Early tricones vs. later tricones

[Hiro Keitora]

Thanks, Peter! Ah, 1/4" is the magic number- very hip

[Michael Hogan]

Peter, the Style 35 is serial number B622 and the 97 is C4887.
Here is a Style 4 Serial number 1776

[Peter Garellick]

Michael, those serial numbers indicate that they were made in Chicago, the style 35 in 1936 and the Style 97 in 1939, making it probably among the last tricones ever made.

Anyways, those are super cool!

On a different topic, what tuning do you all use on those tricones?

I mainly use an open E, from low pitch to high E-B-E-G#-B-E, sometimes C#m7:

E-B-E-G#-C#-E

[Mark Makin]

I have SN 201--it's pretty much the same as your number 163,but cones have been replaced with new NRP cones. It had what looked to be OMI replacements in it when I got it. The new ones are much better.

As far as tone--it is a little quieter than my later tricones were, and maybe a little more midrange. It's mellower sounding than my later ones were--very sweet sounding.

Mine is the latest serial number old type tricones I've heard of. It's on page 15 of Mark Makin's book. It's heavily engraved, but more in the style of some of the later Dopyera banjos than the National guitars. It's old work, but whether it's something done by one of the National folks at the time or someone else is anybody's guess. There's not anything else I've seen like it...

Dave

[Rick Aiello]

I have # 227 … lovely tone

[Glenn Wilde]

I love the old Tricones, here's my '29

IMG_20250618_115710135~2.jpg

[David Ball]

I have SN 201--it's pretty much the same as your number 163,but cones have been replaced with new NRP cones. It had what looked to be OMI replacements in it when I got it. The new ones are much better.

As far as tone--it is a little quieter than my later tricones were, and maybe a little more midrange. It's mellower sounding than my later ones were--very sweet sounding.

Mine is the latest serial number old type tricones I've heard of. It's on page 15 of Mark Makin's book. It's heavily engraved, but more in the style of some of the later Dopyera banjos than the National guitars. It's old work, but whether it's something done by one of the National folks at the time or someone else is anybody's guess. There's not anything else I've seen like it...

Dave

I'd always thought that. Rudy's later banjo resonators looked a whole lot like the big flower on the back of number 201. It's for sale at Carter's in Nashville right now. Great guitar--my favorite National I've ever owned, and I've owned a lot of them. But I've had to let a lot of stuff go as I've gotten older and downsized...