2010 National El Trovador Baritone Woodbody Resonator Guitar

Overview: Hoo, baby, this is a brute! While on the face of it, this appears to be a normal modern El Trovador, it's actually a baritone version with a 27" scale and a 13-fret neck joint. It's got biggish strings on it and is currently tuned down B-to-B but will do A-to-A just fine as well. It's loud, grumbly, rumbly, and punchy all at the same time and the longer wood body shape is a good choice for a baritone resonator as there's not too much "clunk" in the sound and it's warmed-up a bit vs. metal.

Interesting features: The owner installed a Hot Plate coverplate with a Lollar, Tele-style pickup fit and volume and tone controls. This necessitates nickel strings (or stainless), but it means you can amplify all that low-end whumf and grunt nice and easy with little to no feedback and without the need for a permanent install. I do also have a normal National coverplate that I could swap-in if the Hot Plate was not desired however.

Repairs included: I leveled/dressed the frets, seated the cone better, recompensated and adjusted the saddle, and then tweaked the setup a whole bunch. I found that under-stringing the tailpiece to get better back-angle on the saddle helped a lot with the big gauges (RE rattles) and I fit a rubber "mute" on the tailpiece side of the handrest/bridge cover to stop over-ring from the tailpiece side of the strings. While it has a bit of a "manly" feel to it due to the big strings, it now plays quick and easy and is ready to roll.

• Weight: 7 lbs 0 oz
• Scale length: 27"
• Nut width: 1 59/64"
• Neck shape: medium soft V
• Board radius: 14"
• Depth at first fret: 29/32"
• Depth at seventh fret: 31/32"
• Body width: 14 1/2"
• Body depth: 4"
• Body: mahogany
• Cone type: single cone
• Bridge: biscuit, maple w/maple saddle
• Fretboard: ebony
• Neck wood: mahogany
• Action height at 12th fret: 3/32” bass 1/16” treble (fast, spot-on)
• String gauges: 70w-14
• Truss rod: adjustable
• Neck relief: straight
• Fret style: medium-wide

Condition notes: There's some usewear throughout -- tarnish/scratching on the coverplate, mostly, and then some mild handling-wear via small scratches and whatnot in the finish here and there.

It comes with: It has its original National hard case.

Consignor tag: GDGY