Dobro Hound Dog Deluxe Resonator Guitar - Anybody Know Anything About These?

[Troubleman]

Resonator guitar GAS has me in its grips...
Anybody have any experience with Gibson USA/Dobro Hound Dog Deluxe Resonator - specifically the round neck? How well are they built/do they play? How do they sound - mellow? Growling?


Thanks,


jb

[nmiller]

I've played a roundneck in a store, and maybe it was a lemon, but I thought the sound and build quality were nowhere near as nice as anything from National. In fact, I thought it sounded dead even compared to the Asian-made Republic and Regal guitars. I was surprised, considering I usually like Gibson acoustics.

[Ransome]

I have a USA Hound Dog up for sale, JB.

[dave251]

I had one about ten years ago. Sold it. I've now owned a top of the line Regal for two years....and it beats the Gibson/Hound Dog hands down. I think the main problem is the well design. The Hound Dog tradtionally uses sound posts where a "real" Dobro has a molded "ring" the cone sits on. That, and my Regal has a Quartermann cone.

I'd look into some of the better imports, and make sure they have an American cone. OR...and this might be better for resale....buy the above used Hound Dog for a good price and have a Quartermann cone/spider installed.

[FrostyMorn]

I had an import roundneck Hound Dog, which I think is a tremendous value for $300. To my ear, this guitar sounded better for fingerpicking than the other budget resonators. I would not bother trying to compare with resos that cost considerably more - but value is in the ears, hands and wallet of the beholder!

What mine sounded like: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isJ84wK0Qes

[Troubleman]

I had an import roundneck Hound Dog, which I think is a tremendous value for $300. To my ear, this guitar sounded better for fingerpicking than the other budget resonators. I would not bother trying to compare with resos that cost considerably more - but value is in the ears, hands and wallet of the beholder!

What mine sounded like: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isJ84wK0Qes


The Gibson/Dobro USA models I'm seeing are going for a lot more than $300....

[Steve Gambrell]

I had one about ten years ago. Sold it. I've now owned a top of the line Regal for two years....and it beats the Gibson/Hound Dog hands down. I think the main problem is the well design. The Hound Dog tradtionally uses sound posts where a "real" Dobro has a molded "ring" the cone sits on. That, and my Regal has a Quartermann cone.



The majority of custom reso builders have gotten away from the soundwell, and are using baffles and soundposts to produce the more "hi-fi" tone of Jerry Douglas, Mike Auldridge, etc. And a Quarterman cone is an improvement on ANY reso.

[mrmuzikhead]

As a member of the IGS forum which is all about things that slide, there isn't much good said about those guitars. A couple guys like them but it's mostly a thumbs down. Most of the guys that had them sold them to upgrade to a National in the end.

[FrostyMorn]

What is the price difference between an import Hound Dog and a National guitar?

[mrmuzikhead]

Not sure how much the Hound Dogs go for but I've seen used National Delphis go for around $1K.