Help with a new Reso

[AndreasG]

I have a Michael Messer at the moment but want to upgrade. My favourite would be a National Style O 12 fret but they are way high these days. I see some Delphis that are more my range but wondering what the differences are apart from the finish. Thanks

[rockabilly69]

The Style O is brass and has a softer sound. Delphis are steel bodied.

[AndreasG]

Thanks is that soundwise a big difference? Are Stye O‘s deeper in body size?

[rockabilly69]

Originally Posted by AndreasG

Thanks is that soundwise a big difference? Are Stye O‘s deeper in body size?

There is a HUGE difference in sound. Brass is softer and I feel a bit more musical, for people that tend to fingerpick and want an easier crossover from acoustic guitar it's a good choice. Now steel excels at the gutbucket blues sound with a sharp attack. Notes fly off of them. Don't know about the body size.

[AndreasG]

Thanks a lot! Might check the Delphi out to see how it sounds….

[Howard Emerson]

Originally Posted by rockabilly69

There is a HUGE difference in sound. Brass is softer and I feel a bit more musical, for people that tend to fingerpick and want an easier crossover from acoustic guitar it's a good choice. Now steel excels at the gutbucket blues sound with a sharp attack. Notes fly off of them. Don't know about the body size.

The style O is listed as being 3.125", or 3 & 1/8", and Delphi is 3.75" or 3 & 3/4".

HE

[joe paul]

Which model MM guitar do you have - steel, brass or wood body?
If I was you, I'd keep that guitar and get a Style O if you already have a steel body, or vice versa.

[AndreasG]

Originally Posted by joe paul

Which model MM guitar do you have - steel, brass or wood body?
If I was you, I'd keep that guitar and get a Style O if you already have a steel body, or vice versa.

Mines the Michael Messer Lightning, brass body. It is indeed a nice guitar but has very high action that‘s nice for slide but almost unplayable otherwise. The neck has quite a bit of relief and cannot be straightened…I tried (too) hard stripping out the truss rod nut….so it‘s a bit of a mess. But I bought the MM a few years back as they seemed to have a good reputation in the cheap reso-land and I wanted to try one just to see if I liked playing reso guitars…therefore I‘m looking for a “real” one

[joe paul]

If you like the way the Lightning sounds and you want a National that has a similar flavour, it's a brass body Style O. A Delphi, an NRP Steel or Triolian have a sharper sound that's cool too.
Here are a couple of videos of Steve James and a steel body National Resophonic to give you an idea :




and another good player here with a Style O :



Hope that helps you out, gives you a clearer idea of the difference.

[AndreasG]

Thanks, great videos!