1993 Continental Tricone

[revy]

First of all I want to thank Michael for this forum and letting me be a part of it. In researching different aspects of finding a resonator it seems I always end up back to this forum. It's a wonderful source of information and I appreciate!
 
As many, I was searching for a resonator but really didn't want to purchase one made in the far east. I was leaning towards a National. Possibly a Collegian or something in that price range. I was doing some research and read about Continentals. I read a lot of information online and numerous articles here on this forum that the early ones were very well made and were not made in the far east but were made in Germany and the Czech Republic. Far east models were made after 1996 - 1997. I was a couple evenings into my research and came across one 100 miles from home. The owner drove about 30 minutes and saved me some windshield time and met me an hour from home. This is a super rare occurrence in the middle of the cornfields of the mid west United States. He told me he'd purchased it in Minneapolis. 

The body was in good shape (a few light scuffs and light dings, no large major dents), the neck is original, someone has replaced the fret board for some reason. Not a super high quality job but I bought it to play, not a museum piece.  Frets and action are good and relief seems about right. Haven't checked it on a real good tuner yet but intonation is close to right on the money. It does play quite well and has quite a beefy neck. Serial number (according to information I found here on the forum) dates it to July 1993. Which I'm led to believe is an early model.

Not quite the resonant sustain I would expect from a tricone. But it's only the second resonator I've ever played. Has a nice low end to it!  I bought it for about 60% of what a Collegian would cost me. I thought I would give it a good cleaning and polishing, oil up the fret board, and I really want to add a pickup, since I do play some stuff live. 

My questions on my first purchase: What else do I need to do to this guitar to get it to optimum operating level. Remove cones and clean it out? Anything else? 

I've been researching pickups and the two that I seem to be favoring are the Highlander Magnophonic and the "Pickup the World" Tricone Resonator pickup. I can't seem to find the highlander anywhere for sale? I run K&K pickups in my acoustic guitars. I didn't know if the K&K designed for a spider bridge could be used for a tricone. Any help would be appreciated. 

Here is a pictures of the new beast. 

Thank you in advance! 
Brad

    

[richclough]

Hi,
Highlander don't make the Magnaphonic anymore. I haven't heard of the "Pickup the world" one.

I've had good results with both Sixtus and Krivo Magnetic pickups.

Sixtus is cheaper, and thinner. I put one into my first reso - a Busker Deco Tricone.

I recently bought a s/h National Style 1 and had a Krivo installed. This looks better, but is thicker, which is causing me a few problems with high fretting on the third string. Because I use phos bronze strings the pole piece has to stick out further on this string. I'm still working on this - may fix it differently and get a mm or two relief.

Michael recommends and supplies Sixtus pickups. Gives you a hint. 😞

Cheers,
Rich.

[jono1uk]

Sixtus all the way... i have one...

[leeophonic]

The early continentals are nice guitars, not brash and loud but quietly complex, it is as you know a custom hand built guitar, no two are the same and the original builders/team are no more.


Good clean, TLC, New strings a sixtus and enjoy it.


Lee

[lexluthier]

Hi Revy! Does your guitar have a large screw going into the body directly below the neck heel that then goes into a neck block on the inside? The small neck block will be visible through the latice-work grills where the neck stick enters the body.

Chris

[revy]

Nov 4, 2018 23:38:13 GMT lexluthier said:

Hi Revy! Does your guitar have a large screw going into the body directly below the neck heel that then goes into a neck block on the inside? The small neck block will be visible through the latice-work grills where the neck stick enters the body.

Chris

Just the strap pin is exposed to the outside. But I can see the small block under the main neck block through the lattice. Whoever changed the fret board left the 5 screws going into the fret board extension exposed. 

Since the fret board has no dot markers I supposed they didn't see a need to hide them. A little unorthodox way of doing it but it's functional. Just not the prettiest. Seems to play well though.   

[lexluthier]

Hi! The strap button has just been added by removing the screw, sliding it on and then refitting the screw. The same had been done to mine when I got.

The neck block arrangement is unnecessary and (imho) a bit of a tone killer. Continental only used this device for about 6 months before they realised they didn't need it! Having this block removed and a rebuild/set-up by someone who knows(properly) what they are doing WILL improve the guitars volume and tone. Otherwise, just leave it be, more problems can occur in the hands of the well meaning but naive 'ave a go guy. Tone Heaven is in the details with Tricones.

Chris

[Michael Messer]

Hello Brad,

Welcome to our forum and thank you for your kind words.

You have received some very good advice from everyone. Without actually seeing your guitar it is impossible to be 100% sure about the reasons it doesn't sound quite as it should. The fact that the fretboard has been replaced is somewhat worrying, because we don't know why that was done, or whether the job was done well. Did they remove the neck, if so did they refit it properly, did they mess with the arrangement of pit-props inside, are the cones original and if not what are they, are the cones damaged...etc ...etc...? There are many factors that go towards making it sound right and sing. As Lex Luthier has said... it is all about the details.

It can do no harm to clean it, but I don't believe that will solve the problem. I would like to see more photos so we can see more of the guitar than just the front. Some pics of the bridge saddle and the break angle from tailpiece to bridge saddle would be helpful. And just a set of photos that show us more than we can see in the one you have posted.

My advice to anyone that comes to the forum with a guitar that needs attention and the owner is not used to working on resonator guitars, is to take it to a luthier that specialises in this type of work. I am sure we can help if you want to find a luthier to do the work.

Pickups... It is a real shame that Highlander stopped making their Magnophonic Tricone pickup, but they did and now we all have to find something else. Currently there is nothing on the market that is a direct replacement for the Magnophonic, so my advice is that the best option is to fit a magnetic pickup that is designed for this type of guitar.

I am sure that your guitar will sound wonderful when it has been "sorted out" as we say in England!

My best wishes,

Shine On
Michael.

[lexluthier]

Hi again! The fretboard may have been replaced because some of these early examples seem to have been built with ebony(actually African blackwood) that wasn't fully seasoned and consequently shrunk and cracked, especialy around those 5 screw holes.

Revys tricone puts me in mind of Danny Claybourne's. Danny had to replace the fretboard on his even after his initial rebuild, maybe for the same reason, I can't quite remember. I did wonder if this was Dannys guitar?

Anyway Michael is right I'm sure, some patience finding the 'right guy' will pay dividends in the long run, its a nice guitar waiting to be great.

Chris

[revy]

Pretty sure it was Danny's guitar. Came across a post where he had a picture of the serial number. Matches the one I bought. Pretty small world. I sent him a message on it.

[revy]

I have some cleaning aids ordered and I'll take some more pictures of the break angle etc.
I'll also pull the cover and inspect the cones.
Another reason I feel for it's lack of punch is the previous owner has quite light strings on the guitar.
I would think a minimum of medium gauge strings should be used. Current strings on it are .01" - .051"

Thank you everyone for the input!
Rev

[Michael Messer]

I don't know Danny, but Googling his name took me to this video that was published in 2012. It should help you to identify whether your guitar was Danny's.



Short sound clip and slide show featuring the 1993 German Continental Tricone that I rescued and rehabilitated. The previous owner had used a drill or something similar to remove the neck along the heel & fretboard, the neck stick was butchered, nailed & glued back on crookedly, and the inside heel & tail blocks were gone... plus so much more. I spent a year and a half rescuing & restoring this fine instrument. (She actually has a new fretboard now, more work was needed after the video was made...) Brass body, mahogany neck, ebony fretboard, original Czech Continental cones! I think she sounds great, plays great, and looks pretty good for my 1st attempt at a lot of these repairs... including fret work and binding. Sound recorded with a Tascam DR-07mkII, just aimlessly messing around in open D tuning with one of my favorite Diamond Bottleneck slides, trying to show off her tone, actions still a hair stiffer than what I'm used to but I'm letting the guitar settle and open up awhile before I take her apart again.

--------------------------

Shine On
Michael.

[revy]

If this is the same guitar it had a nightmare of a life since the video.
Fret board is different. No fret markers. No bindings. Some scratches around where the fret board was removed.
Not meticulous care like the one in the video. I wish it could talk and tell me it's story!
Maybe we'll find out soon enough.

[jono1uk]

revy ..another worthwhile "mod" is to remove any paint (usually black ) that may be on the bridge.. its a real "tone killer"

[lexluthier]

Hi! Danny has posted on this forum quite a few time although not for a year or two, but including a few posts on this guitar.

As we can see from the text posted by Michael, Danny aludes to the fact that he replaced the fret board after the video/slideshow was produced and also, even then, wasn't happy with the sound and talks about 'taking her apart again'.

I got the feeling that after alot of initial patience, care and attention, Danny may have got frustated and lost a bit of heart with the project. I had no idea he had sold it but that may tell us something.(Sorry if I'm misrepresenting!) This does speak volumes to how tricky Tricones can be!

All the elements of a great guitar are still there so it's just a matter of 'sorting it out'.

Definately fit heavier strings, resonators work best with load and tension on them.

Chris