Mule VS National Resonator Comparison (both single cone but different f hole/grill style)
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- Опубликовано: 11 окт 2024
- This is a comparison not a competition. I am not saying any of the guitars is better than the other, they are both magnificent. I just made this video to demonstrate what they are like to help people make a preference before trying them in person.
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The Mule is a beautiful sounding and playing instrument. I am the proud owner of one. Sold off all my other guitars, my Mule steel tricone is the musical partner I have been searching my whole life for. Love it.
I am glad you have found your best friend in that mule. They are incredible guitars.
I was surprised at how much better the National sounded - greater depth/richness.
I think it is relative or at least subjective. I personally also prefer the National, has more depth for sure but I wouldn't say it makes it absolutely better for everyone. It is a great singer songwriter guitar but doesn't cut through a mix, the Mule is better as a lead instrument.
Blues Willis Music Gotcha. Thanks for the demo btw.
Presumably your reso rocket has a National hotrod cone in it. Any idea who made the cone in the mule?
@@trailb4umule
Yes, with the National; it seemed to have a lush, fuller bodied tone, but the Mule had a more antiquated, almost lo-fi "in the guitar" sound which I associated with the sound of an old 'Mono' recording you'd hear from an 80 plus year old record! Lol, 1931 in a box!
I like how you put it: lo fi, great way of explaining the sound.
Agreed, well said
I am a sixty seven year old guitar player , and have been playing since I was thirteen . I fell in love with Johnny Winters steel playing when I was about seventeen and could not afford a National Steel so I bought a ton of copy's over the years you know the ones Regals Recording Kings , I even had a Dobro style O .I bought my first National ten years ago and I can testify it is well worth the extra cash .............playability, sound, reliability . Just my humble opinion
I fully agree. National is the gold standard. There are great value cheaper guitars for people who only dabble but if you are serious and play it enough to justify the spending national is a must. Mule is also a goof choice for people who like to stand out a little.
With these two guitars, for my ears, the National is the clear winner.
I like it a little better too but I don't know if I'd like an F hole national better.
I mean its not really an even comparison. Its not the F holes that make the difference here. The biggest different is that the mule is a tri cone.
@@gabegamer3663 Not all mules are tricones. This for example is a single cone mule. If it were a tricone I would have stated that in the video or haven't done the video at all :D
@@gabegamer3663 - Eh, no it's not ! The Mule quite clearly has a biscuit bridge !!!
First, I must say, you play beautifully and knocked my socks off! I instantly subscribed.
A friend once left his National with me for safe keeping and it was great to enjoy for several months. Yesterday I would have picked the Mule,but now I may need to take a couple of road trips (or buy a Republic and save the money 💰
Thanks
Both sound great. I agree that the grills vs f holes makes a big difference in tone (from my own building experience) so it is hard to compare directly. Grill style is generally louder and more "open" sounding since air is freer to push out. I have great appreciation for both brands too and really admire your taking the time to do this vid and your objective approach to it. Thx!
Thank you for the kind word and watching the video. I'd be interested in what you made, are there videos of it?
@@BluesWillisMusic I'm just a hobby builder but have made 5 resos including a 12 string. All wooden body. You can see some vids on my youtube channel. BTW-I'm not nearly the player you are. ruclips.net/video/BHIlNvICE4M/видео.html
To my ear, the Mule has a thinner or shallower sound without the depth of the National. I own a National tri-cone and a vintage Dobro biscuit bridge. The tri-cone has tremendous sustain and a mellow response across the spectrum. It is unequaled by anything I've heard so far. The vintage Dobro has a bark and volume which is unequaled. The type of strings, their gauge and the set up of the resonators can make them sound like completely different guitars. Amplified, the difference is less noticeable, but played acoustically, you can really notice the difference.
For sure strings can modify the tone of any guitar especially resonators and acoustics. I also feel this national reso rocket has more bass than mule so it is a bit more beefy or rounded because of that. I like tricones but never owned one. Mule makes these tricones which look like Single cones, and that's pretty interesting because I dont like the T bar bridge.
Mule sounds "cleaner" to my ears despite not projecting as much as the National does. If I had to record with one of them, I'd probably go with the Mule since I can process its sound better than I could the National. Plus I just like how muted it sounds on its own, it's kinda banjo-esque
Yes transitional resonators usually have that banjo sound but the tricone grill on the national takes it to another direction. But I happen to have a recent video on my channel how to play and sound more like a banjo on resonators. You might like that: ruclips.net/video/tVuZSns-g4g/видео.html
Mule has more midrange and National has more bass and depth. Those grills on the Rocket are key like you said. Both beautiful guitars. But if I had to choose one, it would be the National Reso Rocket. Nice original tune BTW.
My thoughts exactly! We have a bunch of originals like this and we are planning to finally do another studio recording in the forseeable future. Hope you'll see more soon.
A better comparison would be a National Tricone, vs, a Mule Tricone. Either has more sustain than any single cone instrument. I have owned two different National Tricones, a 1930 Style 2 and a 2005 Baritone. Each was eventually sold to a musician more talented than me. Currently I have a Mule Tricone, round neck set up for lap style playing. I find the Mule a bit more forgiving of my limitations. The Nationals simply shouted out those limitations. If you have the skill (the touch) that I do not have, buy one of each and you will have it all.
Agreed, kind of comparing apples and oranges.
I wouldn't say apples and oranges because both of them are singe cone. However the F hole vs grill does make a big difference.
I would love to do all kinds of videos comparing everything bit I am sure you understand this is all out of my own pocket, no sponsorship, no products provided and no monetisation.
1000% i have a mule tricone and would not trade it for the world
Just a note: Soundhole design has a huge affect on tone. I was convinced of this by playing a Reso Rocket - sounded way more like a "tricone" than I expected. Which was super cool! And same with our tricones with F holes - they sound less like a tricone than you would expect. The sonic differences heard in the video are definitely a "Mule single cone with F hole vs a National Single cone with Grill" and not a overall brand comparison.
I totally agree that's why I talked about the subject and said it would be a more accurate or fair comparison with a national style o. As Joe Bonamassa would say none of this is legally binding but I modified the title of the video to bring people's attention to the different grill styles. I don't wanna mislead anyone or misrepresent any of the brands neither yours nor nationals.
Love that tune in between 5-6:00 minutes. Sounds awesome.
Thanks so much, that is an original song. If you ever want to learn it I do skype lessons.
They both sound great, but honestly since it's so hard to chose which sound I prefer, I'd have to go for the national cos it looks so cool
The national is uber cool with these tricone style grills and the cutaway but for traditional resonators the mule's patina is full of mojo.
Hmmm, They both sound great in this video. I like both for different reasons. I prefer the national for it's sonic range and I like cut away guitars for the ease of playing and access to upper frets. Great playing and thanks for the video.
Thanks for watching, glad you liked it and both guitars.
I love the last number you played on this vid - beautiful. Is a recording available somewhere? I just bought a Luna Steel Magnolia. Might have bought a National but retired, fixed income, all that jazz.
Thank you so much! Not yet, but it is gonna be on our soon to be released CD so it's gonna be available on Spotify and apple music. I have already "released" a few songs here on youtube, you might have seen those on my channel. Btw I do skype lessons if you wanna learn the song or anything else for that matter.
I never had the chance to play on a Luna resonator, how do you like it?
@@BluesWillisMusic , I haven't received it yet. I pre-ordered it from Sweetwater on Monday but they won't even have them from Luna until January. I'd love to stay in touch because I could use some lessons.
@@brucechumley9195 Oh yeah there is a shortage of instruments nowadays. If only that was the worst aspect of all that's happening this year.
Anyway send me an Gmail to "blueswillismusic" and we'll have the contact for when the Luna arrives. Perhaps you can tell me in the email what would you like to learn on the long run, just bottleneck or also fingerpicking in standard tuning because if you have an acoustic we can start before the reso arrives. Thanks Bruce!
You should try out a new Mule. It's improved! Great video.
I'd be okay with owning either the new or the old mule! If I have the chance I will definitely check out the new ones of course.
@@BluesWillisMusic we just made some improvements to our resonators and we all believe they sound and play better then ever.
@@michaelsanders1403 I didnt know you worked with Matt at Mule. I only played 2 mules ever but both were already amazing, I really appreciate the search for tone and improvement not just stopping at a point that's good enough. Anytime I'll have a chance to play the new ones I surely will. I follow you guys on Instagram and facebook, and drool over the beauties.
@@BluesWillisMusic that's what is all about. We love interacting with the players and each instrument. We're always in the pursuit of the best tone, that's part of all the fun!
@@michaelsanders1403 That's a great way of going about it. You guys have my utmost respect!
I like them both, but I like the Mule more.
Can't blame you :)
Thanks so much for comparing these two guitars. I’m surprised by how many people liked the sound of the Reso Rocket over the Mule. This caused me to relisten a number of times. The Mule seems to me to have a more balanced and oldtimey sound. This likely comes from its lighter gauge steel and smaller “f” sound holes. The Reso seems to have a heavier gauge steel, and with its wide sound opening, it sounds more open and thus may seem better to some. I find it to have less dimension than the Mule. The Mule is a work of art with a delicate, inspiring sound. The Reso also has some things about its appearance that I don’t like: the shiny body (although yours is nicely buffed down), the large inlays and the visible inside label, the cutaway design. However, the headstock and black tuners are nicely done.
National Reso-Phonic describe their current Reso Rocket bodies as being nickel plated brass where as the Mule body is currently an unplated stainless steel (with optional brass and optional cutaway at extra cost) and is now only available as a tricone. Personally I prefer the sound of a single cone steel guitar.
My reso rocket is an older one and it supposed to be steel which they dont make anymore. I totally agree that the Mule has an old timey sound but that's not what I call balanced. To me balanced is when the bass, middle and treble response is well, balanced so the guitar has a nice wide range of sonic pallet with no bumps in EQ. And that to my ears is the reso rocket. The old timey sound is more mid focused in my opinion, maybe that's what you call more dimension.
I am sure the heavier gauge steel plays a role but the biggest thing is the F hole versus the grills. It would have been so much better to compare the Mule to a steel style o but I didnt have that unfortunately.
I’m just an old man and can no longer hear some higher frequencies so take my opinion with a grain of salt. Also, I’m just listening to the sounds through an ipad so I’m sure with your talent and first hand experience with the guitars that your observations are the most reliable. That being said, from what I’m hearing I would prefer to ride the mule.
@@lloydblakley1923 No wrong choices or answers here, I am glad you watched a video and thank you for telling me your opinion, I am always glad to read how others hear these things.
I like the "looks" of the Mule over the National but the National's tone is superior to that of the Mule's. Verdict: National wins on sound alone.
I think it depends on what you are looking for but I can see an argument made that this national in particular because of the tricone style grill sounds fuller or has a wider response.
I can't afford either one let alone both. If i had to choose I'd take the National because of the cut away, my skills are not the best to reach those higher notes. Great comparison
I see a lot of players whose slide technique breaks apart when they go up high. A cutaway definitely helps avoiding bad habits like bringing your thumb forward.
Unfortunately I don't own the Mule, "just" the national. Even though it is super expensive it was one of the best purchases I ever made. Mule makes cutaways too btw.
Thanks for the review . . . hmm mule said they only make tricones now (website says so), wonder if this could be one of the reasons why they stopped making single cones cuz national's tone wins. Still though want a tricone from national and will save up . . .
Well they might only do tricones now but the for sure used to do single cones. I saw multiple on Reverb.com throughout the years. Yeah these guitars are definitely worth saving up for.
Came here concerned that I may have made the wrong decision choosing the Mule over a National and left here very much preferring the sound of the Mule by a longshot over the National. To my ears the Mule has a deeper, fuller, sound and focused midrange while still having that resonator punch and lively top end. I'll qualify my statement by saying that I was not seeking a "typical" resonator sound. I wanted something more interesting, different, original, while still very much sounding like a resonator. Lots of variables and many more National options available, but purely from this comparison (which was very well done), I feel rather confident my choice of ordering a Mule. Thanks!
Interesting that you feel the mule being deeper and fuller because i hear the tricone grills on this particular national making it deeper and fuller. But it is subjective of course. The main thing is you found what you love and made, enjoy playing it! I love mule too wish I could have kept his one.
@@BluesWillisMusic Listening in person vs speakers will definitely sound different. The National does have a full sound with more top end and a strong low end. However, to me it sounds more scooped and weak in the mids than the Mule. The Mule sounds more woody and more prominent in the mids. I like that woody tone. It sounds thicker to me.
@@basementriffs Now I totally understand what you mean and I fully concur. In fact I prefer mid scooped guitar sounds all around, this is why I never liked tube screamers per se.
I love both. I have a dean resonator. Can't afford one of these yet
You PLAY THE HELL OUT OF IT! Ain't got enough for your dream guitar? Sounds like "The Blues" to me. Yes sir indeed...Sounds like "The Blues" to me.
@@blindboymusic8262 These are very expensive indeed, I think about where else could I use this money every day. Anyway dean has some cool resos, have as much fun and learn as much as you can until you can finally level up the gear.
I prefer the warmer tones of the mule I think but I know string type and how old or new strings are can vary the outcome a bit too.
Interesting, I thought the national is warmer but we are probably using warm differently :D The strings are the same and both new. Tried to minimize differences as much as I could.
True they're apples and ornages, but I completely see and agree with you about that Mule cutting through a mix for leads and that National being better-suited to singer songwriters. Its got such a richer voice with more depth and range. I can see how thr mid-bass bias would kind of disappear in a band mix, but funny enough for the solo-player format like this video it's perfect!
Thanks a lot! In a way it is kind of a gretsch versus tele for me. If you play in a rockabilly trio gretsch fills up the space nicely but if you have a big country band the tele will cut though anything.
Glad you agree!
Enjoyed your vid... though cleary not like for like I much preferred the tone and look of the National Resophonic... as for the Mule I prefer old guitars to look old and new guitars to look new but that's just me. :) Nice playing btw... thanks
Yeah since I have custom shop relic fender I am a bit disillusioned in reliced guitars. I mean it looks good but not totally original. However my mulecaster's patina is incredible. But I understand you. I guess it is a trade off and balancing act to get the modern playability and some of the feeling and mojo of an old guitar.
Very nice playing Adam. I subbed because I love the Blackmore vids on your other channel and I have a 1930's square neck National that looks a lot like this one hiding in my attic. You make me want to play it. Cheers, Donn
Thanks, that's the best compliment if my videos want to make you play. Good to know there are other people out there who like these two very specific but different topics :D
I would love to have the tab for Key to the Highway. I could not find it on your channel. Do you have a link for it?
Hi! I have moved all my downloadable tabs to patreon, they are only available for patrons: www.patreon.com/posts/42959611
BUT I have a video with on screen tabs on my old channel, here's the link: ruclips.net/video/Nwnd4rDRclQ/видео.html
@@BluesWillisMusic Thankyou
The Mule sounds smoother and rounder to my ear. The National is bright and gritty. Different strokes for different folks...
Different tastes for sure. At this level there really is no "better" guitar.
Not comparing apples to apples. The body shape, grill and coverplate patterns drastically affect the timbre of these instruments. I switched the stock coverplate on my Resorocket to a chickenfoot coverplate and it was much mellower, so I switched it back. The Mule sounds good, but since they jacked up their prices, if I'm gonna spend the money, I'd rather stick with Nationals. If money were no object, definitely get both!
Yes I even say it in the video that it would be way more fair to compare it to a National style o provided it is steel or triolian. I also noted the biggest difference in the title. Unfortunately this is what I could get my hands on. Well the National is mine, I deliberately got a Reso Rocket but the Mule was a loaner. Mule while an amazing brand is a bit hyped up in the moment so they could probably ask for your unborn daughter's virginity and people would pay up :D You can't go wrong with National (neither really)
Thanks for the video--I thought the Mule sounded a little ''tougher'', maybe like it HAS been around for many years, maybe more bark? The National was real sweet and smoother sounding......really liked them both. I would hate to have to choose....lol
Tough call for sure. The national has a great balance, great singer songwriter guitar or awesome for records but the Mule has more attitude for sure.
3:23 what's that song? I need to learn it. Btw. I purchased the gretsch Alligator because of your videos and I can't complain
Edit: I'm blind, It's written in the video. But still thanks for the inspiration that came from your channel
I am glad to be inspiring, thanks for taking the time and effort to letting me know.
Yeah the song is Street Corner Rag by Mike Dowling, it is on his Blue Fandango Album. Also he teaches it on his Bottleneck Blues and Beyond DVD at homespun. It might be useful for you if not to watch but he plays the sections slower and explains what he's doing.
@@BluesWillisMusic I have already learned the street corner rag😊
Btw. I made a cover of your version of swamp dog blues, so technically It's a cover of a cover
@@danielfort4345 This is how music stays alive, we need to pass the torch of this great traditional style!
Daniel Fořt I also bought an Alligator, largely because of the review here. Great guitar for the money! I need lots of practice before I can justify a National though 😃
@@Blue_3rd I am glad the video helped you choose. After a good amount of practicing you'll start to feel a new national would motivate you even better to practice more :D :D
Can I ask why you remove the bridge cover plate when you play?
Sorry if its a dumb question
Not dumb at all, my hand sits better on the strings for muting. Just my preference, this is how it is comfortable for me.
A hard choice. But the National rings and the Mule doesn't. It might come down to what you are trying to convey with the music you are playing at the time. You probably need both instruments. That's the logic i try to use on my wife when I want to add to my twenty plus collection of guitars (one of these days I'll find one I can actually play). She doesn't buy it... especially when it means sacrificing some groceries so bills can be paid. It would mean a lot of groceries lost to buy either one of these instruments.
Any of the 2 guitars os a hard sell to the wife indeed. I am fortunate enough that she is the singer of our blues duo so to some extent she was supportive of guitar purchases but I have long depleted that :D
They are different enough to justify having both for sure but overall I leaned towards the national and bought a mulecaster instead of the mule.
Mule sounds a bit more restrained, it would be nice to know the gauge of the metal they use for the body. National from the 90's had thicker bodies and sounded less opened, and then they refined their production and got to the point of being as good as the vintage, and it was in part thanks to that.
I don't know the gauge but the back of the mule's body seemed lighter, thinner, more resonant. Yet the RR had the better bass response, probably because of the tricone style grills.
@@BluesWillisMusic the back is flat on mules tho, as opposed to the slightly arched back of nationals, right ?
@@jhamk1676 Sorry I don't remember if it is or not.
The National without a doubt sounds better but your playing makes both sound good.
That is too kind of you but thank you! I prefer the National too but the Mule sounds awesome too.
I agree with you man that rocket I'd had to keep it! Thanks for the great video dude I'm fixing to go buy me hey Honey Dipper. I think you did a great video on it! Again thanks
Thank you! You cannot go wrong with the honey dipper, even though I just decided to sell mine :D
Personally I like the sound of the mule better 🤘🤘
That's a perfectly legit choice, it sounds awesome.
How do people feel about the playability of the two? I love the sound of my National Delphi but getting up around the 12 the fret I really have to be very deliberate, much more so than on my 522 Taylor or Martin 000-18.
Regarding upper fret access the cutaways let it be National or Mule will help you comfortably (meaning keeping the thumb on the back of the neck) reach the 15th fret but not much higher because of the neck heel. Otherwise the National's neck is a bit wider and fatter which is something I prefer.
@@BluesWillisMusic Thanks for the input!
Mules are great but the National just has that richer, more rounded tone - but of course that’s not always what you need
I think it's party due to the reso rocket itself. Most nationals doesn't necessarily have this much bottom end, it comes from the structure of the guitar and the tricone style grills.
Well done!
Thank you!
There's no "better" here, only personal preference. I personally preferred woody mid focused Mule over the National, which sounded brighter and thinner to my ears. However, both sounds have their place and the only argument here is a case for owning both.
Like I said in the video, I totally agree.
The National blows the Mule out of the water...Truly resonating guitar...The National all the way ! Lucky UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU
I prefer the national with the tricone grills but not as strongly as you. Btw the mule was just a loaner.
The Nation I like the tone better. However I like the mule and it definitely has its place.
They both do! You just need to rob a bank to have both :P
The Mule is not a single-cone but a tricone. Maybe they recently changed their design.
Yes they used to make single cones like this one in the video, but now they I guess exclusively build tricones.
Mule🔥
Cant argue with that :)
Is the Mule brass or steel?
Steel, both are steel.
Nice Video
Thanks!
Mule Tricone Resonator guitar
This Mule is a single cone however on the other hand the reso rocket while also being single cone has the tricone style grills which makes it sound a bit like a tricone.
National
Sound: National ! Look: Mule !
Yep I can agree to that!
National on everything !!!! For one reason the mule lack on sustain and character!
I envy you being able to choose, I sure can't.
I prefer the Mule to the National. I have both. The Mule is a non-cutaway with no pickup. The National is a 1936
Whoa that's a nice compliment to the Mule to prefer it over a vintage national. But then again bot everything that's vintage is that amazing. or just being vintage doesn't necessarily make a guitar great.
@@BluesWillisMusic I'm not saying the Mule is better. It's just different.
which neck did you prefer for the standard tuning fingerstyle playing?
I did not play standard tuning in the video but I personally prefer the Mule's neck for non bottleneck playing. The Reso Rocket's nut width is great for slide but for my hands a narrower neck is better suited like on my Waterloo WL14LTR. Fat V profile but not that wide.
What I was looking for, thanks.
Mule!!!!
I am not counting but it seems the Mule has a leg up lately.
Mules are more esthetically pleasing
I really like their ageing or worn look, they have incredible mojo.
I'm on the fence about the sound, but I do like the look of the Mule.
Comparate?
I am not sure what do you mean?
Mule for solo
National Trio
Very interesting I am just the opposite. Prefer the mule in a band to cut through with the mids and use the national for solo with the wide and full spectrum.
Huh.....mule website says all resos are tricones....
They used to make single cone resos as well, like this one for example - I made sure and looked :)
Think i prefer the Natinal
Me too but hard to choose both are amazing.
Please, there is NO comparison: National, while good guitars, are mass-produced - and have no soul. Mule guitars are hand-made, to order, and this uniqueness gives them character and soul in abundance.
Sorry, but I am a Mule fan . . .
I love Mule guitars as well, my mulecaster beats every gibson I ever played. But I strongly disagree to the soul argument. First of all I have been to the National factory, it is bigger than Mule but not mass production by any means. The main difference is there's a some more people hand crafting guitars. Having played many nationals and a few mules I see no quality difference. There are tonal differences which is everyone's prerogative to prefer one or the other.
But I don't buy into guitars having souls. They are tools from bad to average to work of art and yes one can be more resonant than the other, the patina can give a fake feel of attitude. If anything has "soul" it's super old instruments that have been gigged like hell. As far as I am concerned both national and mule are top quality guitars and there are nothing wrong with liking Mule's sound or story for that matter better.
@@BluesWillisMusic Thanks for your input, brother! I know National makes great guitars - and stated as such in my original comment. I did not, however, know anything about the National factory and should not have been so assumptive.
As for the ‘soul’ reference: I probably should say that it ‘talks to me’ instead. Every guitar I have purchased is solely (pun intended) because it ‘talked’ to me . . . I think every player can relate to that. In my case the Mule speaks volumes to me and created the bias and passion so obvious in my original post. I certainly meant no disrespect to National.
Thanks again for taking the time to reply! I am now following your channel. 👍
@@b.p.7153 I totally understand! Everyone should only buy guitars that speak to them. You can watch videos and compare specifications all day long but the main decider should be sitting with the guitar and playing. Unfortunately in today's online culture it's often hard to get your hands on something before paying for it. I am glad I had the chance to play a bunch of Nationals at Fullers in Houston so I was enchanted by them before I was able to afford / bought one. Unfortunately it's way harder to find a Mule but that's adds to the uniqueness. I am glad you found your "the one" I have also found mine in that pink Mulecaster that you can see a few videos with on my channel. Btw thanks for following me!
The only comparison is this: The thing must in the end sound like a metal trash can tumbling down a fire escape ... every other opinion is abberant.
That's a good point.
Mule uses National cones, so whats the point of buying a mule. I think they are very nice, but just buy a National and not a clone.
I wouldn't call them a clone but I get your point, I am a national man myself but there are a few things mule does differently, for example tricone in a singlecone shape that some people may want.
Had a mule very briefly. Absolute junk. Foolishly paid 4500$. Used, advertised as near mint. Maple st guitars.. forget ‘em. Mules are poorly thought out.
Poor workmanship.. lotta problems. National every time..
I wouldn't be so quick to discredit them but I have to say I do disagree with their company values and conduct. I had no problem with this reso but out of the 2 mulecasters I tried, one had a really bowed neck which Matt said was perfectly fine and implied I was crazy. Whereas the other one is pretty straight and plays much better, so I kept that. It's weird to love a guitar from a company I've grown to hate :D
The only people I know who think Nationals are all they’re hyped up to be are people that own Nationals. Everyone else I know who plays a reso is of the opinion that Nationals are junk apart from their cones. I’ve always found the sound nationals underwhelming. They always sound more like acoustics. I like my resos to sound like a rain water tanks with strings on it
Guitars, instruments and what people prefer is obviously highly subjective but declaring nationals to be junk is a bit out of proportion I believe. Sounds to me what you like in resonators is the dirty mojo what you get from oil can guitars and such, which is perfectly legit, I dig those two. But it does not mean the materials and the craftsmanship of national is bad. They especially single cones are made to be singer songwriter guitars with a balanced and full range to be as musical as possible.
What i meant by Nationals being junk is that their bodies are made out of the same crap as any run of the mill reso, but that the cones are what makes them special. I never meant National were bad guitars, they're obviously great. But is the hype justified? No way. Are they worth thousands and thousands more than other good Resos? Nah. Its a status thing. It's mostly a brand name thing.
@@suncat5160 Okay I misunderstood you party then. I agree there's a premium because of the brand name. You know the law of diminishing return, the more expensive a guitar is the less "better" it becomes. You are paying twice or triple the price for that extra few percentages in quality.
Blues Willis Music I don’t blame you for misunderstanding me, i was being deliberately controversial ha. True though, Nationals are what they are, they’re amazing. But I just don’t think they’re THAT much better than even cheap brands like Regal.
@@suncat5160 That's a perfectly okay opinion to have, I am even glad you were able to find what you like for a reasonable price.