Alden 500 Reso

2008 Alden Electric Dobro or Resonator guitar. Mini humbucker on neck position, piezo under the bridge. Volume, tone and blend controls. Basswood body, maple neck with rosewood fretboard, vintage white with gold hardware. Probably made in China.

The construction with the piezo under the bridge and the blend control is just like it should be but.... If you play it unamplified it sounds like a dobro. Plugged in it lacks everything of the typical sound, more like a Les Paul with more highs. I've tried on several real great vintage tube amps, played with the controls. Unable to get the sound it was designed for. The piezo seems to be of very poor quality and the mini hum with it's Les Paul sound has a much too high output, maybe that's the reason I can't get it in the mix.

It's a dobro, you can't adjust the bridge, action is ok. Finish with some not so nice flaws, the neck doesn't fit very good in the pocket. Like someone mentioned in another review, the factory quality control needs to be better.

Seems to be proper build, the poor quality electrics can be a problem in time. Cause of the sound I will never gig with it, it's just a nice looking wallhanger. I just have it for a couple of weeks, unable to rate here.

I bought it of an ebay dealer, have no idea if this company really exists or it's just another name on Chinese instruments.

Playing for 35 years, own a lot of vintage stuff. The idea of reproducing some of the more uncommon vintage guitars in a lower price range is closed to Eastwood guitars. While the Eastwoods have a real high quality standard, these guitars here need much better quality control and better electrics. Two friends of mine bought an Alden Surfmaster which suggests to be a Jazzmaster style guitar. In fact, they both sound more like a Telecaster on steroids. It seems, these are nice looking instruments with a lack of sound they stand for. If it was stolen I would hang a nice picture on the empty place on the wall.