1929 National Triolian
Serial # 1667. We hope you'll be as excited as we were upon casting our eyes on this guitar for the first time. Everyone knows vintage Nationals are cool, but you'll likely never see another like this one.
The first single cone Nationals to enter production were the wood bodied Triolians introduced in 1928. The model would remain a wood-bodied instrument for just a little more than a year before being redesigned as a steel-body. From serial number records we can deduce that fewer than 1800 of these wood-bodied Triolians were built, and many fewer have likely survived to this day. All of these were finished in polychrome yellow, and featured the now-famous Hula Girl stencil on the back; most instruments' yellow finish extended to the neck and fingerboard as well.
"Bubbles and Blackie" is likely one of the last wood-bodied Triolians; and although not recorded in any of National's records, seems to be a completely original one-of-a-kind custom instrument. The paint and one-off silk-screening are original to the guitar, and the Bubbles and Blackie decals were most likely applied very early on.
We can only speculate who Bubbles and Blackie were -- perhaps a Vaudevillian duo or Great Depression travelling street musicians; their legacy has sadly been lost to time.
The guitar is perfectly set up and easy to play, too. The tuning machines are the correct vintage but non-original; new National cone, biscuit bridge, tailpiece, and bone nut are compliments of National Reso-Phonic, where the guitar's neck was reset about 8 years back. The C shaped neck is very contemporary in feel and very comfortable, with a smaller feel than most Nationals from the late 1920's. The nut measures 1-3/4", and the action is set for fingerstyle playing with an action of 5 to 6 64ths.
Words don't do this guitar justice, so have a long look at all the photos we've provided and you'll get an idea of what this guitar is all about. Needless to say, the guitar sounds wonderful -- wood-bodied Nationals are less brash and warmer than their metal siblings, and offer a tone that's versatile and inviting.
With original chipboard case, original cone and biscuit, and original nut.
Shipping into the USA?
Sending this guitar to a US address is easy to do, and there are no import fees, taxes, or duties to pay when it arrives. We take care of everything involved in shipping -- all you have to do unpackage the instrument when it arrives and play!
Questions? Email us anytime, or call us toll-free at 1-855-772-0424.
The first single cone Nationals to enter production were the wood bodied Triolians introduced in 1928. The model would remain a wood-bodied instrument for just a little more than a year before being redesigned as a steel-body. From serial number records we can deduce that fewer than 1800 of these wood-bodied Triolians were built, and many fewer have likely survived to this day. All of these were finished in polychrome yellow, and featured the now-famous Hula Girl stencil on the back; most instruments' yellow finish extended to the neck and fingerboard as well.
"Bubbles and Blackie" is likely one of the last wood-bodied Triolians; and although not recorded in any of National's records, seems to be a completely original one-of-a-kind custom instrument. The paint and one-off silk-screening are original to the guitar, and the Bubbles and Blackie decals were most likely applied very early on.
We can only speculate who Bubbles and Blackie were -- perhaps a Vaudevillian duo or Great Depression travelling street musicians; their legacy has sadly been lost to time.
The guitar is perfectly set up and easy to play, too. The tuning machines are the correct vintage but non-original; new National cone, biscuit bridge, tailpiece, and bone nut are compliments of National Reso-Phonic, where the guitar's neck was reset about 8 years back. The C shaped neck is very contemporary in feel and very comfortable, with a smaller feel than most Nationals from the late 1920's. The nut measures 1-3/4", and the action is set for fingerstyle playing with an action of 5 to 6 64ths.
Words don't do this guitar justice, so have a long look at all the photos we've provided and you'll get an idea of what this guitar is all about. Needless to say, the guitar sounds wonderful -- wood-bodied Nationals are less brash and warmer than their metal siblings, and offer a tone that's versatile and inviting.
With original chipboard case, original cone and biscuit, and original nut.
Shipping into the USA?
Sending this guitar to a US address is easy to do, and there are no import fees, taxes, or duties to pay when it arrives. We take care of everything involved in shipping -- all you have to do unpackage the instrument when it arrives and play!
Questions? Email us anytime, or call us toll-free at 1-855-772-0424.