First established by the Dopyera brothers in the late 1920s, the Dobro name is so deeply intertwined with music history that it became the defining term for the entire resonator instrument family. This 1979 Model 114 was built in California during the highly regarded OMI (Original Musical Instrument Co.) era, a period when the original founders regained control of their brand name and restored the classic blueprint that built American roots music.
Unlike standard round-shouldered or brass-bodied resonators, the Model 114 stands out with its full-sized, wood dreadnought body. Built with a laminated Maple body finished in a beautiful, warm natural top and a rich, vibrant sunburst back and sides, it blends the deep, acoustic body resonance of a traditional flattop with the sharp metallic bark of a single 10-1/2" aluminum cone and spider bridge setup. Accompanied by classic screen-pitted soundholes, it delivers an incredibly loud, woody, and fierce projection with an unparalleled sustain that is perfect for Delta blues, bluegrass, and traditional slide playing.
The round Maple neck features a comfortable, round profile that accommodates traditional fingerstyle, chord work, or slide playing with ease. It features a dark Rosewood fingerboard with simple pearl dot inlays, cream body binding, and the unmistakable vintage lyre-and-script Dobro logo on the sunburst headstock.
As seen in the photos, this 1979 example is in wonderful, honest vintage condition. It shows light play wear, minor surface marks, and gentle aging across the chrome coverplate entirely consistent with its 47-year-old life. Structurally, it is rock solid with a straight neck and excellent fret life. For absolute transparency, the back of the headstock shows that one of the enclosed tuners has been replaced with an identical-era Schallert/Grover style unit, while the other five remain original and all function smoothly.
This model was famously owned and played by Ronnie Lane!
This guitar has been given a full service by our luthiers at theĀ Vintage Instrument Workshop, and includes a 2 year warranty.
