Post by gaucho on Dec 14, 2011 17:58:17 GMT
I'm going to buy a Doulian from a friend and was wondering if I could get some info. It's all original and plays great. The serial # is C114 8 (there seems to be a space between the 4 and the 8) if I remember correctly. It has flat cut F holes and the stamped "National Duolian" on the headstock. I don't think it's ever had a neck reset, but the angle and action are good for the way I play (action is surprisingly low). The finish on the maple neck is in pretty good shape, without the wear you usually see on them. I'm thinking it's a '31 or '32.
I does have a couple of issues. The headstock was broken, but is repaired really well and you can hardly notice it. The nut (which is black, ebony maybe?) has some chipping around the treble strings but the slots are fine and it plays good. The original finish is gone (any guesses as to what it was?) and at some point it was painted black. The black paint has since been stripped and it's kinda a rusty bare steel look (it actually looks really cool). None of these issues bother me at all as the thing has that awesome tone that only seems to come from a vintage steel DuolianI The one issue that I think I'll eventually need to address is that the neck (which has a nice, gap-free joint to the body) is very slightly loose and you can feel it shift just a tiny bit if you move it just right. I think it'd be an easy matter of tightening the screws (or maybe replacing them if they are missing ) that go thru the sound well rim and into the neck stick, or shimming the neck stick a little bit. I don't want to open it up if I don't have to tho. Any thoughts from the experts would be appreciated. I don't have photos, but it seems to be a really nice instrument with great tone and playability.
I does have a couple of issues. The headstock was broken, but is repaired really well and you can hardly notice it. The nut (which is black, ebony maybe?) has some chipping around the treble strings but the slots are fine and it plays good. The original finish is gone (any guesses as to what it was?) and at some point it was painted black. The black paint has since been stripped and it's kinda a rusty bare steel look (it actually looks really cool). None of these issues bother me at all as the thing has that awesome tone that only seems to come from a vintage steel DuolianI The one issue that I think I'll eventually need to address is that the neck (which has a nice, gap-free joint to the body) is very slightly loose and you can feel it shift just a tiny bit if you move it just right. I think it'd be an easy matter of tightening the screws (or maybe replacing them if they are missing ) that go thru the sound well rim and into the neck stick, or shimming the neck stick a little bit. I don't want to open it up if I don't have to tho. Any thoughts from the experts would be appreciated. I don't have photos, but it seems to be a really nice instrument with great tone and playability.
