Son of Bottleneck Guitarists?

Subject: Son of Bottleneck Guitarists?
From:
Date: 13 May 98 - 05:36 AM

The Bottleneck Guitarists? thread is getting too long, and it is drifting away from its original subject, so I thought I would start a new thread.

I recently got the video "Legends of Country Blues Guitar" by Stefan Grossman. Volume 2 has an elderly Bukka White playing an instrument that looks like it is metal-bodied with a wooden head, and it looks like it has a resonator cone (or three). It has f-holes closer towards the shoulders than is usual. If anyone has seen the video, can you identify the instrument. There were three instruments mentioned in the thread--the dobro, duolian, and National Resophonic tri-cone. I was wondering if it was one of those.

In older pictures of him, he usually has a wooden guitar with f-holes, no resonator, and a violin-family type tailpiece, so there is a chance the instrument is a relatively new one.

BTW. He does two versions of Po' Boy with it. One with a metal cylinder on his pinkie and another with the instrument on his lap using a rod shaped piece of metal (Hawaiian style.) The playing sounds good. Unfortunately the instrument (or the recording engineer) drowns out his voice.

Murray

Subject: RE: Son of Bottleneck Guitarists?
From: Earl
Date: 13 May 98 - 09:02 AM

I haven't seen the video but I have a book with a picture of Bukka White playing a National steel guitar. National and Dobro are two companies that make resonator guitars. They were both founded by members of the Dopyera family. Here is a hisory of the two companies. In general, Dobro is better known for the wood body resonator guitars used in bluegrass (though they also make steel bodied guitars) and National is better known for metal body guitars used in blues. Tri-cone refers guitars made by National with three resonator cones inside. They have a distinctive triangular face plate. Tri-cones were made in the 20's and are being reissued by National now. Duolian and Resophonic were, I believe, National trademarks though resophonic is now used as generic term.

Subject: RE: Son of Bottleneck Guitarists?
From:
Date: 13 May 98 - 08:53 PM

That clears things up a bit Earl. Thanks for the fascinating link. I briefly scanned it and bookmarked it to read in detail.

Murray

Subject: RE: Son of Bottleneck Guitarists?
From: Gene E
Date: 13 May 98 - 10:30 PM

Great thread about a great family of instruments.

I must admit that without carefully micing my voice my Dobros will drown out my voice too.

Gene E

Subject: RE: Son of Bottleneck Guitarists?
From:
Date: 14 May 98 - 04:17 AM

One of my favorite songs by Bukka White is the "Special Streamline" He talks through it and makes his instrument make various train noises. (It also sounds like he has a washboard accompanying him.) I wonder what he is playing there. It sounds somewhat softer than the steel one he plays on the video, but then again, he was a lot younger when he made the recording.

Murray

Subject: RE: Son of Bottleneck Guitarists?
From: Roger Himler
Date: 14 May 98 - 05:59 AM

Murray,

For more on these instruments you can get *The History and Artistry of National Resonator Instruments* written by Bob Brozman.

The National Company (who also made resonator mandolins and ukuleles)included the Triolian (a wood-bodied single-cone resonator) line and the Duolian (steel-bodied) single resonator) line. Both of these lines included the f-holes in the design. The Duolian was a bottom-of-the-line model and therefore was quite popular in it's time ($32.50).

The three-cone or tri-cone guitars National built tend to have an open-grill work above and below the neck instead of the f-holes. These grills give them a very art-deco look. These were all steel-bodied guitars. They were targeted at professional musicians and were naturally quite more expensive.

Roger in Baltimore

Subject: RE: Son of Bottleneck Guitarists?
From: Jon W.
Date: 14 May 98 - 10:21 AM

I played a 1928 National Triolian at a music store a few months ago and it had a greater sound than any of the other resonator guitars (both Dobro and National Resophonic) at the store, most of which were brand new. The finish of the instrument was in very poor condition, and the owner was willing to sell it for $2000. I can only imagine what a well-preserved one would sell for, if there is a well-preserved one left in the world.

Subject: RE: Son of Bottleneck Guitarists?
From: Earl
Date: 14 May 98 - 11:13 AM

I saw two well restored or well preserved National guitars in a South Florida music store, one Triolian and one Tri-cone. Each was priced over $20,000.

Subject: RE: Son of Bottleneck Guitarists?
From:
Date: 14 May 98 - 08:52 PM

First of all, if you are looking at this thread for the first time, you should look at the original Bottleneck Guitarists thread here

I have promised myself not to get interested in different types of guitars until I mastered my dreadnaught; but it doesn't hurt to ask. What is the cheapest resonator (acoustic) guitar made today?

Murray

Subject: RE: Son of Bottleneck Guitarists?
From: Gene E
Date: 15 May 98 - 12:16 AM

Murray,

You can get a great buy right now on the Epiphone Biscuit. It can be had for $350.00 to $400.00 (list $569.00).

This babe is a '30s looking National-Dobro with a National style resonator, bridge and cover plate. I looks like a National wood body, having a laminated mohogany/spruce top and a mohogany body with nice binding, curved fret board.

I think I might get one for to keep in open E tuning cause it's cheap!

If it were a Dobro or a National Resophonic it would cost $1500.00 to $2000.00.

Try www.interstatemusic.com

Subject: RE: Son of Bottleneck Guitarists?
From: Jon W.
Date: 15 May 98 - 09:57 AM

Lark in the Morning has a couple of wood bodied guitars in their catalog, one dobro style,and one national style, for about $300. At that price I would be suspicious of quality but maybe they're all right. Go here< for a look. Note also three travel guitars from $135 to $250.

Subject: RE: Son of Bottleneck Guitarists?
From:
Date: 15 May 98 - 09:07 PM

Thanks Jon and Earl. I settled on an Epiphone for my first guitar. Is is a simple dreadnaught. I am quite happy with it. It is very resonant. I have put on extra-light strings until my fingers toughen up and they sound quite full on it. When I am ready for a resonator I will certainly look at the Biscuit.

Jon, that is a site I didn't know about. It looks like one to keep my eye on and I have bookmarked it.

Murray

Subject: RE: Son of Bottleneck Guitarists?
From: Gene E
Date: 15 May 98 - 10:47 PM

John,

I think those resonators a Lark in the Morning are the wood body variants of the "Johnson" being made in China. The cover plate on the "National" is like the Brass / Chrome Johnson.

Gene E

Subject: RE: Son of Bottleneck Guitarists?
From: Gene E
Date: 18 May 98 - 10:55 PM

Howdy resonator fans,

If you want to see what I'm into check me out at: http://home.att.net/~Ellison-Texas

Just a hobby sight I hope you can get too.

Gene E