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2005 National Tricone Style 1.5 Relic
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Serial #: 117 Dated: 06/05, San Luis Obispo label
Scale length: 25 5/8" Nut width: 1 13/16" Neck depth, 1st/10th frets: .92/1.27
Materials: Nickel plated bell brass body and coverplate; solid one-piece mahogany neck; grained ivoroid binding; solid bone nut; pearl dot fingerboard inlays.
Hardware: 100% original hardware includes nickel Kluson Deluxe 3-on-a-plate tuners; nickel stamped tailpiece; spun 'Hot-Rod' aluminum alloy cones; adjustable double-acting truss rod.
Notes: The original and most sought after of resonator guitars, the National Tricone was introduced in 1927. Though it was catalogued until 1943, very few were made after the mid- thirties. Many feel the original tricone design has never been surpassed for smooth sustain in bottleneck or Hawaiian steel playing. Round or Spanish neck example are much scarcer than square neck models, and are highly prized for their versatility. Out of production for over a half century, the National Tricones became an iconic find for players and collectors alike, with prices ranging well into five figures for good vintage examples.
Revived in California in 1988, the National Resophonic Guitar Co. produced the first reissue of the Tricone model in 2004. Meticulously faithful to the original design, these hand crafted instruments recaptured the look, tone and feel of the originals with uncanny accuracy. A tasteful upgrade to the plain Style 1, a hand engraved wriggle border was added to the body by 1931, and these guitars became knicknamed the 'Model 1.5'.
With the reissue of this historic model, National also distinguished the 1.5 with upmarket appointments from the ornate Style 3, including the stylish grained ivoroid headplate, and the Art Deco diamond fingerboard inlays. This rare example was custom ordered with light relic hardware and a matte nickel finish, giving the guitar a comfy, lightly played-in appearance. Action is smooth and low action over a solid ebony fingerboard on the traditional light V profile neck, with a fully adjustable double-acting truss rod, the sole improvement over the original design.
The tone is sweet, rich, and full of natural reverb, and the generous nut width makes it ideal for fingerstyle and bottleneck play alike. These handsome engraved models no longer appear available from National at this writing, making them coveted by both players and collectors alike. An Art Deco classic from the golden era of resophonic technology: one only, call now.
Setup: String slots at nut and bridge inspected and recut as necessary; fingerboard conditioned; body and neck cleaned and hand polished, string intonation strobe tuned. This instrument is strung with medium gauge phosphor bronze strings. The guitar will accommodate lighter or heavier gauge strings, according to preference. String action is set at 5/64" to 6/64" at the 12th fret, with moderate relief for acoustic playing with medium strings. The action may be lowered or raised to your requirements with the adjustable bridge.
Case: Deluxe original black arched plush lined hardshell case.
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