Custom National El Trovador Baritone guitar - One off! Price reduced

[Frankie2blue]

This is a custom one of a kind National El Trovador that was custom built for me in 2009 by MacGregor Gaines and Don Young, the then Vice President and President of National at the time. The entire guitar is maple from master flamed maple. The wood was selected from sorting through many sets and then matching the flame of the maple to a neck blank so everything would tie in. The purflings were custom done by McGregor, who took the standard upgrade rope binding they use, and running it through a thickness sander to half the thickness, to allow for all edges of the instrument to be bound. Even the resonator cover plate is bound the same.
Don Young at the time stained the entire guitar dark, then re sanded it so the pores of the wood would retain dark pores. Then a tobacco burst was applied over that which made the figure of the wood pop like its 3D. This is a similar system to finishing gun stocks, which was Dons idea. Then the guitar was finished and buffed to a mirror finish without flaw. We picked a chicken foot cover plate for it, though I always kind of wanted to add a antique brass hot plate and tailpiece to it but never got around to it. All specs of the guitar are standard National specs for their Baritone guitar. This guitar took over 9 months to complete.
I got it more or less as a collectible and have never really played it. It has lived in the case for most of its life, so it is without flaw and is in the same condition as it was shipped from the factory. It sounds incredible of course, but I am not really a Baritone guy, so someone should have this that will use it. It really should be played and not just stored away.
This is a very special guitar and you will never find another like it anywhere. They have made other flame maple Baritone guitars somewhat like this, but none with this level of attention and detail that I know of. None with hand done custom done purflings. This guitar being an early El Trovador guitar has a label in it signed by Mike Dowling who was the one responsible for the resurrection of the El Trovador model, though is one has not much to do with the standard issue MD guitars and is one of the first baritone models made in the El Trovador line. It had a retail value well north of 5000 then, and would be more now for sure.
Price is reduced to 2950. Plus shipping anywhere in US. I am NOT looking for trades of any kind as I am slowly but surely whitling down my collection.

[Frankie2blue]

PMs are replied to. The question I am getting asked a lot is about the spacing. As I had stated before the specs on this are pretty standard to any of their baritones, so a look at their website will give you some more exacting specs. The nut spacing is abou 1 7/8 and the bridge spacing is close to 2 3/8 as is the spacing at the 12th fret. Fairly standard for a lot of baritones. Neck joins the body at the 13th fret on these, which is also standard.

[Frankie2blue]

Ok, no response here on the thread but a lot of PM’s With trade offers I don’t want. I’m trying to slim down my oversized collection. This guitar has almost no play time and is in as new condition.
Let’s try 3250 and I’ll cover the shipping anywhere in US.

[Frankie2blue]

Price drop to 2950. Must not be many Baritone folks in here. This guitar sells for a whole lot more than this with a long wait if you tried to order it.This guitar is “As new condition” as is the original National case.

[blews]

Flat out gorgeous - do you have any clips or vids you can share??

[Frankie2blue]

I don’t have any videos but I guess I can try to do one. It’s jyst posting it up here that I’m not sure how to do. But maybe I will try tomorrow. This guitar has a huge voice though that’s for sure, enough to curl your hair or break the windows.
All other PMs are now replied to.

[Frankie2blue]

Ok
I ave been asked by a few people to post a video and that’s one thing I haven’t explored much but hopefully this works. I just ripped through it and the guitar is tuned probably lower than normal but it’ll give you an idea anyway. Lot of slide tapping etc because I was pretty close to mic I think.


https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=N2p7Zw5TSTg

[Frankie2blue]

This guitar has a nut width a hair over 1 13/16 as I have been asked question that a lot. Nothing different has been done with the specs of this guitar from any other National Baritone. Don’t understand what to do with a National Baritone? Listen to Catfish Keith or Bob Brozman. Otherwise put regular strings on it and tune it to pitch.

[dane41]

Whoa!!!

Is that a 13 fret? What's the scale?

[MCDEMO1]

The www.nationalguitars.com site is not the greatest for specifications.

Try here:

http://vintagenationals.net/instrume...R_BARITONE.pdf

[Frankie2blue]

This is tuned B to B, 2 ½ whole tones below normal tuning. With its aluminum resonator cone and biscuit, under the design direction of Don Young, it roars like the king of the acoustic instruments that it is. 27" scale length; Deep body, the neck meets the body at the 13th fret. I think Bob Brozman tuned his C to C. Incredible sound no matter where you tune it to really.

[Guitars44me]

Frankie, I believe you would do yourself a favor to get some calipers and actually measure this boss instrument in every possible way. Also describe the neck profile/shape. And list the weight. And tell us about the case, too.

I am not in the market for one of these, but I have learned the hard way NOT to trust website measurements, or pasted ones.

Many folks on the AGF are super picky about what works for them. (Me too)

This will sell eventually! What a MONSTER Nice picking too!

Best on this and whittling down the herd...

Paul

[Frankie2blue]

The neck at the nut is 1 7/8 by my measurements so just a hair over 1 13/16. The neck shape is really a soft C type shape and not really a V. The El Trovador body on this is no different in specs than any other El Trovador they make, but is made with the premium woods and purflings.
I figure that anybody going for a guitar like this already knows pretty much what it is and would be looking for one>, being that it is a specialized guitar. I have three National baritones though, but the other two are tricones, one in Brass and one in steel, both with the same basic flamed maple neck as this one. I went through a baritone phase for a while with the Blind Willie Mctell and Leadbelly stuff and Hawaiian slack key, but not playing as much of it these days as I used to. I have had some low ball offers but I’m not going down in price as this is a serious deal as it is, pretty much being the same price as a standard El Trovador. Still, I have no issue keeping this one as it is a really special guitar and I have never seen another like it anywhere. Maybe I’ll put one of the Baritone tricones up instead seeing as I gave two of those and keep this one.
By the way, the case on this is the standard National case with gold painted logo on front and it, like the guitar is in perfect condition. Case has never been out of the house as I always thought this guitar was too special to gig out with.

[Frankie2blue]

Maybe there are not a lot of Baritone fans out there? I hesitate to eBay it, but I have three baritone and at least one has to go. If you’re looking for a National Baritone you won’t find a nicer one than this no matter where you look.

[Frankie2blue]

Lots of trade offers on this thing but as I stated I’m not looking to trade.
Make me a good realistic offer on this one of a kind beauty.