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Post by Niek on Oct 13, 2005 20:44:38 GMT
How is the quality of the Continental tricones? Are they well build and how is the sound compared to a real National?
I am thinking of selling my Regal (Amistar) tricone and save some more money for a National Resophonic tricone or maybe a Donmo tricone. I already have put an ad on a Dutch site but boy! are these guitars hard to sell! In Holland there are very few people who likes to play on a tricone I think. Do you have a tip for me or now someone who is interested in a Amistar tricone with a hard case shell? In Holland this guitar cost about 1500 euro. I am willing to sell mine for 1050 euro.
Because of this guitar I began to really like the looks and also the sound of a tricone.
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Post by Michael Messer on Oct 13, 2005 22:45:24 GMT
Hi SpoedNick,
Advertize your guitar on our forum TIN CAN ALLEY section. I am sure you will find a buyer.
If you are looking for a National Reso-Phonic Tricone, you should go and see Soren at Palm Guitars in Amsterdam. He might do you a part-exchange deal on your Regal/Amistar.
My advice if you are going to jump up to a better quality guitar is to buy a National Reso-Phonic Tricone.
Shine On,
Michael.
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Post by LouisianaGrey on Oct 14, 2005 8:34:48 GMT
As far as I understand it, the guys who now make Amistar used to make Continentals but fell out with the present owner of the brand when he decided to switch some of his production to the Far East. I don't think that a Continental would be any better than the Amistar.
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Post by Niek on Oct 14, 2005 9:42:39 GMT
I wonder if Palm Guitars will give me a good price for the Regal when I buy a National Tricone style 1 from him. I don't think he will give me a 1000 euros back for the Regal, but I can try. He also has a handmade Regal tricone in his shop for about 1295 euros. Last year I bought a Lebeda Basic from him.
Before I bought the Regal I was planning on buying a National Polychrome at his shop and there I also saw the Regal tricone. I really like the brass bodies more then the steel ones. A National style 1 cost a lot more then the Regal so I decided to buy the Regal at another shop. The guitar was a 150 euros cheaper then the one at Palm Guitars. I really like playing bottleneck on a tricone and love the sound.
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Post by snakehips on Oct 14, 2005 15:19:10 GMT
Hi there !
I agree whole heartedly with Michael here. Buy a National Resophonic Tricone.
If you can find one, you couldn't even go wrong buying a second-hand (used) NRP tricone either. If you feel the need to upgrade - if you actually are detecting deficiencies in a budjet tricone, I don not think you are going to settle with a Continental tricone either.
Cut to the chase and buy a NRP tricone (you WILL save money in the long run) !!
2nd bit of advice - buy a style 1.5 NRP tricone. They look MUCH classier.
A style 1 NRP tricone unfortunately looks TOO similar to the cheaper tricone copies.
Also, I hate the look of the naff "aged" brass National Resophonic "shield" that is nailed onto the headstock.
If it means you have to wait months longer to save up for it - I GUARANTEE you it will be worth the wait.
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Post by Niek on Oct 14, 2005 19:17:30 GMT
Yes, I know I will be better off with a NRP. I agree that the style 1.5 looks more classier then a style 1. When I looked up the price of a style 1 and a style 1.5 I had a bit of a shock! Boy, are these guitars expensive! A style 1.5 costs about 3000 euros. That's a lot of money. I didn't realise that these models are so expensive. A Polychrome costs 1900 euros. I thought that a style 1 cost a bit more then a Polychrome, but I was wrong about this  I really love the brass bodies but a Polychrome is more affordable. Is a Polychrome a big step forward compared to the Regal (Amistar)? |
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Post by michaelsegui on Oct 14, 2005 20:55:18 GMT
A NRP Vintage Steel Tricone is between the Style 1 and the Polychrome, price wise. It is steel bodied like the Polychrome but has a matte nickel finish and a decal on the slotted headstock instead of the metal shield on the Style 1 and the 40s style solid headstock of the Polychrome.
The US List for Tricones are as follows:
Polychrome=$2250
Vintage Steel=$2600
Style 1=$3130
Style 1 Baritone=$3520
Style 1E (etched)=$3360
Style 1.5=$3520
Style 97=$3600
Style 2=$3900
Style 3=$5900
Style 4=$6500
Style 5=$6825
The Vintage Steel has a nice grittiness from the steel body that goes well with the Tricone's sweet sustain.
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Post by snakehips on Oct 14, 2005 22:51:47 GMT
Hi there !
Any of those NRP tricones would be good. They are all VERY good quality.
You get a bit of a different tone with the steel bodied tricone (whether polychrome or vintage steel finish) to the nickel-plated brass ones - BUT the quality/tuning stability/durability is just as good on the polychrome NRP guitar.
The polychrome one will still be miles ahead of the other makes like Continental etc (as far as I am concerned)..
Again, I say, look for a "used" NRP tricone.
Even if 10 years old, they are still going to be in excellent shape. VERY reliable.
I have a 1996 NRP Delphi I got from new - I have played furiously on it for years. The headstock has dents in the finish around the edges - BUT that is IT !!! Still bomb-proof !!!
I have a 1997 Radiotone (ebaY used special !!!) and it is also rock-solid.
Can't go wrong with a National Resophonic resonator. PLUS - if you buy a used one - if you ever need to sell, you will not lose any money on it.
Just save up for as long as it takes - I beg you to do that, than waste your money on something else !!!
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Post by LouisianaGrey on Oct 15, 2005 9:28:33 GMT
I'm feeling grumpy this morning, so I'll say that if it was my money I'd save up a bit more and get a Fine Resophonics, which (like my Beltona) will blow a modern National into the weeds. And in my opinion the National will be better than the Amistar/Regal but (with an eye on the price differential) I don't think it will be 3 times as good.
Basically it comes down to how much disposable income you have and how much you want that National name on the headstock, given that the connection between National now and National then is limited.
Like I said, I'm feeling grumpy ...
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Post by Michael Messer on Oct 15, 2005 10:47:32 GMT
Wow....this thread is gathering momentum!
I recommended SpedNick to go for the National Reso-Phonic because he asked me which one to go for...Continental, Donmo, or National Reso-Phonic. Given those three instruments I would go with a NatRes every time. They are THE leaders in the field of top quality factory-produced resophonic guitars and their instruments are now recognized worldwide. However, if I was recommending someone to go and buy a new Tricone that will cost them somewhere between 3000 and 7000 USD, I would say the same as Louisiana Grey, .....don't buy a National, go and get a Fine Resophonic, Beltona, or other top quality hand-built instruments. National Reso-Phonic Guitars are very expensive considering they are now mass-produced and mostly computer-built.
I like it when everyone gets passionate about their subject and these threads get hot!
Shine On.
Michael.
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Post by Alan Cardigan Ahoy on Oct 15, 2005 11:24:24 GMT
It'll be interesting to know the deals that Palm can give you in relation to the 'retail' prices. I think I read somewhere else that there seemed to be quite a difference in price. Whats the dollar like at the moment? He might even have something second hand in, or an older National (not so resophonic). You don't seem that grumpy to me Pete - Let it all out! www.palmguitars.nl/ |
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Post by snakehips on Oct 15, 2005 21:35:42 GMT
Hi again !
Of course, it you are talking big money (well, slightly more than a NRP style 1.5 and upwards) - then Dave King (in the UK) will make you a beautiful tricone - and for various reasons - as good as an older Beltona.
New Beltonas are not made with metal bodies anymore (if I am sure of my information !!)
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Post by Deleted on Oct 15, 2005 21:51:44 GMT
Hi ! I agree with Snakehips go fore a NR tricone its the best you can get in that price range. And the service and feedback from Don and the rest of the staff at NR is VERY good. PS look at www.tiptop.se I think thy have the best prices in europe on NR and they sell world wide. All the best !  |
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Post by Niek on Oct 15, 2005 21:59:07 GMT
I started a bit of a discussion I think  It's very hard to make a decision which guitar to buy. I saw the Fine Resophonic and they look very nice but they are to expensive for me. A style 1 cost about 3800 euros! I simply don't have that budget. Don't want to spend more then 2300 euros for a tricone (minus a 1000 euros I hopefully will get back for my Regal). As far as LouisianaGrey mentioned about the differences between a NRP and mine I wonder if there is a big difference in sound. A NRP is better build but does it also sound so much better then a Amistar? |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 15, 2005 22:06:31 GMT
Hi spoedNick Go to www.tiptop.se my one year old NR style1 is for sale for about 2100 -2200 euros.Its in good condition the only thing is the shine on the hand rest is not shiny any moore. |
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