National Reso-Lectric R-1 Resophonic Electric Guitar (1992)
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National Reso-Lectric R-1 Model Resophonic Electric Guitar (1992), made in San Luis Obisbo, CA, serial # 122, red lacquer finish, hardwood body, maple neck with rosewood fingerboard, original black tolex hard shell case.
This is a very early first-edition 1992 National Reso-Lectric, the most innovative instrument to come from the then newly revived National Company of San Luis Obispo, California. This is a higher quality, more player friendly update of the old short-scale 1950s Reso-Phonic solid-body resonator model, which was generally regarded mostly as a curio. Company founders Don Young and McGregor Gaines created a practical and attractive instrument from the same basic formula, mixing vintage aesthetics with then-modern practicality. This model is still in production today but in somewhat modified form. According to the Gruhn Guide to Vintage Guitars, only 206 of these original style models were made.
This is #122 of the first generation, made early in 1992 apparently for Matt Umanov's shop in Greenwich Village as "Umanoff" is written in pencil under the neck heel. This is a solid body instrument designed to be played amplified offering a choice of magnetic or under bridge pickup sounds. The traditional National single cone is set into a single-cutaway solid body with coverplates on both sides like the original Reso-Phonic model. The upper part of the body is covered by a snazzy pearloid pickguard, and the classic 1920's National tailpiece anchors the strings.
These early Reso-Lectric models were fitted with an original Chandler lipstick pickup in the neck position and an L.R. Baggs acoustic pickup in the bridge above the cone. The two "chicken head" knobs on the upper bout are a master volume and a blender allowing the different pickup sounds to be variably mixed. There is an 18-volt preamp for the Baggs pickup un der the cone, with two nine-volt batteries neatly tucked into a body cavity.
Featuring a somewhat Fender-like 25 1/2" scale maple neck with a rosewood fingerboard, this is a huge playing improvement from the almost toy-like feel of the 22" scale originals. The neck has a old nitro-finished '57 Strat V-profile feel with a red "snakehead" headstock finished to match the body. This Reso-Lectric excels as a slide guitar mixing Delta with electric blues sounds, but makes a dandy if eccentric player in any style. This first edition is a fairly rare find these days and a cool instrument with a unique sound and vibe.
Overall length is 40 in. (101.6 cm.), 13 3/4 in. (34.9 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 2 in. (5.1 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 25 1/2 in. (648 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.)., 9.81 lbs.
This guitar has been gigged and shows some light wear but nothing too serious. It remains original with no alterations. The body finish has only light handling wear with some minor dents, none actually through the finish. The neck has some tiny dinks and one larger feelable scrape behind the 10th fret. The nickel plating on the coverplates shows clouding and sweat wear (always wipe your Nationals down after playing, kids) most heavily to the face and belt buckle scuffing to the rear. The original frets show hardly any wear and this is a fine playing, cool sounding if eccentric instrument, now itself over 30 years old. Overall Excellent - Condition.
This is a very early first-edition 1992 National Reso-Lectric, the most innovative instrument to come from the then newly revived National Company of San Luis Obispo, California. This is a higher quality, more player friendly update of the old short-scale 1950s Reso-Phonic solid-body resonator model, which was generally regarded mostly as a curio. Company founders Don Young and McGregor Gaines created a practical and attractive instrument from the same basic formula, mixing vintage aesthetics with then-modern practicality. This model is still in production today but in somewhat modified form. According to the Gruhn Guide to Vintage Guitars, only 206 of these original style models were made.
This is #122 of the first generation, made early in 1992 apparently for Matt Umanov's shop in Greenwich Village as "Umanoff" is written in pencil under the neck heel. This is a solid body instrument designed to be played amplified offering a choice of magnetic or under bridge pickup sounds. The traditional National single cone is set into a single-cutaway solid body with coverplates on both sides like the original Reso-Phonic model. The upper part of the body is covered by a snazzy pearloid pickguard, and the classic 1920's National tailpiece anchors the strings.
These early Reso-Lectric models were fitted with an original Chandler lipstick pickup in the neck position and an L.R. Baggs acoustic pickup in the bridge above the cone. The two "chicken head" knobs on the upper bout are a master volume and a blender allowing the different pickup sounds to be variably mixed. There is an 18-volt preamp for the Baggs pickup un der the cone, with two nine-volt batteries neatly tucked into a body cavity.
Featuring a somewhat Fender-like 25 1/2" scale maple neck with a rosewood fingerboard, this is a huge playing improvement from the almost toy-like feel of the 22" scale originals. The neck has a old nitro-finished '57 Strat V-profile feel with a red "snakehead" headstock finished to match the body. This Reso-Lectric excels as a slide guitar mixing Delta with electric blues sounds, but makes a dandy if eccentric player in any style. This first edition is a fairly rare find these days and a cool instrument with a unique sound and vibe.
Overall length is 40 in. (101.6 cm.), 13 3/4 in. (34.9 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 2 in. (5.1 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 25 1/2 in. (648 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.)., 9.81 lbs.
This guitar has been gigged and shows some light wear but nothing too serious. It remains original with no alterations. The body finish has only light handling wear with some minor dents, none actually through the finish. The neck has some tiny dinks and one larger feelable scrape behind the 10th fret. The nickel plating on the coverplates shows clouding and sweat wear (always wipe your Nationals down after playing, kids) most heavily to the face and belt buckle scuffing to the rear. The original frets show hardly any wear and this is a fine playing, cool sounding if eccentric instrument, now itself over 30 years old. Overall Excellent - Condition.