Marks on Nickel coated guitars?

[Guest]

HI

I'm desperate to purchase a National and cant decide on which to buy. I've researched each type and listened to sound clips and although I havent physically tried any. Theres only 2 places that sell them in the UK. The Resocentre which is nearest to me only have used Style1 and vintage style0 in stock I love the look of the Style1 and Style N, but I have a concern, I sweat profusely, I buy long life strings and leave permenant black stains on them after about an hour. Will this be the case with a nickel coated National? Will I be spending more time polishing than playing? Again I havent seen the Polychrome guitars and opinions are split on their appearence. does anyone else suffer from corrosive sweat that can advise me?

Thanks
Ric

[Michael Messer]

Hi Guest,

I too have the problem of my sweat marking metal objects, which for someone who has played & collected shiny silver guitars for thirty years, is not great! The best way to protect a metal National guitar is with regular old fashioned car wax. I use Turtle Wax and have done for many years. Once or twice a year a good thorough coat of wax on the body will protect it from sweat, smoke and and squashed bugs. After each gig I always wipe my guitar & strings with a shammy leather, this removes the moisture and prolongs the life of both the strings and the body. In saying that, if you didn't clean a National and sweated on it for a lifetime, it would still retain some of its shine. These instruments are not built like guitars, they are more like Volvos in their construction.

I would recomend you get down to the LRC and try out some resophonic guitars.

Don't be a guest, join the forum!

Shine On,
Michael.

[Guest]

Hi

Actually I did join and am awaiting approval for the account to work, ID smeagle. I also tried once before as cardenr and found that AOL doesn't receive your conformation emails (maybe spam filtered I guess). so I reassigned to another email address and activated it then found it was disabled Anyhow, that aside. I'm here now

Thanks for the advise, so its not too much of a problem then? what would you recommend as a 1st resonator, a style1 or a Style N. I play a Martin d28 and mostly Robert Johnson type Blues but want to try slide. I've been listening to Catfish Keith's style (whose coming to my home town in the UK soon) I like it but I also like raw blues like on William Howse & Jack Pearsons album. I guess each model has its own merits? Is a tricone more versatile whilst still Blues? Is the Style N all blues and nothing else? oh decisions! decisions! can only buy 1 and cant try both side by side

Thanks
Ric

[Michael Messer]

Hi Ric,

I have no control over the membership of this forum. Your membership details really are private. So I can only apologize on behalf of the suppliers of the forum, Proboards.

What you are asking me is not a question I can answer, because it really comes down to taste. Both instruments are versatile and great for slide playing. You really do need to try some Nationals and get a feel for what is right for you and your playing style.

There are more choices than you have listed, because old 1920s & 30s Nationals are different again. A new National Tricone is a very different beast to an old one. The same applies to Style O guitars.

I really do think you gotta go and try some resophonic guitars. Don't rush into this, there are always gooduns for sale. Perhaps reading some of the articles I have written may be helpful; on my website there is a whole index of reviews & articles about these machines.

Keep in touch,
Shine On,
Michael.

[Guest]

Hi

I think I agree, having bought several guitars without trying them 1st, I'm now of the mind I have to actually try a few before parting with my hard earned cash. I've not rushed in, I've been reading everything i can find on the web (including all your articles) and listening to any sound clips and artist recording etc. for about 3 months! Which has enabled me to accrue the ready's (around £1500 at the moment). I guess the problem is I now really do have to play a few , I know LRC have an order coming in end of Sept so perhaps I should wait - Frailers have some in stock but are a 5 hour drive away, I can buy now, just cant try 1st (guess that why i'm in a dilema).

thanks for your advise, I'm sure I'll have plenty more questions in future. Hopefully more on playing technique (by the way - I think I read that you didn't rate steel as a good tricone material, although please forgive me if I miss-represent you, it may have been Bob Brozman. Natonals latest models are steel based - so why do you feel that way, If indeed you do?)

Thanks
Ric

[Michael Messer]

Hi Ric,

RE your question about steel bodied Tricones; the reason I don't like them is that the steel creates an instrument which to me is neither in one camp or the other. Tricones are a sophisticated instrument which is not enhanced by the steel body. However, the reason National have made a steel Tricone is to create a bigger range and the steel gives a more hard-edged sound to the Tricone. Again....it really is a mattter of personal taste. My preference these days is to play wood bodied Tricones made by Mike Lewis "Fine Resophonic Guitars". The wood body is wonderful and gives a great sound with the Tricone system. These are much more expensive than your budget will allow.

I would advise you to look around, try all the various new Nationals, but also have a look at some oldies. Ron at www.frets.co.uk usually has old Nationals and sometimes has great instruments in your price range.

Good luck,

Shine On,
Michael.

[jonny b]

hi - just to reiterate what michael says about trying as many as possible resos. I too coudnt decide what to buy, based on reading all about them, and of course you fall in love with each! but i've bought a "cheaper" model which sounds ok and more importantly I can play on instead of just reading about them. the urgency has gone out of "which" expensive reso to buy - I am learning more about what "my" sound is turning out to be, and someday soon I will stumble across a higheer model which fits me best.

[LouisianaGrey]

You've hit on something that I think is a big factor in favour of the cheap end of the market, and it's a point that the people on other forums who say "You're wasting your money if you don't buy a National" seem to miss. Usually a reso is not going to be someone's main instrument - they already play guitar but they're looking for a different sound - and they don't really know at that stage whether they're going to be able to get on with the instrument and whether they're still going to like it after they've been playing it for a year. Unless you've got a lot of disposable income fifteen hundred quid or so is a lot to spend to take a chance that you'll really take to the guitar, and a cheap import gives you the chance to dip your toe in the water without spending too much. If you find you really love it you can always get something better later, by which time you will know enough and your playing will have developed enough to be able to get the best out of a more expensive instrument.

The only proviso is that the cheap one has to be reasonably well made and while I think the Chinese have got biscuit bridges reasonably well sussed I still have strong reservations about the spider bridge models.

As I'm wandering off topic I'll just get back onto it by saying that I hate the look of Polychrome guitars. If you have a metal bodied guitar it should be shiny, otherwise there's no point!

[Deleted]

I've purchased a Regal RC58-TT back in May from the LRC.

It's a polychrome tricone and I love the sound, playability and the look

I picked this guitar after trying out a number of reso's in my relatively (when considering the whole market) low budget, and found it best for me...

.......which i think is the point.... always try before you buy and get what fits YOU best.....!

this is the only picture (link) i can find on the net, the guys said it could be the only one in the UK !

www.elderly.com/new_instruments/items/RC58TT.htm

duggy_k

[Guest Smeagle aka Ric]

HI

DuggyK what are those regals like to play? That one you have looks like its their version of the National, whats build quality like, they look quite good and the USA site folkofthewood do seem to rate them, whats the finish like, especially the fretboard?

Pete
I think you do have a valid point, I guess judging buy your website, that you can speak with experiance. I know that many people buy budget models and upgrade parts, but I've allready been down that road with electric guitars, in the end I purchased a custom shop model of the top USA brand stratocaster, when i think of the money I spent on cheaper models then upgrading parts over and over until I got the sound I wanted, in the long run it was better to buy the real mccoy, at least if I want to sell it I dont lose any money! i think it will be the same with a National, although judging buy the cost of 2nd hand ones retail, the new ones dont seem to hold their value as well as a top brand Strat.

Also I think its now in my nature , buy the best you can, it pays in the long run.
HOWEVER - who knows, If I go to LRC I might find that the difference between a £0.5 and a £1,5k is so small that £1k extra really isnt worth it, afterall i could buy Soooo much with that £1k

Ric

[Deleted]

hi Ric,

my experience of resonators was limited before i tried out and was bought (by my lovely wife) my rc58-tt.

i've read conflicting reports whether its steel or brass bodied - i really like the sound so im not too worried about that.

I like the flat rosewood (?) fingerboard - its not particularly finished, maybe i'm not sure what to look for here..:S

The neck joint looks and feels (by my inexperienced eye) sturdy. Its not a perfect finish on the join (close up) but that doesn't worry me.

the polychrome is a kinda dark grey - its kinda industrial looking, which i could see might put people off - or in my case makes me like it even more! its a mean machine (and heavvvy)!

once i put some decent strings on (correctly i might add ! - like the linked pic, it was strung upside down on the tailpiece, the guys in the shop had only just got it in) it started to really sound sweet.

the actions high enough for me to slide, and still low enough to pick tunes too.

one thing - i might look at getting the frets finished off a little bit better

...like i say i'm new to resonators... i tried a few guitars and took my time and it was really difficult to decide which one to go for (single cone / tricone / dobro ...) - i opted for something a bit different and am really enjoying it

duggy k