A
resonator guitar or
resophonic guitar is an
acoustic guitar that produces sound by carrying string vibration through the
bridge to one or more spun metal cones (
resonators), instead of to the
sound board (guitar top). Resonator guitars were originally designed to be louder than regular acoustic guitars, which were overwhelmed by horns and percussion instruments in dance orchestras. They became prized for their distinctive sound, however, and found life with several musical styles (most notably
bluegrass and the
blues) well after electric amplification solved the issue of inadequate guitar sound levels.