BJ's Reso-Gear!!

    I truly love these wonderful instruments..

 

 

National Triolian 1930!!

 

Live in Italy, June 2009. Playin' my Resolian at the wonderful ROOTSWAY festival in Parma!!

 

Resonatin' - Here's a little sound demo of my resonator guitars!!!

 

 

 

And a new demo of my Republic guitars here:

 

 

 

And here's my new tricone, a Style 3 , Lily-of-the-valley engraving.. From Republic Guitars!!

Just arrived from Frank in Texas, And I LOVE it!!!! :D
It has a new and very cool "relicing" quite different from the relic finish on my Resolian!
This nickel has the "honest wear" from being played and loved/polished over 50 years, LoL!!! :mrgreen:

The engraving shows much better here than on a shiny polished nickel finish..

The finish and tone is great and the neck has the same profile as the Resolian, very much vintage specs, like a 30's National.. Awesome!!!

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Tricone Style 3 - Vintage vibes from Republic Guitars. 



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It simply looks authentic.. Amazing..

 

 

 

 


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The original tuners..

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I love the 12-string sound..



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Bringing this new baby with me on the road of course!!


I changed the tuners however, somehow I just need my tuners to be white..!? :shock:
These ones come from and old Swedish made Levin guitar from the 50's.. Looks are cool and they work fine!


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Vintage tuners..

 

 

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The Style 3 tricone in a radio studio, OneFM. Played a couple of songs, March 2009.

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Folks, here's an old Regal Dobro.. Ca. 1935!!


FINALLY I have found one of my dream guitars, a 1930’s Dobro (Regal-made)
It has the poinsettia cover plate that is not too common on these and I've been looking for years, now I’ve found one on eBay, hurray!! Laughing


Here is a picture of it from a Sears & Roebuck catalog..






It was really beat up and dirty..



Two dead spiders on a spider bridge, haha!!






A short-legged spider!


Original 1930's Dobro cone.. In good shape!






I have seen this half neckstick on metal bodied Regal Dobro’s, but apparently they used this on their wood bodies too.









Interesting solution with a half neckstick..




Ebony(ized?) fretboard, mahogany neck.. Needs some binding..






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When I play an old instrument for the first time I use to think and wonder: 

Who played it the last time and when was it .. 
This one was played a long, long time ago ...

I LOVE it!!

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A video clip so y'all can hear this one!!!!

 

Famous bluesman Archie Edwards did play one of these! 
Here's Archie:




The 1930's Dobro and a 12-string emulating the 1930's... Wink


I made this ol'timey headstock myself.. 

Vintage vibes.. 

Black looks NICE!!!!!

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Resonatin' with my Republics!!

 

Parlorsized reso's from Republic Guitars, Texas.

 

Meet the RESOLIAN!!

Here's a really nice new guitar model from Republic Guitars.. (2008)
I've made some clips showing the new Resolian, I've had it at home for a few hours now here and it's straight outta the box!! LoL!! 

Reso-relic finish, looks like a polished nickel model that has been hidden in an old tool shed for 70 years, LoL!!!! This is the best "aging" I've seen on a steel body, looks very cool(to my eyes that is..)

Tuning: Open G & D









The neck profile is brand new for Republic and it actually feels like the neck on my old 1933 Duolian!?! :D (awesome neck)
The headstock also differs from the older Republic guitar specs.. 
I LIKE it a lot!! 
Much fatter neck and slightly wider too..

 



The tone is amazingly rich for the body size, easily compared to it's bigger brothers..
Volume is great too, looking forward very much to get this one along for a gig(will happen tomorrow..)

Gotta love rust...!!!


Bottleneck John's Delta Trio!





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I just bought a nice old FAUX-Reso on eBay.. ;D
So there's no cone under the coverplate, usually a wooden-board or a metal plate with the bridge on top.. ::)

Just wanted y'all to see how a budget-BUDGET-reso was built like...

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Mid-30's, no-name, I'm guessing it's made by Regal, Chicago..

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Solid birch body!! (could be maple..)

 



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AWESOME case came with it, croc-skin, haha!!
Been looking for a long time in Sweden for a vintage case like this and here it was!! :mrgreen:

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Here's the fake reso"cone".. ::)

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But... Maybe I'll put this in there, LoL!!!!! :D

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And this... Gonna look great and sound SO much better....



Oops, more fake than I thought it was!!! Just awesome!!

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LmoL, there nothing at all under the coverplate, just silver paint on the top!!!!!! :P
Surprisingly cool tone though, looong sustain but less bass and low volume compared to any "real reso"..

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The coverplate is heavy, twice the weight of a standard coverplate...
(Could explain the awesome sustain, when this starts vibrating it'll never stop, hehe!!)

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I might put in a cone or keep it as it is, we'll see what happens!!!

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With my Republic resonators, way out in the sticks... 

Yeah, it actually looks like I'm playing way out in the middle of nowhere, LoL!!!!
The reso-sound really cut through the forrest, maybe I frightened a moose or deer..

However there was a small, nice crowd there with me in the woods, we had a great, great time, even the mosquitos kept away!! (mostly..)

 

 


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Two of my favourites, haha.. Linette really digs my resonator playing, well, she's been listening to it since before she was born..

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Meet the RESOLIAN!! #2

This one shines a lot more than it's brother, the Reso-Relic!! Brass body. (2009)

"Chicken foot" coverplate, great late 1930's style..

Beautiful metal!! 

 

A nice mahogany neck!

Supersolid neck-joint, these necks are truly hand-carved by skilled luthiers!! No CNC-machines used!

Pearloid (M.o.t.s.) was used on some of the original National guitars back in the 1920's and 30's.. A cool feature!

 

The Style 3 tricone on stage!

 

 

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Amistar tricone with a headstock modification, from solid to slotted head.. I like it!!!

 

 

Relaxin' the blues.. At a guitar clinic in Höganäs, Skåne!

 

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"..Slide guitar is first about listening.. Then it's about feeling.. It's about how you can make your guitar sound more like a voice than wood and steel or bronze... Don't be afraid to play less, to work with your voice and with the silence between the notes. 

A lotta nothing is still nothing. A little something... now THAT's something!!.."

Resonatin' words of wisdom..

With the Duolian in Helsingborg..

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Here's my new resonator, a cheap, cheap spider-bridge guitar.. And I LOVE it!!! Has great tone..

 

 

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And now Linette's got daddy's old blues cap too, LoL!!!! Young lady of the blues..

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     Really nice size on these new parlor reso's..!! Very lightweight and perfect travel guitars! Compared to a Duolian..

 

 

 

Republic Resonators, US brand, Chinese made..

 

 

There's many out there interested in the new models from Republic Guitars.

So just for fun, here's a short "simple sound sample" of the model "Miniolian" the wood bodied parlor sized reso-guitar..

It has a GREAT sound, less bass and volume than it's bigger bodied brothers in the reso-family, but the sustain is amazing and the neck and body size is very, very nice!!!!

More clips featuring the Republic Miniolian to come..

Never mind my playing here though, this is a clip from a lesson in beginners slide guitar that I teach.. Simple, clean, plain and moderate...
Just to let people hear it, tuned to open G here...


Truly an original appearance!!

Nice Rosewood back..

Specs for the Republic Miniolian:

Spruce Top

Rosewood back and sides

Rosewood fretboard

Abalone body and rosette inlay

1 3/4"Bone nut

Maple and ebony saddle

Vintage style 3 on a plate tuners

Continental cone

Biscuit bridge

Total length 38"

Scale 24 1/2"

Nut width 1 3/4"

Upper bout 8"

Lower bout 12"

Body 3 1/2"  

 

Click on Reublic logo to go their website!!

 

The resonator mandolin!!!! A very cool instrument!!! Huge volume too...

 

 

 What a beautiful picture!!!! Thanks Michel for capturing the moment!!

Just got this beauty from Ian McWee at Diamond Bottlenecks..!!! My daughters name engraved in gold leaf lettering... AMAZING!! 

It's one of their "The Ultimate" model.. A PIECE OF ART, REALLY...

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                     The MojoBox..!!! A really cool and useful thing..

 

Here's some new pics from the 2006 WRA festival, photos by Karel Horácek.

Me and Ol'Rusty, my one-of-a-kind Amistar Crossroads model.. The vintage patina is outstanding on this one..!!!

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I attended a guitar workshop in Stockholm, teachers: Steve James and Del Rey!

Steve with his brand new, one existing wood body Reso-Rocket..!

He's one of my heroe's, was great fun to meet him and learn a few tricks..!!

Rikard Hagson, good friend and great stringed instruments player! Here with my Banjo-mandolin..

Steve's NRP reso-mando!! Awesome tone!!

Del Rey with a Ron Phillips parlor size resonator guitar!! Oh boy, she's a great player too!!!!

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NEWS! -AMISTAR-AMISTAR-AMISTAR- NEWS!

Yes, that's true! I'm now a very proud owner of an Amistar resophonic guitar! 

Finally... I've been drooling over these hand made resophonic instruments from Prague in the Czech Republic!! The good people at Amistar really know their trade...!! They're second to no other reso-maker around!!!

My brand new Amistar Style 1 TriCone.. Vintage looks..!! Jeez, it's wonderful!!!!

      Mattias Nordqvist                               Gary Todd (living bass-legend )                              BJ                                                       Stephan Ebn               

The FelsenKeller..  OK, so far without a doubt THE coolest venue I've ever played in... A HUGE cave in Schwandorf.. COOL PLACE!!!

I just got a new slide from Woodchuck-Guitars in Germany, it's a great bronze slide that sounds wicked!!!! RJ special...

Listen to the Duolian here!! Old blues in E..

 

Some new promotional photos.. A beautiful northern winter day!!!

The "great Lake" sea monster likes ResoPhonics....

 

Some pics from the Dundee Blues Bonanza, I had a GREAT time in Scotland!!

                                  Here's me and a legendary piano man from England, Bob Hall!!    Check out the video..!!

I just sit there and admire this mans amazing boogie-woogie piano style!! Bob has played with more blues people than I can remember! For example: Savoy Brown, Howlin' Wolf, Rolling Stones, John Lee Hooker, Little Walter, Jimmy Witherspoon, Chuck Berry, Homesick James, Lightnin’ Slim, Lowell Fulsom, Charlie Musselwhite, Snooky Prior, J B Hutto, Lazy Lester, Eric Clapton etc etc.. A long list.. So I'm happy to have done some tunes with him..

Me and Bob jamming..

 

     From L-R: Bob Telford (the festival manager), BJ, Bob Hall, Tam White (also an actor, was seen in the movie "Braveheart")

  This was a photo taken for the Dundee Newspaper, The Courier..

 

Here's me and "Old Rusty" as I've named my guitar!! When we met I just knew that it had to be mine!!

Supercool, aged vintage appearence. The first one of it's kind! But I believe Amistar will make more guitars with this look!!! It's simply a hit, everyone likes it at the first glance, and that's even before they hear it.. One chord and they're Amistar fans for life!!!  LoL..!!! Jeez, I JUST LOVE THE LOOKS ON THIS ONE!!

 

 

 

Rusty and his somewhat more shiny brother..  

Firing away on my new guitar at a show in Skalica, Slovakia..!! My first gig with Rusty..!! I think we did well..

VIDEO's

And in Pilzen, CZ.. Here I'm at the WRA festival..!!

The soundholes reminds you of an old Regal metal body(fiddle edge) Dobro from the 1930's. Good to see this design again!!!! AND.. It actually makes the guitar somewhat louder and adds bass to the already awesome sound of the Amistar singlecones..!!

 

 

A 1933-34 National Duolian, in a really nice beat-up, mega-worn(!) condition!!! Mine, mine, mine!! 

I've begun restoring it slightly.. Should be ready for some serious playing soon..!!

 

Finished!!

The "new" headstock.. Looks cool!!

 

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My National-Resophonic, Delphi Vintage Steel..(Just sold this one..)

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Reso-mania!

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True happiness is metal..?

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My new slide!! Custom made by Diamond Bottlenecks, UK.. These slides are the state of the art!! GET ONE!!!!

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Hand blown, hand engraved in gold leaf lettering..!! It's so COOL, and it plays and sounds amazing..!!!!

   

The EVOLUTION..

This is the EVOLUTION among slides..!! I've just begun playing with it and I'm stuck for the rest of my life..!! 

Stainless steel AND glass in the same slide!!!! The weight of the steel gives the glass AMAZING tone!!!!

 

 

One spiritual tune and one up-tempo blues jammed at the local coffee house where me and my friends use to meet and play the blues from time to time.. 

All acoustic, no mics, no amps.. Old school!

 

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Resonatin´

 

My newly aquired "Style N".. Steel body.. A great guitar, will be my "on-the-road" guitar!!

Here beside his brother, my National-Resophonic VS Delphi..!!

A beautiful guitar and it sounds SO sweet..!! Has a Schatten Design RG-03 PickUp installed..

 

 

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    THE coolest guitars ever built!!     

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A beautiful day by the frozen lake, a Singlecone in the snow!!

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     " Style N"    "Levin  Mod. 195 - 1936"     "Vintage Steel Delphi"    "Tricone Style 1"

 

The master of the reso-guitar: Bob Brozman!! Check out some photos of him!

He's a great performer and a great person..!!!! Proud to have met him..

 

If you live in Sweden, I highly recommend these reso-strings from JAM in Stockholm..!! Check them out!!

 

Reso-Links..!!

Check out a very nice music instrument dealer in Europe, WoodChuck Guitars in Germany..!!!

Also, check out AMISTAR, maker of very high quality hand made resonator guitars in the Czech Republic..!!!! And good friends of mine!!

If you like old National guitars : http://www.vintagenationals.com/

Robin O'Herin,  Blues & Gospel..!!

A brand new reso-compilation from all over Europe!!

www.hot.ee/bullfrogbrown   Bullfrog Brown, reso-blues from Estonia!!

http://www.christian-prechtl.com/  Blues from Austria!!

http://www.chriswrightbluesperformer.com/  Great UK blues man..!!

              http://www.davidkampmann.dk/   Danish reso-maestro!! Great player..!!

http://privat.bluezone.no/toreruus/  Slidin' Rooster from Norway..!!

See lots of VIDEO clips here!!!!!

MORE LINKS HERE!!

 

BJ way out in the sticks... Camp Husku in the Jamtland mountains..

"..Slide guitar is first about listening.  Then it's about feeling. It's about how you can make your guitar sound more like a voice than wood and steel or bronze...

Don't be afraid to play less, to work with your voice and with the silence between the notes. A lotta nothing is still nothing. A little something... now THAT's something!!.."

 Resonatin' words of wisdom..

© 2003 - 2009  BJ

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Först av allt på denna sida inför julen 2008, en bunt med julkort med resonatormotiv!!

Snart är det ju dags att äta sig oförskämt mätt och julkorten är ju redan postade med snigelposten..
Här kommer några varianter på årets digitala och gitarrinriktade julkort, haha!! ;D



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Fotograferat en sen afton när familjen somnat.. ;)