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You never know what you'll get.

Here's some pictures of a bad head repair made on an old Reso that I was told was a National.
As you can see someone drilled some 1/4" holes through the head for some clamping reason I'm guessing. They also cut some Dobro sticker out and glued it on and there is C clamp indentations too. I really can't make out all the serial #s but it something like 08675 or maybe C8675 but definately a xxx75. The plan is to pretty much re finish the head and try and cover up the holes and dents.

Here's the body. The previous owner sprayed it. But when I was looking at it at first I really didn't think it was an old National. It is a 14 fret and it has a lot of stuff done to it but it didn't look right but I wasn't the new owner wanted the head cleaned up.

Well, when I got it on the bench I started to look at it closer and noticed that it looked like there was some kind of plate under the F holes and that top sure looked odd and the sound well through the F hole was plywood. And there was a rosewood fret board on it too.

And then there's these dimples and side cracks.

Well I'm starting to think it might be some off the wall reso. Ok, I'm going to open it up now and see what's up.
Interestingly it has what looks like a old National cone from around 1935. It has the spirals and the little lines pointing out at the edges.

Very cool Chris!!! I love seeing old geetars - keep the pics coming bro?

Thanks

Removed the cone and guess what? The Stick was cut off and shimmed up with some partical board and sort of glued in place and the floor of the well is built up with wood and the tail block is gone along with the front and back support post. And looking with a mirror inside I could see where the real original top was cut away in front of the well . There was wood around the outside of the well walls and it appears that someone screwed an 1/16" aluminum top plate on top of the original steel top as a fix . What I thought was a plate under the front is really just the top with rolled F holes. From what I can gather it's probably and old Duolian then.
The back and sides are pressed from one piece and the top is soldered on as I can see the flange. I don't know what happened for someone to do that repair. They really had no clue about Nationals. Would have been better to just unsolder the top and put a new one on if you ask me. Interesting though. Like opening a box of chocolates.

Hesh,
It's too bad that this was so screwed up by someone like this. I really hate to stick a National sticker back on it with that face.

Holey @%!#!
That's the weirdest one I've ever seen!

Hey Mike,
I was thinking to myself that there's no way that second top could be steel or brass or it would be really heavy. I got a magnet and it stuck until I moved it behind the FB where there wasn't any of the old top beneath it.

I've made some repairs to it and the client had me paint it and the base coat is drying.

more

Took it down to the steel and primed it.

The client chose a yellow like some in the National book. I might still add some burst spots like in the book if he wants to go with it.
I'm half tempted to ask if he want's me to do a palm tree and sunset stencil on it.
Oh yeah, I also rounded over the top edge a bit as it was pretty square and I think it gives it a bit more of the original look. I also patched the hole that was in the hand rest of the cover plate and some extra hole at the tail. I'll be putting a tail block back in so the tail piece screw has something good to bite into.

The frets were also not flush with the board edge so mI took care of that and angled and dressed the ends up and put some fret board oil on it. It's starting to look pretty cool even though it has that 3/32" aluminum top.

I'm not to sure if anyone is following this thread or not but if you is. Here is my attempt at the polychrome burst. I was pretty nervious about doing it. I would have hated to get to a point and then screw it up. Finishing isn't my best phase of building. Now I'm going to make a stencil and attempt a palm scene on the back. I post back when that's done.

I think I'm going to shoot for something close to one of these. Probably the second one. Any thoughts, Anyone?

Sorry for not posting before Chris, just vicariously following along.
That is some strange repair that was done on that by someone. You've sure got it looking good! And I love the idea of going on to the stencil palms. You're burst is looking good but seems like it could be a little bit stronger just judging from the pics. But may be just fine in person.

I love these old resonators myself, I've been thinking of making one of the wooden "Islander" types.

Joe

Hey Joe,
The yellow and orange is actually a bit brighter and more intense then the picture shows. It's hard not to over do it. I want to keep the burst or frosting a bit on the subtle side if that makes sense do to the intense color as is.
I'm trying to get the stencils figured out now. From what I can tell it seems like they laid up a few layers of stencils. The foreground and background seem to be one and then the trees were laid down. Maybe 3 sets and then positioned differently at times. The one above looks like they were even flipped only laying down 1/2 and giving it a mirrored effect. I'm not to sure how National Reso is doing their's on the Triolian. It might be a silk screening process of some kind but the edges are very crisp. I actually don't care for that and like the softer edge of the air brush over spray at places do to the stencil probably being raised on the curved surface of the back. Although there are some I saw that it is really too much bleed. Just my opinion though.

Yeah for production, silk screen is probably the way to go. But for one-offs, stenciling will give you lots of flexibility. As you say flipping, sections and pieces etc., will sure keep it interesting and different and I like the softer edge as well. Back when I was doing art one of the best bits of advice I heard was, do something, do something else to it. Just keeps it fluid and spontaneous, knowing when to quit is the trick.

Cool project,
Joe

If you flip this early one (2 trees)and offset the two trees from the center line it will pretty much give you the 2nd. one with a couple of spots different.

Now this one I think was a later one then the first one. It is the first one with two more trees overlaid . I'm thinking 3 stencils to do this. I might be wrong but I think from looking at the pictures I can find it seems to be the case. If anyone has any other thoughts I'd like to hear them. Maybe someone else has researched this already.

Here's the lastest up date on the reso finish. My stencil board arrived yesterday and I managed to cut 3 of 4 stencils out and spray them on the back. when I'm finished posting I'll head out to the shop or in this case I'll call it the studio and finish cutting the last stencil and spraying it.

Then cut the fore/back ground stencil and sprayed it also.

It took me 3 hours to cut out the last stencil but it's done. A little touch up sanding when dry and then clear coat and polish her up. I think it turned out pretty nice.
You still watching Joe?