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Topic: National Rosita guitars? |
Chris Moran
From:
Claremont, California, USA
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Posted 30 Mar 2003 6:02 am |
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Anybody have a personal evaluation for the old National Rosita c. mid-1930's? Evidently bodies were Harmony made. El Trovodars were pretty decent by modern standards, or so I hear. But I've never read reviews of the Rosita.
Thanks. |
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Russ Young
From:
Seattle, Washington, USA
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Posted 30 Mar 2003 8:00 am
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In his book on National resonators, Bob Brozman describes the El Trovador as "the highest quality wood-body single-cone guitar ever made with the National name." (The body was built by Kay; National paid $7.00 for them.) Unfortunately they were made for less than a year in 1933.
He doesn't have to much to say about Rositas, lumping them in with Trojans and Estralitas, using terms like "mushy sound" and "less desirable" (at least compared to El Trovadors.)
Brozman calls the sound holes in the Rosita's upper bout "cathedral-shaped;" George Gruhn says they are "lyre-shaped." The Rosita was made between 1933 and 1939.
I don't see a Rosita in any of the National catalogs that have been reprinted. In the 1935 catalog, the Duolian was $32.50, a Trojan was $35, $45 for a Triolian, $55 for an Estralita and $62.50 for a Style O. A Style 4 tricone was a whopping $195 (case not included).
All that being said, if you like the way it sounds, and the price is right ... well, you know what to do!
[This message was edited by Russ Young on 30 March 2003 at 08:58 AM.] |
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Chris Moran
From:
Claremont, California, USA
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Posted 30 Mar 2003 7:10 pm
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I've heard that El Trovador is a good bet, if you can find one. I'm looking around for a squareneck, however. I don't think El Trovadors were ever made squareneck. (The body shape of El Trovadors look an awful lot like the new [cheap] Epiphone biscuits.)
Did any of the wood body Nationals have the "tone bar" stabilizer as did the steel bodied ones?
I've heard the Brozman quote on the cheaper wood Nationals and I am glad to be reminded of such.
All that said, I will probably hold out for a squareneck Triolian or Doulian, when/if I find one in my price range. I played a little slide on an old roundneck Triolian at the Guitar Center in Hollywood last week and all I could say to myself was, "THAT's the sound!". (They wanted a god-awful amount of money for it, but they're all nice enough just to let me noodle around on their vintage steels until I tired myself out.) |
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Russ Young
From:
Seattle, Washington, USA
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Posted 30 Mar 2003 9:07 pm
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If you're looking for a squareneck Duolian or Triolian, you may want to check in with Paul Warnik . He had one of each that he was selling a while ago -- they may still be available.
You'll find there are several people on the Forum who are delighted with Nationals they've bought from Paul (myself included. In fact, the only thing standing between me and the Triolian is the Internal Revenue Service ...)
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