The overall higher quality of the National is immediately apparent when you can compare them side by side, but from what I have seen and heard - and from personal experience owning and using a National guitar and several National mandolins - I think that a low cost Gretsch resonator guitar will probably give you 90% of the sound of the National for a lot less money.
As it happens, I worked with Don Young and MacGregor Gaines, the two owners of National Reso-Phonic at the time, while they were developing what eventually became the National RM-1 mandolin. I was a consultant for the project. On one of my visits to their plant I asked Don whether all the inexpensive Asian-made resonator guitars like Regals and Gretschs were robbing sales from them.
“No, not at all,” he told me. “Just the opposite.” He went on to say that lots of players start off with these affordable resonator guitars, then as they go forward with playing them, after awhile decide that they want to upgrade to a National. He and Mac saw these low cost resonator instruments as a sort of informal feeder system that helped generate future sales for National.
So my suggestion is that you seek out a few resonator guitars to play, both Nationals and Gretschs if you can find them, then decide how much you want to invest at this point.
For a lot of guitarists, an inexpensive resonator guitar is as much of a resonator as they’re ever going to need, especially if they’re looking at it as a second or third instrument to double on. But if you’re like a lot of players, you might find that it whets your appetite for an even better one.
And that’s when you start working towards putting some money aside and stepping up to a National.
Short version: you might find that a Gretsch resonator guitar is as much resonator as you’re ever going to need. But if not, then look into upgrading.
Hope this helps.
Wade Hampton Miller
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