1929 Bakelite Neck National Triolian

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Comments	On display here is a rare 1929 Bakelite Neck National Triolian.Bakelite-neck Nationals were made from about February 1929 to August 1930 for a production total of around 1800 instuments. The idea was that the new miracle plastic Bakelite (Phenolic resin, made from carbolic acid and formaldehyde, invented around 1910 by Leo Baekeland) would be an ideal replacement for wood – durable and stable, and not affected by changes in room temperature and humidity. It could be poured into molds and not require major woodworking tools or equipment. But Bakelite-neck Nationals are quite rare, for two main reasons. First, they weren’t made for long because Bakelite turned out to be less stable than the designers hoped, even with the steel rod inserted on later models and the experiment was discontinued. Second, National went so far as to recall the Bakelite models and re-neck them with wooden necks, so this reduced the number of models in circulation. However, over time, the remaining Bakelite and steel models have matured and have a wonderful tone. This example is one of the best we’ve seen.
Serial Number	A147, built in 1929 at the National String Instrument Corporation shop in Los Angeles, California.
Pricing	$2695.00 CAD with case from 1960’s. SOLD
Neck	Bakelite! The Bakelite neck and fingerboard are one molded piece. The original National Triolian decal is in good condition.
Frets	Newer frets in good condition. 12 frets to the body, 19 in total.
Body	Steel body with single cone and F-holes.
Finish	Original sunburst finish in reasonable condition with a number of chips and wear, not surprising for an instrument over 80 years old.
Hardware/electronics	All original with 9-vent resonator cover, bakelite neck, original cone, biscuit and open tuners.
Playability/Action	Action is high at the 12th fret, but good for a bakelite neck model.
Case	Late 1960’s vintage hardshell case included.