A Dobro Legend's Blueprint, Built for the Rest of Us
Phil Leadbetter is one of the most decorated resonator players alive — a Grammy-nominated, multiple IBMA Dobro Player of the Year winner who's been inducted into the Atlanta Country Music Hall of Fame. So when Recording King asked him to put his name on a guitar, he didn't just sign off on a spec sheet. He personally guided the interior bracing pattern, the hardware choices, and every detail that adds up to how this thing sounds under a steel bar.
The result is the RR-75PL-SN: a wood-body squareneck resonator built from highly figured flamed maple throughout — top, back, sides, and neck — with a gloss sunburst finish that catches the light as well as the ear. If you've been eyeing a squareneck for bluegrass or lap-style playing, this is a serious place to start.
The RR-75PL-SN is built around an Advanced Soundpost Design that Phil developed specifically for this model. It's an unconventional internal bracing approach that sets it apart from traditional resophonic construction, and it shows in the way the instrument responds — clear, bright, and with the kind of projection that cuts through a jam.
Flamed Maple and the Resonator Voice
Every structural piece of this guitar — top, back, sides, and neck — is flamed maple. The figured grain isn't just decorative; maple brings a naturally bright, articulate tonal character that suits the squareneck resonator format well. It keeps the midrange focused and the high end clear, which is exactly what you want when you're running a steel bar and need notes to speak individually.
At the heart of the sound is Recording King's hand-spun European spider cone, complemented by a sandcast spider bridge. The cone is the engine of a resonator guitar, and a hand-spun aluminum unit like this delivers the warmth and resonant complexity you'd expect from an instrument at this level. Phil's own recordings and live performances have relied on this exact tonal system — and that's not a small endorsement.
The internal bracing uses Sitka spruce, which is stiff and lightweight — ideal for transferring energy from the cone outward through the body. The combination of the maple body, spruce bracing, and cast spider hardware is what gives this resonator its distinctive voice: punchy on attack, full in the sustain, and genuinely loud when you need it to be.
Built for the Way Squareneck Players Play
This is a squareneck instrument, which means it's designed to be played flat on your lap with a steel bar — not held in the traditional guitar position. The neck profile is literally square in cross-section, which makes it uncomfortable to fret conventionally but ideal for lap-steel technique. If you're coming from a roundneck background and want to explore dobro-style playing, this is the format to learn on.
The padauk fretboard provides a firm, smooth playing surface with good visual contrast. Scale length is 25.5", and the nut width is a generous 1-3/4" — giving the strings plenty of room to spread out under the bar. The bone nut contributes to clean open-string sustain, and the dovetail neck joint keeps everything stable and well-seated.
Phil's signature is inlaid in pearl at the 12th fret, which is a nice touch — functional as a position marker and personal as an artist detail. Grained ivoroid binding runs the body with multi-ply top purfling, and the open-gear tuning machines keep things reliable and accessible. The saddle is an ebony/maple combination, and the tailpiece and coverplate are cast aluminum.
Product Features:
-
Body Shape: Square-shoulder resonator
-
Top, Back, Sides & Neck: Flamed maple throughout
-
Bracing: Advanced Soundpost Design with Sitka spruce bracing, personally guided by Phil Leadbetter
-
Resonator Cone: Hand-spun European spider cone (Recording King)
-
Bridge: Sandcast spider bridge with ebony/maple saddle
-
Neck Profile: Square (squareneck / lap-steel setup)
-
Fretboard: Padauk with grained ivoroid binding; Phil Leadbetter pearl signature inlay at 12th fret
-
Scale Length: 25.5"
-
Nut: Bone, 1-3/4" width
-
Tuners: Open-gear tuning machines
-
Binding: Grained ivoroid body binding with multi-ply top purfling
-
Finish: Gloss Sunburst
Brand: Recording King
Model: RR-75PL-SN Phil Leadbetter Signature Resonator Guitar
SKU: RR-75PL-SN
Condition: New
Since 1872, C.A. House Music has been helping musicians across the Ohio Valley find the right gear -- with real advice from a team that actually plays. We're your authorized dealer of all the big names in guitars, keyboards, band instruments, drums, pro audio, and more. With four family-owned and operated locations in Ohio and West Virginia (plus a full online store), you don't have to go far for instruments, lessons, rentals, and repairs. No matter your musical needs, our team of musicians wants to help you Play Music for Life.
