Finding the best resonator guitar to give you that clean twangy sound isn’t always that easy. There are quite a few different guitar brands that make lap steel and acoustic resonators with different options.
Some of these guitars have square necks and some have round necks. Some have wood bodies and others have complete metal bodies. They all play and feel slightly different, so you should make sure to look at each before you decide with resonator is right for you.
Let’s look at a some of the most popular resonator guitars on the market today.
Click Below to Compare the Best Resonator Guitars in 2021
Contents
- 1 Click Below to Compare the Best Resonator Guitars in 2021
- 2 What We Recommend and Why
Here is a list of the best resonator guitars and acoustic lap steel guitar brands that will give you that unique sound you are looking for.
- Gretsch G9201 Honey Dipper
- Gretsch G9220 Bobtail Acoustic-Electric Resonator Guitar
- Dean RESCEHB Acoustic-Electric Resonator Guitar
- Regal Studio RD-30MS Series Resophonic Guitar
- Pyle PGA48BR Resophonic Acoustic Electric Guitar
Gretsch G9201 Honey Dipper
Specs, features, and benefits
Gretsch has been in the business of making guitars and percussions for over 130 years. Staying relevant after all these years requires some level of grit and quality. The brand appears to have both qualities and more in good supply.
The G9201 Honey Dipper is one of the products you will find in the brand’s roots collection. The design of this guitar stays true to the line’s retro emphasis. The bell brass body and its weathered finish coupled with the pearloid headstock compliments the vintage look.
Its body, which is quite small, is made of nickel-plated brass while the neck is made of mahogany. When you carry it, you can immediately feel the weight, which is mainly because of the metal body.
This resonating guitar is quite easy to play. It has a lovely lingering sustain to it and the “metallicness” of it touches something deep within you. This is thanks largely to the Eastern European hand-spun biscuit cone.
Pros and Highlights
- Design – It has a lovely vintage design that truly complements its sound.
- Hardware – It comes with good quality hardware.
- Sound – It has a lovely sound with a sustain that lingers softly.
Cons and Potential Flaws
- Weight – It is quite heavy and may make it a bit difficult to keep it well positioned while playing seated.
Bottom Line
If you are looking for a resonating guitar that offers good quality both in build and tone and also falls within mid-price range, then you should totally go for this.
Gretsch G9220 Bobtail Acoustic-Electric Resonator Guitar
Specs, features, and benefits
It’s Gretsch again and this time, the brand is attempting to bring the past together with present. Already known for its love for recreating vintage sounds, Gretsch takes it one step further with the Gretsch G9220 Bobtail.
This is a vintage resonating acoustic guitar that adds an electronic component. How does this combo perform? Let’s see.
The G9220 Bobtail maintains the full vintage look that you’ve come to expect from Gretsch. The body is made of laminated mahogany while the neck is made of solid mahogany. This is finished in vintage semi-gloss.
It features Eastern European hand-spun spider cone and bridge, which deliver a very big sound for such a small body. You can also take advantage of the Fishman Nashville Resophonic piezo-ceramic pickup by plugging your guitar into an amplifier and spreading that lovely metallic sound to an even wider audience.
Pros and Highlights
- Build – It has a great build quality, which also looks fantastic.
- Playability – It has a very playable neck, and with the body largely made of wood, it is lighter than many other resonating guitars.
- Tone – It sounds very good whether plugged or not.
Cons and Potential Flaws
- Tuning machine – This appear to be cheaply made so you may want to upgrade them for longevity.
Bottom Line
This is a great guitar for anyone who needs an affordable resonating guitar that can serve for small audiences as well as large ones. It has a lovely look, superb features and a great tone.
Dean RESCEHB Acoustic-Electric Resonator Guitar
Specs, features, and benefits
If you know Dean Guitars, your first reaction is likely going to be that of shock. Though this brand is mostly known for rock and metal music, it decided to make a foray into the world of resonator guitars.
The Dean RESCEHB features an aged brass plated iron body with a cutaway design that allows for easier access to more areas on the fretboard. On this brass plating, a lovely island scene with coconut trees is embossed on it. You can see this image in more detail at the back.
The neck on the other hand is made of mahogany with a rosewood fretboard that is inlaid with pearl and abalone blocks.
Added to the single cone biscuit-bridge resonator is the electronic section with includes two pickups. These pickups also come with individual controls and a third knob that blends both pickups.
This guitar offers a versatile range of tones especially when plugged in to an amp. You can also create some lovely tonal variations by altering your playing style.
Pros and Highlights
- Playability – Very playable with its thin body design and slim neck.
- Tone – Offers a versatile tonal palette.
- Electronics – Good electronic components.
Cons and Potential Flaws
- Bridge issues – You may have the low E string dropping off the bridge occasionally.
Bottom Line
This is an ideal resonator guitar for any one making the move from electric guitars. It offers a familiar scale length, neck and slim body design that will make the transition smooth.
Regal Studio RD-30MS Series Resophonic Guitar
Specs, features, and benefits
Sega Music manufactures top quality instruments for beginners as well as for professionals. It understands what it takes to produce instruments that enhance a musician’s performance and it delivers these under several brand names. One of these is the Regal brand.
The Regal Studio RD-30MS Series Resophonic Guitar is Regal’s highest selling resonating guitar. It is quite affordable while still offering good value.
The body is made of mahogany laminates while the neck is made of mahogany. It is finished in a lovely natural gloss, which combines nicely with the contrasting white of the binding to give it a cool look.
Its aluminum cone and spider bridge are both U.S made and they add a distinct clarity to its overall tone. This guitar is very well made and the hardware are all of top quality. With all of these, you get to enjoy a wonderful tone for its price range as the different components work well together.
Pros and Highlights
- Solid build – This guitar is built solidly to deliver a great tone as well as durability.
- Hardware – It comes with good quality hardware.
- Affordable – It is one of the more affordable and good quality resonating guitars.
Cons and Potential Flaws
- If you are looking for a professional grade guitar, this may not do.
Bottom Line
If you are looking for a resonating guitar that is well made but yet very affordable and also perfect for lap playing, then you should most certainly take a look at this guitar. Getting this guitar will make you want to learn how to play lap steel & resonator guitar.
Pyle PGA48BR Resophonic Acoustic Electric Guitar
Specs, features, and benefits
Pyle Audio was not originally known for making guitars. However, its emerging guitar line has been getting some attention. They clearly aim to offer a great balance between cost and value.
The Pyle PGA48BR Resophonic Acoustic Electric Guitar was designed for beginners. This is a full body guitar with a top made of laminated spruce and sides and back made of laminated mahogany. Its neck is made of mahogany and features a rosewood fretboard. The lovely natural sunburst finish plus the highlights of the AVS binding combine to give it a really lovely look.
It features some good hardware. A few of these include an aluminum resonator cone with spider bridge, die-cast tuning keys and a rosewood saddle.
For the electronics, it has a preamp with a 3-band EQ for fine tuning your tone. This pack also comes with a gig bag, extra strings, picks, pitch pipe, straps and more. For the price, you get a lot of value.
Pros and Highlights
- Appearance – It has a very attractive design.
- Accessories – It comes with a host of accessories.
- Cost – It is very affordable.
Cons and Potential Flaws
- Build – You may find a few issues with the quality of work.
Bottom Line
Are you a beginner who wants to try his or her hands on resonating guitars? This package here is great for you. It’s not only a really affordable resonator guitar, it also comes some additional accessories that you will find useful.
What We Recommend and Why
Having looked carefully through this list of five resonating guitars, we can point to different important features offered by the different brands and models. However, to pick our top choice, we considered cost and value and chose the Gretsch G9220 Bobtail Acoustic-Electric Resonator Guitar. It falls in the mid-level price range and it offers a good sound whether plugged or not. It is also very playable.
