Who likes wood bodied resonators? (comparison video)

[Organic Sounds Select Guitars]

Hi AGF friends!

I decided to make a comparison video of three wood bodied guitars from National: the El Trovador, the M1 Tricone and the ResoRocket WB.

Do you have a preference for one over the others, based on tone or looks? How do you guys feel about wood bodied instruments versus more traditional metal bodied resonators?

My take: I love these things! I think that wood bodied resonators make a great first step into the world of resonator guitars, and they're not just for country blues or slide playing. Most anything that you play on a flat top guitar can be played on a resonator. They do provide a different flavor, warm and haunting, with unreal sustain. More warm and less sharp or aggressive than the metal bodied guitars. I like them for fingerstyle pieces. Such cool instruments! Thanks for listening and comments!

[mjh42]

Nice, thanks for sharing the video.

I do like resonators.

I do find that I like wood bodied resonators better as well. Nothing against the metal bodied instruments but just a personal preference.

I come from the ukulele playing world. I have owned a GoldTone Maple resouke, it is a laminated bodied instrument. I found it dull and flat at times, other times it sounded ok to better. But I did end up selling it for something better.

I had a chance to play a National koa resonator at a local store. Had trouble with the tuners and just didn't bond with it enough to buy it.

I now play a Pohaku solid maple bodied resonator. The sound from the cone and the actual resonance from the body combine to make an acoustic sound that I like.

[Organic Sounds Select Guitars]

Originally Posted by mjh42

Nice, thanks for sharing the video.

I do like resonators.

I do find that I like wood bodied resonators better as well. Nothing against the metal bodied instruments but just a personal preference.

I come from the ukulele playing world. I have owned a GoldTone Maple resouke, it is a laminated bodied instrument. I found it dull and flat at times, other times it sounded ok to better. But I did end up selling it for something better.

I had a chance to play a National koa resonator at a local store. Had trouble with the tuners and just didn't bond with it enough to buy it.

I now play a Pohaku solid maple bodied resonator. The sound from the cone and the actual resonance from the body combine to make an acoustic sound that I like.

I looked up Pohaku - I'm not well versed in ukulele brands. Nice uke, sounds and looks great! Thanks for posting here mjh42!

[Mr. Jelly]

I have a wood body resonator in my bucket list somewhere. But nothing in my sights.

[blue]

First of all, well done! I understand why the Brozman videos were pulled down by National, but head to head shootouts of high quality are hard to come by. Yours is both entertaining, and will be a boon to anyone trying to get a grasp on which of these fantastic instruments they might want.

My preferences come from playing them in person. I prefer the El Trov, followed by the M1, with rocket last. Ironically, despite being a metal reso fan, and owner (4 different models/types, including a square neck) I like the Trov because it is the "least reso-y" one to my ear, but still so much more interesting than a flattop. The rocket is the most "reso-y" sounding to me. Definitely what I would choose if I normally played a steel single, and needed to play standing up for hours.

I still prefer the sound of brass and german silver, but nothing compares to the comfort of the weight of the wood ones. If I got rid of a bunch of electric guitars I don't need anymore I would get either an M1 or a Trov. Whichever I found first, used at the price I was willing to pay. I would honestly be happy with either. Of course if I ever choose to busk again after things return to what they will be, I'd probably take my reso-tone and plug into a battery powered cube amp

[tdq]

I have a steel sing-cone NRP, which I love. I did try a M1 "Thunderbox" once in a store and I absolutely loved it.
In this demo I preferred the M1 Tricone - is that the same as the Thunderbox? Perhaps the thunderbox has a deeper body?
Anyway thanks for the comparison - I've always wanted a wooden body reso and I think the tricone is the winner. Now I just have to wait for a Nigerian prince to get in touch.

[Mandobart]

I had wanted one for a few years, ever since a friend unexpectedly gave me a 1930's Regal wood bodied spider bridge resonator mandolin. It has the sweetest, purest clear tone. I thought "I'd love to get a guitar that sounds like this."

I never have, but last fall I got a Gold Tone Paul Beard round neck resonator guitar.

I'm really enjoying it. I'm not (yet) a slide player. I love finger picking (bare fingers), flat picking, and strumming this guitar.

[rockabilly69]

The only resonator I like better in wood is a spider cone. Wood resonators are pleasant enough, but they just take away the a good part of what I like about resonators. Of those in the video, I would pick the El Trovador.

[Silly Moustache]

Hi, I had a great Style O deluxe but it was simply too loud and too heavy so I swapped it for this :



https://youtu.be/TtSvpw3-2Fw


This was the Bell brass Style O that I traded in :



https://youtu.be/0y7tJtqh89w

[Silly Moustache]

We weer obvious talking about National style Biscuit style instruments, but as "spider cone" Dobro styles, here's my Dobro



https://youtu.be/88COuktQyPo

It is a 1999 Gibson build, but I had a Beard cone and correcting spider fitted to correct the standard Gibson build error in intonation.

[blue]

Originally Posted by rockabilly69

The only resonator I like better in wood is a spider cone. Wood resonators are pleasant enough, but they just take away the a good part of what I like about resonators. Of those in the video, I would pick the El Trovador.

My fave of three also. It's the bass. That's what I mean by "least reso-y". It's kind of unique in that way to my ear when played in person, though can hear it in the vid. It's still not as present as midlle and high range, but it is more present than the others or my metal ones.

So yes. Some of what is special about resos is gone. But the Trov does add in something that is often missing.

I'm considering the M-1 Tricone for next year. I want a change up sonically from my steel body Triolian.

[Organic Sounds Select Guitars]

Originally Posted by tdq

I have a steel sing-cone NRP, which I love. I did try a M1 "Thunderbox" once in a store and I absolutely loved it.
In this demo I preferred the M1 Tricone - is that the same as the Thunderbox? Perhaps the thunderbox has a deeper body?
Anyway thanks for the comparison - I've always wanted a wooden body reso and I think the tricone is the winner. Now I just have to wait for a Nigerian prince to get in touch.

Hi tdq,

The Thunderbox is a single cone resonator, as opposed to the M1 tricone in this video. Of the three guitars in this comparison, it has more in common with the El Trovador with its 4" depth, and with the ResoRocket with its short scale length (25.0"). It does have that cool wood bodied National vibe. I've played a couple and like them a lot.

[Organic Sounds Select Guitars]

Originally Posted by Silly Moustache

Hi, I had a great Style O deluxe but it was simply too loud and too heavy so I swapped it for this :



https://youtu.be/TtSvpw3-2Fw


This was the Bell brass Style O that I traded in :



https://youtu.be/0y7tJtqh89w

Hi Andy,

I'm a big fan of your videos - you make all of these sound great. That Dobro sound is so unique, very cool. I have an Estralita Deluxe coming in soon, and I'm really looking forward to it. Thanks for posting here.

[Organic Sounds Select Guitars]

Originally Posted by blue

First of all, well done! I understand why the Brozman videos were pulled down by National, but head to head shootouts of high quality are hard to come by. Yours is both entertaining, and will be a boon to anyone trying to get a grasp on which of these fantastic instruments they might want.

My preferences come from playing them in person. I prefer the El Trov, followed by the M1, with rocket last. Ironically, despite being a metal reso fan, and owner (4 different models/types, including a square neck) I like the Trov because it is the "least reso-y" one to my ear, but still so much more interesting than a flattop. The rocket is the most "reso-y" sounding to me. Definitely what I would choose if I normally played a steel single, and needed to play standing up for hours.

I still prefer the sound of brass and german silver, but nothing compares to the comfort of the weight of the wood ones. If I got rid of a bunch of electric guitars I don't need anymore I would get either an M1 or a Trov. Whichever I found first, used at the price I was willing to pay. I would honestly be happy with either. Of course if I ever choose to busk again after things return to what they will be, I'd probably take my reso-tone and plug into a battery powered cube amp

Originally Posted by blue

My fave of three also. It's the bass. That's what I mean by "least reso-y". It's kind of unique in that way to my ear when played in person, though can hear it in the vid. It's still not as present as midlle and high range, but it is more present than the others or my metal ones.

So yes. Some of what is special about resos is gone. But the Trov does add in something that is often missing.

Thanks Blue! I think that all three of these guitars have something unique to offer. The El Trovador has that deep resonance with extra bass - such a haunting sound. The M1 tricone has that unbelievable sustain, richness and warmth. The ResoRocket ratchets up the volume and brashness a bit, still retaining that wood body warmth. Interesting to me that you find it to be the most "reso-y" - to me it's playing experience feels more like a flat top acoustic guitar that the other two. Perceptions always vary, as do individual guitars, and I really appreciate your perspective based on your extensive resonator experience.

This El Trovador is my personal guitar, built in 2008 so it has some breaking in time. I love it for fingerstyle pieces. Here's an example that I posted recently: