If you use a preamp or effects system that allows storing presets (I'm usually too lazy to take my big rack to most gigs) having a preamp preset that has no verb, no delay, and thinner EQ than you usually use with your steel is about all you can do -- equipment-wise. However, avoiding pedal glisses and moves that can't be done on an acoustic Dobro will also help. I personally like using my regular steel bar and going for a Ped-a-bro sound on some tunes. How you attack the strings, picking near the bridge for a sharper sound with more attack, and other elements of technique may also be in order.

As far as what position to play out of, I like the A+B pedals position and just hold them down most of the time.

I don't think playing a real Dobro has ruined your ears. Only made them more discriminating.

Bottom line is that the Match-Bro is the best tool I've found and with practice it can sound as good as most Dobro amplification systems I've heard but won't get the quality of a good acoustic instrument.

Hope this helps.

LTB

[This message was edited by Larry Bell on 23 January 2001 at 10:38 AM.]

I've got a Match-Bro that sounds about as good as I can get my cheap little Regal to sound, and I've got a really awful patch on my 2112 that's kind-of-sort-of-sometimes-something-like a Dobro, but in comparision really, really sucks, (if anybody else has a good Dobro Patch, PLEASE send it to me.) I only use either effect about a half of dozen times a night over 4 sets, and a couple of those times are Southern Rock Blues stuff. From the reactions I've gotten from the other band members, from the Wives Table, from the club regulars, it really doesn't seem all that important to them which I use. The band seems to really prefer if I'm pumpin' pedals and have said something about it several times. The closer I get to an acoustic sound, the less anyone seems to care.

When I use my Nashville 400 and DD5 delay unit, I switch the DD5 off and just have a little bit of reverb (reverb set on 4). When I use it with my Transtube Fex processor, I have the EQ set flat with no delay and just a very slight amount of reverb.

My Nashville 400 has the factory tone mod and I set it, Low +9, Mid 800Hz and approx -3 and the High and Presence +3. My steel is a D-10 Franklin with Lawrence 710 Pickups.

[This message was edited by Jack Stoner on 24 January 2001 at 05:00 PM.]

I have an effect unit that does nearly everything, but have no idea which effects I should use and how much. I would guess the compressor would be used. What else?

Thanks

Frank

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1980 Black Emmons Push-Pull D-10 9+4 #2783D

If you work with some compression and EQ, you might be able to come up with something.

quote:

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Several years ago John Lemay had the settings to use with a graphic EQ to get the dobro emulation. E-mail John and see if you can get the settings. From what I remember most of the graphic EQ points were in the cut or minus side.

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I am a very satisfied user of the Matchbro. I tried the 3rd Octave EQ to simulate the tone with less than satisfying results.
The Matchbro is an expensive unit, but I have a 1970 Dobson Bros dobro that I dont want to take out and get abused. It is a beautiful sounding instrument, but using a pickup on stage reduces it to someting even less desireable than the Matchbro. A dobro needs to be played acoustically.

One of the best ways to get the dobro sounds is to play your steel like a dobro tuning. With the A&B pedals, you have a dobro tuning in the key of A. The chart below shows the AB pedal against the dobro. If you play a universal tuning you have an added advantage of having the 6th dobro string.
I play with the AB pedals down all the time with the Matchbro and leave the volume pedal still.
There are NO RULES, play pedals and levers as you wish, I just find that tring to emulate the dobro is more effective when playing a dobro tuning.
I hope this helps.

      Dobro        |   E9 A&B Pedals     |   E9/B6 U A&B Pedals
String    Note     | String   Note       | String   Note
  1-------D-(5th)--|---4-----E--(5th)----|---4-----E--(5th)    
  2-------B-(3rd)--|---5-----C#-(3rd)----|---5-----C#-(3rd)    
  3-------G-(Root)-|---6-----A--(Root)---|---6-----A--(Root)   
                   |   7     (Not Used)  |   7     (Not Used)  
  4-------D-(5th)--|---8-----E--(5th)----|---8-----E--(5th)    
  5-------B-(3rd)--|--10-----C# (3rd)----|---9-----C#-(3rd)
  6-------G-(Root)-|---------------------|--10-----A--(Root)

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Terry Downs
http://nightshift.net
terry@nightshift.net