Spider bridge vs. Tricone

[Kettneraspis]

Hello all
I currently own a Dobro DM 20 which is has a biscuit style bridge, however
I'm in the market for a second metal bodied resonator and thought I would
solicit some opinions as to the relative merits of a spider bridge style vs.
a tricone. I have played a spider bridge metal body (Dobro DM 33 pre
Gibson) a really liked the sound. This guitar is available but cost concerns
dictate that I consider other less expensive brands; Johnson, Regal, etc.
Any thoughts will be greatly appreciated.
Mike

[Tony Done]

Hmmm. I think it depends on what you want to play. If you like the
bluegrass/country sound, and want to play that style, particularly in the
lap as opposed to spanish position, then a dobro ie (spider bridge) would
likely be the choice.

Tricones do not have the distinctive tonal character of dobros, and are
therefore IMO more versatile. Mine sounds good for slide in a range of
musical styles, including blues and folky stuff. It doesn't sound so good
for bluegrass and country, but only because the dobro sound has become the
signature for that kind of music - the tricone has at least as much cutting
power and sustain, just a different sound. Tricones are also good for
non-slide styles especially those that require powerful single note or small
chord runs, eg blues lead or gypsy jazz.

Every time I hear I good dobro, I think about getting one, but a tricone is
what I spent the big money on, and I don't regret it. I certainly wouldn't
sell the tricone to buy a dobro, but I don't play bluegrass or the kind of
country music that sounds best with the dobro sound.

If I ever do buy a dobro, it will be a wood body, not a metal body.

Tony D

Post by Kettneraspis
Hello all
I currently own a Dobro DM 20 which is has a biscuit style bridge, however
I'm in the market for a second metal bodied resonator and thought I would
solicit some opinions as to the relative merits of a spider bridge style vs.
a tricone. I have played a spider bridge metal body (Dobro DM 33 pre
Gibson) a really liked the sound. This guitar is available but cost concerns
dictate that I consider other less expensive brands; Johnson, Regal, etc.
Any thoughts will be greatly appreciated.
Mike

[Tony Done]

Another thought - I don't think that any resos are good for strumming.

Many of us started with dobros, because they were easier to find than
nationals a few decades ago, but the blues aficionados generally changed to
nationals (names used generically).

Tony D

Post by Tony Done
Hmmm. I think it depends on what you want to play. If you like the
bluegrass/country sound, and want to play that style, particularly in the
lap as opposed to spanish position, then a dobro ie (spider bridge) would
likely be the choice.
Tricones do not have the distinctive tonal character of dobros, and are
therefore IMO more versatile. Mine sounds good for slide in a range of
musical styles, including blues and folky stuff. It doesn't sound so good
for bluegrass and country, but only because the dobro sound has become the
signature for that kind of music - the tricone has at least as much cutting
power and sustain, just a different sound. Tricones are also good for
non-slide styles especially those that require powerful single note or small
chord runs, eg blues lead or gypsy jazz.
Every time I hear I good dobro, I think about getting one, but a tricone is
what I spent the big money on, and I don't regret it. I certainly wouldn't
sell the tricone to buy a dobro, but I don't play bluegrass or the kind of
country music that sounds best with the dobro sound.
If I ever do buy a dobro, it will be a wood body, not a metal body.
Tony D

Post by Kettneraspis
Hello all
I currently own a Dobro DM 20 which is has a biscuit style bridge, however
I'm in the market for a second metal bodied resonator and thought I would
solicit some opinions as to the relative merits of a spider bridge style

vs.

Post by Kettneraspis
a tricone. I have played a spider bridge metal body (Dobro DM 33 pre
Gibson) a really liked the sound. This guitar is available but cost

concerns

Post by Kettneraspis
dictate that I consider other less expensive brands; Johnson, Regal, etc.
Any thoughts will be greatly appreciated.
Mike

[Kettneraspis]

Thanks for your response. I'm certainly oriented towards the blues more than
C&W. I have heard Sam Mitchell's recordings and I believe he plays a DM 33
(spider bridge) and it sounds great but does have a country feel. I will try
a tricone and see how it sounds. I love the sound of the Nationals but with
my short fingers, action and neck width are a serious concern. How do the
off brands (Johnson, Regal) compare to the Dobros and Nationals? Thanks
Mike

Post by Tony Done
Another thought - I don't think that any resos are good for strumming.
Many of us started with dobros, because they were easier to find than
nationals a few decades ago, but the blues aficionados generally changed to
nationals (names used generically).
Tony D

Post by Tony Done
Hmmm. I think it depends on what you want to play. If you like the
bluegrass/country sound, and want to play that style, particularly in the
lap as opposed to spanish position, then a dobro ie (spider bridge) would
likely be the choice.
Tricones do not have the distinctive tonal character of dobros, and are
therefore IMO more versatile. Mine sounds good for slide in a range of
musical styles, including blues and folky stuff. It doesn't sound so good
for bluegrass and country, but only because the dobro sound has become the
signature for that kind of music - the tricone has at least as much

cutting

Post by Tony Done
power and sustain, just a different sound. Tricones are also good for
non-slide styles especially those that require powerful single note or

small

Post by Tony Done
chord runs, eg blues lead or gypsy jazz.
Every time I hear I good dobro, I think about getting one, but a tricone

is

Post by Tony Done
what I spent the big money on, and I don't regret it. I certainly wouldn't
sell the tricone to buy a dobro, but I don't play bluegrass or the kind of
country music that sounds best with the dobro sound.
If I ever do buy a dobro, it will be a wood body, not a metal body.
Tony D

Post by Kettneraspis
Hello all
I currently own a Dobro DM 20 which is has a biscuit style bridge,

however

Post by Tony Done

Post by Kettneraspis
I'm in the market for a second metal bodied resonator and thought I

would

Post by Tony Done

Post by Kettneraspis
solicit some opinions as to the relative merits of a spider bridge style

vs.

Post by Kettneraspis
a tricone. I have played a spider bridge metal body (Dobro DM 33 pre
Gibson) a really liked the sound. This guitar is available but cost

concerns

Post by Kettneraspis
dictate that I consider other less expensive brands; Johnson, Regal,

etc.

Post by Tony Done

Post by Kettneraspis
Any thoughts will be greatly appreciated.
Mike

[foldedpath]

Post by Kettneraspis
Thanks for your response. I'm certainly oriented towards the blues
more than C&W. I have heard Sam Mitchell's recordings and I believe he
plays a DM 33 (spider bridge) and it sounds great but does have a
country feel. I will try a tricone and see how it sounds.

Try a tricone if you've never had one in your hands before. It's good to
know what that sounds like. But don't get locked into ruts like "Dobros are
only for bluegrass and country," or "Nationals are only for blues." It's
not that simple. There are a million different instruments out there, with
a million different sounds. Find the one that's right for what you want to
play.

I play blues on an old Dobro, and nobody has arrested me yet.

[Kettneraspis]

Post by foldedpath
I play blues on an old Dobro, and nobody has arrested me yet.
--
Mike Barrs

Bravo.
I plan on keeping my mind open and try a variety. Thanks
Mike

[SMoppert]

The off brands, all I have tried and own, have more narrow necks than National
and National Resophonic guitars. I have short fingers and prefer the wider
necks on the Nationals. I can't easily put my thumb over the top to fret notes,
but I seldom or never need to with the music I play on my resonator guitars. I
have installed new biscuit bridges on my "off brand" resonators and made the
string spacing as wide as possible for my right hand, I find that this helps me
greatly in accurate fast fingerpicking. I can't make the spacing as wide as the
National's but every little bit helps.
Steve