Another Question about an M1 Tricone

[washboardchris]

Hi, I am setting up one of these for a friend.At present it sounds like a very very loud guitar but not like a Tricone. I didn't know about the wedge that is supposed to be under the tail piece( to reduce the break angle) but having read about it in the previous thread I made a make-shift one and it seems to work on the instrument.The bass sustain has increased and though it is maybe a little quieter it now sounds more like a Tricone.Has anyone got any idea of the dimensions and the wood that the original wedge would have been made of?

[erwin]

Hi Washboardchris,

Length of the wedge is about 48mm.
Width is 8mm.
Highest point is 8mm also.
Lowest point is 3,5mm.
The wood looks like maple, painted black on the upper and side faces, but I am only guessing about the wood because NRP (Jason Workman) talked to me about an ebony wedge, though ebony has a different color. He says he wasn't sure if they mount it further on new models and I could remove it without problems. It would only inflict the sound somewhat. The only change I notice is a more "open" sounding instrument. The only adjustments I did was lowering the bridge by 0.8mm, removing the wedge, no trussrod adjustment needed back then (2,5 years ago) and still not needed.

The NRP Style 1 I have is from late 2009 production and has also the wedge under the tailpiece mounted, so the M1 is not their only tricone fitted like that.

Sure reso's can react very different on changes in set up, but it is only there for break angle, they told me at NRP. I can only speak for myself, did the test with and without wedge to me it gave best result....

Note: the dimensions of the wedge I gave above are those for the factory setup, so any changes will demand an adapted wedge I guess.

Kind Regards
Erwin  

Attachments:

[erwin]

Extra notes:
The upper side of the wedge is also a little radiused like the center shape of the tailpiece.
The 2nd reason I removed it was also the fact it puts stress on the top in this part of the body.

[washboardchris]

Hi,Thanks for your help, this guitar has been worked on by someone who did not know what they were doing.He has lowered the bridge but cut the slots so the strings cut into the wood. I am working on the principle of geting it back to factory spec & then starting again .When it was given to me to work on the action was lower than I would use on a standard acoustic & I can only think that the guy who set it up was using a very light slide or was using it to fingerpick on.

[zak71]

A very similar tailpiece shim/wedge came from the factory on many (if not most) of the 14-fret body Nationals.
Removing them tends to rob the guitars of bass, which is probably part of the reason for the myth that "14-fret Nationals sound thinner than the 12-fretters"...the 14-fret steel-bodied Nationals I have played which had the wedge intact have had some of the most powerful bass response I've heard in a National.

[erwin]

You are right, bringing it back to factory setup is the only secure orientation point. From this point there's little adjustment needed for an easy playable instrument in different styles you will experience. Unlucky this kind of mistreaters put also their hands on real vintage Nationals, a nightmare I ensure.....

[erwin]

I don't experience any loss of bass without wedge, contrary, but each guitar reacts different, sure.

[zak71]

Jan 1, 2014 17:44:14 GMT erwin said:

I don't experience any loss of bass without wedge, contrary, but each guitar reacts different, sure.

I was talking specifically about 1930s 14-fret steel bodied Nationals.
A modern Tricone is a different animal entirely...

[washboardchris]

When I got my 1934 12 fret style O it had an action on it like a Tele,the owner was playing Shados tunes on it !!!!!

[washboardchris]

Sorry Shadows !!!!!

[erwin]

Interesting, Apache on a reso....must try tomorrow evening, thanks for the idea.

[Deleted]

Ha - I've played apache on a reso - a sollophonic - for my occasional cabaret / soul band, the Slick Richards.
TT