Johnson resonator guitars?
{USER_FIRSTNAME} {USER_LASTNAME}
Would be happy to opinions/feedback/etc about the Johnson resonator guitars
(National/Dobro model copies) offered by Elderly and various other online
retailers. Does anyone own one? Care to comment about sound, construction,
action, comparability with the originals?
Replies by email would be best; my newsgroup access is very spotty. Email is
christop...@ttu.edu
Many thanks.
cjs
Gordon Rose
lots of (possibly contradictory) advice.
I have a brass-bodied Johnson single resonator that I am reasonably happy with.
I converted it to left-handed setup, and later I replaced the cone with a
Quarterman, which improved the tone considerably. I also dropped an
ebony-capped bridge into it (the original was cracked).
For slide, it works well. For fingerstyle, I am not entirely happy with it, as
the fret-work seems poor (I have lots of buzzes playing up the neck). The neck
seems to be the most criticized part of the Johnson. Eventually, I'll bite the
bullet and have the fretboard dressed, or something.
The big factor for me was that, in Canada, it was only about 40% of the price of
even a National Delphi. In other words, as someone who had never played a
resonator before, I could get a pretty metal-bodied guitar with engraving for
about $1000 Canadian, instead of the $2-3000 or more anything else would have
cost me. While I now want another, better resonator (or two!), the Johnson was
good value, and even with more guitars, I will continue to play it.
I hope this helps.
Gordon Rose
M. J. Hartman
I agree with what I have read in these responses. I have owned an
epiphone biscuit, a Johnson JM-998, a 1937 National Duolian and a 1931
National Duolian. So, I have played quite a few resonators in detail. The
Johnsons are quality guitars. I loved mine when I had it, but I sold it to
buy a vintage National. That is the problem, you will adore the Johnson
until you play a vintage National. But, as far a resonators that are
available new today, the Johnsons do a really nice job, especially if you
drop a Quarterman or a National Cone in it ($50).
If you want to hear a Johnson, you can listen to my song "Had You Never
Known My Name" on my mp3.com site ( http://www.mp3.com/MichaelJHartman ) it
is recorded with the JM-998. I recorded my other songs with my old
Nationals (so you can compare). Also, I know that Tony Whetstone has
recorded with his Johnson O Style, so search for his site on mp3.com also.
Hope that this helps. Most of all, I hope that you go ahead and get a reso,
you won't regret it. Oh yeah, check out www.juniorsmusic.com, they have
always had great prices on Johnson resonators.
Good Luck,
Michael J. Hartman
"{USER_FIRSTNAME} {USER_LASTNAME}" <angela...@earthlink.net> wrote in
message news:8nia6.771$9D5.1...@newsread1.prod.itd.earthlink.net...
Mumbles
Nice to read of you -- I thought I was the only left-handed player on the
freaking planet who switched a resonator guitar around. My first.
Mine is a metal-bodied Dean, about which I am not ENTIRELY happy, but
similarly to you, I play mostly slide on it, so the less-than-perfect
intonation isn't a major problem. It sounds fine at the lower frets, where
most non-slide stuff is done.
But when I'm tempted to play some of Joni Mitchell's tunes (alluring because
they are in the same open E tuning as some of Robert Johnson's and Muddy
Waters's stuff), the open chords on the high frets cause my neighbor's dog
to howl (or at least, cause me to).
Still a good box for the money.
Regards,
Mumbles Lefty
"Gordon Rose" <gordo...@telus.net> wrote in message
news:3A69D1AB...@telus.net...
DLed
I own 3 Johson guitars (strat copy, j-bass copy and a mandolin copy), but
still cannot find any info on the company. Anybody heard of it? I heard it's
made in China.
Thanks
DLed
----------------
www.mp3.com/dled
Charles Johnston
that list for over $3,000. I have never found a link for the Chinese
manufacturer directly. here is the link though for the firm that imports
them. Any store selling Johnson brand guitars gets them from Music Link
Corp.....
http://www.musiclinkcorp.com/fretted/
--
Charles Johnston
cha...@ab7sl.com
AB7SL - Ham Radio Pages
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"DLed" <led_...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:94vti1$cha$1...@news.rz.uni-karlsruhe.de...
DLed
charlie glasgow
I've listened to your tracks before and was inspired to finally
record my blues CD. I'm working on track #3 right now. A little
tune about the demise of the Alco train engine from the streamlined
era. Squeeze the Mojo and It's cold outside are the other tunes
I have done so far. It's kind of an ongoing process as I've been
working on a Neil Diamond Tribute CD at the same time and have
now finished that so I may go on to the blues.
My drummer is an excellent harp player and wants me to produce
his blues CD, so I'm trying to get a few tracks squeezed out before
the rest of the band gets back from California.
I ended up buying a cheap Regal dobro after trying out different
brands at places like Mars music and some local shops. I did'nt care
for the full steel aluminum body as the sound was very harsh after
playing a wooden body with aluminum biscuit. I guess that personal
preference comes into play here.
What kind of mic and preamp are you using in your recording
setup? I'm using a Behringer tube preamp and an ADK large diaphram
condensor mic. I'm staying with brass slides as the glass slides don't
sound warm enough for me. I'm playing the guitar with the back laying
down and the neck facing up at me. I never played slide guitar this
way, but I can get more feel out of the face up position. You can
check my songs out at my mp3 site if your interested in hearing my
work and of course I'm already on your mailing list.
take care
charlie glasgow
Check out my songs on http://www.mp3.com/artists/32/charlie_ray_glasgow.html
ICQ # 31547889 Come visit my homepage! http://www.kcview.com/glasgow/
charlie glasgow
likely make Johnson as well. This applies only to guitars made outside
of the USA.
charlie g.
On Sun, 28 Jan 2001 02:44:29 +0100, "DLed" <led_...@hotmail.com>
wrote:
Check out my songs on http://www.mp3.com/artists/32/charlie_ray_glasgow.html
M. J. Hartman
I use a Mackie 1202VLZ mixing board into my soundcard for recording.
As far as mic preamps go, I just use the Mackie board preamps, they are very
clean and transparent. As far as mics go, I use a Rode NT1 on vocals and
either a Shure SM57 or a cheap Radio Shack 33-3017 Condensor on the guitar.
I also prefer metal slides over glass. I use a Craftsman deep well socket
(17mm) for a slide. It is made of really dense steel and it has enough mass
to really give some good sustain. I'm off to check out your tracks.
Take care,
Michael J. Hartman
http://www.mp3.com/MichaelJHartman
"charlie glasgow" <gla...@bresnanlink.net> wrote in message
news:3ac240ce...@news.bresnanlink.net...
Bob Clayton
>Samick makes over 65 % percent of the guitar in the world. They most
>likely make Johnson as well. This applies only to guitars made outside
>of the USA.
>
IIR, Johnsons and their ilk (I have a "Sterling") are Chinese. Samick is
decidedly not Chinese.
Bob C.
Quality music since 1963.