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Rating And Reviews: Fender FR-50CE Resonator

Laminated Spruce top. Laminated Mahogany back and sides. Split Micarta saddle.

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"I'm in love with mine!" submitted March 6, 2012

By Jim Crapanzano in Staten Island, NY
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Musical Background: Playing for 41 Years, used to play professionally and planning on doing so again soon.
Music Style: Blues, southern rock, classic rock and hill-billy toe-tappin stuff too.
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Sound: I don't know what some of these clowns are talking about. Not loud unplugged? Nonsense--It's as loud as my Gibson J-185. And that Jumbo Body sings out! This baby has a voice louder than any of my dreadnaughts including my Hummingbird. And what a sound it is! Mine came set-up perfectly with the action high-enough for slide, but still very fingered note and chord friendly out of the box, awesome. Sounds like it was borned in da swamp! Feature: One guy said he thought the materials were cheap. I can only suppose that he doesn't know that even the highest quality resonators are built, and were built back in the 30's, with ply-wood because whole woods do not offer the solid rigidity needed to produce great resonator tones. I also like the very natural positioning of the knobs. And for me the cut-away is the best idea since the spun-cone for getting the most out of a resonator. Ease of Use: This bad-boy sounds great on it's own, and plugged into my Marshal, I can get tones that allow me to play anything from warm or tinny Mississippi blues sounds to screaming rock tones ala ZZ, or Dwayne, and again the Cut Away is indispensable as muting well above the body joint is near impossible on other resonators I've played. The Piezzio will feed back when turned up over half way, but it's controllable. I have read that the pick-up's need to be balanced, or conditioned, by someone who knows how to do it. I'll research that more, but I'm not worried about it. Quality: The workmanship is first rate. Beautiful finish, tight joinery and binding. SUPERB! The feel of fretboard was left a bit rough, but that will work itself out in a few months of bending strings across it. Cosmetically, gorgeous with a flawless finish and beautiful flame patterns. Value: At first I thought that it seemed just a little over priced at $700.00, but then again, It's a far, far better value than the Hound Dog is at $500.00, and other resonators in the range where I thought, this would be great only if. . . So, all things considered, I feel the price is just about right in relative comparison, and a far better value than some I've played with $1,000 plus price tags. Manufacturer Support: One thing sucks, FENDER didn't see fit to design a hard shell case for this model--Shame on them. What's worse is that the people at Fender, can't even recommend a close fit! Come-oooonn Fender, you make HS cases for crappy Mexi-o-casters, but you didn't think this model worth the trouble? The Wow Factor: This one is AWESOME! And all my pickin' buddies--other Old Dogs, who all own very high quality guitars--oooh and aaah, with ear to ear grins as they try it out without exception. She's a head turner in looks and sound. Overall: Reading other reviews, I was wary of buying this guitar. Only my previous experience with zZ's 12 out of 10 customer service made me give it a shot, and honestly, I half expected that I would be sending it back. I'm so glad I took the shot! If you want a fine bluesy and rockin' resonator, buy this one!
23 of 25 people (92%) found this review helpful. Did you?
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"Love and Jazz" submitted September 22, 2009

By a customer from yahoo.com
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Musical Background: Active Musician
Music Style: Country, Rock, Blues, Jazz
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Sound: Sound is very nice, but to low for resonator guitar. I expect much louder guitar in unpluged way. Pickups make thing better when it is amplifired. Tele pickup has nice and worm tone, but instead acoustic strings which comes with guitar I put there electric Ernie Ball strings with wounded G string. With those strings bass strings sound much better when guitar is pluged. Piezzo is ok, but you should not use it over the half of power becouse if you open it too much sounds too crispy and like to have bad feedback. Feature: The best feature is combination of magnetic and piezzo pickup and possibilitie to split output to two different amps. Ease of Use: It is very easy and intuitive to use. Two volume pots and one tone pot connected to the magnetic pickup. Problem could be with pot knobs which have no numeric scale on it, so you have to be experienced to control sound changes on stage. Guitar is very comfortable to play in ergomic way (for me). Action is perfect to combine slide with fingering. Quality: It is cheap instrument crafted with cheap materials, so expectation should not be very high, but this instrument is very nice and well done. There is a small problems with resonator. In some positions appears some buzzing, but nothing what cannot be set well in one hour. Value: I pay it less than 500 euros in Thomann, so it is quite good price for such instrument Manufacturer Support: Do not need it The Wow Factor: If I don't want it I wouldn't buy it. Overall: Hard to say, but i expect long time. Of course I would like to have one National, but it is to expensive for me, so Fender is good enough now.
8 of 15 people (53.33%) found this review helpful. Did you?
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"great buy great tone" submitted April 22, 2012

By Barry K in Benton, IL
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Musical Background: 45 years
Music Style: Country Christian
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Overall: I purchased my Dobro based on reviews and Fenders name .I am glad I did /This Dobro is well made with a great tone and superb quality
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"A DOBRO THAT WON'T GIVE YOU THE BLUES" submitted November 24, 2005

By a customer from yahoo.com
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Musical Background: 36 years of pickin'
Music Style: Mostly country
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Sound: I've seen this dobro a number of times and have heard it being played. It sounds great. Although I haven't gotten the chance to play it myself, I know that once I do...I'll have to have one. Quality: This is a beautiful instrument. The detailed workmanship is some of the best I've ever seen. It would be hard, if not impossible to find a more well crafted instrument for the money. The Wow Factor: Oh yeah, this thing has "sex appeal" written all over it! Overall: I couldn't see myself ever wanting to replace this dobro with another one, unless someone stole it. Then I'd want the same one again.
21 of 41 people (51.22%) found this review helpful. Did you?
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"If you know you like resonators, give this one a look. If you are just toe-dipping resonators, there are some decent ones that" submitted October 12, 2007

By a customer from cox.net
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Sound
Features
Ease of Use
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Value
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Musical Background: 40+ years playing experience. Did it for a job as a kid and now as therapy as an old codger.
Music Style: Classical, Rock, Country, Oldies, Gospel, Bluegrass, Swing....
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Sound: A bit low on volume....but the Tele Pick-up and the Fishman Cone Transducer make that issue go away. The Fishman feeds back readily if you are too close to the amp...very sensitive...but the sound is very authentic whem amped. Feature: No accessoeries....just a guitar in a box. Ease of Use: Action is low enough to paly like a regular guitar in standard tuning and with a curved porcelin slice in Dobro tuning. V+T controls for the Tele Pick-up. V only for the Fishman. Both V controls can be be blended. Quality: Beautiful high gloss finish...very thick...probably contributes to the low volume when un=pugged. Sexy "F" holes. Decent tuners. Excelent intonation. Nice inlays for fret markers. Seems very solid. Value: Lots of features...2 pups, cut-a-way, decent fit & finish, versatile in playability, pretty to look at, a joy to play. Manufacturer Support: Haven't needed it. The Wow Factor: I have one and I'm very satisfied with it. Every time I pick it up I'm deleighetd. don't find myself day-dreaming about a fancy, expensive resonator. OK...well maybe a square neck woud be nice. Overall: It's so "pretty"...I'm tempted not to take it camping or to the beach. I just play it with my kids, grandkids and freinds and it is perfect for what I use it for.
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