piece of 1/2 piece of plywood on the bottom side of the top at the back from the cone holder to the back heel where the tail piece goes. I had one show some wear after a year from the stress. If you have a bolt on neck. Take it off and sand a little off the bottom of the heel gradually up to the finger board. Leave the top (up by the finger board) alone so you keep your spacing from nut to saddle the same. Your finger board between the top and the finger board will go from about 1/8th by the hole to zero. You get more tension that way and just fill in with a shim. I should make a conversion kit. Where did you get yours?? Thanks Fish on~~
A guy on Ebay has some cheap hardware kits that're OK for a first pass. He's still got two left in chrome for $79 a pop and some gold kits that cost more. Search for "resonator conversion" and you'll find 'em. I'm building a dojo (5 string resonator banjo) so will be a bit different. Bridge especially because I need a string right down the middle - will likely mod a tri-cone bridge with a bottom edge notch to clear the head of the slot bottom seated cone screw. Also going to use a straightline banjo tailpiece so I can adjust the down force on the strings and it doesn't bear on the top surface at all. I bought a factory reject Fender Sonoran with the action set too high so I may not need to take the neck off - but it's a bolt on if I do so no biggie. Will carry my 5th (top) string (.008 tuned to G) all the way to the nut (there's some playing advantages for doing it) and the nut width on that slender Fender neck should be just the right width for 5 strings at my preferred spacing.
Jeff McDermott Hey Jeff, I played the first notes on my resonator banjo (dojo) last night and it's turned out pretty good so far. The volume was pretty low at first but I spent some time on the Asian spider with a file making it as light as I could without weakening it and I also drilled some lightening holes between the strings in the tri-cone bridge that I used and it's much better now. Maybe I'm just spoiled because I'm used to the beaucoup volume available from a good banjo. I'm going to have to reset the neck because the action is too high and I found that my guitar has a dovetail joint neck and it's been coated with a polymer paint, so I've got some work ahead of me getting the neck out without too much damage, though I'm going to paint it after I'm finished so maybe not that big of a deal. A question I have is in the paragraph above you where you said that the finger board will go to zero and I can't understand this since lowering the action (tilting the neck backwards) should raise the fingerboard away from the top. Can you 'splain this more for me? Thanks for all the info.
Hi Jeff. I have an old acoustic guitar that I'm going to convert into a resonator using your format. I found a kit from Tyler Mountain. Is that a good kit? Do you know anyone that has used this kit? What if you don't have a wooden circle from a Banjo?
Hey David. I checked out the Tyler kit. Looks pretty good for this approach. I like Beard cones but if you add up all the stuff from beard it would cost about 250.00. If you don't have a banjo rim (most people don't! haha) just cut out a circle from 3/4 plywood with a inside diameter about 5/8 inch under the diameter of the cone (10 1/2 cone cut to 9 7/8 inches). THen cut the outside diameter at 11 to 11 1/2 for gluing. Cut that inside as round as you can then you will have to route out the grove for the cone after it is glued to the guitar. Take your time and use common sense and it will work for ya. Thanks for watching. Keeps this old guy from getting bored at night. Jeff
+Larry Gates Hi. It's pretty easy but think things over. Use 3/4 inch plywood instead of the old banjo head I used. Also. Glue in an extra tail block behind the cone ring to the back of the guitar where the tail piece is. My first one buckled a little bit. Parts at stewmac.com., GOod luck!!!
Hey Robbie. I checked out some of your stuff. Real nice!!! I've been pickin for 50 years and still can't find the rhythm like you have. I just love to waste the evening with a home brew and my tunes, What year is your D35. I have a 1969 in perfect condition. A friend of mine bought it new but didn't like it because it was to big. He hardly ever played it. I just finished building him a custom 00 with 4.75 inch depth. Panama Rosewood with Adirondack top. I adjusted the bracing for extra bass. Got the martin plus 4 grand for the geetar. Probably the best deal I've ever gotten in 30 years of building guitars. Always wanted a Martin but couldn't afford a good one. Finally at 61 I get it!! That toneanator really does work great. It got that old Martin sounding fantastic!! I'd give you one if you were in Santa Cruz. Pick on brother Jeff By the way. I really am going to put on that 2nd story this summer!!!
Hi Jeff, Thanks for the video. Even though I'm not going to try it in observable future(cause I'm just a beginner in acoustic guitar), this is really intersting,edifying and somewhat positive video! Matt.
Ha ha; man I'm sitting here laughing and wondering if I just saw what I saw. Great great job...nice sound on that resonator too. You should show us the second story on the house. I just loved this video; incredible job...I'm definitely going to try this one day!!
Good video! I have a couple of Bill Blue Liberty resonators (a square neck and a round neck) and didn't want to dismantle them to see how they were constructed but was always curious. I'm subscribed now so will be following your adventures. Thanks.
+PlanCartesien HII ran out of banjo rims (haha). This was a spur of the moment thing. Didn't think it would be so popular. You can use 3/4 inch plywood. Cut the outside diameter at 11 - 1/2 inch. Cut your inner diameter at 9-7/8. Cut the inside as close to round as possible so that when you route it out with your 3/8 inset bit it will leave you about 10-5/8 for your 10-1/2 cone. Be sure to glue a piece of wood under the top side between the new rim and the heal block where the tail piece is. That is a weak spot.Thanks and good luck.Jeff
hI Jeff, great and useful video! i have two questions: a) do you really need to remove the neck? b) is it possible to do it with a classical guitar? thank you alberto
Hey Alberto You don't have to take off the neck and you can't take the neck off a classical guitar. Classical or steel works. Just gotta make sure rim for the cone will fit inside the guitar. A lot of the dobros are pretty close to the classical size anyway!!!!. THanks Jeff
Hi Jeff, Just wondering how big the rings you cut are and also the hole in the top of the guitar? I have a 9 1/2 inch cone and was wondering how i should big i should cut them.
HI Ryne THe diameter of your inner hole should be around 8-3/4. That gives you about a 3/8th inch lip after you router it out for your cone. Make the whole ring about an inch and a half. THat give you plenty of glue area. Cut that inner circle as round as you can. Thanks for your interest. Good luck Jeff
This is exactly what I had in mind. You are a true craftsman. Thank you. What I really want to know is do you get any extra resonance from the old top? I have yet to play any reso with any harmonics from fretted notes. I don't play slide but I need a weatherproof strummer for busking in high humidity. I'm used to vintage gitz with boatloads of harmonics.
That's really cool how you did that. Love the new sound also what a great hat you are wearing. Love them giants and love the blues. Thanks for the video.
Very cool...Question - I just bought a reso. Obviously factory. Took it appart Tremendous overspray. Bought a new saddle. Single piece maple/ebony. So I spit it. Obviously slot it for the strings. Any thoughts on bone vs maole/ebony? Thanks a bunch!
Hi Kate Bone will make it to tinty. The maple and ebony tone it down without loosing the volume. Make sure the saddle fits tight. Add a little piece of wrapping tape to one side as needed for it to fit tight. Check out my video on how to make a toneanator. It works real good and on acoustic geetars and only costs 20 bucks. Happy Holidays to ya. Jeff
Charles Garner hi Charles Sorry I didn’t get back earlier. I didn’t see this. I use the straight edge to kind of eyeball the height of the strings in reference to the height of the nut which should be about quarter inch above the saddle slot on the spider bridge. I eyeball about a quarter inch and then adjust later after setup with the nut. Thanks Jeff
I am considering converting my old dreadnought, into a dobro. Any advice would be appreciated, especially on the bracing. Thanks. Where can I get the kit from?
@@JeffMcDermott1perfect using D open tuning for slide playing. G open tuning give too tension and I doubt about neck stability at long term. So, D tuning with G open gauge strings works perfect. My work at: ua-cam.com/video/2ixenUq8zrA/v-deo.htmlsi=biiwlwCEhTUH8D_A
@@JeffMcDermott1perfect using D open tuning for slide playing. G open tuning give too tension and I doubt about neck stability at long term. So, D tuning with G open gauge strings works perfect. My work at: ua-cam.com/video/2ixenUq8zrA/v-deo.htmlsi=biiwlwCEhTUH8D_A
@@JeffMcDermott1@JeffMcDermott1 perfect using D open tuning for slide playing. G open tuning give too tension and I doubt about neck stability at long term. So, D tuning with G open gauge strings works perfect. My work at: ua-cam.com/video/2ixenUq8zrA/v-deo.htmlsi=biiwlwCEhTUH8D_A
@@JeffMcDermott1 fantastic. For slide playing open G gauge strings works but I'm affraid about tension on neck at long term ... so, I've tuned as D open tuning with these open G strings, with less tension, and works fantastic. I need to adjust another bridge at right action hight for standard G open playing, but not done yet. Here you have my work, with sound smple at the end of video. ua-cam.com/video/2ixenUq8zrA/v-deo.html
Look inside and see if it a bolted on neck. If it is. Just unscrew it. probably a 1/4 inch Allen screw. More expensive geetars have a glued in neck which you have to melt the glue with a rod through the 15th fret. I found a way to get more tension without removing the neck. I'll go to my daughters house and take a picture. Good luck and happy Pickin!!! Thanks for watchin!!
I love the sound of a dobro, which is why I clicked on this. A clear how-to presentation, good editing. Nicely played, at the end. A great dog.
Hope you are doing well.
Thankyou. Have a nice life
I have had this nice little Art & Lutherie Roadhouse parlor guitar. I used to love to play this little guitar in bed before falling asleep. I don't think my dogs liked it much, but it relaxed me. Anyway, one night I rolled over in my sleep and fell out of bed. right onto the face of this guitar. The top is now riddled with cracks, but the rest of the body and neck is fine. That was 5 or 6 years ago, and I've held onto that broken guitar hoping to find a good use for it. Now I think I have. Thank you for this video!
7:25 "It's not pretty, but I don't care." "Sounds good, and plays well"
Musicians.
I like a pretty guitar but revamping a boneyard ax doesn't deserve a great look!! hahaha
Somehow making this out of broken bits of guitars and a door seems much more genuine to the classic blues sound as opposed to say a $4000 Gretsch. This seems like something Robert Johnson would play.
I like Robert Johnson. Think I met him at the music store the other day!!!!!!!!
You make it look purdy easy. And painless. No no cussin’ or cryin’... Very Impressive, -THX
Thanks Peter
7:25 "It's not pretty, but I don't care; I just want to have something that sounds good and plays well." A-MEN. Absolutely. And like, the home brew character makes it all the more appealing anyway, gives it some soul, even if it does look a little ragged.
Thanks a lot.
Absolutely gorgeous sir, simply inspiring. I just pulled an acoustic learner guitar out of the trash room at my apartment building and your video has me all itching to convert it to a resonator. Thank you so much for this.
Hi. Good luck. Look through some of the other posts. There are some good ideas on there.
Thanks
Jeff
How did it go?
Just watching you build this Dobro from scratch, and then playing a blues tune was just awesome! I'd sure like to gander at your second story though😅😅
So would my wife!!! hahahahahah.
I bought a cheap dobro and it ended up being a scam. The body was made out of disgusting composite wood and the dam thing was so quiet!! My 3/4 Cort 510 is at least twice as loud and it's half the size. I have an old Cort 850 ns and I'm going to do what you've showed in the video and use the resonator parts that came with the nasty composite wood one. Cheers for this, at least this way I'll feel like I got use out of this shitty situation.
Good luck bro. It's a fun project
You, Sir, are Fantastic. Thank you. Excellent, excellent tutorial.
Thanks Kristin. Have a nice day
The best video about building dobro on UA-cam! Thx, I really want one and your tutorial made some sides easy for me. Nice work!
you sir are one cool dude!
"It's not pretty, but I don't care. I just want something that sounds good and plays good." I LOVE THIS VIDEO. Great job bro!!!
Thanks Bro.
amazing video. Thank you for taking the time to make this for us all.
Nice job. You made it seem easy. Love that finger picked Delta blues style tune at the end
HiJack (haha get it)Thanks. It is easy for me. Been a contractor for 40 years. This was spur of the moment. Didn't give it much thought and I should have cleaned up the shop. Good luck to ya.
You are a legend Jeff. You saved my dobro project!!!
HAHA!! Thanks Erin. HaVE FUN
Good job! I built a National(biscuit-type) last year, and picked up some parts to make a Dobro(spider-type) in the future. I picked up a couple tips here for the different type. Might help some of your viewers(maybe Tony above) to know that there's a little bit of difference. The biggest one being that the ring(soundwell on the biscuit) will be deeper and won't fit in the hole in the soundboard. I stacked a couple wood rings, and re-assembled them after I put them in the soundbox. Great job.
What a day you're having. I'm jealous! Hope I get to spend my time building and fixing things as you do, someday.
I did the same thing 25 years ago, took me a lot longer though! Great video, wish I had seen it back then, would have saved me a lot of time!
Thanks. Do it again!!! 25 years go fast!! Now your an old guy🤪👍🏻🤪👍🏻
@@JeffMcDermott1 Yep, 62 now. I don't feel it though, still a kid at heart! :)
@@yobrojoost9497 67 here!! Still feel 26 brother!!
@@JeffMcDermott1 Good on you, Jeff, you're my kind of guy! :)
That's cool, man. I'm gonna have to try this.
Today though, I get to finish a cigar box guitar I've been putting together. Just got some emg's for it
My jaw was agape! Well done. Inspires creativity. I could do that, now that you’ve shown me how.
Go for it Nemo
Finished another conversion of a cheap acoustic to resonator and it turned out great. I took the neck off, cut the heel a bit and then shimmed under the fingerboard (about 3/16" at the hole) and the action is perfect. It plays and sounds great, and doesn't look that shabby either.
Howdy. I'm really glad to hear that. Enjoy your picking buddy.
+Jeff McDermott I sent you an email with a picture to your AOL address. I think it looks nice.
Here's a tip I learned. If you drill holes in the wooden bridge inserts to lighten them (like some banjo bridges) it really improves the volume and response. If you drill them under each string so that it forces the vibrations from the string to take an indirect path to the spider it makes the tone richer.
Hi. Try sending that again. I didn't get it. I'll try your trick. boxedinn@aol.com
+Jeff McDermott I just sent it again. Look in your Spam folder if you don't see it.
Thanks for the video, i'm redoing an old Yamaha with neck disease. I had a super cheap, thin body electric resonator given to me and it had neck disease also. So, I've taken the guts out of it and putting it in the Yamaha. I've got a nut that raises the strings too high to fret so it can be slide only. I play lap steel so this should be fun; like a square neck. I'm glad I watched this because I hadn't counted on the dowel bracing.
Hi. Be sure to glue a block between the tail piece and the rim.
Thanks for watching.
Good luck.
Hey man!
This is really great, your video! Your explanations are great. It's super, that you put it in a nutshell, short and easy to follow, enough explanations and instructions!
Many thanx, GbY, Greetings from Duisburg in the Ruhrvalley in Germany.
Thanks Wolf. Greetings to from Santa cruz Ca. 👍🏻👍🏻
That is totally bad ass! The pickin sounded great too! Great job!
Great video. Wish I hadn't found it today as now I need to find a donor guitar.
It's a fun project. Get parts from stewmac.com. Good luck T👍🏻👍🏻
The dog said I ain't staying for the blues pal, you cry alone.
Shes into bluegrass!!! HAHA
Well done, Sir. This is what the internet was made for.
Thanks Jarrett. Check out my Toneanator video. Think you have to click on the videos section of this???
It will help your geetar.
Happy Holidays
Jeff
Nice job... I like the soundboard to back bracing you did, and I have an old Martin with a couple of holes in the soundboard-- I might give this a try! By the way, your flag is backwards-- whether horizontal or vertical, the star field should always be in the upper left.
Scott Philbrick
Hi Scott. A lot of mentioned the flag. I didn’t know at the time but I know all about it now.
🇺🇸🇺🇸
Hey Jeff Have you ever though of building a pedal dobro, I herd Zane King playing one the other day, best sounding machine I ever herd, If I can find some plans for the thing, I am going to try to build one, with some kind of plans it would make it lots easier, it was 3 pedal and tuned in the open E the song I herd him play was Amazing Grace and you win again, now I have to build one, just got to have it
Hi Randy. I have one of these set up for lap dobro. Added a piece to the bottom of the neck to get it a little higher off my leg. Amazing grace is one of my favorites to play. Along with Pony Boy by Allman bros.
Good luck
Thanks for watching
Very nice conversion.
Nice work - Thanks for sharing that with us!
Thanks Tony. It's best if you can remove the neck and sand the bottom of the heel to get the tongue of the finger board to raise about a 1/16th to an eighth of an inch. Bolt on necks are a piece of cake. Also glue in a piece of wood at the underside of the soundboard from the round rim to the piece of wood joining the sides. The string tail piece has moved on me in the past.
Sweet! loving that sound!
AWESOME.,.,nice video Jeff...
i want to build to, but the problem is where can we find Dobro Resonator??
can you help me??
Hi Konot
go to beardguitars.com. They are the best. About 50 bucks. You can get cheaper ones at stewmac.com.
Thanks for the nice comment
Jeff
woww.,.,thank you so much Jeff,.You really helped,.,I've been around to music stores in Bali but does anyone have a spider resonator.,.,
This guy is teaching good stuff lol. love it
THANKS Danny boy!!
Very nice! Do you, by chance, offer plans for the second story you added?
Wow, that looked pretty hard to make even with your great explanation!
Sounds beautiful!
Sounds pretty good. I prefer a smaller guitar body for a resonator but it's also cool like that.
I like smaller bodies to. Easier to handle. Had major hand surgery. Turned one of them into a lap steel..
Impressive. Awesome building skills and playing skills, Sir!
Thanks. Been at it for 50 years.
Sweet tone, does it has a pricetag?
That's some top bodging right there! 👍
👍👍💪🏼💪🏼
Nice job dude
Thanks Pal. All in fun
I want to do this with a Guitarron but I am nowhere near brave enough to try it. Someday perhaps. Thanks for sharing this video.
My pleasure Harry
You got it a metallic sound more sensitive than of pure wood.its like a diffuser ,when sound passes,it creates solid vibration and tremolo.
you are gold of this earth.
Nice work there Jeff..............why did you take the neck off first?
Can you do it without removing the neck?
Tx.
+Robin Harrison Hi Robin.You don't need to remove the neck. But I like to (especially with bolt on necks). You can sand a little off the bottom of the heel to obtain a little more angle which will give you a little more tension on the nut. Good luckJeff
Now that’s a cool project. Sounds great!
Thanks Brett
I have an old Yamaha 12 string laying around,you've just given it new life,she was headed for the dump.Oh by the way,I have a small crack in the headstock,any ideas on fixin this sir?
Hi David
If it isn't a structural problem try clamping it or filling it with super glue and accelerator. Check out my video on how to make a toneanator. YOu will like the results on your guitars.
Happy Holidays
Jeff
thanks Jeff I will check it out
¿Hola Jeff, disculpa mi ignorancia pero se puede hacer lo mismo con una guitarra española con cuerdas de nylon?
¿Suena igual, o solo se realiza con una guitarra acustica?
De ya gracias por su respuesta.
You might be able to but it might be a little tight getting the rim in the box. If you try this you can also use 3/4 inch plywood for the rim. Just cut the inside diameter 3/8 inch less than your cone.
Good luck. No habla espanol!!
Just bought a guitar and a conversion kit to make one. One question - when your're judging the cone recess depth are you holding the straightedge on the nut and parallel to the fingerboard, then eye ballin' the distance between it and the top of the spider bridge (you say needs to be about ¼") ? Thanks for this video BTW.
HI Capn. THanks for veiwing. Hold the straight edge along the fingerboard about an eighth inch above the fingerboard and then eyeball over the spider bridge. 1/4 is good. That way your maple nut will be about 3/8's above the slot. THis way you can lower it later after everything settles. ALso. Install a little piece of 1/2 piece of plywood on the bottom side of the top at the back from the cone holder to the back heel where the tail piece goes. I had one show some wear after a year from the stress.
If you have a bolt on neck. Take it off and sand a little off the bottom of the heel gradually up to the finger board. Leave the top (up by the finger board) alone so you keep your spacing from nut to saddle the same. Your finger board between the top and the finger board will go from about 1/8th by the hole to zero. You get more tension that way and just fill in with a shim.
I should make a conversion kit. Where did you get yours??
Thanks
Fish on~~
A guy on Ebay has some cheap hardware kits that're OK for a first pass. He's still got two left in chrome for $79 a pop and some gold kits that cost more. Search for "resonator conversion" and you'll find 'em.
I'm building a dojo (5 string resonator banjo) so will be a bit different. Bridge especially because I need a string right down the middle - will likely mod a tri-cone bridge with a bottom edge notch to clear the head of the slot bottom seated cone screw. Also going to use a straightline banjo tailpiece so I can adjust the down force on the strings and it doesn't bear on the top surface at all.
I bought a factory reject Fender Sonoran with the action set too high so I may not need to take the neck off - but it's a bolt on if I do so no biggie.
Will carry my 5th (top) string (.008 tuned to G) all the way to the nut (there's some playing advantages for doing it) and the nut width on that slender Fender neck should be just the right width for 5 strings at my preferred spacing.
Jeff McDermott Hey Jeff, I played the first notes on my resonator banjo (dojo) last night and it's turned out pretty good so far. The volume was pretty low at first but I spent some time on the Asian spider with a file making it as light as I could without weakening it and I also drilled some lightening holes between the strings in the tri-cone bridge that I used and it's much better now. Maybe I'm just spoiled because I'm used to the beaucoup volume available from a good banjo.
I'm going to have to reset the neck because the action is too high and I found that my guitar has a dovetail joint neck and it's been coated with a polymer paint, so I've got some work ahead of me getting the neck out without too much damage, though I'm going to paint it after I'm finished so maybe not that big of a deal. A question I have is in the paragraph above you where you said that the finger board will go to zero and I can't understand this since lowering the action (tilting the neck backwards) should raise the fingerboard away from the top. Can you 'splain this more for me? Thanks for all the info.
Hi Jeff. I have an old acoustic guitar that I'm going to convert into a resonator using your format. I found a kit from Tyler Mountain. Is that a good kit? Do you know anyone that has used this kit? What if you don't have a wooden circle from a Banjo?
Hey David. I checked out the Tyler kit. Looks pretty good for this approach. I like Beard cones but if you add up all the stuff from beard it would cost about 250.00. If you don't have a banjo rim (most people don't! haha) just cut out a circle from 3/4 plywood with a inside diameter about 5/8 inch under the diameter of the cone (10 1/2 cone cut to 9 7/8 inches). THen cut the outside diameter at 11 to 11 1/2 for gluing. Cut that inside as round as you can then you will have to route out the grove for the cone after it is glued to the guitar. Take your time and use common sense and it will work for ya.
Thanks for watching. Keeps this old guy from getting bored at night.
Jeff
Brilliant tutorial, thanks man
Great job, now I wanna build one!
+Larry Gates Hi. It's pretty easy but think things over. Use 3/4 inch plywood instead of the old banjo head I used. Also. Glue in an extra tail block behind the cone ring to the back of the guitar where the tail piece is. My first one buckled a little bit. Parts at stewmac.com., GOod luck!!!
wow man, what an afternoon you had!...lol.. thats very cool!!.. Thanks for sharing..
Hey Robbie. I checked out some of your stuff. Real nice!!! I've been pickin for 50 years and still can't find the rhythm like you have. I just love to waste the evening with a home brew and my tunes, What year is your D35. I have a 1969 in perfect condition. A friend of mine bought it new but didn't like it because it was to big. He hardly ever played it. I just finished building him a custom 00 with 4.75 inch depth. Panama Rosewood with Adirondack top. I adjusted the bracing for extra bass. Got the martin plus 4 grand for the geetar. Probably the best deal I've ever gotten in 30 years of building guitars. Always wanted a Martin but couldn't afford a good one. Finally at 61 I get it!!
That toneanator really does work great. It got that old Martin sounding fantastic!! I'd give you one if you were in Santa Cruz.
Pick on brother
Jeff
By the way. I really am going to put on that 2nd story this summer!!!
Hi Jeff,
Thanks for the video. Even though I'm not going to try it in observable future(cause I'm just a beginner in acoustic guitar), this is really intersting,edifying and somewhat positive video!
Matt.
You make it look so easy!
Absolutely brilliant, awesome 😀
Great video Jeff, thanks!
Thanks Mark. Had major hand surgery so I made one of them into a lap dobro. No pickin for a few months.
Ha ha; man I'm sitting here laughing and wondering if I just saw what I saw. Great great job...nice sound on that resonator too. You should show us the second story on the house. I just loved this video; incredible job...I'm definitely going to try this one day!!
Thanks Craig. My wife would like to see that second story video too. hahahahahah
thats great Jeff...thanks so much for sharing
I think it looks nice! I have a cheap guitar I want to try this on!
great video mate, best home made one on youtube! going to try and make on of these, lets hope its half as good as yours!
This is incredible. I want to fly out and learn from you! I'll bring a few guitars, pieces & parts!
If your a 26 year hot bodied gal. Come on over. Haha. 🤣🏝👍
Good video! I have a couple of Bill Blue Liberty resonators (a square neck and a round neck) and didn't want to dismantle them to see how they were constructed but was always curious. I'm subscribed now so will be following your adventures.
Thanks.
Brilliant....Thanks for sharing....Now I want to make one...
Go for it. Think it out. Thats the fun part. Read some of the other posts.
Bravo complimenti italia
Grazie
Hello Jeff, Where do you get the Beard Cone and the spider bridge?? This is the build my son want me to try for him. Thanks for all you do...
Also he wants me to pu a pick up in it. Where is a good location for a pick up and what kind should I get.
Beard.com or stewmac.com.
That's all great and everything, but what if you don't have an old banjo rim handy?
+PlanCartesien HII ran out of banjo rims (haha). This was a spur of the moment thing. Didn't think it would be so popular. You can use 3/4 inch plywood. Cut the outside diameter at 11 - 1/2 inch. Cut your inner diameter at 9-7/8. Cut the inside as close to round as possible so that when you route it out with your 3/8 inset bit it will leave you about 10-5/8 for your 10-1/2 cone. Be sure to glue a piece of wood under the top side between the new rim and the heal block where the tail piece is. That is a weak spot.Thanks and good luck.Jeff
Great! Thanks!
I knew you were OK when I saw a Bosch jigsaw.
Gotta have good tools. No harbor fright stuff here
jeff you are so cool man!!! congratulations from Buenos Aires...Saludos Viejo....
Saludos Vieho. Thanks
Hey, awesome job on the build. what is the song you're playing at the end ? I'm digging it !
+Sean Davies HowdyThat's just a jamb song. Thanks!!
as soon as you said, " bath", your pooch looked up at you with a "NOOOOOOOO" look in his eyes, hehe. @ 10:21
hI Jeff, great and useful video! i have two questions:
a) do you really need to remove the neck?
b) is it possible to do it with a classical guitar?
thank you
alberto
Hey Alberto
You don't have to take off the neck and you can't take the neck off a classical guitar. Classical or steel works. Just gotta make sure rim for the cone will fit inside the guitar. A lot of the dobros are pretty close to the classical size anyway!!!!.
THanks
Jeff
Hi Jeff, Just wondering how big the rings you cut are and also the hole in the top of the guitar? I have a 9 1/2 inch cone and was wondering how i should big i should cut them.
HI Ryne
THe diameter of your inner hole should be around 8-3/4. That gives you about a 3/8th inch lip after you router it out for your cone. Make the whole ring about an inch and a half. THat give you plenty of glue area. Cut that inner circle as round as you can.
Thanks for your interest. Good luck
Jeff
This is exactly what I had in mind. You are a true craftsman. Thank you.
What I really want to know is do you get any extra resonance from the old top? I have yet to play any reso with any harmonics from fretted notes. I don't play slide but I need a weatherproof strummer for busking in high humidity. I'm used to vintage gitz with boatloads of harmonics.
It adda a little tone. Plenty of harmonics. Thanks
That's really cool how you did that. Love the new sound also what a great hat you are wearing. Love them giants and love the blues. Thanks for the video.
Thanks Bro
Very cool...Question - I just bought a reso. Obviously factory. Took it appart Tremendous overspray. Bought a new saddle. Single piece maple/ebony. So I spit it. Obviously slot it for the strings. Any thoughts on bone vs maole/ebony?
Thanks a bunch!
Hi Kate
Bone will make it to tinty. The maple and ebony tone it down without loosing the volume. Make sure the saddle fits tight. Add a little piece of wrapping tape to one side as needed for it to fit tight. Check out my video on how to make a toneanator. It works real good and on acoustic geetars and only costs 20 bucks.
Happy Holidays to ya.
Jeff
HI Kate. Any gal that takes apart a guitar to check it out is my kind of woman. Way to go. My wife of 30 years would never do that. Keep it up!!!
Jeff
Awesome! Thanks for showing!
You welcome. I made a cigar box geetar with a cone. Thanks
Excellent way of recycling, sir. :)
Thanks Jeff, .nice video.
Thanks for the video Jeff! You seem like one cool dude.
Tell that to my Kids!!HAHAHAHa
Can you explain the reason for the straight edge,what are trying to measure???
Charles Garner hi Charles
Sorry I didn’t get back earlier. I didn’t see this. I use the straight edge to kind of eyeball the height of the strings in reference to the height of the nut which should be about quarter inch above the saddle slot on the spider bridge. I eyeball about a quarter inch and then adjust later after setup with the nut.
Thanks
Jeff
Good stuff!
Excellent!!!
Nice work
hahaha!!! would love to come round for a few beers and a jam on your new second story
Come on over Tropics!!!!
Ha ha . Awesome Lucinda Williams in the background.
You should've sang the "dont need a dobro no mo blues" when you played your tune 😁. Great video
THanks.
I'm sure you know this but you sir are a cool cool dude.
Thanks Chris. I don't think I'm cool but I'll accept the compliment. I do like to do cool stuff.
Thanks C!!! If you ever try to build one and run into trouble just contact me.
I am considering converting my old dreadnought, into a dobro. Any advice would be appreciated, especially on the bracing. Thanks. Where can I get the kit from?
Stewmac.com. Good luck
Can we close the remaining part of the hole or does that make any difference to the sound ??
That hole adds a lot of tone. Thanks
I'm thinkin about doin this with a 12-string someday when I have the time to do it.
did you say you put a second story on the house? How the hell is that done, did you lay some foundation while the glue on the wood was drying?
superhacker35
Had to do the second story quick. Didn’t get a permit. To hard around here. Hahaha
Thanks
Man, you are God!
just done my resophonic following your video. THANKS.
How did it turn out. Thanks
@@JeffMcDermott1perfect using D open tuning for slide playing. G open tuning give too tension and I doubt about neck stability at long term. So, D tuning with G open gauge strings works perfect. My work at:
ua-cam.com/video/2ixenUq8zrA/v-deo.htmlsi=biiwlwCEhTUH8D_A
@@JeffMcDermott1perfect using D open tuning for slide playing. G open tuning give too tension and I doubt about neck stability at long term. So, D tuning with G open gauge strings works perfect. My work at:
ua-cam.com/video/2ixenUq8zrA/v-deo.htmlsi=biiwlwCEhTUH8D_A
@@JeffMcDermott1@JeffMcDermott1 perfect using D open tuning for slide playing. G open tuning give too tension and I doubt about neck stability at long term. So, D tuning with G open gauge strings works perfect. My work at:
ua-cam.com/video/2ixenUq8zrA/v-deo.htmlsi=biiwlwCEhTUH8D_A
@@JeffMcDermott1 fantastic. For slide playing open G gauge strings works but I'm affraid about tension on neck at long term ... so, I've tuned as D open tuning with these open G strings, with less tension, and works fantastic. I need to adjust another bridge at right action hight for standard G open playing, but not done yet. Here you have my work, with sound smple at the end of video. ua-cam.com/video/2ixenUq8zrA/v-deo.html
Any suggestions about removing the neck? I’ve never done it before but I’m thinking I still need to lower my action more.
Look inside and see if it a bolted on neck. If it is. Just unscrew it. probably a 1/4 inch Allen screw. More expensive geetars have a glued in neck which you have to melt the glue with a rod through the 15th fret. I found a way to get more tension without removing the neck. I'll go to my daughters house and take a picture. Good luck and happy Pickin!!! Thanks for watchin!!
Where did you get the middle piece is that made of aluminum or some kind of ten
stewmdac.com. It's a cone. Gives it the big sound! 😎😎😎