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Post by rolf on Aug 1, 2005 0:07:21 GMT
Hi What material in new NR tricones has the most similar sound of the vintage national german silver tricones the brass or steel body ??
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Post by Michael Messer on Aug 1, 2005 13:21:07 GMT
Hi Rolf,
Interesting question. I would say that neither the steel or the brass NatRes Tricones sound similar to early German Silver National Tricones. German Silver Nationals do have a unique tone. My preference would be a brass bodied NatRes Tricone as I don't see steel as a good material for Tricones.
I do know that Mike Lewis AKA> Fine Resophonic Guitars, in Paris, has built one or two German Silver Tricones and they sound as good as the originals. German Silver is very difficult to work with, which is why brass is preferred.
Shine On, Michael.
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Post by LouisianaGrey on Aug 1, 2005 15:59:37 GMT
I've never heard the instruments played, but Donmo and Continental also make some tricones from German Silver. AXL list one too, but I believe the bodies are actually built by Continental.
In the USA Mike Simpson builds tricones from German Silver. He has some information about building on the MIMF forum, but he's not really what you would call a manufacturer - i.e. they're not available in the shops.
If someone could build something that sounded like those old German Silver squarenecks he'd be on to a winner.
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Post by Michael Messer on Aug 1, 2005 17:01:47 GMT
Ten or so years ago I had some German Silver slides made by a guy in Germany. He was a little ahead of his time and never got his business venture off the ground (pre-Internet). However...the slides he made for me; 2 bottleneck type slides and a Hawaiian bullet, all have a wonderful tone. They are not very durable and dent if dropped or banged, so I only use them at home and in recording studios, very rarely on the road.
Shine On, Michael.
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Post by rickS on Aug 2, 2005 9:15:14 GMT
My understanding is that the metal in the GS tricones is somewhat thinner than that in the current brass/steel ones? I wonder if the fact that the early ones had arched backs meant that they were inherently stronger than the present flat-backed ones? ; the old ones certainly dent easily - my '30 Style 1 is full of 'em, looks like someone had at it with a shotgun - gives it real character, & it still sounds great!
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Post by Michael Messer on Aug 2, 2005 9:41:41 GMT
Hi Rick,
The very early National Tricones were flat backed. The last of these appeared sometime in the Spring of 1928.
You are right about the difference in strength and thickness of the metal. In fact there are so many differences between a 1930 National Tricone and a modern National Reso-Phonic Tricone, too many to mention. As I have said many times when comparisons are discussed; National Reso-Phonic Guitars has no connection at all to the original National company. When they first went into business this was not a problem, as they always referred to their instruments as National Reso-Phonic Guitars. These days however, the lines are becoming more and more blurred and the word 'Reso-Phonic' is not so prominent. From a marketing point of view they are absolutely right to do that, but from the perspective of collectors and fans of the original company and their instruments.....It is very annoying! Equally the same thing has happened with the Dobro brand name and Gibson.
I still call my Dyson vacuum cleaner a 'Hoover' - and as we all know, the word Hoover is also used as a verb....do the hoovering. I really hope this never happens to Nationals & Dobros!
C'est la vie! Shine On, Michael.
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Post by rickS on Aug 2, 2005 19:17:02 GMT
Hi Mike - yeah, I guess if NatRes weren't so good, the line wouldn't get so blurred - can you enlighten as to why the arched backs on the old'uns tho; structural? aesthetics?
Cheers,
Rick
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Post by Michael Messer on Aug 2, 2005 20:14:56 GMT
Hi Rick, arched backs on old Nationals......I would say aesthetics, but everything affects the tone of an instrument. Arched backs are probably a little harder to make. I have owned both flat and arched backed Tricones and both have their qualities.
Shine On, Michael.
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