Your QuickStart Guide To Resonator Guitars

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Resonator guitars are some of the most distinctive sounding stringed instruments, and they are a blast to play.
But there is one big problem... How on earth do you know which one to buy, let alone even try out???
In this quick start guide, I'll give you the rundown on the three types of resonator guitars and the strong points of each.

[@1motomanic]

My wife is looking over my shoulder and I have been informed that I don't need any more guitars.

[@Ruukas9]

F her .Just buy it ;)

[@stevelacombe5291]

@Lowell Calavera That only works once -- maybe twice ...

[@violeta_delgadillo]

1motomanic 🤣🤣🤣

[@warmonger9100]

I have my new one, hidden in my closet, in my spare bedroom.

[@bpearson78]

My wife says the same thing

[@BillyFromTheHills01]

This really resonates with me.

[@robdonell9915]

🤣🤣🤣

[@tobidoppler1588]

damn, by accident i saw you. you're attitude totally got me. You sure are a master in teaching. thanks, now i need to buy a resonater... btw just started playing guitar 6 months ago after 48 years of knowing that i am not a musician. after six months and about 200 hours i probably found a love for the rest of my life. guys like you opened that door for me. thank you all.

[@RichWitGame]

Would love to see a sound comparison between wood, steel, brass and fiberglass resonators. 🤔

[@snuffygrunt2842]

Back in the 60's.. when I was a kid.. we would take our Sears acoustics and use the foil from our cigarette packs, wax paper & aluminum foil, Scotch tape and rubber bands over the hole. Staples and pennies. Our slides were cobbled from broken Strohs Beer bottles. The louder you played.. the better it sounded.

[@JacksonSnyderPresents]

Snuffy, we must have known each other back then. Break a single for picks, steal dad's ties for straps, save up for a "fuzz-tone." And of course, Strohs and Goebels: six-pack for a dollar. One guy, the "bass" player, got him a Silvertone guitar out of the catalog, tuned it down a 4th, voila - a 6-string bass. Those were the days.

[@TheBalloonHoax]

This might be a year old comment but I'm having trouble picturing what the hell you're talking about. Could you explain it alittle more? I'd love to try it on my old beat up acoustic.

[@jackgrant9301]

That sounds amazing, do you think kitchen foil would work as well? Smokes cost a lot in Ireald and i dont smoke anymore, so buying a pack for the foil would bea bit of a waste.. Upload a video of this, because i want to do it.

[@Blue_3rd]

Nice vid! I bought my first reso last year, after many years of playing standard electrics. I haven’t had so much fun on guitar for years! I would recommend trying one for sure. I tend to play slide on it but it certainly isn’t only a slide guitar. The sound is inspiring 👍 PS ‘guitarsenal’...love it!

[@Kamekris]

Nice vid and your speech is extremely clear even for who is not so used to english. Thanks

[@toadetteremotewithwiimotio3330]

„And play everything you know“ Ok, i‘m gonna play Bleed by Meshugga in GC tomorrow

[@codysosebee9563]

Please do

[@craigdickerson9706]

I bought a gretch boxcar roundness. I learned some slide and licks in open g and d. I love it. It opened a whole new world to me. Thanks for your video.

[@omarkempkes5121]

My goodness! I just got one Gretsch without knowing a single fact about resonator guitars and I loved it but now I love it even more!!!

[@JoeChammas]

Thanks for putting this together! I've been considering getting a resonator and this was super encouraging and informative.

[@stevebrighttheblackguitar653]

That was a really good presentation! I just bought my first one last week, knowing nothing. I just wanted one to play. It happens to be a steel round neck that sounds and looks great. But now i know what i am into and the basics of these guitars! Thanks to you!!!

[@williamthethespian]

Thank you so much. New to resonators, I would not have known anything, and perhaps had a poor experience. However with your clear, straight forward information I feel much more confident. Thank you again.

[@SergeCeyral]

Very instructive video for beginners; my question is: did anyone have the strange idea of building a tricone with inverted cones and bridge? (I mean putting two cones on the treble side and the third one on the bass side..) I believe it would sound pretty different from the classic one, don't you think so ? Maybe, John Dopyera already experimented that monster and rejected it, because of poor sound, who knows ? (He had so many odd and innovative ideas in his lifetime...)

[@brodyc223]

Well I think it's just better this way since lower notes are naturally gonna be quieter

[@stewroo]

String a left handed tricone for right handed playing?

[@SergeCeyral]

@@stewroo Never tried it : I'm a left handed player, who learned to play on a right handed model (special models were out of financial reach when I was young). It's not that hard to do, but you have to reshape the string slots, both on nut and bridge : at least, it's easier than on a wooden body guitar, since you have no bracing under the top..

[@pigfeet8056]

No, that will unfortunately not work as the nut of the guitar will mute the tricone. Inverting the bridge will cause the strings to carry to much tension.

[@bigguitarenergy2707]

@@pigfeet8056 Yes, I'm glad someone pointed that out!

[@jaimiemuehlhausen5152]

Every once in a while I come across one of your videos and they are always really well done and informative. Thank you.

[@laidbackmark7651]

Thank you!!! have owned/play a Fender Roosevelt for years, and never knew the construction details. It is a spider web design. my favorite to play without an amp!! thanks again!!

[@rsitarsi4804]

Nice, clear, concise and very informative piece of work. Thank you for posting.

[@meaganjohnson4137]

Fantastic video. Well edited, I didn't want to skip through any of it. Great info and I really appreciated the encouragement to just go for it and try!

[@jeffcollins1172]

I just ordered a Paul Beard Squareneck Devo 47 Resonator Guitar. I’ll send pic when it comes. The Squarenecks are tuned to open G, easy to learn and fits in with my Bluegrass band, Ocotillo Rain. I played a borrowed one for about a year and took the plunge and bought one. I believe Paul Beard brand is the Martin of Resonators.

[@MarcoAntonio-D548]

Congratulations for the channel. I've been thinking to migrate from electric guitar to acoustic, but until now I couldn't find a good content creator for the acoustic guitar subject. I hope you guys keep doing this great job.

[@va3ux]

That is an excellent overview. Just what I needed. Thankyou Tony

[@jackk9366]

I have always wanted to try jazz on one of these. I could keep up with a horn player on acoustic (at least in my head lol)

[@hopfrogg9599]

I'm looking at the action on that square neck and thinking... there is no way I can just pick that up and play it.

[@randomstuff3201]

Get a slide and play around with it. I bet you get something cool sounding out of it in no time. And no I don't play slide either. Yet.

[@Mark-qj5kp]

Dope video. Subbed. Totally bought a National NRP in Jan 2018 and loooooove it.

[@mgunthe]

This is such a good video. Clear, concise, gets to the point and teaches. Subscribed! Keep it up.

[@illgetbacktothat2291]

I just bought a resonator yesterday on a whim. So far I haven’t had this much fun playing in a long time. I almost couldn’t put it down.

[@NonApplicable1983]

I wonder if I could play some bluesy punk stuff in a resonator.

[@mariamachuca3993]

That sounds fun!

[@amylikestheblues3814]

Victoria That’s basically what I play on my resonator...its really fun :)

[@gchinmayvarma9030]

Damn it natsuki, unexpected ddlc

[@Lat3xE4teR]

Isn’t bluesy punk basically surf?

[@awarewolves1712]

@@Lat3xE4teR No! Find some Poison 13, texas band, eighties. Sub Pop released a nice retrospective called "Wine is Red, Poison is Blue." Think if you search "My Biggest Mistake" you'll find that song, ice-tea jug thumbnail. Also Gun Club of course, Birthday Party, Mule, Laughing Hyenas, lots of bands. But Poison 13, oh boy - buddy, it ain't surf. EDIT: Junkie Business has the whole Sub Pop album on his channel.

[@The_Hyundai_Guy]

This was awesome. I know nothing about resonator guitars but have recently been interested in learning slide and classic blues. Great video! Thank you!

[@patriciaryan4498]

Love, love, love my Gretsch resonator! Never occurred to me to be intimidated Now I am looking at cigar box guitar to use for my slide guitar, because I use my Gretsch for almost every thing...maybe you can review some cigar box guitars and what to look for..that would be so cool..thanks

[@michaelwaynemartin3291]

My Gretsch resonator is my life time guitar. Others will come and go but Gretchen is forever.

[@g10ronaldinho]

Good overview. My only outstanding question is metal vs wood bodies

[@nickjimenez4262]

I have not watched alot of your vids but i love this one. Clear info without anything else. Many times the info the vid claims to provide is buried under minutes and minutes of blah blah blah. Great vid im thinking of buying ond of these.

[@mariosalvai2466]

where did you get that crow skeleton? that's super cool

[@JerseyMiller]

Great demo sir. This is the first time I have actually seen images to go with the words. Thank you.

[@joelgcooper]

I am considering buying a resonator and this is exactly what I needed to know if I'm a good candidate!

[@westernky]

Thanks…great explanation…just started looking at resonators

[@pauloduarte3095]

I became addicted to country blues and bluegrass and the Appalachian style of country. Any advice on guitar and how to start learning how to play

[@garyjohnson627]

I bought a Michael messer lightning resonator. It’s fantastic to play and it’s fun to learn

[@bobaldrich110]

Nicely done! I'm looking forward to this new adventure, and you have clarified much. Thank you!

[@neogeoriffic]

I have a very rare 1936 Dobro "Lumalite" Resonator Guitar that plays like a dream!

[@sharmalarm]

This was extraordinarily helpful for a resonator noob like me. Thank you brother! I have subbed! 🙏🎸🕺

[@TomSandsGuitars]

I had no idea about the different types of resonator, this was fantastic. Cheers Tony!!

[@jorhay1]

Have you done a video on basic finger pick technique? Not finger picking, but the picks. Thanks.

[@anaximanderification]

This is great. I am looking to get one for some Fleetwood Mac style guitar riffs in a mix and this hellped me decide.

[@holasoyjuansm]

This was a great video, mainly because of you *man of whom I don’t know the name*. Really great vibe, awesome insights and good rhythm.

[@PM-fs2eg]

Really cool "The Shining" dolls on your desk!

[@west4coast77]

Great video! Short, concise and easy to follow with some nice playing to illustrate the sound. Gives us the knowledge to go try one out. Thanks.

[@VeeinBerkeley]

I didn’t know a lot of that stuff 😮 Thank you 🙏🏾

[@popsfereal]

I have one of those wacky Cozart spider resonators with the mini humbucker, biscuit pickup, BLEND knob, and 6.5 inches of string between the bridge and tailpiece. It has the most bizarre and beautiful harmonic ringing from that long run of string. Turned up loud it's like unleashing the hounds of hell into fields of ambrosia.

[@sharkyuwu9484]

I’m getting a beautiful resonator today I’m so excited

[@pigfeet8056]

Would love to see a sound comparison between fiberglass, fiberglass, fiberglass and fiberglass resonators. 🤔

[@bigguitarenergy2707]

YES! I always wanted to know the difference!

[@willieboy8798]

this is more than I could have asked for....gooo job very good detail!!

[@johnnykos5262]

Awesome guide !!! Really loved it

[@kentucky1519]

Im a casual instrumentalist. Basically i learn the songs i like to sing instead of the ones that would progress my skill. So far I play bass, guitar, and as of two weeks ago banjo so picking up new instrument abd learning the basic chords so i can play is pretty easy for me.

[@mattstemme]

Good stuff! I am not much of a musician, more of a songwriter and I have a round neck, biscuit, metal body resonator guitar on the way. I can play first position and cowboy chords decent enough, with a couple barr chords. Without knowing/understasnding theory, I am curious about open tuning and using a slide to fret chords. This doable?

[@ipuya]

So if you have a spider resonator and it has pickups to take care of the bark, does that make it equivalent to the output of a tri-cone?

[@epipick]

I have the Epiphone Houndog which isn't a bad one to start on. It even has Dobro on the headstock.

[@rafael55]

What a good explanation on the resonator guitar!! thanks!

[@Jason-o5s]

Cheer~~an apparatus that increases the resonance of a sound, especially a hollow part of a musical instrument.😊

[@daveyjoweaver5183]

Thanks Much Tony, Can you sometime give us a price range on these guitars? I once had an opportunity to buy an old National for $200 and didn't. Many years ago of course. A friends father wanted to sell it. And it was cherry too, like new. Had palm trees on the body and no wear at all. I was in high school making a buck an hour so $200 was lots then. Probably could have hit up my dad for it though. But as I said that was a mess of money back in the 60s. Still, I kick my arse for not buying it. And it would still be in the shape I first saw it in with me. Oh yes, even the case of that old National was cherry, like someone bought it and put it in a time capsule. Acoustic Life gives Life and Joy! Love and Light and Peace and Pickin! DaveyJO in PA.

[@l.r.zipris1770]

What about the body? Metal (steel, brass) versus wood (mahogany, maple).

[@rhythmx1498]

Thanks for this info on reasonator guitars.

[@gabrielles1236]

Great video. Thank you for sharing your expertise so clearly and encouraging people to play resonators.

[@Brandaniron]

Excellent video and very informative. I want one 😃

[@ingersollmusicacademy]

Great video and awesome Dart board!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@motoprofessor3546]

My 17 year old wants to learn how to play guitar and wants a resonator. Any ideas on which one will be good for a beginner?

[@LAKESICK]

Excellent stuff man! Thank you!

[@debrabiggerstaff1048]

Hi, I'm a beginner. Would this be a good guitar for me to start with ? I love their sound.

[@Johnny-mp2ew]

You like it then its good. Why the hell would ya play on something you dont like?

[@wornstrat5517]

Yes definitely. This is what I played on as a beginner. Sorry for being late.

[@DatBoi-mo9vc]

Any guitar that inspires you to keep picking it up and playing it is a good guitar to start with

[@rogerdodger5415]

I feel like I just went to the college of resonators! Thanks for explaining so well! 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸😎👍🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

[@nobody_gtk]

this guy really just said "guitarsenal" and thought he'd get away with it

[@TheGreatIndoors1979]

Love the playing at 4:07

[@doncummings3915]

I am a Bluegrass Dobro freak, and love Jerry Douglas work of course, any idea where I may find a vintage square neck Dobro guitar in NA...thank you sir

[@jacksharmonoquinn572]

Small question. . Would this be a good beginner guitar? I've always love the sound of these guitars. I have left hand issues, so I'm wondering if the slide would make up for my issues.

[@smithscarborough]

This is super helpful. Thanks!

[@JJ0575]

Thank you for this....I'm going to buy one, based on this 🎸

[@GregStraub42]

A resonator has been my main acoustic for the last decade, its fantastic but sadly the neck repair for before I bought it worries me. Id really love to find a resonator with a single cut that is fully acoustic or doesn't have a pickup and knobs, at least not ones you can see. and it seems like this is an impossible task, especially at any type of reasonable price.

[@csnymoodiesfan]

My husband is looking over my shoulder and I have been informed that I don’t need any more guitars.

[@9087125498172345]

Forgot to mention the neck length...I prefer resonators where the neck attaches to the body at the 14th fret vs the 12th fret. Finding it difficult to find a descent biscuit model that attaches at the 14th.

[@peterc.7841]

Informative and pleasant!

[@Doowopsid]

Great video! Just what I was looking for. I just got a Recording King Minnie Bucker. What are your thoughts about it and how do you think it will sound strumming mainly folk and country vs acoustic? Thanks!

[@killerbeuk]

What about tuners? I spot tuners like on a Spanish guitar and the regular ones like on CnW.

[@Telzgatelz]

I don’t know how to play a guitar but I’m here to learn only how to play this guitar coz I love the sound it gives❤

[@PANICBLADE]

Holy shit... Guitarsenal... Why didn't I ever think of that.

[@calcal5135]

If my main reason to get a resonator guitar is to get more volume but otherwise play it like a standard acoustic guitar which type, manufacturer and model would be a great choice? I would want a low action.

[@yopasjim]

Wow! Very sightful!

[@thomasd9237]

Wait did he say "it's another sonic flavor to add to my arse" ?? Cool video👍👍 I really want a resonator but have not been able to justify getting one ... yet

[@cnoel190]

Absolutely agree with everything in this video.Recently very fortunate to score my dream reso. 2016 Republic Highway 61 12 fret traveler (w/the 'UFO' cone plate), Albeit previously owned (was never able to afford one new and still can't believe I won the bid) still sweeeeeet. Swiftly became my go to, can't seem to put it down. Though this work of art sounds like a bossy angel, UN-fortunately the metal patina feels a bit like numerous cheap domestic beers have been carelessly allowed contact! Not quite sticky, weird kinda smooth/ruff...I guess my query is metal maintenance. All else is close perfect i.e. sound, tuners, neck, frets, biscuit, etc. Hesitant to use steel wool and the like. I was told to "just let it go do it's thing". Your thoughts?

[@tacguitar]

I think I am in the let it do its thing camp :-) , but one thing that you may want to research is a jewelers cloth. Let me first say I have not done this on any of my resos, but it works very well on my banjo's nickel plated hardware. The metal composition between the two instruments may be different so please do your research prior to trying on the body of the guitar :-)

[@bigbeefscorcho]

Thank you for this information!

[@rickyshoard]

What is a good budget resonator that has a pickup.

[@rickflippin1]

Great info

[@joecontreras5068]

Why do some brands have a hole in the palm rest ? What is the purpose ?

[@davidprince6514]

My Grandfather left me a round neck spider cone Morgan Monroe Wood body , im trying to find info on this guitar ,but not many videos on it , i dont know if its considered a High end Guitar or a Low end , and how its considered quality wise

[@outdoorshack7541]

Is the resonator the circular metal material in the middle?

[@lazloaluisa1906]

Thanks for the great video. Could you refer me to any company(s) that custom make the resonator mechanisms?

[@randyburleson]

What is the difference in tone between an all metal resonator vs a wood body resonator guitar?

[@Baci302]

Wait a second, you didn't go over the reasons why someone would choose a square neck lap/dobro over a round neck resonator. Are there any? I've seen David Bromberg play one backing up Bonnie Raitt on "Louise." The rest of the video is very informative.

[@mangmiketeamtaiaha7256]

How much does the Beer Near Resinator guitar cost?

[@marblekid]

Maybe a silly question but Can you have a resonator put into a guitar and have it sound good or when looking at a resonator guitar should I look at a particular brand? Thanks for this video.

[@UURevival]

What about ones with a brass body?

[@joeaguirre7074]

Great video. Thank you

[@alaspooryorick9946]

Oooh backwards thumbs like mine! Haha good to see other guitarists with thumbs like that.