Is the action on your guitar too low?

[BrianD]

Well the title was just to grab your attention. Take a look at the action on this guitar - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gukFvG8V ... re=related

I confess I had never heard of Jerry Douglas until yesterday when a friend with a Dobro guitar jammed with me - I was playing my National Steel Resonator. He pointed me at Jerry Douglas as the guv'nor when it comes to playing the Dobro and what I saw and heard blew me away. I am thinking of getting one of these having tried my friend's and saw a selection at HobGoblin in London today.

Brian

[StuartD]

HI Brian

Never heard of Jerry Douglas; You must have led a sheltered life!! Seriously he is an amazing talent and someone i have met a few times. Really nice guy too.

Regards

Stuart

[siesta beach]

Besides playing Shadows and pop and rock music I also play in a Bluegrass band. Instruments include Banjo - Mandolin - Acoustic Guitar - Double Bass - Dobro and Harmonica - The sound of all the instruments playing together acoustically is amazing - (no effects or amps!) The Dobro is a fantastic sound. Just listen to Jerry Douglas with Union Station playing live with Alison Kraus.

[dobroman]

Hi All,

Another dobro player worth listening to is the late Josh Graves, who played with Earl Scruggs and Lester Flatt, and was generally credited with introducing the dobro into bluegrass music.

Don't forget if you want to get a dobro for bluegrass (slide) type music you will need a square necked version, tabs are available, generally from the US.

Most dobro players use a Stevens steel, although there are quite a few different types available.

Regards

Brian

[dobroman]

Something I forgot to mention, if you are thinking of buying a dobro, US built instruments are made to imperial measurements, those made in the far east are all metric.
Parts for the two are (generally) not interchangeable!!

Probably the most important part is the cone, a Quarterman cone can usually be fitted to a cheaper dobro as an upgrade, set-up is also important.

Brian