Affordable tricone wanted

[catt]

Some decades ago I procured two Regals. The duolian is good and I still play it. The tricone never sounded good no matter what I tried. I passed that one on.

[waterboy]

I got a recording king brass body tricone a few years ago, used for about $500. It has a nice voice that does it for me and the price was right for an occasional instrument. Shockingly heavy though.
But I see Steve was looking back in June - Steve, did you get something?

[Charlie Bernstein]

Steve: Just in case you haven't solved it yet:

You're right, the good stuff is too expensive for someone who isn't deeply dedicated to the instrument. But a mez-a-mez instrument isn't as much fun or inspiring to play as a great one, is it?

So here's one way to get a sound you like at a price you like:

1. Get an affordable tricone, like a Royall or Regal or Recording King or Republic. A good-condition used one should work perfectly well for your purposes.

2. Upgrade! Invest in a quality bridge and hand-spun cones. If the nut isn't bone, replace it with one.

Pros (even the ones who love their Nationals) will tell you that an upgraded budget reso guitar can sound as good and play as well as a high-end one. The reason is simple: Little of the sound comes from the guitar's body. It's the bridge and cones that move the sound.

That's why even higher-end resos are often or usually plywood: Plywood is strong, and wood choice only matters up to a point. The type of wood, like maple versus birch, affects a guitar's brightness, but beyond that, a reso's body is mostly just a rack to hang the resonator and strings on. So a low-end guitar will sound a whole lot better loaded with high-end hardware.

[Charlie Bernstein]

PS -

The lesser brands can sound good. Their big drawback is that they're not as loud as a National, so your dynamic range is less than it could be. The issue isn't tone. It's projection.

Since resos were invented to be loud, you're working against yourself with a not-very-loud reso.

[tdq]

I have a national but when I was looking some years ago, and in the occasional foray into guitar shops when I see one, on the cheaper end I've found some great republics and some great Gretsch's, although I was looking at single cones. But I've also seen some awful ones - one store had two identical models, with one being really nice and the other a train wreck. I haven't tried the Recording King Reso's but I have a RK flattop and it's a great guitar.
So you can find one from the above brands but I'd tread carefully. I'd throw Regal into the mix too.