Hi -- National M2 (wood single-cone) owner here.
Quote:
Originally Posted by archerscreek
I think I like the slightly greater metallic sound an all steel resonator seems to give. Am I delusional or does a wood body actually take a bit of that sound away?
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Yes, the wood does take a
bit of the brashness away, but there's no mistaking it for a traditional acoustic guitar. Play it hard with metal fingerpicks, and the metal/wood differences diminish even further.
Quote:
Originally Posted by archerscreek
I think I prefer the fuller sound a 12 fret with no cutaway gives. Again, am I delusional in hearing that difference?
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I don't think you're delusional. To my ears, the 12-fretters simply have more bass. I would personally never buy a resonator that wasn't a 12-fretter, but to be honest, that has a little bit to do with the visual aesthetics and left arm comfort as much as it does the sound. I wouldn't even consider a cutaway, but then, I don't even have a cutaway on my
electric guitar! I admit it's a prejudice.
Quote:
Originally Posted by archerscreek
How much does weight affect your enjoyment of playing? Do you still notice the weight in a negative fashion sitting down?
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I've owned a brass tri-cone, a brass single-cone, and a brass parlor. Lovely tones, but all three were absolute boat anchors, and I'll never have another. By comparison, almost any wood or steel reso offers enough weight relief over brass that you won't really think about it. I do play sitting down the majority of the time.
Quote:
Originally Posted by archerscreek
Is there any advantage/disadvantage to playing steel vs wood bodies live either plugged in or mic'd up?
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A wood-bodied guitar sounds woodier than a metal-bodied guitar whether plugged-in or not, but playing amplified just creates
way too many variables to generalize beyond that. Stage volume, pre-amps, EQ, monitors, pickup type, microphone placement, etc. can all greatly affect ANY guitar's amplified tone and propensity for feedback. Having tried some kind of stick-on transducer on one of my brass guitars, I wouldn't go that route again. The Hot Plate or the Charlie Christian pickups that National makes and installs would be my first and second choices, in that order. I'm not sure there is a third choice!
Finally, if you decide to go with a tri-cone over a single-cone, I can't imagine that you would regret it. Tri-cones take some of the "edge" off the trash-can rawness of a metal singlecone, and they sustain beautifully. I would probably say that a metal tri-cone and a wooden singlecone are similar in that respect. You can certainly get smooth and melodious tones from a metal-bodied single-cone, but it takes a little more coaxing. For the ultimate in mellow fullness, try a wooden tri-cone. Want some gut-bucket moan and howl? The NRP-B is your ticket.
I hope this is helpful. For what it's worth, I think you're asking all the right questions!