Busker Deco/NRP Tricone?

[snakestretcher]

Although I have a Deco reserved it appears that a bit of unexpected luck will allow me to also consider a NRP Tricone. The usual question; should I fork out for the National in preference or is there little enough difference in tone/build/playability between that and the Deco that the extra-considerable-outlay is unjustifiable?
I won't be able to try either before I splash out so your comments would be most welcome.
Thanks

Snake.

[melp]

Hi,

My current collection includes a MM Blues, Busker Cannon and Sollophonic. I also have a Busker Deco reserved, hope the slow boat from China (sorry Robin) arrives soon!

The three I have now I acquired for less than the cost of the NRP Tricone, and they are all, in my view, for my purposes, great guitars.

Difficult question you pose, I have considered it myself and am in the same position.

Let me say that NRP instruments, at least the ones I have seen are great instruments, well made beautiful and sound great. But they are expensive, they are built in a very expensive environment. I would love to own one, or two, but cannot justify the cost.

I have played both a Busker Deco (thanks Growler) and several NRP Tricones (thanks Blues Week).

I just play for my own amusement, its my hobby, so no professional or semi-professional considerations.

OK that's the background.

Now this is what I thought going through my process.

1/ Does the Busker Deco sound like a tri-cone? - Yes

2/ Does is sound different than the NRP? - Yes (actually I played three and they all sounded different [this maybe age or difference in body material])

3/ Does the NRP sound better than the Busker? Hmmm, well two of them did [remember this is subjective with several months separating the playing], but I would still say yes. The third one, in my humble view, did not it sounded very thin and weedy to me.

4/ What should a tricone sound like? (listen to the NRP catalogue where they have recordings of all their guitars, and listen to the sound clips on the Busker site [yes these are recordings, so you won't get the "live" sound, but it will give an indication]).

5/ Does the Deco sound close enough - Yes (or is it worth spending over three times the cost to get the NRP for the difference) - for me, unless I win the lottery, no.

That's when I contacted Robin.

But consider this. Do you just want one instrument, ever? If yes then choose away, or would you like a Duolian, a Style 0 and a Tricone. You could get all of these for the cost of a NRP.

That's my answer. I would rather have a few excellent "fit-for-purpose" instruments, that sound quite different, rather than just one, even if it sounded a bit better.

But its clear that I am, and have, been suffering Guitar Acquisition Syndrome for some time.

No right and wrong answers in this, hopefully a informed choice that will be right for you.

Good luck

Mel

[thebluesbear( al)]

Hi

if this helps im happy , while i cannot speak for tricones either a deco or a nrp,and i am a pro musician so there is a bit of back ground

i can speak for a nrp v busker i use my national delphi and busker sidewalk often enough togther
well as far as im concerned , they are similiar sounding instuments when you play them side by side

I will be adding more buskers to my arsenal soon i have a cannon as well

so in short IMO buskers are that good if you follow

al

[Deleted]

What Ho!

I have never played a NRP, but I do have a Busjker Deco tri-cone and it is wonderful. If I ever had to sell all but 1 resonator I would keep the Deco above the Cannon or even the new Delta.

Hope this helps.

Barry

[blueshome]

If it's to be your main instrument you will probably, in time, regret not paying the extra for better quality, although the Buskers and MM's represent terrific "bangs for the buck".

The real answer to your question is - do your own comparison, you are the one who'll be living with it. It doesn't matter if one person says only a 1928 Style 3 will do and another says his Busker sounds just as good, there are as many opinions as there are guitars, and it is only you that can tell what you want.

If you are not prepared to trust your own judgement then I think maybe you might hesitate before spending what in either case is a quite significant sum on something you are not sure of.

[lewiscohen]

For me, a guitar choice boils down to a combination of five factors:

1) Sound - in your case, given that you can't try either guitar in person before buying, you'll have to go on the soundclips on the Busker and NRP websites. At least they have them, and they are decently recorded. Your preferences here could go either way but if you do have a clear preference then stop right there. Decision made. If not.......

2) Build quality - the Busker will be a very well put together instrument but the NRP will ultimately be "better" made. The neck will be one piece of mahogany (nicely lacquered) rather than a separate heel and headstock and will have an ivoroid bound ebony fretboard. It will have higher spec hardware. The plating will be to a higher standard. It's pretty hard to argue that NRP wouldn't win out on this one.

3) Playability - both companies have high QC standards and set-up will be great on both guitars.

4) Joy of ownership - now it gets emotional because whilst the above points contribute to this one, so does the name on the headstock and, contrary to the beliefs of many, I think it's absolutely fine to care what that name is. Brand, reputation, history (however tenuous that may arguably be in the case of "National" Resophonic ) are all perfectly legitimate reasons to want a particular guitar. Guitars aren't just pieces of equipment. They are emotional and aspirational things too. Music is art, not science so this stuff can matter to you. Just ask a Harley Davidson owner why he didn't buy a cheaper more reliable Japanese made bike instead of his hog. If it's still a dead heat after comparing sound clips and thinking about general plushness of construction, this will be the thing that swings the decision. Not many people sit on the fence on this one. It either matters to you or it doesn't (of course, financial circumstances can dictate that you can't let it matter to you, but you stated otherwise in your question).

5) Value for money - all of the above added together, divided by price.

Just decide honestly which points carry the most weight for you, and therein lies your answer.

[snakestretcher]

Thank you all for taking the trouble to attempt to help me out. In some respects, until recently, I was always a 'brand snob' and I don't mind admitting it. Electrics had to be Gibson or Fender and acoustics Martin, SCGC, Bourgeois etc; until someone put one of Yamaha's L series acoustics in my hand and my quest for tonal Nirvana was over.
For example the Yamaha LL26, hand-built in Japan, has appointments at the level of a Martin style 40 but at less than half the cost and with exquisite craftsmanship. Tone and playability are exemplary.

So my dilemma still stands-to an extent; 'National' with all the heritage and tradition the name evokes still calls to me as a brand and yet if I had more (any!) experience with metal-bodied resonators the Busker might just come out as the better bet.
Of course there is also the 'pride of ownership' thing...and I absolutely understood the Harley/Japanese hog analogy.

Anyhow, thanks again; I'll let you know my decision in a couple of weeks.

Snake.

[wolvoboy]

For me it was to do with a dream, it was allways my dream to have a National but thats what it was a dream,they seemed to far out of my price range so i had a whole range of cheap reso's some better than others,by the time i had got through about six reso's the money i had spent on them i could have bought a new Nationa reso,in the end a vintage Duolian came up for less money than a new National so i bought it.my advice is if its your dream to have a National go for it as you will probably regret it if you dont,even better if funds allow get a vintage reso.
wolvoboy

[Michael Messer]

Hi Snakestretcher,

If you are looking for a resonator guitar with a brand name that has heritage, history and mojo, there would be only two brands available to you. Both of these brands and their respective companies no longer exist. Although both of the brand names do exist. Dobro is now own by Gibson and the instruments produced bear no resemblance to anything that was built is the brand name's golden era. National guitars are manufactured by a company called National Reso-Phonic Guitars INC. They make beautiful resonator guitars. The company is small and is always looking to pay respect and acknowledge the history of the name 'National'. Their guitars and workmanship are first class. However, the company has no connection whatsoever with the original National company and therefore has no mojo, heritage or history to speak of. Interestingly, after 21 years in business, they are now gathering their own history.

Shine On
Michael.

[snakestretcher]

Thanks for your thoughts Michael. I know the 'new' National is a relatively recent venture but the name lives on!
I remember Gibson's disastrous Norlin years where the instruments, by and large, bore only a passing resemblance to earlier times and certainly didn't merit the name Gibson with all of its heritage of fine instrument building tradition. Now, finally, they are once again building some very, very nice guitars.
The brand remains the same but the ethos has changed dramatically, particularly with the Bozeman acoustic plant.
I think I see a National in my near future...

Snake

[washboardchris]

Hi, some time ago I bought a NRP M2 2nd hand & found I had a problem with the cone(the sound well was slightly under sized). I got in touch with National Resophonic who put me onto Don Young ( the vice president of the company) who, hearing of my problem, offered to make me a cone and a spare to the size I needed. When I made it clear to him that it was a second hand guitar, & that I would gladly pay for the cone and the manufacturing of it, he refused payment and just charged me the postage. I have never encountered such good service from a major guitar maker, most of whom don't answer emails, let alone offer such friendly and unexpected help. Whether they have any connection to the old National company or not, they are very good to deal with and really care about their customers.

[snakestretcher]

Apr 6, 2009 21:35:16 GMT washboardchris said:

Hi, some time ago I bought a NRP M2 2nd hand & found I had a problem with the cone(the sound well was slightly under sized). I got in touch with National Resophonic who put me onto Don Young ( the vice president of the company) who, hearing of my problem, offered to make me a cone and a spare to the size I needed. When I made it clear to him that it was a second hand guitar, & that I would gladly pay for the cone and the manufacturing of it, he refused payment and just charged me the postage. I have never encountered such good service from a major guitar maker, most of whom don't answer emails, let alone offer such friendly and unexpected help. Whether they have any connection to the old National company or not, they are very good to deal with and really care about their customers.

That's pretty impressive-especially given that you are a 'foreigner'. Many US-based companies offer just the most cursory customer service outside the country. Take Martin's lifetime warranty-fine if you're an American but only a year in the UK and no more comprehensive than what your entitlements are under the Sale of Goods Act..