National Resophonic Guitars

[steadyrollinman]

Hi Michael,

I note you collect early Nationals, but what's your opinion on new ones?


Regards,


Chris

[Michael Messer]

Hi Chris,

I have collected and studied 1920s & 30s Nationals for over 30 years. I saw what was probably the first National Reso-Phonic guitar, a 'Jazz Blues', that came into the UK in the late 1980s. I have great respect for the company and their acheivements. They are partly responsible for making resophonic guitars popular again and for getting them into musicians hands, rather than collectors. Our Newtone strings have their logo on the front of the packet, so all in all they have done a lot for the whole resophonic/acoustic blues scene in the past 20 years.

'National Reso-Phonic Guitars' is not connected to the original National company. The heritage is something they have cleverly adopted and used to create a very powerful illusion and profitable company.

They make first class instruments which are popular worldwide with players and collectors. Their instruments are based on the originals with design adjustments to suit the modern marketplace and manufacturing techniques. Most of their production is computer based.

I know of numerous musicians, including yourself, who own & cherish their National Reso-Phonic guitars. However, my personal choice of new resophonic guitars are 'Fine Resophonic Guitars' built in Paris by Mike Lewis. Eight years ago I introduced John E Dopyera (son of the inventor) to Mike Lewis and after a day at Mike's workshop he said that his father had the wrong son, it should have been Mike. Mike's work is as close as you'll get to John Dopyera's original guitars and that is why I play them. They are not built to withstand an atomic blast, outlive Mathuselah, or compete with a 100 watt Marshall amp, but they do have a beautiful tone and they play like a dream. With my eyes closed I could be playing an original National...scale length, weight, balance, tone, cone response, volume...etc.

In addition - having owned numerous National guitars, including some very rare, valuable & wonderful ones, I enjoy playing guitars that are built for me by a friend who understands exactly what I like. My first Fine Resophonic guitar was christened in Paris by Eric Clapton, so it arrived with some built in Mojo and history. I believe that Fine Reso-Phonic guitars are among the best resophonic guitar ever built.

There are a few threads on this forum about this subject and also one or two reviews on my website.

Shine On,
Michael.

[steadyrollinman]

That's very interesting. I would have thought that National Resophonic would have been more likely to have been closer to the original specs than anyone else. What is it that Mike lewis does that Nat Res doesn't. In your opinion?


Chris.

[Michael Messer]

Hi Chris,

As I said in the earlier post - the company in California called National Reso-Phonic Guitars has absolutely no connection at all with the National Musical Instruments company that made the original National guitars. They purely came up with a very successful game-plan that by using the name 'National', they would immediately assume credibility, which they did. They are now one of the most successful independant acoustic guitars manufacturers in the world. But don't ever think that they have anything to do with the people that built Nationals in the 1920s and 30s. There can be no critisism of a company that achieved its ambitions and makes high quality mass-produced instruments. But, in saying that, there are numerous differences in National Reso-Phonics to Nationals. National Reso-Phonic Guitars is not trying to re-create 1920s guitars, they are just using that heritage to sell new ones. Mike Lewis faithfully works with the designs, materials and specs of the instruments built in the 1920s and 30s by National and Dobro. One particular difference is the scale length of new Nationals is longer than old ones. That makes an enormous difference to touch, tone, tension, sound, etc. Old Nationals are not always loud, they have a sweet warm tone that I do not hear in modern ones.

Shine On,
Michael.

[steadyrollinman]

Michael,

Is there anywhere in London I could try one?


Chris

[steadyrollinman]

Michael,

Is there anywhere in London I could try a Fine Resophonic?



Chris

[mirrormist]

Hello Michael...I have a National Resophonic as you know...
not sure of the dates they started to make their version of the Style "O"...but if it was around 93 then that would suggest that they were manufacturing one every two days up until 97 based on the serial number of my guitar (less than 700)...as I said...not really sure when they were first made.
Anyway...I was wondering if you or anyone else know how many Style "O"s were made by the original National Co in their first 4 years if indeed they manufactured them that long.

I was also interested to know that the new company use computers and would be interested know how that use them an whether or not they have always used them...just wondering if the earlier models were manufactured in a different way...thanks

i like the look of some of the fineresophonics but think their name is a bit naff hahaha

really interseting thread...hope you don't mind me joining in

Regards

Anthony

[Michael Messer]

Hi Anthony,

Your Style O is an early National Reso-Phonic Guitar - it was built before the computers took over the manufacturing and IMO is a better instrument than the more recent ones. It is a lovely guitar with a great tone and I know it is very special to you, but it is different to a 1930s National Style O guitar.

As for numbers of Style Os made by the National company back in the 1930s, to get an exact figure I will need to consult my friend Mark Makin, but I can tell you they made a lot of guitars between 1930 and 1934.

Chris - occasionally the London Resonator Centre have a Fine Resophonic in stock, but they sell very quick. The last time Mike Lewis delivered a guitar to them, it sold while Mike was in the shop delivering it. You are welcome to try mine next time I see you, or better still......get a Eurostar to Gare Du Nord in Paris and spend an afternoon trying them out at Mike's studio. Highly recommended....the wine is also excellent....and you will sleep well on the return journey!

Shine On,
Michael.

[mirrormist]

Hello Michael thanks for the reply...I love the look of your squareneck maple fine reso...it is an absolute beauty...
well I am also planning a trip to Paris shortly but getting away to visit fine resophonics is going to take a lot of ducking diving roses and champagne me thinks hahaha

I know the two national companies may not be the same but I think there is a link though purist may think it tenuous.
I think that it is more likely that resophonic co was created in honour of rather than any opportunistic reasons for exploitation of a brand name....they could have I am sure picked an easier way to make guitars than they did with a lot less start up costs than they probably incurred.

I did a research project on the history of the canals and it’s industries in my home town some years ago and discovered that that what has always been known as “The Saltisford Arm” was in fact the start of the Warwick to Birmingham Canal and the reason it appears to be an arm was because the Napton to Warwick canal joined approximately a mile from the start of the original canal.

Anyway my point is that although the facts are available they make little or no difference to the mindsets of the folk around here…to them it has always been an arm and always will be

Regards

Anthony

[Michael Messer]

Hi Anthony,

There really is no link at all with the original National Musical Instrument company. There is a passion for the old instruments and love of their history and heritage, but no connections whatsoever.

The maple square-neck Fine Resophonic Tricone is a beauty. The wood-bodied Tricones made by Mike Lewis are among the finest resophonic guitars that exist. Eric Clapton's first Fine Reso' was a round-neck sunburst wood-bodied Tricone, and it's a lovely guitar. Mike's studio is in a part of Paris called Vitry Sur Seine, ten minutes from the Centre of town.

Shine On,
Michael.

[steadyrollinman]

Michael,

Thanks for the info. I look forward to seeing you at your next workshop.


Regards,


Chris

[Ted Dorset]

Hi guys.

Are the Newtone "National" strings exact replicas of authentic original strings used on National guitars back in days of yore?

[Michael Messer]

Hi Ted,

Welcome along! The Newtone MM National Guitar Strings are made in the old fashioned way (hand wound) with round cores. All modern mass-produced strings have hexagonal cores, which are faster to wind because the winding does not slip. The old style round core definitely has more flexibility, tone, longer life, nicer to play, and comes up to pitch at slightly less tension than modern 'hex core' strings do. So the guage of the strings is slightly heavier than 1920s strings were, but with the tension difference it works perfectly. Also, because most National guitar players use open tunings (D & G), the top E string is slightly heavier than on a regular set to compensate.

We have been making ' Michael Messer National Guitar Strings by Newtone' for fifteen years and in that time they have become very popular among National players around the world are considered by many to be the industry standard.

Shine On,
Michael.

[robn]

Hi Michael,

Just to continue this theme. Am I right in thinking that Phosphor Bronze is a relatively modern alloy for string making and that the original Nationals would have used nickel strings? I know that the MM Newtone National strings come in both materials. I favour PB on my wood bodies reso (although I have sometimes enjoyed using nickel); both seem to have their own champions. What are your thoughts? Do you use different string alloys on different guitars?

Robn

[Michael Messer]

My apologies Robn, I forgot to mention that 1920s and 30s guitar strings were nickel. However, for me there is no doubt that phosphor bronze is a better material to wind an acoustic guitar string with, as it just has a better tone all round. This is a personal choice and many people disagree, so we do offer MM Newtones in both nickel and phosphor bronze. I do use the nickel sets, but mostly on guitars with magnetic pickups. For any guitar just being used acoustically, phosphor bronze every time. We however sell a lot of the blue pack nickel strings, so lots of people like them. I would recommend trying both.

For more info go to www.michaelmesser.co.uk/stringpa.htm

Shine On,
Michael.