| Subject: | Re: [RESOGUIT-L] Naming instruments & dogs | | Date: | Sunday, April 29, 2007 10:49:23 (-0700) | | From: | Tom Foote <footet @.........edu>
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On Apr 28, 2007, at 11:52 PM, Peter Nyce wrote:
> Peter Nyce wrote:
> BTW, when did the term "reso" replace "Dobro"? I thought that Dobro
> name had become generic like TV Guide or Kleenex or Band-Aid. "I'm
> a reso picker" just doesn't have the same ring or connotation or
> inference as "I'm a Dobro picker". Don't'cha think?
>
when the Dobro first surfaced in the 50s as viable Bluegrass
instrument, there weren't any other makes around... except for a few
like the ones Shot Jackson made, but they didn't get a lot of
press as did the Dobro. As the instrument became more and
more popular, instrument builders such as Rudy Q. Jones et al began
making custom "Dobros" At some point in this
process, Gibson purchased the name Dobro and insisted that luthiers
making resophonic instruments quit calling their
products Dobro because is was a patent infringement and they now
owned the patent. The ensu\ing buzz among the players
was more humorous than anything else giving rise to the term TIFKAD
(The Instrument Formerly Known as Dobro)
and resophonic guitar... and eventually resonator guitar. I believe
this is a reasonably accurate assessment of why the
Dobro is no longer allowed to be called a Dobro (unless, of course,
it's manufactured by Gibson).. if anyone else has
more accurate information, please jump in.
on a personal note, I think Gibson made a big mistake by shutting
down the calling of resonator guitars "Dobro" because
it sort of alienated the very people who should be ambassadors of the
"Dobro"... us. It calls to mind the Hollywood starlet's
response when she was asked how she could possibly tolerate all the
awful things said about her in the press.. her response
was "I don't care what they say about me, dah-ling, as long as they
talk about me!"
And, I think I'm now getting used to resonator guitar or reso and
that's how I refer to my instrument when I'm asked about
it. (although I do have 2 old Dobros, which are forevermore,
Dobros.. : > )
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Re: [RESOGUIT-L] N
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