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Topic: New Metal Body Resonator Guitar Manufacturers. Any good? |
Gerald Ross
From:
Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
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Posted 4 Jan 2001 6:13 am |
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Surfing around I've noticed that many more companies are producing metal bodied guitars. Regal, Johnson and Dean are now producing inexpensive single and tri-cone models.
Any opinions on these? Will they give National a run for their money? They seem to be much cheaper in price than National.
Last week I played a National #3 Tricone and was very impressed with the tone and volume. Unfortunately the strings were not raised up with a nut extender so the full effect was not there. Nonetheless, I was pleasantly surprised with the quality. The price... was $4400. I would of bought the guitar that day if it was 'considerably' cheaper.
Do these companies engrave the guitars similar to National's intricate engraving.
On a side note... How does National engrave the guitars? By hand or by a computerized engraving machine?
[This message was edited by Gerald Ross on 04 January 2001 at 06:17 AM.] |
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Steve Honum
From:
Oregon, USA
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Posted 4 Jan 2001 8:12 am
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My question is who is making a reasonably priced square-hollow neck tri-cone? Beltona has made a few that look fantastic. They sent me a couple of photocopies of custom pieces they had done with an extended fretboard, angled at the end. They are expensive. I phoned National and they said they would put their solid wood square neck on any of their guitars by request. I guess that's the neck they are using on their new dobro-style wood body. Vintage National tri-cone square necks are going for mucho dinero here in Calif (when you can find them). Still, there must be quite a few floating around out there somewhere. They made many thousands which were sold all over the world during their hayday.
Haere mae, Steve Honunu[This message was edited by Steve Honum on 04 January 2001 at 08:14 AM.] |
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Mikel Nelson
From:
San Diego, CA
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Posted 4 Jan 2001 9:20 am
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My experience with the Regals, etc...
In all aspects (sound, tone, playability), a National (new or old) is much, much, much better.
National subs the engraving work out.
Steve, the old National squarenecks (I have several) were not hollow...the metal just wraps around a piece of wood. In my experience, the price of a vintage squareneck tricone is about the same as buying a new National with a squareneck. (check online sources for better deals!) |
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Aaron Schiff
From:
Cedaredge, CO, USA
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Posted 4 Jan 2001 11:09 pm
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| I don't know about the Dean guitars. I like the Regals for the money, but they can't be expected to compare to a $2,000 to $4,000 instrument. The new Nationals are excellent. Now, if you don't have $4Gs burning a hole in your pocket(and I don't)the Johnson metal bodies are made in the Czech Republic and are very good. After all, "Dobro" is Czech (and Slovak) for "Good". I have it on good authority from my Czech exchange student! |
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Brad Bechtel
From:
San Francisco, CA
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Posted 5 Jan 2001 9:43 am
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My impression is that the Johnson tricone guitars are made by Amistar in the Czech Republic, while the Johnson Style O guitars are made in Shanghai, China. A friend of mine who bought the Style O guitar was very happy with it. Although it's nowhere near the National Style O in quality or tone, it cost him $600 rather than $1500.
The Amistar-made tricones I've seen are very nice, definitely better built than the Shanghai guitars. I haven't been able to do a side-by-side comparison to a National tricone, though.
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Brad's Page of Steel:
www.well.com/~wellvis/steel.html
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars
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Max Laine
From:
Pori, Finland
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Posted 5 Jan 2001 1:12 pm
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And please don't forget the Continental guitars made in Germany http://www.ami-gmbh.de/index2.htm
[This message was edited by Max Laine on 05 January 2001 at 01:13 PM.] [This message was edited by Max Laine on 05 January 2001 at 01:14 PM.] |
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Mike D
From:
Phx, Az
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Posted 9 Jan 2001 5:21 pm
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| If you want strictly a squareneck you can get a vintage style 1 on eBay and at guitar shows for around $1500.00 That beats a new one plus it's made from German Silver rather than the Yellow Brass that all the new ones are made from. Better tone and the value only goes up. |
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