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  Dobro Simulator

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Author Topic:   Dobro Simulator
Jory Simmons
Member

From: Elkhorn, Wisconsin, USA

posted 20 May 2005 12:02 PM     profile     
Just thought I'd let every-one Know That Steel-Guitar Nashville will soon have a new Dobro-Simulator Avail. I've already ordered mine.It is a pedal( not a clip on like previous units) and comes with AC adapter and Tone Bar. Bobbe says they sound great! Can't wait to get one! Jory

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Jory Simmons

Bob Lawrence
Member

From: Lwr Sackville, Nova Scotia, Canada

posted 20 May 2005 01:22 PM     profile     
Here's the info from Bobbe's Tips (April/05) for anyone that's not on the list:

"We as steel players have had another loss that has affected many of us greatly. This was a unit that made our steel guitars sound very much like a resonator guitar such as a Dobro. This unit was produced by Goodrich for several years and although it got progressively better throughout it's lifetime, it got notoriously expensive up until this company decided to cease production on it permanently.

Through much experimenting with available products and analyzing the true sound of Dobro style guitars with oscilloscopes and voice print machines, we have found a way to duplicate this unique sound by doing a modification to an already available product. We here at Steel Guitar Nashville, are planning on making this unit available for less than $200 introductory price."

David Spires
Member

From: Nashville, TN USA

posted 20 May 2005 07:10 PM     profile     
WOW! I am definately going to be talking to Bobbe about this. I use a MatchBro, and couldn't do Jo Dee's gig without it - and have often worried if, or when, it will break on me...

Heck, for $200 - I'd have it as a backup, but hopefully, the tone would be even better!

Tell me more, and thanks in advance,

David Spires

David L. Donald
Member

From: Koh Samui Island, Thailand

posted 21 May 2005 07:15 AM     profile     
Very cool, looking forward to checking one out.
Erv Niehaus
Member

From: Litchfield, MN, USA

posted 21 May 2005 07:37 AM     profile     
I would think you could take the Boss acoustic simulator and make a sound like a resophonic guitar without too much trouble.
Erv
Jack Stoner
Sysop

From: Inverness, Florida

posted 21 May 2005 07:50 AM     profile     
With modern electronics, it shouldn't be too hard to emulate a dorbo sound. I've got one factory program on my T.C. Electronic G-Major effects processor that will do in a pinch.

I have one of the original model Goodrich MatchBro's (has the tone control in the bypass) and it works very well and I've even fooled several Bluegrass pickers. But, whatever is made to simulate a dobro, you have to adapt your playing style to dobro. If you try to play "steel guitar" with a dobro emulator it will not work and it will sound terrible. Think dobro and the dobro licks. The amp and EQ settings are another issue, as much as I like my Nashville 112, I find I get a better dobro sound from my Nashville 1000 with my Pedal steel EQ settings (If I change the EQ on 112 it will do OK, but when you are on a job and switch to "dobro" for one song or just to do a break in a song, it's too much of a hassle to reset the EQ).

David Spires
Member

From: Nashville, TN USA

posted 21 May 2005 09:01 PM     profile     
Couldn't agree more, Jack. I've been toying with a new idea, for me, this year. I'm switching to an acoustic amp model on my Pod XT when using the MatchBro (I have the original that you are describing as well).

By doing that, I also am using different room, and room reverb settings, and I love the results. The only negative I find is that the MatchBro has a lot more high end "hiss" than you hear when using a steel amp. My only explination is that the steel amp rolls off a lot of those highs, so it is not as noticable.

I use the gate quite a bit to help hide this, and it actually makes me use my volume pedal less, more like playing without one - so it probably helps me in the long run.

Just a little side note - didn't mean to hijack the thread.

Thanks,

David Spires

David Mason
Member

From: Cambridge, MD, USA

posted 22 May 2005 02:11 AM     profile     
I have a compressor (w/ attack, release, ratio and threshold controls), a 15-band graphic EQ, and a Lexicon reverb/delay unit in one chain of my stereo setup, and with a light bar and some finicky knob-twisting I can get really close. I usually use a home-made 1 1/4" acrylic bar, about 3 oz. Most steel players shy away from midrange for their standard tone and upper midrange is predominant in the dobro sound, to my ear. Like the man said, you got to play dobro licks, too - they don't play 4-note chords with moving voices, that's for sure.
Jory Simmons
Member

From: Elkhorn, Wisconsin, USA

posted 22 May 2005 04:56 AM     profile     
As it turns out, price for the Dobro Simulator from SGN is $299...NOT $199..With shipping comes to $313.00.Should get mine tues or Weds( I got the last one they had, but more on the way)I will post results soon after I check it out! Jory

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Jory Simmons

rpetersen
Member

From: Tipton, Iowa

posted 22 May 2005 08:58 AM     profile     
try taking a "cheapie" 6-8 band EQ
Set the first one to lowest setting, the next to to the top setting and the next to the bottom and so forth - alternate them all - Low cost dobro sound!!!!!!!!!! I saw someone do this and was impressed for the cost of it!!

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Ron Petersen &
The Keep'n Tyme Band
Mullen Universal 12 - 1975 Session 400 - Nashville 1000 - Nashville 112


William Steward
Member

From: Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands

posted 23 May 2005 08:44 PM     profile     
I don't mean to sound sarcastic but I bought a bottom-of-the-line Regal dobro for about $375 with factory-installed Quarterman cone and added a Lacy dobro pickup I acquired on Ebay for $75....the thing looks, sounds and plays like a real dobro. It even has a rich dobro sound without feeding back too badly. At that price, why bother trying to make a steel emulate one? I garantee it will sound more authentic than any electronic device.....just a thought. It certainly would not be a stretch for any of you guys to play a 6 string.

[This message was edited by William Steward on 23 May 2005 at 08:45 PM.]

db
Member

From: Bethlehem, PA 18015 USA

posted 23 May 2005 08:47 PM     profile     
A "flip of a switch"!
- VS -
Changing instuments!

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Dan Balde
U-12/8&5, S-7/D 3&1, S-6/E,A & G3

db
Member

From: Bethlehem, PA 18015 USA

posted 24 May 2005 07:42 PM     profile     
quote:
"we have found a way to duplicate this unique sound by doing a modification to an already available product"

Care to share what product that is?
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Dan Balde
U-12/8&5, S-7/D 3&1, S-6/E,A & G3

[This message was edited by db on 24 May 2005 at 07:44 PM.]

db
Member

From: Bethlehem, PA 18015 USA

posted 24 May 2005 07:48 PM     profile     
I would guess that it is a "Flanger/Comb-filter" set to a fixed "time-shift" position . . .
With a "fine-tune" time adjustment . . . Plus, a tone control.
Am I close?
------------------
Dan Balde
U-12/8&5, S-7/D 3&1, S-6/E,A & G3

[This message was edited by db on 24 May 2005 at 07:49 PM.]

Jory Simmons
Member

From: Elkhorn, Wisconsin, USA

posted 25 May 2005 10:50 AM     profile     
Got my Boss "Bro" Pedal today from SGN. It sounds good.I tried going the route of a cheap reso guitar and P/u and when I tried playin it on stage it howled like a wolf!Thank God I sold the whole mess for what I payed! Now I push a button and play "what was I thinkin"!!!!!!Its fast and easy.I don't have to change any settings on my Nash 112 'cause they got that already figured out...No knobs to fool with at all.
Thanks Bobbe!!!!JD

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Jory Simmons

KENNY KRUPNICK
Member

From: Grove City,Ohio

posted 25 May 2005 04:15 PM     profile     
Is this one a stomp box made by BOSS called a "Bro" box? I'd like to see,and try one of those.
Joey Ace
Sysop

From: Southern Ontario, Canada

posted 25 May 2005 05:53 PM     profile     
William,
I own a wonderful Dobro, but on all my club gigs I use the Matchbro (the original model that Jack and David described). It doesn't sound as good as the real thing, but there's no way I could play Steel and Dobro in the same song if I had to use the real thing, and that's what's required of me.

I'm looking forward to a comparsion report of this new unit vs a Matchbro.

Joey

Jory Simmons
Member

From: Elkhorn, Wisconsin, USA

posted 25 May 2005 11:00 PM     profile     
Yes, it is a Boss "Bro" stomp-box.It has no controls at all....A No-Brainer if there ever was one! I play in a 4 pc band and (Like Joey said) steel and dobro in the same song (sometimes)....I had a superbro, and it distorted at loud volumes...granted,perhaps something was wrong...but the "Bro" sounds fine. $300 is a lot to pay,for a Boss pedal.... but that included the nylon Bar and power supply....the Superbro cost a Lot more!! I'm even gonna add a EQ stomp box to my pedalboard right next to it.. so when I hit the "Bro" I won't have to change my amp settings. Three gigs this week-end and I can't wait to try it!!!

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Jory Simmons

John Lacey
Member

From: Black Diamond, Alberta, Canada

posted 26 May 2005 12:16 PM     profile     
Is this pedal produced by the Boss (Roland) Co.? Can't find anything about it on their site.
Peter
Member

From: Cape Town, South Africa

posted 26 May 2005 12:26 PM     profile     
http://steelguitarforum.com/Forum11/HTML/007148.html
db
Member

From: Bethlehem, PA 18015 USA

posted 26 May 2005 07:58 PM     profile     
What a tease!
Can't we see a photo?
Some "advertizing" literature?
Some "product description" release info?
SOMETHING!
And what is the pricing again?
And how do you order?

------------------
Dan Balde
U-12/8&5, S-7/D 3&1, S-6/E,A & G3

BobbeSeymour
Member

From: Hendersonville TN USA

posted 26 May 2005 08:13 PM     profile     
We have just run out, but should have more finished next week end. We have run out of the "mod" parts we use in this conversion.
No, you can't get this unit from Boss or anyone else.
Until we can get where we can keep up with demand, we won't be advertising them, this is why I delited my first post about this unit.
Thank you guys, we'll have a few ready every week.
We will also have the Goodrich model soon.
db
Member

From: Bethlehem, PA 18015 USA

posted 26 May 2005 08:24 PM     profile     
Gees . . .
Give us something!
Let us "drool" in the meantime!

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Dan Balde
U-12/8&5, S-7/D 3&1, S-6/E,A & G3

Peter
Member

From: Cape Town, South Africa

posted 28 May 2005 06:44 AM     profile     
Dan, don't worry.
Soon all these DOBRO sounds and other new sounds will be available in software only. Like the free downloadable sounds for the PodXT. It is just a matter of time.
I'll be waiting

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Peter den Hartogh
1978 Emmons S10 P/P; 1977 Sho-Bud D10 ProIII Custom;
1975 Fender Artist S10; Remington U12; 1947 Gibson BR4;

Internationally Accredited 3D Animation Academy

Mark Eaton
Member

From: Windsor, Sonoma County, CA

posted 28 May 2005 11:10 AM     profile     
Now we need a box for a dobro that you can stomp to make it sound like a steel- sort of a "bast#*d stepchild" in reverse...

------------------
Mark

[This message was edited by Mark Eaton on 28 May 2005 at 11:10 AM.]

BobbeSeymour
Member

From: Hendersonville TN USA

posted 29 May 2005 07:03 PM     profile     
By the way, the simulator called the "BoBro" or just plain "BRO", uses one 9 volt battery, that should last for a couple of years. Replacement time is less than ten seconds, even if you fumble it!
$299.00, includes bar, and remote power supply, for guys using it continually in a club setting or mounting it to a "pedal effect board".
David Spires, Steve Hinson, Howard White, Pete Finny and several other Nashville road Players have already gotten theirs.
More should be ready this week.
I am sure the new Goodrich unit will also be a great product, as is everything that company builds. I will be stocking both units, as I do all of the wonderful Goodrich products.
Bobbe
Steel Guitar Nashville

[This message was edited by BobbeSeymour on 29 May 2005 at 07:06 PM.]

William Steward
Member

From: Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands

posted 29 May 2005 09:23 PM     profile     
Joey - good point...I have nearly dropped the dobro after the intro in I'm Gonna Miss Her trying to get to the steel part. It is possible though and I watched Jeff Peterson one night playing with Clint Black - he switched fairly seamlessly between lapsteel, dobro and pedals. I am getting used to playing piano with picks on too. The Matchbro seemed like a lot of $ for an effect. I am also interested in these reviews of different boxes if I can find a cheap enough one.

[This message was edited by William Steward on 29 May 2005 at 09:25 PM.]

BobbeSeymour
Member

From: Hendersonville TN USA

posted 01 June 2005 10:24 AM     profile     
Just finished 12 more units, $299.00 each, bar and power adaptor included. Just call:
615 822 5555, Visa, Master, American Express.


Bobbe

Steve Hinson
Member

From: Hendersonville Tn USA

posted 01 June 2005 06:49 PM     profile     
I sure like mine...
Steve Hinson
Member

From: Hendersonville Tn USA

posted 05 June 2005 10:18 AM     profile     
Loving it!The whole band says the low end is better and more dobro-like...
BobbeSeymour
Member

From: Hendersonville TN USA

posted 05 June 2005 04:06 PM     profile     
Thank you Steve, your comments are like several others we have gotten. These things really do sound great, even if I do say so myself.
Bobbe BoBro
Bobby Rice
Member

From: Dresden, Tennessee, USA

posted 06 June 2005 07:24 PM     profile     
Could someone tell me who makes this BoBro thing? I would love to learn more about it.

[This message was edited by Bobby Rice on 07 June 2005 at 02:40 PM.]

Rand Anderson
Member

From: Flagstaff, Arizona, USA

posted 06 June 2005 11:10 PM     profile     
so bobbe,
howabout if i don't want the bar and the wall wart.....is there a discounted price for just the unit? can i use my superbro bar?
thanks
rand
BobbeSeymour
Member

From: Hendersonville TN USA

posted 08 June 2005 07:18 PM     profile     
I'll be glad to help you out Rand.
bobbe

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