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  #16  
Old 01-29-2020, 01:35 PM
THart THart is offline
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Love the sound of my spider cone round neck. Sounds like they're kind of a rare bird but if you see one definitely check it out. May be just what you're looking for too.
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  #17  
Old 01-29-2020, 02:22 PM
rockabilly69 rockabilly69 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Wade Hampton View Post
Great story, Rockabilly. That sounds like Don, all right.

During the surprisingly long and complicated process developing the National RM-1 mandolin, I dealt with both Don and Mac, but probably spent at least twice as much time interacting with Don as I did Mac. I came to think of Mac as “Inspector Gadget,” because he was SO good with the technical side of things, the hands-on logistical and practical ways of creating these designs, while Don represented more of the heart and soul and artistic side of their company.

In reality, both were very good at both sides of that equation, but as a team, together they were great.


whm
It's great that you got to know them and I see them exactly the same way as you. BTW Wade, a few years back, I went to Chugiak to teach Blues In Schools with my friend Brad Wheeler. I would have loved to hang with you while I was there. I brought a cheap Airline Folkstar Reso with me so I didn't tear up one of my Nationals
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  #18  
Old 01-29-2020, 06:56 PM
BluesKing777 BluesKing777 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by J-Doug View Post
Hi guys,

for you reso experts, what style of National reso would be appropriate for my style of play? I mostly play ragtime and Piedmont blues, fingerpicked with bare fingers. Here's an example:



Single cone or Tricone? Brass or steel? I'd prefer a 12 fretter. I have played a few over the years but I'd like to hear your opinion.

I know you'll say play a bunch which I will but the nearest National dealer is 9-10 hour drive round trip.



Get on the bike and go try them or you will keep 'hesitating' Ha!

Now the normal options have been mentioned, I will tell you that in the dark ages I bought a wood body Dobro of approx 1928 vintage and the bow on the neck made it too hard for normal notes but great for slide. So on that point, Nationals are a bit of a beast for the fingers. I have a feeling the first slide players found them somewhere and had no option BUT to play slide on that thing!

So soon after the wood body Dobro was replaced with this (bell brass) Dobro from the early 70s when Doug Young was factory Manager at Dobro, according to another forum.




Man, oh man, you don't even need to play that shiny guitar for people to come running to see you! So I did a solo set of slide among my electric bands with that guitar (my friend the piano player tripped over the PA lead and sent the sax on a stand to my Dobro for the big dent in the side!), but here is the point...After that band was long defunct, I was sitting at home and it occurred to me to put the Dobro in standard tuning, down a couple! So that is recommendation number one for you - it has a way smaller nut than the National (1.82) monsters.....

Next up, my 1935 National Trojan...wood bodies, clanging sound cone but one of these set up for your playing could be a lot of tone and fun:



After that one, it was a bit smelly!, I bought this wonderful new National M14 wood body single cone - we are getting expensive now though, Doug:




And then the big one, for slide ONLY Open D - my National Tricone steel. A friend was over and said he had never heard a guitar tone so strange and beautiful. The catch is it weighs four tons and hurts my leg and slips off and the hobo trip would not include this guitar without a trailer!





BluesKing777.

Last edited by BluesKing777; 01-29-2020 at 07:34 PM.
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  #19  
Old 01-30-2020, 10:14 AM
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Teleplucker Teleplucker is offline
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I would recommend the wooden Resorocket. Also known as the wocket or the Steve James model.
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  #20  
Old 01-30-2020, 02:18 PM
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I noticed that there is a used M-1 Tricone for sale locally. Might be worth checking out....
?

Last edited by Guest 33123; 01-30-2020 at 02:39 PM.
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  #21  
Old 01-30-2020, 03:08 PM
BluesKing777 BluesKing777 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by J-Doug View Post
I noticed that there is a used M-1 Tricone for sale locally. Might be worth checking out....
?
Cool!

That is the wood body version of my black Tricone above. It would be delightful! BUT, you seriously need to (and it is really true in this case)...try the thing in the flesh. The nut will be about 1.82 and the neck will have approx twice as much wood as your Gibsons. It can be done though - I bought the National M14 above for standard tuning play - had to get the nut lowered a frak but left the action as is, luckily because I do think Nats are better for slide. While I adore the reso tones, it can get a bit monotonous if it is your only guitar.............

Well, once you have bought the National and settled in for a year or two and recovered from tendon stretcharoony, next step is to buy a wonderful bottleneck from Diamond Bottlenecks, UK!!!!

BluesKing777.
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  #22  
Old 01-30-2020, 03:28 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BluesKing777 View Post
slips off
Is this a National thing? Are straps essential? I dislike guitars sliding around.
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  #23  
Old 01-30-2020, 03:47 PM
BluesKing777 BluesKing777 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by J-Doug View Post
Is this a National thing? Are straps essential? I dislike guitars sliding around.
Depends what you wear, I suppose.

I put a line of velcro on the area where it contacts my leg, no strap. But a strap is a big thing with the weight of a steel guitar. Your newbie neck will be stretched!

No big deal, you get used to it.

(It is very, very hot here in southern Australia last night and today and I just leave the delicates in their cases and play my resos when it gets like this. Fat necks and fat bodies are oblivious to weather usually. I played my wood body National M14 last night in my practice time for about 45 mins, then later did a mini set of open G slide tunes for the Better Half as she had a glass of plonk.....I mix up slide and normal fingering on the M14 and it is just delightful, to put it nicely. Tone and a half. I played about 5 songs and noticed that was about half an hour - when you play Open G, you have to learn to stretch it! Or retune.)

BluesKing777.
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  #24  
Old 01-30-2020, 08:21 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BluesKing777 View Post
Depends what you wear, I suppose.
Think heavy metal skin tight spandex.
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  #25  
Old 01-30-2020, 10:13 PM
BluesKing777 BluesKing777 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by J-Doug View Post
Think heavy metal skin tight spandex.


Photos or it's not true.......

Urr..played my black Tricone before on a work break - sounds great, weighs lots.

This from a National blurb for the Wood M1:
NATIONAL M1 MAHOGANY TRICONE RESONATOR

After years of research and development, National Reso-Phonic Guitars is proud to introduce to you our new wood-body M-1 Tricone! At nearly 3.3 lbs. lighter than its metal-body counterpart, this instrument features laminated mahogany body construction, highlighted by a sturdy wood soundwell and hand-painted steel cover- plate. The new M-1 combines the unmistakable sound of a Tricone with the warmth of a wood-body. Outfitted with our new-alloy cones and aluminum T-bridge, we believe this instrument to be quite versatile. Includes a National hard case.


The wood model makes me think of waffles, too many of which are not good for the spandex pants!

Acoustic Centre video of M1:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r88W...ature=emb_logo


Steve James with Resorocket:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zY7DXR670BY


Mike Dowling with M1 and Resorocket:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eH6jyCXMVfY


Soundpure comparison video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ogfi3g-yCZ4


BluesKing777.


P.S. found some non slide playing on reso!

Dream Guitars - Al Pettaway:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPUa3FBA8OA

Last edited by BluesKing777; 01-30-2020 at 10:49 PM.
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  #26  
Old 01-30-2020, 10:55 PM
Guest 33123
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Found this:



Just so freakin cool.
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  #27  
Old 01-30-2020, 11:14 PM
rockabilly69 rockabilly69 is offline
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I put strap pins on all of my Nationals
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  #28  
Old 01-31-2020, 09:20 AM
Guest 33123
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BluesKing777 View Post
At nearly 3.3 lbs. lighter than its metal-body counterpart
Yeah weight is definitely a consideration. As I mentioned I have played a few over the years, a Delphi and a steel tricone and something else I don't remember, but never a wood body. The steel bodies felt like a boat anchor on my lap which was a turn off. Plus I was pretty tentative when I played them so I don't think I drew the right tone out of them. More of a boink sound out of the bass. So I've run kind of hot and cold on them.

I've been chatting with the guy selling the M-1 tricone locally and he's being helpful and flexible. I need to think this through.

Last edited by Guest 33123; 01-31-2020 at 09:30 AM.
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  #29  
Old 01-31-2020, 03:20 PM
BluesKing777 BluesKing777 is offline
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I don’t know but imagine the wood body Nat Resorocket with cutaway would be lighter than the M1.

There is the clank bass and the cheaper units tend to have a clunk! But in a way, it is sort of like buying a guitar that is very different to operate, so you can go for one that is closer to a standard acoustic guitar, or ‘embrace the clank’ fully!

While most Nats are fabulous for bottleneck, you can get a clanky chord thing going with a single cone that is hard to beat! They just seem to have the right amount of sustain for blues and rags...not too much normally but there is you want it.....

BluesKing777.
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  #30  
Old 01-31-2020, 03:42 PM
Silly Moustache Silly Moustache is offline
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Hi, I'm nowhere near to Mike Dowling's league, but just for info, here's my long gone Style "O" deluxe :



And here's my current Estralita :

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I'm here to try to help and advise and I offer one to one lessons/meetings/mentoring via Zoom!
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