Resonator guitar

A resonator guitar or resophonic guitar (often generically called a "Dobro") is an acoustic guitar that produces sound by conducting string vibrations through the bridge to one or more spun metal cones (resonators), instead of to the guitar's sounding board (top). Resonator guitars were originally designed to be louder than regular acoustic guitars, which were overwhelmed by horns and percussion instruments in dance orchestras. They became prized for their distinctive tone, and found life with bluegrass music and the blues well after electric amplification solved the problem of inadequate volume. Resonator guitars are of two styles: Square-necked guitars played in lap steel guitar style Round-necked guitars played in conventional guitar style or steel guitar style There are three main resonator designs: The tricone, with three metal cones, designed by the first National company The single-cone "biscuit" design of other National instruments The single inverted-cone design (also known as a spider bridge) of Dobro brand instruments and instruments that copy the Dobro design Many variations of all these styles and designs have been produced under many brand names.