National Triolian Model Resophonic Guitar (1930), made in Los Angeles, serial # 737W, Walnut Sunburst finish, steel body, maple neck with ebonized fingerboard.
The steel-bodied Triolian was National's "bread and butter" guitar during the depression, offering great sound and serious volume at the relatively modest price of $45.00. With National Tricone guitars selling for over $100 and the flashy brass-bodied Style 0 at $62.50 the fairly plain single-cone Triolian made the powerful National sound available to a much wider range of players. Made of slightly better grade materials than the bottom-of-the-line Duolian, the Triolian was extremely popular among Blues and Hillbilly musicians and is still an excellent choice for many styles of playing.
This 1930 example (from the first production year) is in well-worn but substantially original condition, featuring a walnut enamel finished steel body with flat-cut F holes and a 12 fret maple neck with a bound ebonized maple fingerboard. Walnut sunburst Triolians were hand-sprayed so no two are exactly alike�this one has fairly dark mustard colored areas around the coverplate and F-holes and a medium-dark edge. This guitar has some repair but no modifications, and definitely shows the effects of much loving use.
Overall length is 38 3/4 in. (98.4 cm.), 14 in. (35.6 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 3 1/4 in. (8.3 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 old National shows a decent amount of wear overall but remains nicely original with minimal alteration. The body has a lot of small chips and scrapes, the back edges are worn through and a there is typical fingerwear spot down to the metal beneath the strings. The neck shows wear to the finish on the back, with some capo wear slightly into the wood and a lot of fingerwear through the finish of the "ebonized" maple fingerboard. The guitar appears to have had a neckset some time back; the cone, biscuit and tuners are all original, the saddle has been contoured and lowered slightly. The oft-missing "National Triolian" decal is darkened but intact. This is an excellent player withn a full and powerful sound, and a totally "Blues Approved" vibe! Very Good + Condition.
