Hi All
I'm thinking about buying a resonator (maybe I've been listening to
too much Steve Earle).
Metal body, I don't need a pickup, just a good basic instrument.
I played an "Ozark" last week (£360 at my local GAS house) which
seemed pretty cool but the fret edges were really sharp and it had
12's on it. Maybe it was just that particular one. I'm not in the
market for the Nationals or Dobros, but there seem to be quite a few
'budget' brands out there (Vintage, Tanglewood, Ozark, Rally, there's
even a Harley Benton at £196 incl case!!) and I can't seem to find the
difference between them. Maybe they're all the same but re-badged??...
Has anyone got any experience with this sort of beast?? Any advice
greatly appreciated........

Ta V much

Graze

"Graze"  wrote in message 
news:f80af3cd-65c0-420c-95ce-c959fbcedff0@x35g2000hsb.googlegroups.com...
Hi All
I'm thinking about buying a resonator (maybe I've been listening to
too much Steve Earle).
Metal body, I don't need a pickup, just a good basic instrument.
I played an "Ozark" last week (£360 at my local GAS house) which
seemed pretty cool but the fret edges were really sharp and it had
12's on it. Maybe it was just that particular one. I'm not in the
market for the Nationals or Dobros, but there seem to be quite a few
'budget' brands out there (Vintage, Tanglewood, Ozark, Rally, there's
even a Harley Benton at £196 incl case!!) and I can't seem to find the
difference between them. Maybe they're all the same but re-badged??...
Has anyone got any experience with this sort of beast?? Any advice
greatly appreciated........

Ta V much

Sorry to digress - although isn't this just the place for that? - but I just 
had a look at the JHS website for their Vintage resonators (they look good) 
and discovered that JHS are once again selling a completely new range of 
Danelectro guitars and basses.
http://www.jhs.co.uk/danelectroguitars.html
Perhaps my old U2 might become trendy again? ;-) Must check in the cupboard 
and see if it's still there - haven't played it in anger for about 5 years.

George

On Tue, 3 Jun 2008 11:11:11 -0700 (PDT), Graze 
wrote:

>Hi All
>I'm thinking about buying a resonator (maybe I've been listening to
>too much Steve Earle).
>Metal body, I don't need a pickup, just a good basic instrument.
>I played an "Ozark" last week (£360 at my local GAS house) which
>seemed pretty cool but the fret edges were really sharp and it had
>12's on it. Maybe it was just that particular one. I'm not in the
>market for the Nationals or Dobros, but there seem to be quite a few
>'budget' brands out there (Vintage, Tanglewood, Ozark, Rally, there's
>even a Harley Benton at £196 incl case!!) and I can't seem to find the
>difference between them. Maybe they're all the same but re-badged??...
>Has anyone got any experience with this sort of beast?? Any advice
>greatly appreciated........

I have two resos - both Vintage brand - a single cone reso and a
tricone.

As far as I could see, the Vintage was the only brand that offered the
chickenfoot holes in the single cone model, although apart from that
they all seem much of a muchness and I'd bet money many of them are
produced in the same factory.

I'd avoid the really cheap ones as the internal construction might not
be very kosher - which is what drew me to the Vintages as the internal
bracing with the 'mushroom' props is very authentic.

You'll need to factor in at least enough to buy new cones as the ones
supplied are crap, although it's only after changing them that you
truly realise this.

12s are light for resos if you want a really good tone - go heavy with
16s and up for the authentic sound - which is after all what you get a
reso for.

If you want a really typical sound then go for the single cone models
- far louder and more of *that* sound - the phrase 'in yer face' is
apt here. Tricones have a lighter sound, although I still love the
sound of mine.

The online reso community is very friendly - as is the reso NG most of
the time.

There would be a good place to get advice.

Steve.

Thanks Steve,
I've also heard that the Vintage ones pretty good. I tried another
Ozark on Wed and unfortunately it had exactly the same problem as the
other one I tried, sharp (unfinished?) frets that almost tore bits out
of my hands and also the truss rod was loose!!
If you reckon I'll end up replacing the cone, is that really expensive
and would a replacement automatiically fit?
I am after "that" sound, so it looks like a metal, single cone with
hefty strings, however, having never owned one before, I think I'll
just have to play a few. I can't find anywhere around here that sells
the Vintage one. I did Denmark Street and west end (London) on Wed and
only found an Ozark.
I'll try and locate the reso group........
cheers
Graze

"Graze"  wrote in message 
news:a0d1aa99-0999-46e0-83c5-919bccfe7e04@l64g2000hse.googlegroups.com...
> Thanks Steve,
> I've also heard that the Vintage ones pretty good. I tried another
> Ozark on Wed and unfortunately it had exactly the same problem as the
> other one I tried, sharp (unfinished?) frets that almost tore bits out
> of my hands and also the truss rod was loose!!
> If you reckon I'll end up replacing the cone, is that really expensive
> and would a replacement automatiically fit?
> I am after "that" sound, so it looks like a metal, single cone with
> hefty strings, however, having never owned one before, I think I'll
> just have to play a few. I can't find anywhere around here that sells
> the Vintage one. I did Denmark Street and west end (London) on Wed and
> only found an Ozark.
> I'll try and locate the reso group........
> cheers

Our bass player bought an Ozark banjo a few years back.
It was crap and wouldn't stay in tune. I think he threw it away.
Probably the best thing for a banjo anyway...
;-)

George

On Fri, 6 Jun 2008 02:11:21 -0700 (PDT), Graze 
wrote:

>Thanks Steve,
>I've also heard that the Vintage ones pretty good. I tried another
>Ozark on Wed and unfortunately it had exactly the same problem as the
>other one I tried, sharp (unfinished?) frets that almost tore bits out
>of my hands and also the truss rod was loose!!
>If you reckon I'll end up replacing the cone, is that really expensive
>and would a replacement automatiically fit?
>I am after "that" sound, so it looks like a metal, single cone with
>hefty strings, however, having never owned one before, I think I'll
>just have to play a few. I can't find anywhere around here that sells
>the Vintage one. I did Denmark Street and west end (London) on Wed and
>only found an Ozark.
>I'll try and locate the reso group........
>cheers
>Graze

A new cone for a single cone reso will cost you about £50 including
postage and packing - not a vast amount considering-the difference
you'll hear.

If you go for a tricone (I wouldn't if I was after just one reso) then
a recone will cost you nearly double that.

This site might be useful:

http://www.resound.uk.com/index.html

They recommend the Johnsons as far as cheapies go. I can't see much
difference cosmetically between them and the Vintages. If you hunt
around you might be able to find a UK magazine review of the Vintage
AMG1 which is positively glowing - that's the single cone I have.

Steve.

On Fri, 6 Jun 2008 11:19:56 +0100, "George Weston"
 wrote:

>
>"Graze"  wrote in message 
>news:a0d1aa99-0999-46e0-83c5-919bccfe7e04@l64g2000hse.googlegroups.com...
>> Thanks Steve,
>> I've also heard that the Vintage ones pretty good. I tried another
>> Ozark on Wed and unfortunately it had exactly the same problem as the
>> other one I tried, sharp (unfinished?) frets that almost tore bits out
>> of my hands and also the truss rod was loose!!
>> If you reckon I'll end up replacing the cone, is that really expensive
>> and would a replacement automatiically fit?
>> I am after "that" sound, so it looks like a metal, single cone with
>> hefty strings, however, having never owned one before, I think I'll
>> just have to play a few. I can't find anywhere around here that sells
>> the Vintage one. I did Denmark Street and west end (London) on Wed and
>> only found an Ozark.
>> I'll try and locate the reso group........
>> cheers
>
>Our bass player bought an Ozark banjo a few years back.
>It was crap and wouldn't stay in tune. I think he threw it away.
>Probably the best thing for a banjo anyway...
>;-)
>
>George 
>
Bit of a waste of money, because you can buy all the bits to upgrade
cheap banjos, just like on a guitar.  It might have just needed a
better-cut nut.
-- 
http://www.cdbaby.com/sinistrals      http://sinistrals.stevedix.de/  
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