National Style 1 Tricone Roundneck Resophonic Guitar (1929)
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Item #5804
National Style 1 Tricone Roundneck Model Resophonic Guitar (1929), made in Los Angeles, serial # 10878, nickel plated finish, German silver body, mahogany neck with ebony fingerboard, original black hard shell case.
One of the most original and distinctive-guitar designs of all time, the National "Silver Guitar" or Tricone resonator is currently enjoying renewed respect and popularity. Widely considered the finest acoustic instrument ever created for slide playing, the roundneck "Spanish" Tricone is also an excellent and totally unique-sounding guitar for many other styles of play. The round neck Tricone is considerably rarer then the square neck "Hawaiian" variant and has long been sought after as the ultimate acoustic blues/slide guitar.
This particular Style 1 dates to sometime in 1929, built just at the onset of the Depression when the Tricones were being supplemented by the first of National's newer-and much cheaper- single cone resonator designs. The Style 1 originally retailed for $125.00, a tremendous sum even at the height of the roaring '20's...after this point these fancy German Silver guitars will be produced in ever-smaller numbers as the Duolians, Triolians and Style 0's become National's breadwinning products. All roundneck Tricones are fairly rare, but relatively few were produced after 1930 as the less expensive Nationals took priority.
This guitar has an unusual feature particular to 1929 Tricones-the top edge of the headstock is cut on an angle, sloping backwards from the face. Just why this was done is lost to history, but it helps identify instruments built this year. The guitar bears a five-digit serial number 10878 in an unusual hand-etched font; this five-digit number is one of the last few using this original serialization scheme; by 1930 nearly all roundneck Tricones would share the new "S" series with the earliest Style 0 guitars.
This is an excellent playing guitar suitable for both open-tuned slide and regular Spanish play with the rich sound only a Tricone can produce. The Style 1 with the unengraved body is the 'purest' example of National's Art Deco aesthetic, and mysteriously often seems to be the best sounding as well, although there is no scientific reason why that should be!
Overall length is 38 1/2 in. (97.8 cm.), 14 3/16 in. (36 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 3 1/8 in. (7.9 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 25 in. (635 mm.). Width of nut is 1 7/8 in. (48 mm.). This guitar has some overall wear but no major repairs. It has just emerged from our shop with a new refret and is a very fine player, with a deeper sound than many Nationals. There is some scuffing to the plating overall, and a few small dents but no major loss to the surface. There is one noticeable dent on the lower treble bout at the top edge, but the seam is not sprung. The cones are old, but do not appear original. The back of the neck has a decent amount of capo wear to the finish but is still comfortable, and the fingerboard is quite true. The National logo decal is faded but intact; the original tuners still function well. Overall a super playing example of this most sought after of resonator guitars. Excellent - Condition.
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One of the most original and distinctive-guitar designs of all time, the National "Silver Guitar" or Tricone resonator is currently enjoying renewed respect and popularity. Widely considered the finest acoustic instrument ever created for slide playing, the roundneck "Spanish" Tricone is also an excellent and totally unique-sounding guitar for many other styles of play. The round neck Tricone is considerably rarer then the square neck "Hawaiian" variant and has long been sought after as the ultimate acoustic blues/slide guitar.
This particular Style 1 dates to sometime in 1929, built just at the onset of the Depression when the Tricones were being supplemented by the first of National's newer-and much cheaper- single cone resonator designs. The Style 1 originally retailed for $125.00, a tremendous sum even at the height of the roaring '20's...after this point these fancy German Silver guitars will be produced in ever-smaller numbers as the Duolians, Triolians and Style 0's become National's breadwinning products. All roundneck Tricones are fairly rare, but relatively few were produced after 1930 as the less expensive Nationals took priority.
This guitar has an unusual feature particular to 1929 Tricones-the top edge of the headstock is cut on an angle, sloping backwards from the face. Just why this was done is lost to history, but it helps identify instruments built this year. The guitar bears a five-digit serial number 10878 in an unusual hand-etched font; this five-digit number is one of the last few using this original serialization scheme; by 1930 nearly all roundneck Tricones would share the new "S" series with the earliest Style 0 guitars.
This is an excellent playing guitar suitable for both open-tuned slide and regular Spanish play with the rich sound only a Tricone can produce. The Style 1 with the unengraved body is the 'purest' example of National's Art Deco aesthetic, and mysteriously often seems to be the best sounding as well, although there is no scientific reason why that should be!
Overall length is 38 1/2 in. (97.8 cm.), 14 3/16 in. (36 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 3 1/8 in. (7.9 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 25 in. (635 mm.). Width of nut is 1 7/8 in. (48 mm.). This guitar has some overall wear but no major repairs. It has just emerged from our shop with a new refret and is a very fine player, with a deeper sound than many Nationals. There is some scuffing to the plating overall, and a few small dents but no major loss to the surface. There is one noticeable dent on the lower treble bout at the top edge, but the seam is not sprung. The cones are old, but do not appear original. The back of the neck has a decent amount of capo wear to the finish but is still comfortable, and the fingerboard is quite true. The National logo decal is faded but intact; the original tuners still function well. Overall a super playing example of this most sought after of resonator guitars. Excellent - Condition.
