~1966 DOBRO Columbia Model D12 Mahogany

DOBRO 'The Columbia' 12-String c 1966 | $1525 | (v2321) The DOBRO name has had a long and convoluted history since its late 1920s inception. The Dopyera brothers (DO BRO) founded both the DOBRO and National companies, and by the mid-thirties formed the National-Dobro Corporation. Resonator guitars fell out of favor, the depression hit, and by WWII all production ceased. However, the brothers kept the rights to the DOBRO name and continued manufacturing guitars after the war. In 1966 they sold DOBRO to Semie Moseley, builder of Mosrite guitars. Historians of the DOBRO evolution report that Moseley moved right into the Gardena, CA, factory and continued making Dobros with available parts left by the Dopyera brothers. This particular guitar was made in that window of time .. probably 1966. There is a National-Dobro catalog from 1966 that shows this model 12-string guitar listed as The Columbia Model D12. Mosrite-made Dobros have serial numbers stamped on the end of the fingerboard, but this one has its serial number stamped on top of the head stock ala DOBRO, and, a DOBRO-style cover plate with the arm rest over the saddle/cone, leading us to believe it's made up of leftover parts from the Dopyera brothers.

The body is a mahogany laminate, bound in white celluloid. The neck, featuring an adjustable truss rod, appears to be maple with a bound, slightly radiused Indian rosewood fingerboard. An clever feature of the neck is that it's not directly attched to the body, and can be adjusted to suit playing preferences with a screw that is exposed on the back. A thin black piece of cord fills the neck/body gap. The headstock sports the DOBRO logo on a metal tag fastened with three brads. The tuners are six-on-a-strip, made from brass with sublte engravings, suggesting an older manufacture than the mid-sixties. The resonator is the classic DOBRO 'spider' set up, covered in a DOBRO-type plate. The top also has two sound ports featuring a diamond motif. The tailpiece is the 'trapese' type. There is a strap button installed along the upper bass bout.

The body measures 14 1/2" across at the lower bout. Scale length is 25". The neck measures ~ 1 7/8" across at the nut with string spacing ~ 2 1/4" at the saddle. The neck is carved in a very comfortable flattish 'C' shape. Action is set at ~ 7/64", and is adjustable through the unique neck design if desired.

The guitar appears to be in decent, mostly original condition. We noticed a few tuning gears were changed out, and the nut may be a replacement. The original cone is in good shape, too. We recently leveled and dressed the frets. There is some separation of the lamination around the end pin and strap button areas, now glued. There is some extreme loss to the finish on the neck .. this finish suggests finishes used pre-war, but we can't say for sure. There are other nicks and dings from age and use, but overall a solid guitar.

The guitar plays well .. comfortable neck and action .. and produces the high and lonesome sound in spades with the addition of the octave strings. VBG had another DOBRO twelve that we absolutely loved for both Spanish and slide, and this example gives a player the same thrill! A very cool and quite rare instrument made from quality materials that produces a really unique sound.

Comes with an older hard case.

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