1994 National Radio Tone Wood Body Resonator Guitar

Overview: This National Radio Tone is basically a solid-headstock version of the company's concurrent Jazz-Blues, woodbody model. It sounds the same and handles the same, though the extra-deco, flamboyant look of this guitar is hip in its own, weirdo, '90s way! The coverplate is painted on this model in a silvery-grey color rather than plated, which adds to its stand-out looks.

This particular guitar has a fancy "under-bridge" pickup that uses an undersaddle-style element that's wedged between the biscuit and edge of the saddle's top. It sounds pretty natural but definitely needs a good preamp put in front of it because it does not have much output in its passive configuration. If you prefer a K&K pickup fit instead (more modern, higher output), I could swap to one of those if desired instead as we keep them in stock.

Repairs included: I gave this one a neck reset, level/dress of the frets, and fit a new, compensated rosewood saddle. It's playing bang-on and ready to go!

• Weight: 6 lbs 6 oz
• Scale length: 25"
• Nut width: 1 3/4"
• Neck shape: full C
• Board radius: 20"
• Depth at first fret: .94"
• Depth at seventh fret: 1.03"
• Body width: 14 1/4"
• Body depth: 3 1/8"
• Top wood: ply maple
• Back & sides wood: ply maple
• Cone type: biscuit-bridge/single cone
• Bridge: maple with compensated rosewood saddle
• Fretboard: rosewood
• Neck wood: maple
• Action height at 12th fret: 3/32” bass 1/16” treble (fast, spot-on)
• String gauges: 50w-11 custom lights
• Truss rod: non-adjustable
• Neck relief: hair of relief (eliminated via level/dress of frets)
• Fret style: medium/lower

Condition notes: It's quite clean but does have a few minor scuffs and scratches here and there in the finish. There are little finish blemishes on the bridge-cover/wrist-rest but, unfortunately, they are on full view in the photos I took because the lighting angle was perfect for capturing them. Front-on or just a little off-to-the-side, and they disappear. These are caused by my flexing the wrist-rest into an arc (it was made a little too flat on the top ) so that the string path would clear the bottom of the cover nicely for the D&G strings. This had been strung with what felt like mediums for a long time and, as such, the neck had pulled into a hair of warp. I leveled and dressed said warp out of the frets and it is "straight" and stable in service, now, but I'm leery to suggest stringing that heavy again. It has 50w-11 on it at the moment but would likely take 12s just fine.

It comes with: It has a nice hard case.

Consignor tag: STHR