Vintage Guitars Info's
Dobro Metal Body Resonator
Vintage Guitar Info.

Serial Number: 10878; Country of Origin: USA; Condition: Good; Date Posted. Serial number on a 1936 M-35 metal body. Dobro Serial Numbers. 1929 to 1937 Dobro Serial numbers by M.Cass. Note the 1929 to 1937 serial number info is not very accurate. For example I own a Dobro metal body M-62 with the serial number 1832. According to the list below it should be 1930. But no metal body Dobro existed before 1935. I recently bought a National double 8, probably a Grand Console. It was advertized as a 50s but it had the screw type jack. I did change the jack and this old fellow is mellow, but being curious I would like to know if it is earlier than the 50's. Is there a resource that would tell me by the serial number? Gary Anwyl Member. From: Palo Alto, CA.

Private vintage guitar collector. Pictures, history for Dobro metal body resonator vintage guitars from 1935 to 1940.

National Resophonic Serial Numbers

Dobro picture gallery
Contact the Vintage Guitar Info Guy1938 Dobro No.35 metalbody

National Resophonic Guitar Serial Numbers

Introduction:

1928-1937 Vintage Dobro Serial Numbers (includes bothmetal and wood body resonator instruments)
1970-present OMI Dobro Serial Numbers (includes bothmetal and wood body resonator instruments)

1935 to 1940 Metal Body Resonator Vintage Model Info:

Painted Metal body Dobro Resonators:

M-32 gold painted vintage resonator metalbody
M-35 sunburst painted vintage resonator metalbody
M-46 'Lumalite' silver painted vintage resonator metalbody
M-47 'Lumalite' mahogany grain painted vintage resonator metalbody

Nickel Plated Metal body Dobro Resonators:

M-14 nickel plated vintage resonator metalbody
M-15 nickel plated vintage engraved resonator metalbody
M-16 nickel plated vintage engraved resonator metalbody
M-62 'Spanish dancer' nickel plated vintage resonator metalbody
M-65 'singing ladies' nickel plated vintage resonator metalbody

Ukulele vintage resonators

Introduction:

The Resonator.

If your metal body Dobro has a 'fiddle edge', than it was made from 1935 to 1940.
If it has a smooth edge, it's a reissue made from1970 or newer.
Left:1935-1940 No.32 with a gold 'frosted Duco' krinkle finish. Note the fiddle edge.
Right:1935-1940 No.62 Dobro with a fiddle edge.

Metal Body Resonator Guitars.

Regal

Ward

The construction of the Regal/Dobro metalbody was quite different than National guitars. Regal/Dobro tops and backs were fastened to the sides with a unique methodthat required no soldering. The resulting lip around the edges gave riseto the name 'Violin Edge' or, 'Fiddle Edge' as it was known around the factory. This construction method was only used from 1935 to 1940. Alllater model metal Dobro's which were in production from the 1970 to thepresent are easily identifiable because they lack thisfiddle edge. Some of these models used a 'M-' prefix or 'M' suffix around the model number. Hawaiiansquare neck models used a 'P-' prefix or 'H' suffix.

Port holes versus f-holes on two metal body vintage 1935-1940 Dobro guitars.
Left: gold 'frosted Duco' No.32 with port holes.
Right: sunburst No.35 with f-holes.

Serial Numbers Microsoft

Port holes versus f-holes.

Metal or wood body, Dobros with 'f' holes are considered less desirable than 'port' hole models.Dobro used f-holes on their less expensive models,and port holes on their mid to upper end models. This especially appliesto wood body Dobros. Metal body dobros this is not really an issue.

The tailpiece used on all 1935-1940 vintage
Dobro metal bodies.

Metalbody Dobro Tailpieces.

A 1935 M-32 model. Note the 'slotted' peghead. Only 1935 metalbody Dobros will have a slotted peghead. The 1936 to 1940 modelswill have a 'solid' peghead. Note the serial number on the topof the peghead, and the 'fiddle edge' body style.

Round versus Square Neck Models.
Roundneck metalbody vintage Regal/Dobros are more valuable than squareneck metalbodies. In woodbody Dobros, the opposite is true; squareneck woodbody Dobros are more valuable than roundneck woodbodies.

I collect just roundneck metalbody Regal/Dobros. They have a sweet tone with limited attack, but long decay (opposed to National's single cone sound of sharp attack, short decay). In this respect, a good metalbody Regal/Dobro sounds a lot like a tricone National.

Lucky for me, metalbody Regal/Dobros are not considered by the collectorcommunity to be as good or valuable as National metalbody guitars. This has kept the prices somewhat low compared to other vintage guitars.

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A Dobro peghead decals from the 1930's. The 'solid' peghead on
the right is from a (1938-1940) M-35 metal body.

National Resophonic Serial Numbers Lookup

Serial number on a 1936
M-35 metal body.

National Resophonic Nrp

Dobro Serial Numbers