Played an all original 1928 Dobro today.

[Mark Wilson]

So Yea, it's called "national trionial" I believe. Built in 1928.
My teacher hasen't done much searching on it, but, there is no serial number on it. So there is a chance that it's one of the original Dobros with the wood facing on it as opposed to the metal.

I'll have pics up soon. It was painted green, and it's got SO much mojo in it. It's incredible. You can picture a guy sitting on a porch, with overalls, and wheat in his mouth, playing this.

-Mark

[Mark Wilson]

-Mark

[FreeSpirit]

I have always loved the sounds of those. Gosh that one is a beauty.

[keb]

That's cool. If that dobro could only talk!

Last year I came across a pump organ at an antique store in Tennessee that was made circa 1890 or so. I didn't play it (was afraid to!) but I was thinking the same thing: if that organ could only talk!

[Mark Wilson]

Originally Posted by keb

That's cool. If that dobro could only talk!

Last year I came across a pump organ at an antique store in Tennessee that was made circa 1890 or so. I didn't play it (was afraid to!) but I was thinking the same thing: if that organ could only talk!

This Dobro doesn't talk. It sings.

This sounds just incredible, and records just as well!

I'll have to see if I can get a clip of it.

I posted a question about it in another fourm and all I got was "wow."

So I guess that's good?


-Mark

[fretlessrock]

Nice! I have done a lot of work on Nationals. They definitely are not "dobros"! The Dobro is the product of Dopyera Brothers (later purchased by Gibson) and uses a very different resonator system. The National uses a "biscuit" bridge where the bridge contacts the cone center. The Dobro uses a "spider" bridge where the bridge sits on a metal "spider" and the "legs" contact the cone rim.

http://www.gibson.com/products/oai/dobro/story.html

That has the one piece maple neck with no truss? If so, it is about the best sounding setup I have heard. I've had a chance to play on and get under the hood of about half a dozen prewar Nationals and they vary widely. One was a bakelite neck model and it was not the worst sounding one. The latest was similar to that one and was the cream of the crop.

BTW, the type is "triolian". You had a Duolian, a Triolian, and later the Tricone, which actually had multiple cones. National still makes them the same way today as they did then. Of course in their day they were cheap and loud, now they are just loud

[hula girl]

Originally Posted by Mark Wilson

So Yea, it's called "national trionial" I believe. Built in 1928.
My teacher hasen't done much searching on it, but, there is no serial number on it. So there is a chance that it's one of the original Dobros with the wood facing on it as opposed to the metal.

I'll have pics up soon. It was painted green, and it's got SO much mojo in it. It's incredible. You can picture a guy sitting on a porch, with overalls, and wheat in his mouth, playing this.

-Mark

Hi Mark, hi everyone!

I'm new here, just discovered this thread and register.

Your guitar is 1928 wood body single cone National Triolian, it has early feautures as screen coverplate, and almost surely a swirless cone, soon changed in spirals patterned cones, as they were/are more resistant and had/have a better tone.
I agree with you: they are great guitars and generally sound wonderful!

Very sadly yours was refinished, original finish were pale yellow with wonderful highlights purple, red and blue and a little decal on the top between the end of the finferboard and the coverplate, this decal was flowers in the earliest ones, then ocean . On the back they have a big decal of flowers or hula girl. I guess that your Triolian was refinished on the back too, so I'm guessing no decals at all...
I have two of them, if you would like to see some pics, just make me know!

I'm always and constantly interested in playing, buying, trading, discussing about these guitars, including trading pics etc. Also, if one day you will decide to sell it, I'm here:

hula

[Baryonyx]

Looks pretty cool! Time to dig out some Eric Sardinas records and woodshed like there is no tomorrow!

[thumpbass1]

The Dopyera brothers are responsible for both National and
the Dobro name with National being the first brand name they
started. I play resophonic guitar myself when I ain't keeping
the groove on bass.
That 28 Triolian is sweet indeed. Resophonic guitars are a
blast to play be they biscuit or spider styles but I love the
sweet growl of a National Tri-Cone the best of all.
Thanks for sharing that Triolian with us .