2020s Republic Clarksdale Special Cutaway Tricone Resonator Guitar

Overview: This guitar was on consignment but sold in-shop before I could even get this blog post up on it! This Republic-branded Clarksdale Special model is of a type that's been made in China for the past 15 or so years and sold over here under various brand names. The Republic-branded ones are usually a little classier than others and "the guts are good" but they almost always need a bunch of work setup-side work to really dial them in. The serialization at the headstock suggests this is a 2023 model.

Interesting features: Let's admit it -- these are cool guitars! Who doesn't want a cutaway tricone with those truncated soundholes? Forget country-blues players, this thing could hang in a gypsy-jazz unit with these looks! Any Oscar Aleman fans out there? If so, this is that sound.

Repairs included: These always come into the shop with terrible setup problems even when they're brand-new. In this case, the saddle and cones were fit fully 1/4" off the mark for proper intonation. This required a little creative modification of how the bridge and cones seat (when do resonators not need that, though?) and once I got that buttoned-up and the saddle compensated properly, setup went smoothly. It's now playing like a champ.

• Weight: 8 lbs 15 oz
• Scale length: 25 3/8"
• Nut width: 1 3/4"
• Neck shape: slim-medium C
• Board radius: 16"
• Depth at first fret: 59/64"
• Depth at seventh fret: 61/64"
• Body width: 14 3/8"
• Body depth: 3 1/4"
• Body: brass
• Cone type: tricone
• Bridge: T-bridge with maple saddle
• Fretboard: ebonized rosewood?
• Neck wood: mahogany
• Action height at 12th fret: 3/32” bass 1/16” treble (fast, spot-on)
• String gauges: 54w-12 lights
• Truss rod: adjustable
• Neck relief: straight
• Fret style: medium-taller

Condition notes: While the finish is antiqued on the body, it's (finish-wise) almost new and clean. It had a magnetic pickup installed that I yanked because it was too tall for the string path at the end of the fretboard. Before this sold-on to its new owner, said new owner had me install a K&K pickup fit through the jack hole in the pictures instead.

It comes with: No case.

Consignor tag: DSID