In the late 1920s, Hawaiian musician Sol Hoopii became the first musician to ever play a National Tricone, when National co-founder George Beauchamp took a prototype model along to a private LA party, where Hoopii’s band had been hired as the evening’s entertainment. Tricone production models launched in 1927, and, following the release of Tampa Red’s first bottleneck records, were quickly adopted by American blues players, the chiming sustain from the metal bodies and three aluminium cones a perfect match for the blues.
German Silver
Very little changed from John Dopyera and George Beauchamp’s thirties models, today’s Style 1 Tricone features the same German Silver* body and coverplate, same spun aluminium cones, and same instantly arresting art deco design. What has changed is the music. Originally the preserve of Hawaiian music and the blues, and the occasional jazz excursion, these days you can find Tricones, (and other resonator models), in just about every style of music, and on every stage. Their large-scale adoption by country artists undoubtedly gave resonators more exposure than anything that came before.
Shatten TC tricone pickup
A $900 upgrade from the base brass model, our German Silver tricone delivers a brighter sound, with more mids and longer sustain. A friend once observed that, “A Tricone is kind of like the Rickenbacker of acoustic guitars.” And with its premium Schatten TC tricone pickup, you can send every bit of that glorious jangly sound straight to your mix.
Shiny, shiny
With its nickel-plated body hand polished to a chrome-like mirror finish, our Tricone build here was completed at the National factory in San Luis Obispo, California in April of 2012, and remains in fabulous shiny, shiny condition. (German Silver doesn’t rust)
Premium features
Mahogany neck, bound Ebony fingerboard, mother-of-pearl dot inlays, hand carved bone nut, vintage Waverly-style tuners, Schatten tricone pickup system, original deluxe National hard shell case… premium features, all the way!
Free Courier delivery
Your National Style 1 Tricone comes with our FREE COURIER DELIVERY to any address in Australia – generally 1 - 2 days on the east coast, more distant areas slightly longer. $100 airfreight to New Zealand, (usually 2 days), and $175 to the US, Canada, UK and mainstream European countries, (3 - 5 days)
Weight: 9lb 9.7oz / 4.35kg
*German Silver actually contains no silver at all, but, originally from China, is an alloy of zinc, copper, and nickel. Cheaper variations could also contain tin or lead. The approximate alloy composition of the less expensive brass is 80/20 copper/tin, vs German Silver’s 60/20/20 copper/nickel/zinc
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