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Post by Deleted on May 23, 2013 0:04:32 GMT
I bought a brand new M14 from Elderly's (US) the other week. I bought it online because my local shop didn't have any wood body Nats I was looking for. I tried all their metal bodies and bought a Tricone a few months back, and the overall quality was just outstanding, so I took the gamble of an online purchase. It is sensational! I got it for country blues and everything I can come up with, so I wanted a warmer sound than the metal bodies. I have a few Gibsons and other guitars, but am no expert, but for me the construction quality is just flawless. The seller was the ebony nut and bindings - from the pics you would think it was stock black plastic bits, but in the flesh it is a wonderful touch. www.nationalguitars.com/instruments/m14/m14.htmlSo I have a very dangerous question: (I am not looking, I am not looking.....I am not)....: What would be a similar type of sounding National for a vintage National model? Trojan? Estralita? Not Looking!, but I have never seen heard any of the vintage wood bodies and I am interested now. Oh no, here I go..... BluesKing777. |
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Post by wolvoboy on May 23, 2013 6:15:02 GMT
i'm not looking either,in fact i have not been looking for one for about three years!!
wolvoboy
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Post by Michael Messer on May 23, 2013 8:24:43 GMT
Hi BluesKing777,
The instrument you have is not really based on anything that the original National company made.
The wood bodied vintage Nationals to look for are Trojans and wood bodied Triolians. The closest to your M14 with a 14 fret neck to body join, would be a National Trojan.
Beware of well known vintage dealers! It has become common practice among many dealers nowadays to do up old Nationals that don't need doing up, to sell them. They open them, clean them, replace the cone, adjust the neck angle and then sell them as 'playable' guitars. What they have actually done is destroyed the guitar and with its new cone and modern setup it plays and feels more like an NRP guitar than a National guitar. So if you do go hunting for a vintage National guitar, be very 'VERY' careful and cautious about what you are looking at. I am always happy to advise if you see something and are unsure about what you are looking at and who you are dealing with.
Shine On
Michael
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Post by wolvoboy on May 23, 2013 8:54:21 GMT
fair point Michael,what advice would you give when buying a vintage guitar,ie: how can you tell if a neck has been reset what do you look for,especialy when buying without seeing the guitar,what questions would you ask the seller
wolvoboy
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Post by triconehead on May 23, 2013 9:30:23 GMT
That M -14 looks like they had the Trojan in mind.
That´s and important thing you pointing out there, Michael.
Many old Nationals for sale, with neck and cone replacements etc, for quite some money.
Sometimes necessary of course( if done by an expert )but it´s no longer the same guitar like you say.
You don´t pay extra for an old electric guitar just because they threw out the old Pups and put new ones in.
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Post by Deleted on May 23, 2013 10:05:29 GMT
Thanks for the replies....
My Trike and M14 (and my old Dobro) are all great guitars for my purposes. My 1976 metal Dobro has been fairly trouble-free since I bought it many years ago, and with the build quality of my new Nationals, I couldn't see any problems that aren't self inflicted. I also go to one of the very best luthiers in my area for a setup and other bits. When I run my slide on my Trike, the cones sound is just the best I have had - my words don't describe.
The M14 is just a beautiful guitar for blues fingerpicking - one of the things that attracted me to Gibson acoustics is the slight growl in the tone - but now the M14 has it's own thing going on. I launch into a RJ type of blues and I know we are supposed to look a touch moody/depressed, but no - BK777 has a grin.
Of course, I am so happy with my new purchases that I am not looking for another Reso, but if i was.............are there any good dealers to look up that don't pull the old Nationals apart like Michael stated above - I think I have seen the ones you mentioned.
I have been burned on eBay a couple of times. Without going into the whole thing, I bought a beautiful, minty 1958 Gibson LG0 - a real beauty, so with confidence up, I later bought a 1952 Gibson LG1 - both guitars for slide practice in G and D tuning. It turned up in a broken guitar case and a first look showed it needed every single thing that everyone that buys a guitar is scared of....neck reset, cracks.......on it goes. I felt peeved until I ran my slide on it in a D Tuning and all is forgiven.......but still, if I had hoped to be fingerpicking chords and runs, it would be NO GOOD....
Because of that incident, I have bought from well known dealers like Elderly's in the US and so far they have been impeccable with the packing and sending. Small problem is that I have never seen them selling a National Trojan or such, but I will keep my eyes out...
Even if I am most definitely, NOT Looking....
BluesKing777.
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Post by Deleted on May 23, 2013 10:37:19 GMT
I forgot to mention I use a couple of "Blue Lightnings" from Diamond Bottlenecks and there is no looking back after having those for a couple of years - I see Ian is a member here. Thanks for those Ian, but I see the blue ones are no longer available. What do we look for instead - the size was perfect for me?
BluesKing777.
(No affiliation)
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Post by Deleted on May 23, 2013 15:05:29 GMT
I had a bit of a trawl on Youtube for Trojans since the earlier thread and came across Steve James playing a National wood body in a video that I actually have on dvd at home as well. Fabulous lesson and a honk sound - is this a National Trojan?:
BluesKing777.
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Post by Michael Messer on May 23, 2013 15:57:19 GMT
Hi BK777,
Yes that is a National Trojan.
Shine On
Michael
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Post by Ian McWee on May 23, 2013 20:52:26 GMT
Hi BK777 ~ we have a selection of dark green 'Redhouse' bottlenecks available that match the 'Blue Diamond' specifications & are tonally very similar. We're currently working on a special project with one of our glassblowers in regards to resurrecting the 'Blue Diamond' ~ our initial trials look very promising indeed  Thanks for your kind words! Slide On! Ian. |
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Post by Deleted on May 23, 2013 23:18:04 GMT
No thanks needed, Ian!
Your slides are truly superb and I will order some Greenies.....
I have a spare Blue Diamond in my tool box, though I should have got a dozen, obviously. I also have a blown glass unit.
I might get a tricksy slide next time as well. Can you do an imitation 'bone' look glass slide?
What fun and who knew when we were struggling with pirex and skinny brass slides with no tone and then no confidence! The rest can be hard enough to do!
BluesKing777.
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Post by Deleted on May 29, 2013 0:01:50 GMT
#Enjoying the M14 immensely! Opening out daily - a beautiful National Wood Body guitar!
If I didn't have all this work to do.......
Seems like I may be the only one in the world to own one! No-one has replied that owns one so far.....
Probably a 'second-home buyer' type of National and the shiny models would be selling like hot cakes!
BluesKing777.
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Post by android on Feb 7, 2015 11:13:12 GMT
Hi. Are you still happy with your M-14? I'm asking as I'm looking to buy a wood bodied resonator and I keep coming back to this model.
Any input would be appreciated.
Many thanks.
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