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John Dopyera – the Inventor of the Dobro

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John Dopyera – the Inventor of the Dobro FOCUS ON ??? PREPARED BY OSOBNOSTI.SK John Dopyera najvyznamnejšie osobnosti Slovenska In cooperation with the – the inventor web portal osobnosti.sk, we created a special section in Connection of the Dobro dedicated to introducing interesting personalities of Slovak origin who moved to the United States and through their work and John Dopyera was a Slovak-American passion made a name for themselves. Some entrepreneur and a maker of stringed of them are famous in instruments. His inventions include the Slovakia as well, some of them are almost resonator guitar and important contributions unknown. Osobnosti.sk in the early development of the electric aims to promote Slovak personalities who have guitar. He is famous as the inventor of the made a real impact in their field and who have musical instrument Dobro. the potential to inspire many others. on the banjo. He became the “Do” in Dopyera and “bro” an acclaimed designer and from Brothers, and the word inventor. which means “good” in Slovak The word “Dobro” language. Their slogan was: The first invention “Dobro means good in any is, in popular usage, In 1925, Dopyera was language!”. the generic term for approached by George a wood-bodied, single Beauchamp, a vaudeville The Dobro is born promoter, who wanted him In 1932, working together with cone resonator guitar. to create a louder guitar. He Art Stimson, Dopyera invented It is also an American didn’t like the fact that the a new type of guitar design brand of resonator guitar sound was often lost in the later recognized as the first orchestra and wanted a guitar ever industrially produced guitar, currently JoHn DopyErA that could be heard over other electrified Spanish guitar in the owned by the Gibson 1893-1988 instruments. He was in the right world. Dopyera also invented Guitar Corporation. place; John had tried to achieve a string-gripping device on the same with the violin before. acoustic guitars, the forebear Dobro guitars were Was a Slovak-American of the one found on all guitars originally made by inventor and entrepreneur, today. Dopyera’s later patents the Dopyera brothers, and a maker of stringed included resophonic additions founders of the instruments. His inventions to nearly every string instrument, continued patents for the Dobro Manufacturing include the resonator guitar Every cloud designs of banjos and violins, Company. and important contributions has a silver lining. including the unique Dopera in the early development Bantar, which was a cross REFERENCES of the electric guitar. He is between the 5-string Banjo and www.allaboutbluesmusic.com 6-string Guitar. www.bluesmusic.sk www.dopyera.net known as the inventor of the Dopyera invented a guitar with musical instrument called three aluminum cones called The Dobro resonator guitar was Dobro. Dopyera died in 1988 resonators mounted beneath fundamental to the evolution of (aged 94) in Los Angeles, the bridge, which made it much bluegrass music. The design cut California, U.S. louder than a regular acoustic through all musical boundaries, guitar. The tone of the guitar was however, proving equally at rich and metallic. Dopyera and home in folk, rock country, blues his brothers Rudy and Emil, along and jazz. In the American music John Dopyera was born in 1893 with other investors, founded scene, Dobro became popular in Dolná Krupá in Slovakia, the National String Instrument among famous musicians the former Austro-Hungarian Corporation to manufacture including Bob Dylan, Johnny Empire. His father played and the new type of “resophonic” Winter, Eric Clapton, Keith constructed his own violins. guitar, which was sold mainly to Richards of the Rolling Stones Under his father’s guidance, musicians working in cinemas and George Harrison of the John built his first fiddle. and jazz clubs in the U.S. Beatles. In 1908, at the age of fifteen, he Over time, they also discovered John had chosen to stay in Los moved to the United States, to the dark side of success. Business Angeles and to continue making the city of Los Angeles. In the partners entered into lawsuits instruments. He never became 1920s, he opened a carpentry that culminated into Dopyeras’ rich, and was famous only workshop in which he repaired departure from the company. among a small circle of people and later manufactured violins, But every cloud has a silver who knew he had invented the guitars and other instruments. lining. The three brothers started resophonic guitar. He died at Profiles of other interesting Around this time, Dopyera a new company called Dobro. the age of 94 in 1988, having personalities can be found at: www.osobnosti.sk patented several improvements The name was derived from registered 40 patents. 36 AMCHAM SLOVAKIA.
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