(Yeah, go ahead and sue me, Mark!)
Rust bucket, scrap metal, sounds like a couple of skeletons f*cking in a dustbin. Ah, the compliments one receives for a National are endless. This is the basic Style O, which has become the most famous of all the models in the National line, mainly due to a single album cover...
This Style O is from 1930 or 1931 (S-series with a serial# in the mid 1000s), and are not completely original: New fretboard, new tailpiece, new biscuit and a great setup, including neck-set, by National repair wizard Marc Schoenberger. It also has a (bad) replating on the coverplate. This review is based on the guitar with all these modifications, as it sounded like a mix between sitar and banjo when I got it. (Not really, but it sounded cool to say that).
Features: 9
If features a bound, maple neck with 12 frets to the body, brass body with flat-cut F-holes and palm tree etchings, slotted headstock with a National decal. And since this is a Style O, it does have a standard 9.5" single cone. Six different versions of the Style O was produced between 1930 and 1941, the difference being the number of frets to the body (or body shape), headstock and pattern of the palm three etchings. This example is what is known as a Variation 2 in Bob Brozman's book.
Sound: 10
Of the metal bodied Nationals, you basically have two choices of metal: Brass or steel. The Style Os were brass bodied, this one being no exception. The brass body offers a more complex and a bit sweeter sound then the steel body. I feel that there might be a bit less bass response in brass and you'll have to dig in a bit to get the sweet sound out. The other main factor when it comes to sound is body size. When National changed from 12 to 14 fret to the body in 1934, they simply shortened the body with about two frets on the upper bout. The bigger bodied 12 fretters are known to have a fuller sound with more bass. But still, a National is very mid-range heavy, and this guitar is no exception.
And this is really not an all-round guitar. Nationals has a very distinct sound and a probably the loudest acoustic guitars every made (to my neighbors delight). This guitar is a slide machine and sounds best with heavy gauge strings and a thick, fat slide. But it also sounds good finger picked. What it doesn't do very well, is typical strumming. The guitar is just too resonant and unless you do it very controlled, it will just sound muddy.
Action, Fit&Finish: 8
Ok, this guitar is pretty worn, so I won't give it a full score. Although if I'll look this good when I'm 80 years old, I'd be pretty happy.
As for the action and playability: Oh man! After Marc Schoenberger set this one up, it plays like butter. Strings are low enough to be fretted smoothly, but can still be played with a slight (just need a delicate touch). This is the best playing guitar I have. And the neck is that round and thick, baseball bat kind of type, which I love. Set up with medium phosphor bronze strings, and I often replace the first string with a 015 or 016. It still plays good fretted, due to the excellent setup.
Reliability/Durability: 10
Nationals are built like tanks. With minimal maintenance, a National will outlive you. This Style O needed restoration due to neglect and really stupid homemade repairs. So durability is top score.
As for reliability, Nationals are known to buzz. Luckily, a singlecone like the Style O is better then a tricone. When I first got this guitar, I did a few repairs: Replace the cone, biscuit and nut, which made it playable (with a slide) and decent sounding. But I still got buzzing quite often. But again, after Marc Schoenberger did a proper restoration, the buzz problem is as good as gone. Just tune up and play, this guitar won't let you down. So reliability gets top score as well.
Overall Rating: 9
I love this guitar. It could have been in slightly better condition, and I do prefer a 14 fret neck for playability. Other then that, this guitar rocks!
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15 comments:
Rust bucket, scrap metal, sounds like a couple of skeletons f*cking in a dustbin.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but surely these are not the only insults I've come up with? If so, I must be slipping.
When did you get this set up by Schoenberger, btw?
Also; this is a perfect demonstration of how completely different our playing are - I have no idea how I'd conjure up anything even resembling what I usually play on this guitar. Even if it had been tuned in A440, which, knowing you, is not likely. You've probably got some lazy blues guy "I only knows one chord, so I done tuned my gee-tar to dat one chord, see. Dat way, I always be playin' what I knows" tuning goin' on.
"Rust bucket, scrap metal, sounds like a couple of skeletons f*cking in a dustbin.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but surely these are not the only insults I've come up with? If so, I must be slipping.
Those are the compliments. I leave the insults to you. Come on, I know you still have it in you!
When did you get this set up by Schoenberger, btw?
About two years ago, or something. I don't thing you've played this after the setup. The setup is as close to your liking as you'll ever find on a National.
I have no idea how I'd conjure up anything even resembling what I usually play on this guitar. Even if it had been tuned in A440, which, knowing you, is not likely.
Actually, I do sometimes tune to standard. Even flatpicked in standard; the sound is pretty close to a clean electric with some reverb. Great fun.
And, Blind Boy Fuller (http://www.bobdylanroots.com/bbfuller.jpg)tuned his National in standard all the time.
The setup is as close to your liking as you'll ever find on a National.
Bad news if I'd wanted to get me a National, then. 'Cause it's still got a Louisville Slugger neck, and I suspect it rattles and buzzes like nobody's business if strung with 008's or 009's.
On the other hand; I could get me a Line6 Variax, and nobody would've been able to hear a difference, right? ;-)
Bad news if I'd wanted to get me a National, then. 'Cause it's still got a Louisville Slugger neck, and I suspect it rattles and buzzes like nobody's business if strung with 008's or 009's.
That's because Nationals weren't design for those girly strings. They were produced in a time were men were men, and men played guitars that hurt their fingers. Wuzz! No National for you then. But those daisy rock looks mighty fine, don't they?
;-)
On the other hand; I could get me a Line6 Variax, and nobody would've been able to hear a difference, right? ;-)
Yes, the Line6 samples I've heard sounds very authentic. Dead on. If you're deaf...
..you're just not used to guitars being in tune, is all
;-D
It's not out of tune. It's part of the style and called blue notes...
;-)
...you keep telling yourself that, Flash.
And it's not about the technique - it's about the feeling with which one can feverishly bend those two notes in the third position whilst desperately trying to stay in sync with the rhytm section.
Also; it's not what you say, but rather the intent behind the words.
...and so on
And the pronunciation of the words could be sacrificed for the sake of rhythm...
You're soon a genuine bluesman. Willy Dark Guitar Jefferson...
;-)
..since penning "Anders Boogie" you mean?
The beardless boogie? Yeah, that's a cool one. And you already have a blue guitar...
;-)
Yeah; I might have been "influenced" by Satriani, who lifted it off of ZZ Top who stole it from John Lee Hooker.
Doesn't work so well with single-coils, actually.
Doesn't work so well with single-coils, actually.
But is sounds like a million bucks on a Style O (to keep with the subject of original post):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7HF30uAKVs
Trivia: La Grange was recorded with a 50's Strat, maple fretboard.
Like a million mexican bucks, maybe
But what I meant to say was that the more Satch'esque version doesn't work without 'buckers. No es bueno
Yeah. I was just looking for an excuse to post a ZZ Top/ National video...
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