Back in the early days
when I
started
playing guitar and my interest was being sparked by the wonderful world
of fingerstyle acoustic blues and slide guitar, the sound of the
National made a mighty deep impression. Pivotal experiences
included listening and soaking up with every pore the excitement and
depth of sound displayed by so many National-twanging artists:
Robert
Petway
singing
Catfish
Blues.
Son
House and his
Death
Letter.
Bukka White Fixin'
to Die
on
his way to
Aberdeen.
Sister Rosetta Tharpe's powerful,
ebullient gospel music.
Bo Carter with
his
Banana
in Your Fruit Basket.
Tampa Red and his
Duck's
Yas
Yas Yas.
Sol Hoopii
like a jazzbo
Hawaiian God Himself.
I Am
the Black Ace,
I Am
the Boss
Card in
Your Hand.
Oscar
Buddy
Woods pleads
Mama
Don't
You Sell It,
Papa Don't You Give it Away.
Oscar
Aleman, every bit as hot and
sweet as Django Reinhardt himself, and many others...
Then there are the modern touring resophonic heroes, people that
have
become like an extended musical family of fathers, brothers and
sisters:
American
artists
Taj
Mahal, John
Hammond, Bob
Brozman, Steve James, Doug MacLeod, Robert B. Jones, Geoff Bartley,
Paul Rishell and Annie Raines, Roy Book Binder, Robert Armstrong, Del
Rey, Rich Delgrosso, Tom Hall, Leroy Pearson, Michael Roach,
Alvin Youngblood Hart, Corey Harris, Spencer Bohren, John Mooney, Mike
Gordon, Diamond Jim Greene, Tom Ball and Kenny Sultan, Harlem Slim,
John-Alex Mason, Dave MacKenzie, Little Toby Walker, Dave
Moore, Greg Brown, Joe Price, Bo Ramsey, Dustin Busch, Junior Barber,
Pete Grant,
Steve Creter, Fruteland Jackson, Mary Flower, Frank Corso, Hawkeye
Herman, Jeremy Lyons, Scott Perry, Steve Arvey,
John Hasbrouck, Dakota Dave
Hull, Kari Larsen, Cam Waters, David Evans (former
musical
partner with
Jessie Mae
Hemphill), Tom
Feldmann, Dan Phelps, David Jacobs-Strain, Pat Donohue, Mike Dowling,
Shari Kane, Roy Rogers (Chops
not
Chaps),
Johnny
Winter,
Paul
Olsen of
Scrapomatic
and
many others.
UK
artists
Dave
Arcari
of the
Radiotones,
The Blues Band's
Dave
Kelly (and his sister the
late
great
Jo
Ann Kelly),
Michael
Messer,
The Notting
Hillbillies'
Steve
Phillips and
Mark
Knopfler
(also of Dire
Straits),
Roger
Hubbard,
Dave
Foster,
Martin
Simpson,
Mr.
Downchild,
Dave
Peabody,
Round Eyes Ray of
the
Hot Licks Cookies,
Gypsy
Dave,
Aussie artist
Jeff Lang
and the late Irish legend
Rory
Gallager and many more all
have
had their
lives altered irrevocably by this unique instrument.
In The
Beginning...
Invented in the USA by the Czech immigrant
John Dopyera, Sr.
in
the 1920's, the
first (and ultimate) National resonator instrument, the
tricone guitar,
was
introduced to
the world in 1927. Based in the Los Angeles area, the National
company had a colorful, fascinating history and produced their most
prized and beautiful guitars up until around WWII. In the 1930's
you could purchase a Duolian single-cone guitar for 25 whole dollars!
For the complete, complex story of the early days of the original
National company, rife with cloak-and-dagger intrigue, check out
collector and musician Bob Brozman's fantastic book,
The
History
and Artistry of National
Resonator Instruments
(published by Centerstream/Hal
Leonard).
A New Era:
The modern company,
National
Reso-Phonic Guitars, Inc.
has taken the spirit
and sound of
National's best guitars of those halcyon years of the 20's and 30's and
have created a line of guitars that are unrivaled in beauty of tone,
playability and the very finest workmanship.
Don Young
and
McGregor Gaines,
the owners of National
Reso-Phonic
Guitars, worked for the OMI-Dobro company in the 1980's. Don had
started making replacement parts for Nationals when he and McGregor
decided to make National guitars. They set up shop in Don's
parent's garage and initially made wood body instruments (the Islander,
JazzBlues, M1 Mahogany and ResoLectric). In 1992 they started to
make the brass body Style "O," using Bob Brozman's collection to create
the Hawaiian motif. Their combined talent, drive and creativity have
made
a huge impact on the guitar world and their small factory in San Luis
Obispo, California has produced over 15,000 instruments in the nearly
two decades since the company's inception. In recent years,
MacGregor has left the company and
Eric
Smith has become CEO.
The
Instruments:
National
Reso-Phonic has
reissued the vintage
classic
models including the single
cone brass bodied
Style
O, in 14-fret as
well as 12 frets to the body,
and engraved
Style 3,
and
brass
bodied tricones
Styles 1
through
5.
All models
made after 1994 have excellent
adjustable double
trussrods.
Innovations include many new models inspired by the classics: The
Delphi
was the first,
the steel-bodied
equvalent of the early Duolian and Triolian
single cone guitars, with several cool colors with a powdercoated
"industrial" finish. The
NRP
Tricone is the fantastic
steel
bodied tricone. Both the Delphi and Tricone also come
in a
Vintage
Steel
antiqued
patina nickel finish that is very popular.
Within this last year both the
National
NRP and the
W-Series
Triolian
have been issued, in
12 and 14 fret models. These feature handpainted burst
finishes and are made of a lighter gauge steel, much closer in tone to
the 30's Duolians (now the NRP) and 30's Triolian (now the new W-Series
Triolian).
The
Polychrome Triolian
is another stunning 30's single cone reissue guitar, with goldish
painted thinner gauge steel body, maple neck and fingerboard and on the
back, the black palm tree stencilled design of the original models.
The
Estralita
Deluxe
and
M2
Mahogany
are wood bodied single
cone
guitars that incorporate some of the best of the
warmth and beauty
of
several of the
vintage wood bodied models. The unique body-shaped
El
Trovador has been
reissued, becoming National's best selling model for the last three
years. This year the
El
Trovador 12-String and
El
Trovador Baritone have also been issued. The
Triolian
WB and the
NRP WB are both made with a maple body.
Cutaway bodied new
Nationals include the ultra-cool
groundbreaking
Reso
Rocket (pictured right) and
the new
Tricone
Cutaways.
One of my favorite new Nationals are the
Baritone
Tricones (in steel and brass
bodies) which offer a longer
neck
and can be tuned as much as four or five half-tones lower for that
extra-deep,
gonad-rattling tone unrivalled by any other guitar. Most
any tricone
National can now be made as a Baritone
guitar!
Great
12-strings
are offered
in most all models. The National
ukulele
is the cutest (big-sounding)
little thing and comes in both metal and wood bodies, soprano and
concert necks. They have a fabulous
mandolin.
Electric players are
delighted by the
ResoLectric
guitars, including the
Reso
Jr. II. One-of-a-kind custom art guitars are sublime. The
Model D, Model
D Deluxe and cowboy-roped
Western
D have delighted fans of the
spider
cone Dobro-type guitar, and come in both round and square
neck versions..
So Much is New in 2010:
M1 Tricone: - A National first: a wood bodied tricone!
This one is all mahogany with super deep and rich and clear
tricone qualities, and weighs 3.3 pounds less than a metal tricone.
Triolian Polychrome:
- Goldish painted single cone with black palm tree stencil on back,
another suped-up reproduction, and it sounds GREAT, just like the NRPs
and W-Series Triolians.
Triolian Uke:
- Cute, wonderful sounding uke with the W-Series gold-to-brown burst.
National NRP Tricone: - With similar specs as the NRP
single cone, the NRP Tricone is a knockout guitar. Lighter
gauge steel bodies now bear the standard at National; not only
does
this make the guitar lighter in weight, but brings an added vintage
ring and sparkle to the tone. Just when I thought "What could
they do next?", National raises the bar yet again!
National NRP: - A
reproduction of the 30's Duolian, with lighter gauge steel body, arched
back, stamped f-holes, handpainted silvery-green 'burst
finish, ebony fingerboard and nut, mahogany neck, slotted
headstock with "NATIONAL" stamped on it, just like the old
Duolians...with the great ring of the vintage models! In both
12 and 14 fret models.
W-Series Triolian: - Also
made with a lighter gauge steel
body, arched back, stamped f-holes, handpainted "walnut" burst finish.
In 12 and 14 fret models.
W-Series
Triolian WB: - Maple laminate
version of the 12 fret Triolian!
German Silver Tricone -
Nickel plated German (or Nickel)
Silver
bodied tricone. Stunning. Really, the ultimate tricone...the same body
materials as the greatest early tricones that started in 1927; it
offers richer low-mids and smoother highs than the regular brass
tricones.
The
Don -
This 14-fret wonder is made of
nickel plated German Silver. The ultimate single cone National, limited
series.
Style N German Silver
Single Cone - 12 frets to the neck, super-shiny guitar
with more present low-mids and smoother highs than a brass guitar.
Reso
Jr. II
- The Reso Jr. is back, this time with a sublime natural wood finish.,
also now in sunburst finish.
Hotplate
-
Hot new coverplate with pickup and volume controls, can be
installed on any single cone National.
Hot
Rod Cones
- A new alloy makes the heart of the instrument sound even better; it's
now stock on all new Nationals.
14-fret Style O - Very popular, a reproduction
of the 1937 model, replete with
"chicken feet" coverplate and etched palm tree design.
Vintage
Steel Tricone
Cutaway and
Style
1 Tricone Cutaway
- A modern innovation of the classic tricone design.
The
El Trovador
- A real beauty; all mahogany bodied, f-holed single cone guitar
with a unique, larger and deeper body shape, now in 12 string and
Baritone versions.
Lefty
Tricones
- finally
available.
Antique
Brass Finish
is now available for all brass bodied instruments. It's
beautiful!
Baritone
Guitars
- Most all tricones, and the El Trovador can be ordered with a
Baritone neck. My favorite.
12-Strings
-
Available by special order for most all National guitars
National 2-CD
Catalogue:
The new National
Catalogue is
a unique concept. It has 24 thick five-by-seven inch full
color
deco style cards with an instrument pictured on the front and full
description and specs on the back of each card, suitable for framing.
It also contains two full-length CDs:
"Artists
in Resonance II,"
an excellent compilation with
23 different artists (including myself) playing every model of
National.
"Audio
Catalogue III,"
with
instrument comparisons, which will help you choose just the right
National for you.
Order National Catalogue: $15 plus
$3
shipping in USA
and Canada, $5 everywhere else (One shipping charge,
no matter how many items.)
Can
you tell I
love these
guitars?
I play and record with several different new models myself; my
Baritone Polychrome Tricone
is my
primary touring and recording National. I've been having a blast
with the brave new world of the 12-string on both my brass bodied,
brass
plated
Style
One
12-string Tricone and my new, mind-blowing
El Trovador 12 String.
I have special uses for a
Custom
Baritone Estralita which is
so beautiful looking and
sounding, I
can hardly stand it. My
Radio
Tone and
Delphi
get
their workouts too.
I
started my resophonic journey in 1979 on a
1930
steel bodied
single cone
Duolian.
This is a truly great
guitar, which has been refurbished by Don and Mac and the
gang. I had
dropped
this
guitar in
the ocean
(not recommended!) back in the early
1980's while
living on a
sailboat in the Caribbean in my wayward youth, and
when I sent it in to National it was a very sad looking, rust-bucket of
a
guitar. It came back reborn with a vintage, trippy
crackle or "frosted duco" finish and new fingerboard. The guitar
and I had a very
emotional private reunion, songs coming back, seemingly playing
themselves from over 20 years ago. Ultimately, a happy ending to
what began as an unfortunate story.
The
advantages
of new Nationals
over vintage Nationals:
1.
New Nationals have very
good intonation,
the vintage Nationals intonation are all a
bit off.
2.
New
Nationals have fully
adjustable truss
rods in the neck. The vintage
Nationals have no truss rods
at all. My
1930
Duolian's neck had to be constantly re-shimmed, and had a bowed
neck. New guitar's
necks are solid
as a rock and stay wherever you adjust them.
3.
New
Nationals have a lifetime
of music ahead
of them. Vintage ones,
though quite a few are great instruments and have the
legendary mojo
of the olden days, need much more care,
maintainence and are already seventy or eighty years old.
Guitar players, by and large, tend to prefer new Nationals.
4.
New
Nationals have superior
cones; vintage cones are
often crushed,
muted and banjo-like in tone from years of dust, petrofied bird's
nests, playing and other general
(ab)use. Don
and McGregor
and the craftsmen at National have really perfected the spun
aluminum
resonator, the heart of the instrument, and if
something untoward happens to your cone, such as a hefty drop of the
guitar or the cone's accidental
use as a pot pie pan
or frisbee (just kidding, I hope!), you can easily get fantstic new
replacement cones at a nominal cost. You can always keep your original
vintage cone, but I think the best sound comes from the new ones.
5.
The
staff
at National are friendly
and very
responsive to the
player's needs. If you ever
have a technical question, you
can give National a call and
talk to a real human being who will help you.
If
you are interested
in purchasing
any new National, I would be happy to help you.
I am an
official
dealer
for National, and I
can help you get them direct from the factory to your exact
specifications. All instruments come with hard case and
no
sales tax.
I can
usually meet most any other dealer's prices as well.
I offer total support before, during and after every
purchase, to get you set up right to follow your string-twanging dream.
I've sold dozens of new Nationals directly to satisfied
pickers all over the world. I have over 30 years of experience as a
touring performer and
recording
artist, and I'm very, very proud to be associated with this great
company.
Please
do email
or call me
at 319-338-3614
anytime,
and I
can get you prices and answer any questions.
Ask about custom features,
too, including inlays,
engraving, special finishes, custom headstock options, etc.
All
models can have
Highlander
Pickups
installed at the factory. These pickups really are the very best,
specifically designed especially for Nationals, and since they are not
easy to retrofit (and very few repair people should be trusted
with a National of any kind, trust me...), it's highly recommended
that you get them installed at the factory.
Also the new
Hotplate
is available as an upgrade for single cone guitars; it's got
volume knobs and "lipstick" pickup.
Thanks for tuning in!
yours truly, Catfish Keith
My
National Guitars Complete Price List
www.nationalguitars.com
www.highlanderpickups.com
Catfish Keith is a
National
Artist/Endorser and an Official National Reso-Phonic Dealer.
Catfish was one of the world's Top
Ten
National Dealers in 2007, 2008 and 2009.
IN STOCK NOW &
IMMEDIATELY AVAILABLE:
National NRP
14 Fret $2105
This is the 14 fret
version of the
vintage Duolian repro, same thinner gauge steel on the
body, with the shorter body shape that's the same as the 14 Fret
Triolian and 14 Fret Style O. Cool!! Also in Black and Ivory
finish, and the B-Series "Black Rust" finish.