Continental tricone

[Michael Messer]

Hi Nico,

It is still a very expensive AXL guitar!

Shine On
Michael

[Niek]

Still are not sure which tricone I should buy. At first I thought a Busker tricone would be the best choice, but to own a National would be the ultimate choice for me. Just found a National Vintage Steel for a very reasonable price.

Also an Amistar would be a good choice I think, but how are the new Amistar these days? I can buy a new Amistar style 1 tricone for 1250 euros. A whole lot more money then a Busker!

Also found this Amistar on Ebay: cgi.ebay.com/Rare-Amister-Wild-Roses-Tricone-Resonator-guitar_W0QQitemZ290300210124QQcmdZViewItemQQptZGuitar?hash=item43973dabcc Amistar

[washboardchris]

Hi, there is a National Polychrome tri-cone for sale over at the IGS(international guitar seminars) site.$1500 or near offer.nice guitar unless you are in love with the bling of nickle plate.

[Niek]

Nov 14, 2009 15:28:08 GMT Michael Messer said:

Hi Nico,

It is still a very expensive AXL guitar!

Shine On
Michael

Just found out that this Continental is a German silver one.

[Niek]

Nov 15, 2009 5:24:41 GMT washboardchris said:

Hi, there is a National Polychrome tri-cone for sale over at the IGS(international guitar seminars) site.$1500 or near offer.nice guitar unless you are in love with the bling of nickle plate.

Thanks for the tip I have send him an e-mail.

[Niek]

Nov 15, 2009 5:24:41 GMT washboardchris said:

Hi, there is a National Polychrome tri-cone for sale over at the IGS(international guitar seminars) site.$1500 or near offer.nice guitar unless you are in love with the bling of nickle plate.

Just got some pictures of the polychrome. Here is one:



Is this a good bargain for 1500 dollar incl case?

[Niek]

Nov 15, 2009 13:54:42 GMT @slidenpickit said:

It could be, depending on where in the world you are. Don't forget to add the shipping cost (It's a heavy guitar) and if applicable to your country, import duty and tax currently 20% for the UK.

You seem to have made up your mind about the Continental Tricone or the National. But........ act in haste and repent at leisure. Take note of the experts opinions (MM) could save you lots of heart ache (and money) later. Guitars are easy to buy but hard to sell and although resonators are becoming ever more common, it is still a niche market currently flooded with cheap versions. Just because a guitar is made of Germans Silver, doesn't mean it's better than a brass or steel bodied guitar. You must really try before you buy if at all possible.

Take your time choosing and good luck.

Yes,it's getting really confusing for me know. I don't have made up my mind yet which guitar I am going to buy. I am not going to haste and looking around on the internet.

This is my list at the moment from which I want to chose from:

National Vintage Steel tricone - new
National Polychrome tricone - used
Continental CS-1 1993 - used
Amistar Style 1 tricone - new

[toom]

From Acoustic Guitar Forum -

Continental was actually founded by three guys in Munich, Germany and it was the FIRST company to re-introduce tricones after National stopped making them in 1942 or 1943. Two of the founders quit the company when the third guy decided to shift the body production from the Czech Republic to Asia. If you want more details on the company, just ask me. I happen to play in a band with both of the guys who left, so I have first hand access to every detail.
Amistar was founded because the Czech guys were left with about a hundred bodies lying around that were made for Continental. They found someone to make the necks for them and started Amistar.
Continental nowadays is hardly better than Johnson.

Amistar nowadays is almost as good as Continental in its heyday, but they don't use German Silver anymore.

Early Continental Tricones were to a large degree made out of silver. Not all of them, because German Silver was unavailable in the Czech Republic, and the Czech didn't like to work with it because it's hardness caused frequent damage to the stamps. Continental nevertheless shipped German Silver from Germany to the Czech Republic and insisted on German Silver Tricone bodies being produced.

IMO, Continental Tricone bodies produced in the Czech Republic are the closest thing to Vintage Nationals. They're not as loud as the new Nationals, but have a warmer and fuller sound. Like most vintage National tricones, they have arched backs. Their only weak point were the resonators. That's why I upgraded my own 1993 #1 Continental tricone with new national cones about 4 years ago, and to my ears, its sound and tonal complexity now equals my 1928 squareneck #2.

mr mando

I saw Continental resonator in Guitar Village in St Pauli (Hamburg) several years ago. It cost about 1500 Euros, and looked beautiful, though I didn't play it. After much deliberation I actually bought a NRP Polychrome Tricone, which is a very nice guitar to play.

[Niek]

Nov 15, 2009 15:12:46 GMT @toom said:

From Acoustic Guitar Forum -

Continental was actually founded by three guys in Munich, Germany and it was the FIRST company to re-introduce tricones after National stopped making them in 1942 or 1943. Two of the founders quit the company when the third guy decided to shift the body production from the Czech Republic to Asia. If you want more details on the company, just ask me. I happen to play in a band with both of the guys who left, so I have first hand access to every detail.
Amistar was founded because the Czech guys were left with about a hundred bodies lying around that were made for Continental. They found someone to make the necks for them and started Amistar.
Continental nowadays is hardly better than Johnson.

Amistar nowadays is almost as good as Continental in its heyday, but they don't use German Silver anymore.

Early Continental Tricones were to a large degree made out of silver. Not all of them, because German Silver was unavailable in the Czech Republic, and the Czech didn't like to work with it because it's hardness caused frequent damage to the stamps. Continental nevertheless shipped German Silver from Germany to the Czech Republic and insisted on German Silver Tricone bodies being produced.

IMO, Continental Tricone bodies produced in the Czech Republic are the closest thing to Vintage Nationals. They're not as loud as the new Nationals, but have a warmer and fuller sound. Like most vintage National tricones, they have arched backs. Their only weak point were the resonators. That's why I upgraded my own 1993 #1 Continental tricone with new national cones about 4 years ago, and to my ears, its sound and tonal complexity now equals my 1928 squareneck #2.

mr mando

I saw Continental resonator in Guitar Village in St Pauli (Hamburg) several years ago. It cost about 1500 Euros, and looked beautiful, though I didn't play it. After much deliberation I actually bought a NRP Polychrome Tricone, which is a very nice guitar to play.

Just found another Continental tricone: Continental Tricone

I can hardly believe that the Busker guitars are on the same level then this one.

[toom]

From Amistar website -

AMISTAR HISTORY.

The idea began soon after the New Year of 1991, when I got my hands on a pre-war Tricone metal body National to use as a sample. It took us most of that year to research various materials, technologies, moulds, and construction techniques.

Then in December 1991, we made our first two Tricone bodies becoming the first on the market since the ending of the 2nd World War!

The New National Co. made some single cone, wooden bodies at that time. They started producing the tricones bodies beginning 1993-94. Our first Tricones (under the Continental brand name – were assembled in Munich by the AMI GmbH.) were exhibited at the NAMM Show in Los Angeles, California at the SAGA booth.

Those were an absolute Sensation! Everyone wanted one immediately!

The one on EBAY sounds like one of these. With all due repect to Busker guitars, I cannot believe they are of this quality - better than Axl or Johnson, but not equal to Continental guitars from the early 90s, which were on par with NRP.

[Niek]

Nov 15, 2009 17:27:33 GMT @toom said:

From Amistar website -

AMISTAR HISTORY.

The idea began soon after the New Year of 1991, when I got my hands on a pre-war Tricone metal body National to use as a sample. It took us most of that year to research various materials, technologies, moulds, and construction techniques.

Then in December 1991, we made our first two Tricone bodies becoming the first on the market since the ending of the 2nd World War!

The New National Co. made some single cone, wooden bodies at that time. They started producing the tricones bodies beginning 1993-94. Our first Tricones (under the Continental brand name – were assembled in Munich by the AMI GmbH.) were exhibited at the NAMM Show in Los Angeles, California at the SAGA booth.

Those were an absolute Sensation! Everyone wanted one immediately!

The one on EBAY sounds like one of these. With all due repect to Busker guitars, I cannot believe they are of this quality - better than Axl or Johnson, but not equal to Continental guitars from the early 90s, which were on par with NRP.

I have owned an Regal tricone that was handmade by Amistar, but this guitar had some flaws on the body. The finish wasn't very nice. Don't know how the Continental's are made and the latest Amistar tricones. The Amistar tricone is also an option for me. Only strange thing about Amistar is that they don't deliver there guitars with a case??

[Michael Messer]

You can believe what you want. I have absolutely no interest or need to invent a history of these guitars, but I know what I am looking at and all Continental Tricones were made with what I call the AXL moulds.

Also consider this - MM, Busker and Republic guitars use Continental cones, which according to my people in Shanghai have been made in Shanghai since the early 90s.

The guys that I deal with in Shanghai were the people who made Continental guitars.

Shine On
Michael.

[fitchmeister]

Hi

Surprised no one has mentioned regal - Pete Woodman does them upgraded. Personally i like them, but then again i have no experience of a Busker. Members here really like them.

I have been down this road, seeing Homesick Mac with a continental, hearing good things about the old ones. It almost become like a search for the holy grail - the middle ground from budget to really expensive - something really nice for about 1K.

I got an Vintage tricone, before the days of busker, and got it upgraded - i have still thought about 'going up' to an Amistar/Continental and been told there was no point by people who know a lot more about these instruments than i do. So it is certainly feasible that a cheaper instrument will play and sound as good as a more expensive one.

Hope you are happy whichever you choose.

Roj

[wolvoboy]

Hi i'll mention Pete woodman, i have a rebuit regal tricone,rebuilt by Pete,it has a completely new neck with slotted headstock,and National cones,Pete did an amazing job,it is a few years old now and well played in and it is one of a kind as far as i know,i think it sound fantastic, and with all the mods it still worked out reasonably cheap,
wolvoboy

[Niek]

Nov 15, 2009 13:54:42 GMT @slidenpickit said:

It could be, depending on where in the world you are. Don't forget to add the shipping cost (It's a heavy guitar) and if applicable to your country, import duty and tax currently 20% for the UK.

You seem to have made up your mind about the Continental Tricone or the National. But........ act in haste and repent at leisure. Take note of the experts opinions (MM) could save you lots of heart ache (and money) later. Guitars are easy to buy but hard to sell and although resonators are becoming ever more common, it is still a niche market currently flooded with cheap versions. Just because a guitar is made of Germans Silver, doesn't mean it's better than a brass or steel bodied guitar. You must really try before you buy if at all possible.

Take your time choosing and good luck.

Looks like I have to pay an extra amount of 19% for this National. This guitar will cost me: 1300-1400 euros if I am correct.