The National NRP Steel 14Fret sports a new lightly ‘distressed’ nickel finish and still delivers the warm, rich unmistakable National sound. The National NRP Steel 14Fret is built like other models with steel bodies and single 9.5 inch resonator cone, but is visually distinct with its traditional ‘Sieve’ style cover plate and new finish. This finish can ‘work’ a bit better than the highly polished and reflective surface on the more expensive models, as in not showing smudges as easily.
Resonator
The Paramount Style B 5 string is built using Maple for the bulk of the wooden components, with a bound Brazilian Rosewood bridge and headplate. The classic, fairly complex inlay set is executed in engraved Mother of Pearl. There is natural wear and checking to the lacquer finish, and there is some damage to parts of the headstock inlays from previous re-gluing work, along with some cracks in the Brazilian Rosewood head plate – this is to be expected on an instrument nearly a century old.
Here’s a piece of Canadiana – a Deering Jens Kruger Tenbrooks banjo with Kavanjo pickup head, used in Whiskey Jack, the band that backed up Stompin’ Tom Connors. The Deering Jens Kruger models are the top of the Deering Tenbrooks line. As the name suggests, Jens Kruger was closely involved in the design of this banjo, in particular the tone ring which emulates prized pre-war Gibson models.
Here’s a National El Trovador Long Scale – 25.66 inch instead of 25 inches – resophonic guitar with a National Hot Plate pickup. Built on the single-cone resophonic body, the National El Trovador Long Scale uses Mahogany Laminates for the top, sides and back with solid Mahogany for the body blocks and neck. The 12-fret fingerboard is Ebony, and the slotted peghead has an Indian Rosewood head plate sporting the National shield logo decal.