National Reso-Phonic Reso Rocket Steel Guitar

The National Reso Rocket Steel is one of National’s newly designed single cone guitars, incorporating a redesigned cover plate pattern to complement the distinctive Tricone-style grille work. The Bendaway body has the upper bout cut away for easier access to the higher frets.

The Reso Rocket Steel is built with a thin, rubbed steel Bendaway body, paired with a neck made of either Maple or Mahogany and a bound Ebony fingerboard, with Mother of Pearl position markers. The headstock has a faux-Mother of Pearl, engraved overlay.

The single cone, biscuit bridge design used in the National ResoRocket provides a loud, brash metallic tone – especially when paired with a metal body! – compared to the warmer tone from single cone spider bridge models, which are favoured more for bluegrass styles. But for blues styles, especially those from the southern US areas like the Mississippi Delta, this is the way to go for tone.

The National Reso-Phonic Reso Rocket is also available in the ‘WB’ or Wooden Body model, and can be had with 12 or 14 fret necks, and square or round neck versions. It is sold and shipped in a high-quality, arched top National hard shell case.

Note: Early versions of this model did not have the faux-pearl peghead overlay.

Here is what National Reso-Phonic has to say about the Reso Rocket Steel:

“The ResoRocket blends the best of a vintage 1930s National with the convenience of a Bendaway body, offering you ease of access to the higher notes on the fretboard.

The steel body boasts a gleaming rubbed finish and a newly designed cover plate pattern that complements the distinctive Tricone-style grill work on the soundports. The hard-rock maple neck includes an ivoroid-bound rosewood fingerboard with diamond-shaped inlays and a distinctive pearloid overlay on the solid headstock.

Still, it’s that upper bout that makes this guitar special: Modified with a cutaway to the 17th fret, it extends your range of playing and makes this one of the most versatile single-cone National guitars ever.”