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Post by chriskendall2 on Jan 24, 2024 12:20:18 GMT
This is Trojan T1190. (I hope the pics come through) I inherited it from my cousin whose funeral i was at yesterday. Obviously a serious issue with the neck. Does anyone know whether the screw at the 14th fret was an original fitting. i am thinking not as if it was i would be expecting a position dot and they don't seem to have them. i am entrusting it to a luthier who has worked on resonators - he did a wonderful job on my Busker Sidewalk and transformed it. Should i be thinking about a new cone? i am assuming the existing one is original. I like Newtone nickel 12s on my other resonators and will be putting them on this.
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Post by Michael Messer on Jan 24, 2024 14:37:45 GMT
Hello Chris,
Welcome to our forum.
My condolences to you and your family.
The guitar is indeed a mid '30s National Trojan and it appears to have been well used.
The screw is not original and there should not be as dot marker there. I can only imagine that a home repair has been done to preserve the broken heel. This should be examined and thought about carefully before proceeding with a repair. The screw was not the answer.
Do not change the cone unless you really have to. If you are unsure about any details, please post pictures here and ask questions.
I hope that is helpful.
Shine On Michael
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Post by chriskendall2 on Jan 24, 2024 15:40:19 GMT
Thanks Michael
Some places say to change cones regularly, some are "if it aint broke don't fix it". The luthier is coming to collect the guitar very soon and will certainly remove the cone and cover when he starts work. If he wants to do belt and braces and put a screw in there and cover it with a dot I would rather have a playable but slightly not authentic guitar than something I dare not use. I'll ask him to take photos of the inside. I think the saddle has been lowered a lot, possibly to try to deal with the poor action following the neck break. The break angle is almost non existent.
My cousin borrowed the guitar in the late 50s / early 60's and I have seen photos of him in a skiffle group and later jazz. I once mentioned open tunings to him and he just did not believe me. Despite playing all those years he had never heard of that concept.
Someone once told me that he played 5 string banjo. I asked him about it and he said that he did used to play a 5 string banjo, but removed the 5th string!
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Post by Michael Messer on Jan 24, 2024 15:45:08 GMT
If the strings are too low and there’s no break angle, it needs a neck reset. If this job is not done by an experienced resonator luthier there may be problems.
That whole theory of regularly changing the cone comes from modern bluegrass dobro players, not from where I’m coming from at all. At all costs try and keep the cone.
Send some photos when the guitar is opened up.
Shine On Michael
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Post by chriskendall2 on Jan 24, 2024 15:56:30 GMT
I will post photos.
This guy reset the neck on my Busker Sidewalk and transformed it from hard work to gorgeous.
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Post by vastopol on Jan 29, 2024 11:11:52 GMT
The guitar of your cousin guitar is a very special one with something of the memory of your family history inside. Its a treasure and I encourage you to see the difference with your Busker. Even a skiled luthier obtaining succes on a Busker can ruin an old National. It's a whole different instrument. The cone is something irrepleaçable, modern cones cannot be made the same way, old cones are more fragile than modern ones. Inside a busker you can find a stiffer and heavier cone, so it will admit less precision in the new neck angle without damage.
Many old and delicate cones had been ruined just by exageranting neck angles. If you like your Busker, you should love the Trojan. Take your time and choose a luthier who knows old resonators is the best way to bring back the Trojan to glory.
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Post by Mike lewis on Feb 5, 2024 20:05:46 GMT
I will post photos. This guy reset the neck on my Busker Sidewalk and transformed it from hard work to gorgeous. The Busker has a neck stick , this one does not . It has a tenon and mortise neck joint like an acoustic guitar .So it has to be steamed / heated to take the neck out
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Post by chriskendall2 on Feb 17, 2024 20:12:00 GMT
Got it back todAy. Very happy with it
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