National Guitars

National Guitars - An Enticing History

National Guitars are a line of metal-bodied resonator guitars which produce a sound uniquely associated with old 20s/30s American blues. The National Guitar range was a key component in the transition from acoustic to electric guitars. Invented by Slovakian immigrants, John Dopyera and his brothers, and produced in Los Angeles from 1926 to 1939, these loud and beautiful instruments were built to amplify the traditional guitars in order to be well heard in jazz bands and recording.

"They were intended for use by Hawaiians and white dance orchestra guitarists, but wound up in the hands of black blues performers, white hillbilly performers jazz and various ethnic guitarists".*

National's range spanned Hawaiian guitars, mandolins, tenor guitars, and ukuleles. Their design is very modern in look and style.

National ceased production between 1942 and 1989. Since this time the guitars have been produced in California.

National Guitars - Types of National Guitars

There are two main types of National Guitar, the 'Single Cone' and the 'Tricone'. These both produce a similar but varied sound and have different characteristics. 

National's Single Cone Guitars - These offer a far more impressive attack on the strings than a Tricone meaning that they play with an intense bluesy mood hence their extensive use in the early part of the 20th century. 

National's Tricone Guitars - The offer a less bitey but more resonant sound which rings out for a longer period of time making them perfect not just for blues but for other styles of music as well. 

Both of these types of guitar offer almost exactly the same amount of volume and so this should not really be a consideration when buying a National Guitar

* Taken from bobbrozman.com