{"product_id":"national-triolian-resophonic-guitar-1929-4766","title":"National Triolian Resophonic Guitar (1929)","description":"National Triolian Model Resophonic Guitar (1929), made in Los Angeles, serial # 1497, Polychrome lacquer with decals finish, laminated wood body, basswood neck. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis extremely rare guitar is from the first series of single-cone National reso-phonic guitars to have ever been made, designed just before the Great Depression made lower-priced instruments a necessity. The wooden-body version of Triolian was only available for only a very brief period, introduced in late 1928 and discontinued in the last quarter 1929. National had tried a triple-cone version of this wood-body instrument (hence the name \"Triolian\") but quickly found the concept of a budget tricone unworkable. The single cone design proved much easier and cheaper to make, but as National was more equipped to work with metal than wood the stamped steel body was adapted as a more efficient production expediency. This version was quickly replaced by the much more common metal body Triolian, built in the thousands through the 1930's. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThere are many differences between this early Triolian and the later common models. This guitar's twelve fret basswood neck has an unbound, painted fingerboard with black dot inlay. The laminated wooden body is painted yellow with very subtle airbrushed red and blue highlights. The words \"PATAPP FOR\" are stamped directly on top between fingerboard just above resonator cover. There is a beautiful full-color stencil of Hula girl on back and an ocean wave on front, both with far less chipping and loss than is common for this instrument. The tuners are the same engraved-plate Waverly strips used on the Tricones of the period.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe single cone guitars that descended from this first model ensured the National company's survival during the depression, being far less expensive to produce than the elaborate Tricone that had previously been their sole product . This style Triolian is historically significant, representative of both the earliest commercial single-cone guitar and the first wooden body resonator instrument. It is also a wonderful playing and sounding guitar, quite unlike its steel-bodied brothers in both feel and sound.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003eOverall length is 39 in. (99.1 cm.), 14 in. (35.6 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 3 3\/8 in. (8.6 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 25 in. (635 mm.). Width of nut is 1 15\/16 in. (49 mm.). \u003cbr\u003e This is a very nice original example of this rare model with a straight neck, exceptional playability and a deep warm sound. Both the finish and the decorations are in very good condition with only comparatively minor wear and flaking. There is wear to the fingerboard through the paint in the lower position, and a typical pickwear spot on the metal coverplate. The neck has been cleanly reset but there is a large scratch on the bass side of the heel. A section of the top veneeron the lower treble bout has had the veneer patched back in expertly-it is virtually unnoticeable-and the tailpiece has a strong but fairly obvious braze on the bend. Overall a nice one, a joy to play and hear! Very Good + Condition.","brand":"National","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46852987322508,"sku":"4766","price":5250.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0672\/8702\/3756\/files\/01_e6ab852e-1527-46e9-8043-8cba2efee2ea.jpg?v=1774329520","url":"https:\/\/retrofret.com\/products\/national-triolian-resophonic-guitar-1929-4766","provider":"RetroFret","version":"1.0","type":"link"}