2013 National M1 Tricone Cutaway SOLD

This lightly-used fine example is in nearly new condition, and appears to have been hardly played at all.

Based on the traditional National Tricone, the M1 uses a mahogany laminate instead of metal for the body. This provides a warm, full tone without the brash harshness that metal bodies sometimes produce – not to say that’s a bad thing, but sometimes a warmer sound is desirable.

As well, the wooden body allows a somewhat lighter weight. The M1 is listed as 6.5 pounds, about 2.5 pounds less than the NRP tricone in metal.

The National Tricone when introduced in 1927 was a successful attempt to increase the volume of guitars, which were struggling to keep up with ever-increasing stage volumes and alas, the 100-watt Marshall stack had not yet been invented. It seems musicians have been fighting the volume wars for quite some time.

To reduce production costs, the design rapidly shifted to a larger single-cone body and the Tricone started to disappear, until the new National Reso-Phonic resurrected the design.