Square neck Resonator/Dobro lap guitar

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Herman
Posts: 1670
Joined: Sun Dec 30, 2012 1:20 pm
Location: Arnhem area, the Netherlands
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Square neck Resonator/Dobro lap guitar

Post by Herman » Thu Nov 14, 2024 7:53 am

Last week I retired from my day time job as a motorcycle mechanic. And thinking about things to do I decided to learn slide playing and take some lessons. And a long story short…... I am going to make one too. But since I don’t know if the guitar and my playing will be any good, the materials used will be cheap and from left overs when available. It is a waste to use one of my 100 bucks tops and cut most of it away for the resonator cone. So I ordered a B grade top for 15 and spray a sunburst on top of it.
The hardware comes from a cheap Asian webshop. The sizes are standard, so if it turns out they need an upgrade in the future, easily some expensive stuff can be mounted.

The rims being used come from a left over OOO, which had a tiny crack in the sides. It was repaired, but the customer then payed good money. So I made him a new rim, leaving this one for this project.

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The neck is made out of old church bench wood, that I got for free.

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Don’t know what species, but it's hard, dense and probably from Indonesia. I glued it with mahogany and maple veneer to get the width. And I’m able to cut the neck in one piece.

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First I saw the headstock angle, planed that and calculated the rest of the neck from there.

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I have no actual plan for this guitar, but from internet pictures you can calculate the height shape. Knowing that the neck is about one inch thick at the nut. I drew it roughly on the blank and sawed it out. Leaving some material for further shaping.

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John Parchem
Posts: 2746
Joined: Fri Dec 23, 2011 8:33 pm
Location: Seattle
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Re: Square neck Resonator/Dobro lap guitar

Post by John Parchem » Thu Nov 14, 2024 12:40 pm

Congratulations on your retirement! I am going into my 10th year. This project will be fun to watch, maybe you can inspire me to follow you.

Herman
Posts: 1670
Joined: Sun Dec 30, 2012 1:20 pm
Location: Arnhem area, the Netherlands
Contact:

Re: Square neck Resonator/Dobro lap guitar

Post by Herman » Thu Nov 14, 2024 1:56 pm

Thanks mate,
I will try to make this a proper story.
First I need to receive the high nut (3/4"!!) after itting that I can position the fingerboard against it and then I know where the 12th fret will be. Tricky , because you cannot position the bridge when ready. Because cutting the cone hole must be done half way the process. But hey, an intonation error of 1/32 on a slide guitar will not be a problem. (I think)
Herman

Kevin in California
Posts: 2795
Joined: Mon Dec 19, 2011 4:19 pm

Re: Square neck Resonator/Dobro lap guitar

Post by Kevin in California » Thu Nov 14, 2024 9:09 pm

Hey hey Buddy!!!!
😃😃
Congratulations!!! You finally did it.
I hope you enjoy being retired like I do.

A very cool project I'm going to enjoy watching you build it

peter havriluk
Posts: 984
Joined: Sun Jul 29, 2012 12:30 pm
Location: Granby, CT

Re: Square neck Resonator/Dobro lap guitar

Post by peter havriluk » Fri Nov 15, 2024 1:02 am

Retirement has been a joy. Good for you. I've been very lucky to have been well enough and conscious enough (he says hopefully) to do this stuff. Even if I'm still as dumb as a box of rocks.
Peter Havriluk

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