Raf_V Posted June 3, 2007 Report Share Posted June 3, 2007 Hi all, This is my first post here ... I was wondering if it was possible to make a resonator guitar out of an old acoustic guitar ? thanks, Raf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verhoevenc Posted June 3, 2007 Report Share Posted June 3, 2007 Most likely your acoustic has a domed top, so no. Also, you have to have TOTALLY different types of bracing for a reso guitar. So you'd have to unglue the top and back, unglue the braces, then take HOURS to clean up all the unglueing, unradius the rims, re-brace, etc. etc. By that time you might as well have just built your own... Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acousticraft Posted June 4, 2007 Report Share Posted June 4, 2007 There is a guy locally that makes "Beltona" resonator guitars. I went and talked to him a couple of times and bought a fingerboard off him when I built my first guitar (Acoustic). He makes the bodies from fibreglass using a mould and has a Mahogany neck bolted on. Very nice looking but certainly an acquired taste. If you are building your own you would have to design the top to accommodate the resonator cone etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwedishLuthier Posted June 4, 2007 Report Share Posted June 4, 2007 I remember a two part trade secrets or similar from the time they were to be found in the printed Stewmac catalog. It covered, step by step, a conversion from ordinary flattop acoustic yard sales finding to a playable resonator (single cone) guitar. It was supposed to be carried out in an afternoon. Can’t find that on the Stewmac “free info” pages anymore. What he did was simply cut up a circular hole in the top, glue a plug in the old sound hole, clear some of the braces that would interfere with the sound well, cut circular rings from plywood, cut them up in one place to be able to twist them in place through the hole in the top and glued them in place. Then he installed the cone, bridge and tail piece. With a quick and dirty cover made from scrap masonite he was ready to play it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raf_V Posted June 4, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 4, 2007 I remember a two part trade secrets or similar from the time they were to be found in the printed Stewmac catalog. It covered, step by step, a conversion from ordinary flattop acoustic yard sales finding to a playable resonator (single cone) guitar. It was supposed to be carried out in an afternoon. Can’t find that on the Stewmac “free info” pages anymore. What he did was simply cut up a circular hole in the top, glue a plug in the old sound hole, clear some of the braces that would interfere with the sound well, cut circular rings from plywood, cut them up in one place to be able to twist them in place through the hole in the top and glued them in place. Then he installed the cone, bridge and tail piece. With a quick and dirty cover made from scrap masonite he was ready to play it That's exactly what I am looking for .... = Raf = Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwedishLuthier Posted June 4, 2007 Report Share Posted June 4, 2007 I found it! It’s in the Trade Secrets book two. Al Rorick’s Do-it-yourself Dobro. I was basically right. The only difference is that he cut the braces flush with the hole and notched the first layer of plywood. Might also add that he used an old classic 23” scale thing that might not had that much bracing to interfere with the sound well. Reading through it now I can say that he probably got the same problem I got when doing my “resolectric”. Too Little downward pressure on the cone due to the lack of neck angle (bad research in my behalf). I cannot get a good enough tone from my so a neck reset is coming up. If possible, look for a guitar with a slight neck angle and you should be fine. But then again; a flattop with a neck angle… Nothing you se everyday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tirapop Posted June 6, 2007 Report Share Posted June 6, 2007 http://www.stewmac.com/tradesecrets/bridge...ts38rorick.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raf_V Posted June 7, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 7, 2007 http://www.stewmac.com/tradesecrets/bridge...ts38rorick.html Great link Tirapop ! Thanks a lot ! = Raf = Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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