Of course this couldn’t be a Paul Beard resonator model without a genuine Beard spider and cone. This is where so much of the guitar’s sound comes from and it is in those Beard cones that many players have gained fame in their own sound. Being a Beard cone, it is easily replaceable when the need arises for those of you who really wish to maintain your resonator and keep up with regular servicing for optimum sound quality and volume. The combination of the cone, spider and maple construction all come together to create a very bright and punchy instrument that stands out in the mix. Sure, you’ll enjoy playing it by yourself, but with a group, you’ll most definitely stand out.
No detail seems to be left untouched with the PBR-D, hence why it carries the ‘Deluxe’ moniker over the other available models. And the finish is worthy of that title. The flame maple top, back and sides are just stunning. Every model will differ slightly, but the timber on the model I played was just lovely to behold. The addition of a curly maple binding is a really nice touch that makes it all the more special, with this capturing the light at different angles to the body’s grain.
Little details like a removable palm rest on the resonator’s cover plate, bone nut, maple and ebony saddle and the ebony fretboard finish the instrument off nicely. The neck is super comfortable too; not at all slim, but very familiar and comforting in the hand. The kind of neck you could just play all day, and I am not generally a fan of gloss finished necks. This one didn’t bother me at all. The overall gloss finish is lovely and smooth with a great shine, bringing out the maple’s character with the vintage sunburst colouring. In short, I haven’t played a resonator guitar as nice as this one for a while; it was just a shame it had to be sent back so soon.
