Dobro Model 56 (c. 1932)

Description

While many manufacturers have built fantastic dobros over the past hundred years, there's a reason the name of the instrument itself is still synonymous with the company founded by the Dopyera brothers - nobody did it quite like the originals. This Model 56, which we believe dates from around 1932, was originally a round-neck wood-bodied resonator, but a decades-old aluminum nut extender means this one's been used for slide play throughout more or less its entire life (common for the Model 56 and its direct predecessor, the Model 55). With a laminate maple body, a solid mahogany neck, and an authentic hand-spun cone of the type that would later be adopted by National after the companies merged later in the decade, this beautiful old box has the high, whining tone that can really only be found in dobros of this era or earlier. This is a fantastic next-step instrument for Hawaiian or bluegrass players interested in something that stands out in the recording studio and on stage alike, and we're looking forward to handing it off to its next owner.

This instrument arrived in our store on the lower end of very good condition. There is notably a very slim gap between the neck joint and the body, indicative of the large amounts of torque this guitar has been under for nearly 100 years due to the higher string tension exerted by dobro tuning. There's little else in the way of damage, with about a typical to below typical of cosmetic wear - most dents and divots center on the treble side of the guitar, the back, and the neck. Finish checking is fairly uniform and in line with expectations for an instrument of this age. All parts appear to be original, including the cone and bridge. The instrument has long since parted ways with its original case, and now comes with a decidedly non-original gig bag, manufactured by Walden.

*Please note, per our return policy, all sales on used and consignment instruments are final.*