Hi Ann,

From your description, it sounds like you found either a Regal or a Johnson knockoff of a National Type N, which is a nickel-plated brass instrument. The Type Ns have a completely mirror finish on them. The other Nationals that look like it are the Type O (which is engraved with Hawaiian scenes that were changed slightly each year) and the Type EN, which has a mirror finish only on thin bands around the edges and is otherwise an etched finish.

The Regals and Johnsons (and a few others that might be copying the Nationals now) are usually pretty loud compared with conventional guitars, but can't stay in the same room with a National. Old Nationals were very loud, but had very quick decay on the sound, which made them sound almost like a banjo if they were played a certain way. The new Nationals, resurrected in 1991 after having been out of production since about 1940 when electric guitars made them redundant, have much better sustain and can be very sweet under the right touch.

The major problem with the knockoffs is that the cones tend to warp and cause distortion and difficulties keeping them in tune. The "biscuit" also tends to be less than accurately made, which also affects intonation.

Playing any resonator guitar takes a very different technique from playing a conventional acoustic, so if you already play you should be prepared to feel like a neophyte for a while.

As somebody mentioned above, a lot of the old bluesmen played Nationals, but most were the Duolian models — steel bodies painted in different colors. A few used Type Os, and even fewer — only Tampa Red comes to mind — used Tricones, which tend to have a sweeter tone and not as much bark. The bluesmen liked them because they were relatively cheap, they could stand up beside a piano and be heard and they were great for fighting a player's way out of a barroom brawl.

If you want to learn a bit more about them, try Elderly Instruments' website (elderly.com) and go in to their selection of resonator guitars, or do a Google search for National Resonator Guitars. You might also Google the name Bob Brozman; he's the acknowledged expert in the story of Nationals.

cheers,

david