The neck is suspended 1/4 inch above the 1 gallon paint can lid and a flying bridge was fabricated to transfer the string vibrations directly to the surface of the lid. As such, this is a fully flying bridge and neck build dobro test platform...
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  • Thanks Gary - don't forget that this was just a throw-together R&D test/hack to get some clarification on why the previously built center-bridge do-brother "WILD" exhibits a noticeable muting/dulling of sound when the picking hand is resting/anchoring on the suspended strings behind the bridge, whereas its brother "FRETLESS" does not exhibit this same characteristic.

    To make this R&D hack/build become symptomatic in dulling the paint can lid resonator sound, I have to put a lot of hand pressure on the strings behind the bridge to begin to "dull" that much sought after and desirable banjo/guitar blended dobro sound.

    If I were going to do a family/friends build using this improvement/technique, I would not raise the neck a full 1/4 inch above the paint can lid, but would lightly route out the area where the raised lid perimeter would contact the underside of the integrated neck/tailstock area.  Since downward pressure is being applied to the horizontal surface of the paint can lid, almost no material would have to be removed from the thru-neck immediately above the paint can lid along the flat/horizontal resonating surface.  The result would be a lower setting and fully functional flying neck/bridge that only contacts the cigar box in the immediate area before crossing the paint can lid as well as the immediate cigar box area after traversing the lid.  I would continue to leave the 1/4 inch relief and hardwood support inside the cigar box to help support the neck and keep everything aligned so the paint can resonator could most effectively do its job. . .     

  • hmmmmm.

  • Very nice job, George!  The original build sounds fine, but the dobro-style does sound 'fuller' to my ear.  Cool side-by-side demo!

  • Ha!!!  I think I figured out how to make an audio sample in  .mp3 format available that demonstrates the difference in the two builds . . . 

    Sound and tone audio clip of "dobro" styled Uncle Crow build

    Take a listen to this and give me your objective 3rd party feedback on any sound and tone quality improvements noticed between these two Uncle Crow traditional -vs- dobro builds . . . 

  • There is very noticeable improvement and enhanced quality of sound as well as tone . . .

    I've made up an .mp3 file to upload that compares the sound quality and tone of these two builds, but this website is fighting me tooth-and-nail refusing to allow me to upload it in either an .mp3 or .3gp (video) format . . . 

    Anybody know how to have this website actually upload and show a user uploaded audio file?

  • I agree with Jerry!  Let us know how this works out - should be great!

  • this is slick and a great idea.,.,is it a success.,? hows she sound.,,.?

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