The Delta Snake Review: Musical Gear Review & Article Archive: Review: 2005 Epiphone Biscuit Dobro

Review: 2005 Epiphone Biscuit Dobro

One of the most crowded guitar categories is inexpensive dobros. Seems like everyone makes one. Which is odd, given that it's a pretty specialized instrument designed for slide work. One reason could be that both country and blues, which feature dobros, have been on the upsurge in popularity for the last few years. Another is that these dobros are a low-cost alternative to the “real thing” which are often as expensive as jazz guitars.

Whenever you have a guitar category that's pricey, eventually someone comes out with an inexpensive version. It's been happening with Steel Bodied Nationals for a couple of years now, and with dobros for decades.

Probably the nicest one in this category is the Epiphone Biscuit. The “biscuit” refers to the simple wood piece that makes up the bridge. Most models in this style are garish, with chromed holes with screens that resemble old deep diving masks (at least to me). The Biscuit features old Archtop style f-holes, without binding, with a bound mahogany and spruce body that gives it an instant antique look. It looks like a wood version of a steel body National out of the 40's.

The whole guitar has clean sense of line, with the only metal being the resonator and tuners. Some find this a bit too plain, but this simple elegance goes right up the Gibson line, and it appeals to my own sense of aesthetics. It's also a bit sleeker, and a touch smaller, so the ergonomics are great. The setup results in a mellower sound, and it's also a superb fingerpicking instrument. Some who use metal picks may find the sound a bit banjo-like, but those who only use their fingers only will find it rich and resonant. This worked well for me, as I set the action low at first on the first six frets, and higher as the strings approached the bridge.

This gave me the option of using both finger style and slide. The tone, when picked, was better than I could have expected in a 340.00 dobro. It has a sharp, yet full attack, which made it a real acoustic blues machine, yet could also handle Bert Jansch English style folk-blues. It’s one of those instruments that a player can draw different sounds out of, almost without limits.

The slide tone, the heart of any dobro, is not as rich as the more expensive models, but has a nice mid-range attack that handles country, blues, and Hawaiian equally well in the hands of a good player. Which needs some explaining. As you know (or don't know, but soon will), slide guitar is a real specialty. Anyone can do it, not many can do it well, and fewer can truly master it. The tones I'm describing above were drawn out from a thick glass slide, which has a more transparent, silkier tone.

So, some explanation is needed to others who may use (or want to use) a different type of slide. Others may use brass or steel. With a steel slide, the Biscuit does well, but does lose some bottom end when played aggressively. Brass slides sound fine, as the guitar is well suited to the bell-like tones and round notes this type of metal produces, particularly with phosphorous bronze strings.

For that reason, the Biscuit, or any Dobro for that matter, is almost certainly a guitar that has to be played before buying. There can be nothing more subjective than slide guitar tone. For those who want to play country, Hawaiian, and mellower forms of slide blues, the Biscuit is my Dobro of choice for this price range. Those who want to play a harder-edged style of blues would do better with a metal body (like an inexpensive Johnson or Regal) or Regal Dobro.

However, that smoothness of tone makes for a versatile guitar. I eventually lowered the action and made the Biscuit a pure fingerpicking guitar and to this day, don't play regular six strings that much because of that. I prefer the Biscuit.

This is a guitar that has the kind of retro looks that makes the traditionalist feel an immediate connection. The tone can be dreamy, smooth and creamy, hard edged, or with all the depth that good fingerpicking can bring out of it. It's one of the best in its class and should be on the short list of anyone contemplating buying a dobro.

There’s a guitar shop in my area where rock legend Steve Miller consigns his touring guitars (generally cheaper brands) and I once saw that he was selling an Epiphone Biscuit with his logo painted on. It was higher than I was prepared to pay, but it showed that he thought this model was suitable for his needs as a touring dobro.

When I play it, it makes me feel like I'm back in an older time when playing wasn't all about your kind of guitar and how much it cost. It's all about what you bring out of the guitar, and what it brings out in you, and that vibe is worth 340.00 any day. I’ve seen used models going as low as 200.00, and that would be a bargain for the right player.

- Al Handa

2006

Note: This review first appeared on the ePinions.com site in 2006. This and other reviews were short takes that accompanied the link to a business that sold the guitar. As a rule, the guitar had to be at least examined and played by the reviewer (and ideally owned). In my case, a severe case of GAS made it possible to have at least owned the reviewed instrument for a short while. I'm reprinting these as having another source on a guitar never hurts, even if the reviews aren't definitive. Other than minor corrections, these short takes are unchanged from the original text. I figure that it might be helpful to keep the older perspective.

The Quitturz by Al Handa