WoodRocket

[Teleplucker]

Anyone had a chance to try out the new wooden body Resorocket? Any thoughts?

[blue]

Shouldn't be any surprises. I've owned one for years... It's called the radiotone bendaway!

And it's back too... The pick below is from Catfish Keith's site.

[tdq]

Is the wooden reso rocket the same as the bend away, except for the obvious cosmetic differences? E.g woods, nuts, body thickness?

[blue]

Originally Posted by tdq

Is the wooden reso rocket the same as the bend away, except for the obvious cosmetic differences? E.g woods, nuts, body thickness?

Well, the grille makes a little difference in the metal ones vs. the classic F holes on say a style O. I don't hear as big a difference as others claim in the metal ones though.

So the grille vs. the slots on my radiotone? I expect a difference. Whether it's a good difference or not is up to the listener.

The wood shouldn't make a real difference. laminate vs. laminate. Both are pretty reflective.

To me it comes down to, as you said the cosmetic differences. If one likes things like the bound neck and other bling, it's hard to go wrong with woody rocket. They really aren't charging much more than the radiotone. It honestly seems like you're getting a lot of bang for the extra buck.

[Crazyquilt]

There. Those are my three dream guitars, right there.

OK, my apologies for reanimating this thread, but I am trying to decide between a ResoRocket WB & a Bendaway. I like the looks of the latter slightly more than the former, and I'm lazy & prefer a peg-head. The only info I can't seem to find is the scale length of the Bendaway. The WB is 25 21/32. My dear (very jealous) M2 is 25". That might make a bit more difference, tonewise, than the maple v mahogany laminate (which I'm guessing is a wash.) Anyone, especially an owner, have that info?

Thanks.

[blue]

Originally Posted by Crazyquilt

There. Those are my three dream guitars, right there.

OK, my apologies for reanimating this thread, but I am trying to decide between a ResoRocket WB & a Bendaway. I like the looks of the latter slightly more than the former, and I'm lazy & prefer a peg-head. The only info I can't seem to find is the scale length of the Bendaway. The WB is 25 21/32. My dear (very jealous) M2 is 25". That might make a bit more difference, tonewise, than the maple v mahogany laminate (which I'm guessing is a wash.) Anyone, especially an owner, have that info?

Thanks.

All the modern tricones are "long scale". The originals (Original National company) aren't. The modern singlecones, with the exception of the trovador I believe, are "short scale". The radiotone should match your M2 in sound and feel pretty closely. It may sound a little brighter, but other than that, they should be very similar.

I have wood and brass singlecones, and only metal (all of the different metals) tricones, but I have played wooden tricones a bit. It really comes down to your preference in feel and tone. I agree with you on the looks. A wooden singlecone is hot. The nickel coverplate on a wood body... Yummy!

You get more sustain from a wood singlecone than a metal one. A lot more. So it's not like with metal ones where if you want notes to ring you have to have a tricone. I still prefer a tricone, but a wood singlecone really does come close to giving you the best of both worlds in my opinion. Loud and super punchy from the single cone side of the family, but more sustain than a normal flattop guitar in most cases from the tricone side.

I honestly appreciate a longer scale for slide. More tension. You can play more aggressively with a stock set of medium strings, without subbing out any of the light strings for 14s, 15s, or 16s. Not that you can't use standards mediums on a single.

I honestly believe you can't go wrong here though. I get tempted to sell my radiotone from time to time because I have too many guitars, and just scored a style N earlier this summer. But it's still here. Nationals are great. And both of the ones you're considering would, I'm sure, make you happy.

[Teleplucker]

Here's my opinion for what it's worth. I ended up buying a bendaway in like new condition off of eBay for $1500. I had convinced myself that I wanted a woodrocket and if I had unlimited funds I would still have one. However I am very happy with the Bendaway, and I had a chance to play it side by side against a Woodrocket. The rocket was louder, but the two sounded more similar than different to me, especially when compared to a steel body rocket.
The rocket and the bendaway are both great sounding guitars, you will be hard pressed to find a "deal" on the Woodrocket, but keep your eyes on eBay and there are several bendaways that show up for great prices.
Right after I bought mine there was one with the hot plate with a buy it now of $1700. That was a very good deal.

[Teleplucker]

Btw one more difference between the two is the Woodrocket has a laminated sound well and the bendaway has a metal one. Steve James says he prefers the wooden well.

[blue]

Originally Posted by Teleplucker

Btw one more difference between the two is the Woodrocket has a laminated sound well and the bendaway has a metal one. Steve James says he prefers the wooden well.

Wood vs. metal, again, making the radiotone possibly "brighter". I missed that in the specs. James knows his stuff, and most importantly, knows exactly what HE likes. He's a great spokesperson for the blues and guitars in general.

Glad you're loving your bendaway. I certainly dig mine. And they are so sturdy that buying used on Ebay isn't that big a risk. 3 of mine came from there. Other than setups (folks switching to heavier strings without working on the nut, stuff like that) none has had an issue.

[Crazyquilt]

I wound up finding a Bendaway on eBay for a grand cheaper than a new Wocket. It does indeed sound & play very much like my M2, although brighter and perhaps a little more defined. Could be the metal soundwell. Could be the maple neck. Could be the newer NRP "hot rod" cone. Probably a combination.

I pulled the Hot Plate off my M2 and put it on the Bendaway. The electric tone is considerably brighter than it was on the M2. Now I've got the M2 strung up with phosphor bronze & the Bendaway with nickel. It makes the two more distinct, and I love both sounds.

Here's my new favorite guitar:



It just came this past Friday, just in time for my birthday on Saturday. I always told myself that I didn't really need a cutaway; none of the "old guys" did. I was wrong. I think a 12 fret guitar with a cutaway might just be the perfect form of an acoustic for me.

'Scuse me. I think I'm gonna go play some guitar . . . .

[Teleplucker]

Congrats on your new National. I agree a 12 fret neck joint with a cutaway makes for the perfect acoustic guitar.

[blue]

Originally Posted by Crazyquilt

Here's my new favorite guitar

'Scuse me. I think I'm gonna go play some guitar . . . .

Beautiful. Mine is what I like to call "Fuce". Faux-Spruce It's a pale yellow with what appears to be stenciled on grain. I've always liked the burst one's like yours, but mine is a little unique, so I got that going for me. I'm not a big picture guy, so this is the only one I have.