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Author Topic: national's 'new' duolian  (Read 6717 times)

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Offline unezrider

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national's 'new' duolian
« on: July 16, 2009, 10:37:39 AM »
hello friend,
i was browsing the web yesterday, & i seen that national resophonic is releasing a new guitar modeled after the old national duolians. 12 fret, thin gauge steel, flat cut f-holes, ebony nut, stamped headstock, etc? they said the paint job was modeled after the old duolians, but it looks more triolian to me. no duco. interesting idea. i'd like to have a chance to play one ( & one of the new triolians, too!)
http://www.nationalguitars.com/instruments/singleconebiscuit/national_nrp/national_nrp.html

here's a demo of them from the vintage national website
http://pickinparlor.nationalguitar.com/_NRP-Triolian-Shootout/video/710526/51645.html

chris
"Be good, & you will be lonesome." -Mark Twain

Offline Big River

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    • jamesclem.com
Re: national's 'new' duolian
« Reply #1 on: April 05, 2010, 09:07:18 PM »
One of my guitar students just got one of National's new Duolians and I am mighty impressed. They really sound great, very responsive with what seems to be a much thinner metal body more like the vintage ones . Even the paint job looked very cool with a vintage vibe. The stained mahogany neck is simply gorgeous to look at. These are great guitars at a bargain price (I think they are around $1,700). This is coming from someone who has had about 15 (or more) Nationals over a thirty year period.
I should also mention that I purchased one of the new National German Silver Tricones a few months ago and they are superb. A much warmer and deeper tone than the brass bodied models. They sound very similar to the original models in many ways, but with better intonation and a much more solid construction. Not as "edgy" or aggressive on the high end as the brass Tricones so they may not be everyones cup of tea. Personally, I like the smoother tone of the GS models. These might make a good fingerpicking guitar. I love vintage Nationals, but everyone knows you can spend some serious cash with neck resets, etc bringing them up to specs. Hope this info is of interest. James Clem

Offline slimchancer

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Re: national's 'new' duolian
« Reply #2 on: April 06, 2010, 05:03:01 PM »
Yes, I saw the this new 'Rusty black' NRP, or something along those lines anyway? NRP are making some really interesting stuff - it seems that they are set on faithfully reproducing the old models. I'm really diggin the polychrome triolian at the moment - looks-wise. Would be nice to try some out - Dave King in Denmark St (Tin Pan Alley for the oldies!) me thinks. I own a new NRP El Trovador - had her about two years (no.89 off the production line I believe), it's an amzing looking and sounding instrument. Heavy, well built and a loud mother ******! Can't rate NRP highly enough! However, I think my next national will probably be a vintage one.

Offline slimchancer

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Re: national's 'new' duolian
« Reply #3 on: April 07, 2010, 12:59:29 AM »
"the this" that's not a stutter by the way - just the wine!


Offline Parlor Picker

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Re: national's 'new' duolian
« Reply #4 on: April 07, 2010, 01:46:02 AM »
"the this" that's not a stutter by the way - just the wine!

That's funny, all us other Weenies are teetotal.  ::)
"I ain't good looking, teeth don't shine like pearls,
So glad good looks don't take you through this world."
Barbecue Bob

Offline Stumblin

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  • Got the Blues, can't be satisfied
Re: national's 'new' duolian
« Reply #5 on: April 07, 2010, 07:33:50 AM »
Oh, I've been obsessing over these guitars for a few months.
Here in Rip-Off Britain, they go for about ?2500, in civilised Amsterdam, you can knock ?900 off that, enjoy a holiday and still get the guitar. Guess which is my preferred option?
All I need now is to find/beg/steal/earn some money  >:(

Offline unezrider

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Re: national's 'new' duolian
« Reply #6 on: May 16, 2010, 06:09:52 PM »
hello friend,
i took a trip up to madison, WI yesterday & stopped into spruce tree music, & was able to get my hands on one of these babies. & let me just say, i am in love! it really spoke to me. great sound & feel. the overall craftsmanship looked to be top notch. the guitar was very light (for what i was expecting) & responsive. neck felt great. a very well built guitar. tuners felt a little tight, but that is really my only gripe.
i didn't come home with her, but it looks like i may be moving a couple of things soon, to offset the price of buying me one.  :P
& as a side note, if anyone is in the area, i'd suggest stopping in to spruce tree music for a visit. they have a lot of cool acoustic guitars & the people there couldn't have been more friendly & helpful. they have a good selection of nationals, too. plus some old vintagey stuff. & i even got to play one of todd's fraulini's. pretty cool place, & a nice cd section, too.

& for what it's worth, i learned the reason national isn't calling them duolians, is that our friends at gibson own the rights to that name. lovely.
chris
« Last Edit: May 16, 2010, 06:12:22 PM by unezrider »
"Be good, & you will be lonesome." -Mark Twain

Offline onewent

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    • vintagebluesguitars.com
Re: national's 'new' duolian
« Reply #7 on: May 17, 2010, 03:32:08 PM »
wax, I think your time line works to make your point, and for the same reason, as far as I know, no other company makes a DOBRO(insert copyright symbol here).. wink wink

One interesting note regarding National/National Reso-Phonic is that some of the tooling etc that was used in the original factory is currently used to manufacture the 'new' Nationals, which in my mind lends some level of cache' to the new instruments..in fact, there are some youtube vids of cones spun with old tooling..interesting stuff..

Chris, lots of folks speak highly of the new-made Nationals, but can't say I've ever played one, maybe Ari's once.  Check out the guitar seminars (Bob Brozman) forum if you want the low down on all things reso:
http://www.guitarseminars.com/gs/viewforum.php?f=1   
Tom

Offline unezrider

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Re: national's 'new' duolian
« Reply #8 on: May 18, 2010, 01:55:03 PM »
thanks for the timeline, boys!
i was aware that nrp not being able to use the name 'duolian' had something to do with gibson acquiring 'dobro', but i wasn't sure how 'duolian' fit into that exactly. it just struck me as odd how they could use 'triolian', 'el trovador' etc? & not 'duolian'. now i know.
thanks for the link, too, tom. i'll be giving it a look-see.
chris
"Be good, & you will be lonesome." -Mark Twain

Offline blueshome

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Re: national's 'new' duolian
« Reply #9 on: May 20, 2010, 01:53:21 AM »
The first batch of steel bodied guitars that NRP produced in the early 90's indeed had "Duolian" stamped on the headstock. They were then given the word by Gibson and the guitar was quickly renamed the "Delphi".

Offline slimchancer

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Re: national's 'new' duolian
« Reply #10 on: June 01, 2010, 04:40:26 PM »
RE: the tight tuning heads - this is common with new NRPs. My El Trov was impossible when I first got her. Even applied a drop of WD-40 and loosened the screws slightly, did the trick and they've worked in fine over a couple of years.

Don't know if anyone else has experience this strange phenomena, but since playing my national on a daily basis for almost two years - I find other regular flat-tops (no probs with my electrics) seem strangely light and unresponsive, and, well quite frankly, a bit lightweight! I own a couple of great flat-tops, but I'm just really dialled into the national these days. When I first got the El TRov it felt like a real pig to get into, so I made a real effort to persevere, now I can't really get on with regular acoustics!

Offline crookedtune

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Re: national's 'new' duolian
« Reply #11 on: June 23, 2010, 09:52:16 AM »
Interesting you should say that, Slim.

I have several mandolins, but have spent the last few months bonding with my new National RM-1.  Going back to the Gibson and Weber takes some patience on my part.  I'm not saying any is better than the other.  The National is just different, unique and outstandingly good.    8)

Offline Stumblin

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Re: national's 'new' duolian
« Reply #12 on: September 06, 2010, 03:19:09 PM »
I dropped into Palm Guitars this weekend, to get my hands on some guitars so I could make up my mind.
He had in a 14 fret Black Rust NRP and a 12 fret Polychrome Triolian. No contest. I'll save up for another year.

Offline unezrider

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Re: national's 'new' duolian
« Reply #13 on: September 06, 2010, 09:36:15 PM »
hey stumblin,
really nice, aren't they? out of curiosity, what did you prefer between the 12 & 14 freter, sound-wise? that polychrome with that back stencil is a nice looking reso. notice much sound difference between the ebony nut on the br & the bone nut on the poly? or the maple vs. ebony fret boards? & how does the black rust look in person?
& on a personal note, my last pennies are about pinched & i should be a proud owner of a green/grey burst 12 freter in a couple of weeks! woo-hoo! :D
chris
"Be good, & you will be lonesome." -Mark Twain

Offline Stumblin

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  • Got the Blues, can't be satisfied
Re: national's 'new' duolian
« Reply #14 on: September 07, 2010, 04:05:18 AM »
hey stumblin,
really nice, aren't they? out of curiosity, what did you prefer between the 12 & 14 freter, sound-wise? that polychrome with that back stencil is a nice looking reso. notice much sound difference between the ebony nut on the br & the bone nut on the poly? or the maple vs. ebony fret boards? & how does the black rust look in person?
& on a personal note, my last pennies are about pinched & i should be a proud owner of a green/grey burst 12 freter in a couple of weeks! woo-hoo! :D
chris
Okay.
I didn't notice any difference between the nut materials, and I wouldn't buy a 14 fret resonator. The Triolian's maple fretboard is beautiful to behold and to play.
I have to say I was slightly underwhelmed by the "in person" appearance of the Black Rust finish.
The sound differences between the two guitars were very pronounced, at least I thought so, the Triolian wins out in all respects. The palm tree sunset stencil is just the icing on the cake. Well worth the extra few hundred quid. I feel like I've kind of dodged a bullet here, I was all fired up about spending what is still a substantial wedge of moolah on the NRP.
Now I need an instant money-making scheme...

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