In 1927, the National String Instrument Company began producing the first resonator instruments. Over the years, the National brand became so synonymous with resonators that many blues players who prefer their unique sound simply refer to any resonator as a "national guitar." Intended to offer players a louder voice, the innovative resonator design produces an interesting, warm sound you won't get from anything else.
National debuted the Trojan model in 1934 as a straightforwrad, no-frills wood body resonator guitar. While a lot of '30s resonators have shorter 12-fret necks, the Trojan has a 14-fret neck. For slide players, this makes getting to the 12th fret octave a lot smoother because your hand doesn't bump into the neck heel. The Trojan was intended to be cost-effective, but there's a particular tone to the simple biscuit-style single cone resonator. Especially in combination with a wood body, these guitars produce a warm, throaty reso growl.
This first-year 1934 Trojan is a great-playing resonator with authentic '30s sound and character. We got it from Colorado-based luthier Kevin Chelf, and Kevin put substantial effort into making this Dust-Bowl-era relic play and sound like it should. In particular, Kevin fitted a new Ebony fingerboard to the neck, and he added a Martin-style non-adjustable T bar truss rod for neck reinforcement. It also has a new resonator cone from quantum, but fortunately the original biscuit was still usable. It has a new bone nut and a non-original tailpiece, but the original cover-plate provides appropriate National charm.
All-in-all, it's hard to imagine there are other '30s Trojans that play and sound as nicely as this one. Its neck has a strong V profile that feels played-in and worn in all the right places. The nut measures 1-11/16." The current setup is low and manageable, but it still works nicely for slide. This 1934 National Trojan includes a high-quality hardshell case from Cedar Creek.