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  #1  
Old 03-18-2014, 11:29 AM
wezzywest wezzywest is offline
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Default Fingerpicking on a Resonator.

Hi,
Does anybody play in standard tuning on a resonator? If so what guage strings do you use and what string height are you set up with. Would 13-56 be ok on a steel bodied resonator?
Cheers.
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Old 03-18-2014, 11:59 AM
blue blue is offline
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I play in G, D(m), DADGAD, and standard on all my resonators. Singlecones, which are what most people tend to think of when they think of a steel resonator, have a shorter scale than a modern national tricone. 13-56 is no problem on a singlecone of any material. I run 13-56 on my wood National singlecone. I run 16-56 on my tricones in all the tunings listed above. However, since the majority of my playing is in Open G, I start and end there. In other words while I will probably play in standard every time I pick one up, the guitars get put back in the case tuned to Open G.

Now I would never tune any of my resonators to A or E. Even with 12s. But if you plan to do that, you would be wise not to use 13-56.
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Old 03-18-2014, 01:02 PM
Cone Head Cone Head is offline
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I have several vintage Nationals, a pair of Triolians (1929 and 1931) and a 14-fret Style O (1936).

The Triolians are normally kept in open tunings, strung with 13s. The Style O, which I never use for slide, stays in standard tuning, strung with 12s.

String height is about the same on all of 'em, 1/8" for the low E and a hair over 3/32" for the high E at the 12th fret. I dislike both heavy strings AND high action for playing slide, especially since even when playing open-tuned slide guitar I am still fretting at least 50% of the notes with my fingers.

I have always felt that excessively heavy strings stifle the tone and sustain of single-cone Nationals. This is not the case with Tricones, which seem to welcome the extra down-pressure on the cones, but the reputation single-cones have for being "banjo-like" is something I attribute to people using really heavy strings on them. In the 30s National outfitted their non-"lap style" guitars with strings which would be very light by today's standards (an 11 on top!).
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Old 03-18-2014, 01:16 PM
Tony Done Tony Done is offline
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I have one reso tuned to standard, but it has nylon strings. Two of the other three have actions low enough for standard fingerpicking, at about 1.7mm treble side, and I do a bit of fingerpicking in open D and open G. I think that the action feels softer on a reso, so if you use 13s on a flattop, they should feel more comfortable on a reso - provided the reso is set up for fingerpicking. - This is certainly true of my Beltona tricone, and I used it as a fingerpicking guitar for a couple of years. However, many old resos have clubby necks that might make them feel less comfortable than modern flattops, even if you can get the action low enough. - Which might often not be the case without a neck reset.
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Old 03-18-2014, 01:17 PM
wezzywest wezzywest is offline
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Thank you for the replies, the information is much appreciated. I have ordered a Busker Delta over here in the UK, they are an aged steel bodied single cone. Busker are the supplier for the Michael Messer range of Resonators as well. Robin is the one man operation, of doing the set up to your personal requirments. Only 6 weeks to wait
Cheers.
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Old 03-18-2014, 01:24 PM
Cone Head Cone Head is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tony Done View Post
However, many old resos have clubby necks that might make them feel less comfortable than modern flattops, even if you can get the action low enough.
I feel exactly the opposite way about them.
The "deep V" shaped necks National made from 1934 onwards are as close to the "perfect" shape as I have ever laid my hands on. The earlier C shaped necks feel great to me, too...and I don't have large hands.
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Old 03-18-2014, 04:19 PM
Tony Done Tony Done is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Cone Head View Post
I feel exactly the opposite way about them.
The "deep V" shaped necks National made from 1934 onwards are as close to the "perfect" shape as I have ever laid my hands on. The earlier C shaped necks feel great to me, too...and I don't have large hands.
I don't really mind them either, but from what I read in this forum and elsewhere, some folks really can't get on with clubby necks. IMO it is just a question of getting used to it. High action is the real deal breaker for me on fingerpicking.

FWIW, a couple of days ago I lowered the action on my old style O by raising the tenon stick. The neck has a fair amount of relief, about 0.02", so there is a limit to what I could do via neck angle, but I did get it down to about 2.1mm (1/12") treble side body fret. I could go a bit lower by taking some off the bottom of the biscuit, but I'm pleased with the current outcome for now. Fretting behind the slide and pull-offs are a lot easier than they were, but still a bit too high for comfortable fingerpicking on the higher frets.
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Old 03-18-2014, 04:36 PM
tdq tdq is offline
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At home I like to use mine mostly for in open G or D but that usually incorporates a lot of finger picking with slide, rather than only slide. I also use it when I play with my jug band buddies where it's almost always in standard tuning. I vary between 12s and 13s on mine, still haven't quite decided what I prefer to use. And nickel strings. (or GHS White bronze to be more precise. Next change I'm going to try John Pearse Nickels.)
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Old 03-20-2014, 09:25 AM
wezzywest wezzywest is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tdq View Post
At home I like to use mine mostly for in open G or D but that usually incorporates a lot of finger picking with slide, rather than only slide. I also use it when I play with my jug band buddies where it's almost always in standard tuning. I vary between 12s and 13s on mine, still haven't quite decided what I prefer to use. And nickel strings. (or GHS White bronze to be more precise. Next change I'm going to try John Pearse Nickels.)
Thanks for the reply, i will go with the 13-56 strings on the resonator i have ordered. It will be set up to 3mm at the 12 the fret bass side and 2.5mm at the high side. That should be flexible for slide and fingerstyle.
Cheers.
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