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Post by hambonefishpie on Jun 10, 2006 6:23:02 GMT
Does anyone have information on these guitars? They were produced in the 1950's. I've picked up some information here and there on the web, including from notecannons, but it's really sparse.
I know that the first models were sold in 1956. Valco stopped making them in 1958, but continued selling their inventory into the 60's.
Does anyone know who designed it? Are there any still floating around?
I caught Michael's review of the ResoLectric, so I know that its design is based on the 1133.
Thanks.
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Post by Michael Messer on Jun 10, 2006 20:58:29 GMT
Hi Hambonefishpie, Somewhere on this forum there is a thread about these guitars. If I can find it I will link it to this page.... The first time I became aware of them was a photo in a book in the 70s of Steve Howe playing what the author thought was a 'National Dobro electric guitar' .... .....then in another book around that same time I saw another photo of a hippy girl at a festival playing one. They are cool guitars... The next time I came across one was in Nottingham at Mark Makin's house in 1983 - a bright red one with a great sound. Sometime in 1987 I smuggled it out of Mark's house and have owned it ever since. I have recorded with it numerous times and due to the cover photo on my first album, it is affectionately known in my house as the 'Diving Duck'. 'Diving Duck' record sleeve - 1988 Recently it appeared again all over the CD booklet of my latest album, 'Lucky Charms'. It also was the main image of the tour posters and was the guitar I used in a recent photo-shoot to promote the album. 'Lucky Charms' CD booklet 'Lucky Charms' photo-shoot - Slough - January 2006 These guitars do have a funky tone, they have a very old 78 record type of sound. The solid body is what does that. The three quarter scale length is not great, but I'm used to it. I have recorded with it many times over the years, it records well as a rhythm guitar in regular EADGBE tuning. I used to use it at gigs, but I haven't taken it to a gig for many years. Billy Bragg has one, Mike Lewis (Fine Resophonic Guitars) has one, Rachelle Van Zanten (Canadian songwriter & slide player), Roy Rogers, Colin McCubbin (Notecannons collection). I have seen one or two pass through the London Resonator Centre's hands in recent years.....so they're out there. Rachelle Van Zanten As for the design; I had a conversation with Mark Makin this afternoon and we both know parts of a story that is beginning to make some sense. Exactly who in the Dopyera family has not been clarified yet, but it seems that one of probably Ed Dopyera's sons thought they should produce something for the younger generation - and a Les Paul shaped 'Reso Phonic' was the answer! Most of them need a bit of work on the set-up to get them playing and sounding good. The square-neck Hawaiian ones are pretty funky too. You sound like you are getting interested in owning one ? South Park Post Box - 2006 Shine On, Michael.
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Post by Russ Young on Jun 11, 2006 3:24:35 GMT
The squarenecks (Model 1033) ARE funky ... and I may eternally regret selling mine, which was gorgeous: "Funky" is probably the best description of the tone, too ... although Ben Harper certainly makes the most of his squareneck Reso-phonic on "Ground on Down." It looked great in the video, too:
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Post by Michael Messer on Jun 11, 2006 13:18:58 GMT
Hi Russ, Ahhh....so you had one as well ;D >They're cool little guitars.
I didn't know Ben Harper had recorded with one - 'Ground On Down', I must give that a listen.
If anyone has, or knows of other photos of musicians with National Student guitars....let's see them! Somewhere in the US there is a guy who collects 1133s & 1033s, I used to have a photo, but I can't find it.
'Funky' ....that does sum it up! ...actually I have got some great sounds from both square & round neck models. Annoyingly, the best tone comes out of the back of the guitar and is usually absorbed by ones clothes - but if you can get a good position with a mic aimed at the back of the guitar, it records really well. I have also taped a biscuit tin on to the back, that is quite interesting! I gues a Highlander system would be really good in it, I have never bothered to turn mine into a road guitar.
Most of the ones I have seen have too much bridge saddle, so raising the soundwell with a ring of wood so you can lower the bridge really helps the playability & sound. It makes them louder too. Mike Lewis (Mr Fine Resophonic Guitars) put a proper size National cone in his and that has a very powerful sound.
Shine On, Michael.
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Post by Russ Young on Jun 11, 2006 15:56:50 GMT
As you might imagine, keeping the back of the guitar open was a challenge when playing the squareneck -- my natural tendency was to place the guitar with the back coverplate directly on top of my thigh! A lap-steel or keyboard stand would have made it easy, especially for putting a microphone below it ... but I was pretty stubborn. Jeff Lang (Australian singer/songwriter/guitarist) has a Model 1133 as part of his collection of somewhat uncommon guitars: www.jefflang.com.au/equipment.htmAnd although I wasn't familiar with Leroy Jodie Pearson before hambonefishpie inquired about Reso-phonics, I am now :
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Post by lee holliday on Jun 12, 2006 9:48:01 GMT
Both the squareneck and the roundneck models on notecannons were once mine, the squareneck came as a bucket of bits from Gruhns (before internet purchases when a little readers digest magazine used to arrive $350 !!!!).
The roundneck came from musicground in Leeds when I called them on the offchance and before I knew it I had a matching pair.
Regretably something forced them out but it was worth it as the chap answering the advert was Colin probably ten years ago, friendship cemented.
I will probably get another at some stage , roundneck worked great with not too heavy strings as the cone is undersized about 8".
Don,t forget Chris Whitely also had a passion for his which I think was in Grey pearl
.Regards Lee.
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Post by snakehips on Jun 12, 2006 22:01:35 GMT
Hi there !
When you say Mike Lewis put a standard 9.5" cone in his one - do you mean he would have routed out a wider well into the guitar ?
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Post by Michael Messer on Jun 12, 2006 22:18:14 GMT
Richard, I don't know the exact details, but you're on the right track.
Shine On Michael.
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Post by Colin McCubbin on Jun 13, 2006 1:21:57 GMT
Hi Lee, Yes I was looking at the Thames Valley Diamond in the 'instruments for sale part' and there was this bloke advertising a National... I recall it was the sq neck student model, which Steve Evans had fitted with a pickup stuck to the cone for you.. Great friendship ensued More like 12 years ago I suspect! I sold it to a guy here in Vancouver last year, who desparately wanted one, and was more than a little miffed to see him put it up on ebay and get nearly twice what I charged him only a few weeks later! When I left England I had another hawaiian, in red which I lent to a guy who had worked for me, as far as I know he still has it in Trowbridge, Wilts. Memo to self...Have to track it down one day I know of ones in black, red, white/ivory and grey, and have been told of one but never got pics with a green mots skin. Strangely they are probably the only Nationals for which I have never found an advert or sales brochure.. If anyone has sales literature I'd love to have a copy.
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Post by Alan on Jun 13, 2006 9:41:52 GMT
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Post by Michael Messer on Jun 13, 2006 12:21:08 GMT
Billy Bragg with his National Reso-Phonic Student model 1133 (photos from Mark Makin's collection) Shine On, Michael.
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Post by hambonefishpie on Jun 13, 2006 17:47:07 GMT
Michael, Russ, and the rest:
Wow! You guys are absolutely TERRIFIC! I had thought that this guitar was obscure to the point of invisibility. No idea so many musicians not only used the 1133 and 1033 but also prominently featured them in photos and covers.
Thanks again.
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Post by Andy S on Aug 9, 2006 7:08:22 GMT
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Post by 1928triolian on Jun 27, 2007 14:48:47 GMT
Hi Michael,
just 2 quick questions for you on an old and fascinating thread...
1. when you taped a biscuit tin on the back of your National 1133, did you leave the back coverplate on, or did you first pull it off?
2. can this little guitar be stringed with MM .015-.056? (in open tunings)
thank you
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Post by Michael Messer on Jun 27, 2007 19:50:38 GMT
Hi 1928,
No I left the back coverplate on. I got a pretty cool sound with the biscuit tin.
I have owned my 1133, the 'Diving Duck' for 20 years and in that time I have strung and tuned it every which way. 15 to 58s, 16 to 59s, 12 to 54s, and many more combinations. Currently it is strung with PhosBronze 15 to 56s. And tuned in open G. Because of the short scale it will easily take high tunings like E & A.
In addition.....I LOVE THESE GUITARS, they are wonderful little machines!
Shine On, Michael.
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