Fender Resonators

[dhelgason1]

Does anyone here own a Fender Resonator or other resonator guitar ? I was thinking of getting a Fender FR 50 and was wondering what experiences others may have had with these. I have looked also at Dobro brand and Alabama resonators but for the money I have mostly considered the Fender.
Thanks for any input in advance.

[Kap'n]

IIRC, one of the models of Fender resonator has an arch in the top, that really screws up the cone.

Lots of the folks recommend replacing the stamped cone found on most lower end resonators with a Quarterman cone.

[Mesotech]

I have one, a FR-50, and I'm happy with it. I don't use it much, but it satisfy's the thirst when needed.

It's not bad, I'm sure there are better, and I'm sure I could have done worse. Overall, I'm happy with it.

[billd13]

I have a 1935 National Model 32 round neck that is set up with an extension nut to be played as a dobro. This is a metal bodied dobro. It is one of the sweetest sounding dobros I have ever heard.
I also have a 2004 Regal RD-45 square neck. It has had the cone changed to a spun Quarteman cone and has a McIntyre feather pickup installed. It sounds pretty good acoustically, but I have never benn able to quite get it to reproduce its acoustic qualities using the pickup. It just sounds better miced. It was about $800 with the pickup and cone installed and with a good hardshell case. It isn't close to the tone that comes out of the old National though. I would definitely recommend the Quarterman spun cone for any lower end resonator guitar.
About 3 years ago I found another 1935 National Model 32 but a square neck in a store and tried it. It sounded terrible next to mine, so they all don't sound the same.

[dhelgason1]

I went ahead and put a hold with deposit on the next Fender FR-50 that comes in. Its kind of a strange market here. Usually Resonators sit for months but then there's a run on them and there hard to get. My local Fender shop has 2 coming in and with mine has deposits on both of them. I tried a Dobro at another store and liked the way it played and sounded but it was almost twice the cost. The Fender I played a few months back played and sounded nice and my dealer is really good here . If I don't like the way this one plays He would allow me to put my money on something else and as you all know there's no lack of things to spend money on in a guitar store. Hope to get it before the New Year but I'll post when it comes in and I have it.

[teleman55]

My wife bought me one for Christmas a few years back and had a luthier flip it to left handed. I really like it. Great for old blues with slide.

[jfab]

Just got one for Christmas from the SO. I love it. It is the metal FR48. I am thinking that I am going to go with a heavier gauge string and higher nut with replacement bridge eventually, as I will be using it exclusively for slide. Looking for suggestions from the collective knowledge here.

It has an amazing tone, and last night at band practice, the guys loved it when I whipped it out for "Lookin' Out My Back Door".

Here's an artsy shot of me practicing it yesterday. I will have to photograph the rest of it later. ;)



JFab

[PG13]

Is the FR50 the wooden one? I played one on vacation a few years back at a pickin' retreat on a Wisconsin lake. It was a nice instrument, but really made me miss my National Duolian that I had sold.

Pickin' on the lake:




Upon my return, I started scouring eBay and found my Duolian! It had gone to Peru, but still found it's way back
My Duolian:

[bonefish]

traded mine off for my es-135 gothic...no regrets, but i do wanna get another dobro some day...prolly go with a metal body next time...the fr-50 just didn't quite do it for me tone-wise. i like my dobro tone really raw and the fr-50 just seemed a little too tame for my tastes. that, and i play way too aggresively for the bridge setup.

[dhelgason1]

Mine is just like the one in PG13's lake picture. I'm quite happy with it. I tuned it to G for a while but back to standard now as I only know a few songs in G and wanted to play it more. Since I had ordered it in it just had the factory setup. At some point I will have it done up by a tech. I tuned it to C once and boy did is sing but again I'm still a learner in the open tuning acoustic stuff and this is just not right for most stones songs.But it is fun.

[Jonnda]

I don't own one but I always play a bunch of resonators when I go kill time in a local music store (guitar works of Evanston IL).

THe result? I don't like the fender resonator guitars. When compared to the Nationals hanging next to it, the fenders just can't compete. The y don't have the sustain or the as full a sound... or are as loud if i recall correctly. I've only played the wooden fenders, i don't know if this makes a difference.