National Triolian Resophonic Guitar (1931)
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Item # 9782
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National Triolian Model Resophonic Guitar (1931), made in Los Angeles, California, serial # 1882P, Polychrome enamel with stenciling finish, steel body, basswood neck, black hard shell case.
The steel-bodied Triolian was National's "bread and butter" guitar during the Depression, offering great sound and serious volume at the relatively modest price of $45.00. With National Tricone guitars selling for over $125 and up and the flashy brass-bodied Style 0 at $62.50, the single-cone Triolian made the powerful National sound available to a much wider range of players. Made of slightly better grade materials than the bottom-of-the-line Duolian, the Triolian was extremely popular among blues and hillbilly musicians and is still an excellent choice for many styles of playing.
This 1931 "Polychrome" example (from the first full production year) is in nicely original condition, featuring a multi-hued enamel-finished steel body with flat-cut f-holes and a 12-fret basswood neck with a bound painted fingerboard. These Triolians were hand-sprayed so no two are exactly alike. This one is not really very "Poly" at all; it has a pretty monochromatic dark mustardy yellow finish (almost Mil-spec olive drab!) with only some subtle darker accents around the edges. The back has a bold and fairly clear palm tree & sunset sprayed on, the most distinctive visual signature of the Polychrome Triolian. The tuners are plain strips with composite buttons. This guitar is an excellent-playing and sounding example, recently given its 100,000 mile tuneup and ready to go back on the road.
Overall length is 39 1/2 in. (100.3 cm.), 14 1/4 in. (36.2 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 3 1/4 in. (8.3 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 25 in. (635 mm.). Width of nut is 1 13/16 in. (46 mm.).
This is a nice original example, worn ion with some recent repair work to make an excellent player for years to come. The neck has been reset, refretted and straightened something these basswood necks really benefit from. The saddle is newer; all else is original including the tailpiece, tuners and the all-important cone and biscuit. The fingerboard has a decent amount of wear to the finish but no notable divoting. The back of the neck has a large collection of capo dings which are old enough to have been somewhat smoothed down by subsequent wear. By the way *who* capos a National at the 8th fret?
There is general checking and wear to the finish overall, and on the lower side/back edge on both sides of the endpin it is almost entirely flaked away. The face is comparatively clean with chipping off some edges, some flaking down around the tailpiece and one small spot of finger wear on the coverplate. The National shield decal on the headstock is darkened but unusually nicely intact. This Triolian is great playing and sounding example, "Blues Approved" for sure. Overall Very Good + Condition.
The steel-bodied Triolian was National's "bread and butter" guitar during the Depression, offering great sound and serious volume at the relatively modest price of $45.00. With National Tricone guitars selling for over $125 and up and the flashy brass-bodied Style 0 at $62.50, the single-cone Triolian made the powerful National sound available to a much wider range of players. Made of slightly better grade materials than the bottom-of-the-line Duolian, the Triolian was extremely popular among blues and hillbilly musicians and is still an excellent choice for many styles of playing.
This 1931 "Polychrome" example (from the first full production year) is in nicely original condition, featuring a multi-hued enamel-finished steel body with flat-cut f-holes and a 12-fret basswood neck with a bound painted fingerboard. These Triolians were hand-sprayed so no two are exactly alike. This one is not really very "Poly" at all; it has a pretty monochromatic dark mustardy yellow finish (almost Mil-spec olive drab!) with only some subtle darker accents around the edges. The back has a bold and fairly clear palm tree & sunset sprayed on, the most distinctive visual signature of the Polychrome Triolian. The tuners are plain strips with composite buttons. This guitar is an excellent-playing and sounding example, recently given its 100,000 mile tuneup and ready to go back on the road.
Overall length is 39 1/2 in. (100.3 cm.), 14 1/4 in. (36.2 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 3 1/4 in. (8.3 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 25 in. (635 mm.). Width of nut is 1 13/16 in. (46 mm.).
This is a nice original example, worn ion with some recent repair work to make an excellent player for years to come. The neck has been reset, refretted and straightened something these basswood necks really benefit from. The saddle is newer; all else is original including the tailpiece, tuners and the all-important cone and biscuit. The fingerboard has a decent amount of wear to the finish but no notable divoting. The back of the neck has a large collection of capo dings which are old enough to have been somewhat smoothed down by subsequent wear. By the way *who* capos a National at the 8th fret?
There is general checking and wear to the finish overall, and on the lower side/back edge on both sides of the endpin it is almost entirely flaked away. The face is comparatively clean with chipping off some edges, some flaking down around the tailpiece and one small spot of finger wear on the coverplate. The National shield decal on the headstock is darkened but unusually nicely intact. This Triolian is great playing and sounding example, "Blues Approved" for sure. Overall Very Good + Condition.