Jump to content
Gibson Brands Forums

Traded a nice guitar....for a National


onewilyfool

Recommended Posts

Got a wonderful National Tri-cone style 1 today. I can play it in normal mode (tuned E to E) or in open tunings with a slide (any advice or help in how to play this thing would be helpful, Youtube lessons, etc. I got this to disproove the old saying, "You can't teach an old dog new tricks...", lol. Same as this link:

 

http://www.nationalguitars.com/instruments/style1/style1.html

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Got a wonderful National Tri-cone style 1 today. I can play it in normal mode (tuned E to E) or in open tunings with a slide (any advice or help in how to play this thing would be helpful, Youtube lessons, etc. I got this to disproove the old saying, "You can't teach an old dog new tricks...", lol. Same as this link:

 

http://www.nationalguitars.com/instruments/style1/style1.html

 

Oh, that's very nice. I want one! Or one of the wooden bodied M1s. No hope. Ever.

PM, JT, ball in your court, I believe!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ooooh, very nice! A lot fancier than my resonator. I have a tricone by 'Busker', nice guitar but not in the same league as a National. Tip of the cap to you OWF.

 

May you have many many happy years from it. Lovely.

 

* I'd love one of those wooden body jobs, mojo!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

HNNRD !!

 

Join the elite club of reso players [thumbup]

 

Some people play 'em in std tuning to enjoy the bright cutting tone

 

Others explore the delights of 'open' tunings like....

 

G...DGDGBD

 

D...DADF#AD

 

Worth experimenting with different slides and playing positions too...

 

Conventional around the neck...horizontal from a neck strap...flat on the lap

 

Glass bottle-neck, chrome-brass or steel slide, Shubb style lap-steel tone bar...

 

Huge enjoyment guaranteed [thumbup]

 

V

 

:-({|=

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A National tricone. Now we're talking! Congratulations.

 

I do have a tricone, a 1931 German silver variant. I think that it's a beautiful thing. I typically play it in either open G or open D and sometimes slap it into standard tuning, too. I think that tricones sound wonderful.

 

As for what to play on them and how to learn to do so, I've followed my usual methodology of bumbling along on my own and accumulating a bunch of bad habits that I'll eventually call my own style.

 

I've been particularly intrested in playing stuff that no one else plays on a National. Here is my not-all-that-successful attempt at an old time tune, in open D:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XaVaJVunaW0&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A National tricone. Now we're talking! Congratulations.

 

I do have a tricone, a 1931 German silver variant. I think that it's a beautiful thing. I typically play it in either open G or open D and sometimes slap it into standard tuning, too. I think that tricones sound wonderful.

 

As for what to play on them and how to learn to do so, I've followed my usual methodology of bumbling along on my own and accumulating a bunch of bad habits that I'll eventually call my own style.

 

I've been particularly intrested in playing stuff that no one else plays on a National. Here is my not-all-that-successful attempt at an old time tune, in open D:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XaVaJVunaW0&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Nice playing JT.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Also wondering what did ya trade for it?

 

I have been playing Nationals since the 1960s and obviously love the heck out of them since I am still playing them.

 

Once you figure out the damping, there is really no trick to them - if you don't want to slap a bottleneck on your finger they take well to just fingerpicking, especially with a Tricone that sounds a bit smoother with not as quick a note decay as the single cones have. I play mostly in Drop D and Open D, G, E, C, and Dm.

 

Here be my baby - a 1931-32 Duolian. Original dark brown color (unless you hold it up to direct sunlight though it looks more black these days). I always thought it had been repainted but later found that a handful were made with this color scheme. This one comes with a little extra Mojo as John Hammond, Jr. noodled around with it for a couple of days while recording in a converted church.

 

Duolian.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Also wondering what did ya trade for it?

 

I have been playing Nationals since the 1960s and obviously love the heck out of them since I am still playing them.

 

Once you figure out the damping, there is really no trick to them - if you don't want to slap a bottleneck on your finger they take well to just fingerpicking, especially with a Tricone that sounds a bit smoother with not as quick a note decay as the single cones have. I play mostly in Drop D and Open D, G, E, C, and Dm.

 

Here be my baby - a 1931-32 Duolian. Original dark brown color (unless you hold it up to direct sunlight though it looks more black these days). I always thought it had been repainted but later found that a handful were made with this color scheme. This one comes with a little extra Mojo as John Hammond, Jr. noodled around with it for a couple of days while recording in a converted church.

 

Duolian.jpg

 

hey zomby, love that silvertone amp...I had one just like it, and a silvertone guitar, I wished I still had um

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Out of curiosity, what did you trade in?

Parlor man, a Collings OM-1....I may have left a couple of hundred on the table, but I wasn't playing my Collings and he wasn't playing his National, so was a match for both of us. I'm happy with the trade!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm still playing it in standard tuning, BUT it sounds great AND I can play all my Robert Johnson stuff on it , no sweat. Old strings will need to be changed, chording (especially Jazz chording) REALLY sounds good on this thing, great compression sound......AND......this thing is LOUD.....lol....AND .......U.S.A. made!!! Right here in the golden state!!! One great thing about NGD's is that the new guitar inspires me to practice and learn new things......Thanks for all the comments guys!!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Last but not least.....what string guage and brands are you guys using on your Nationals???

 

If you're gonna play in standard tuning, then I'd recommend sticking with the strings that you prefer on your conventional guitars. But, if you drop to G or D tuning, you're gonna want to fatten up both the high and low end strings. I like the John Pearse resophonic strings.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Great guitar...I love a good Tricone. I've got a Vintage Steel and a M1. Thought I would sell the VS when I got the M1 but couldn't bear to let her go. Just put fresh string on her last week...I've been using the John Pearse resonator set in PB. I pretty much keep my Nationals in open D...

 

Have fun!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...