Back then, however, Blues guitarists had the next best thing; the National Resonator type guitar, which was three to five times as loud as any made of wood, and impervious to the often instrument-unfriendly environments of the tent shows and juke joints. This was because the guitar was made of metal, which is what makes it instantly recognizable to even the newest Blues fan.

Back then, in the tent shows and hot, sweaty juke joints, the blues artists had to make themselves heard over the normal noise of an often severely chemically impaired crowd (some things never change). It was worse for women singers, who often fronted large jazz bands.

Legends like Ma Rainey and Bessie Smith were not just talented vocalists. They were freaking LOUD talented vocalists whose vocal chords could cut through a ten piece band and be heard in the back rows of a tent (which was probably the worst acoustic environment for sound).

It was a bit better for those who played in juke joints, which were often simply convenient rooms to sell bootleg liquor. Most who entertained in such places were solo artists, accompanied by guitar, and maybe a second person playing harp (unless you had a jug or string band).

There were also street musicians who played on corners, but that's been overemphasized in the quest to present a more sanitized version of the early Blues. Back then, you played on street corners for fun, some pocket change, and if you didn't have a paying gig or recording contract.

The acoustics in a juke were better, but the proximity to the crowd (this is pre-bouncers in T-shirts era stuff) made the preservation of one's instrument a real concern. Also, most guitars couldn't stop a stray bullet either, which was one occupational hazard of the era. Luckily, most guitars back then were catalog types like the Stella, which were as sturdy as wood could get back then.

In any case, you had to be one LOUD sucker. Which in 1928 had an added benefit; which was that due to the recording technology of the era, only those who could project their music could make that steel needle shake and jive enough to produce a decent 78 rpm master disc.

TAMPA RED

In 1928, Tampa Red became the first Black Blues artist to record with a National steel resonator-type guitar, which eventually became one of the classic blues instruments. Shortly afterwards, a parade of National players followed on 78, all of whom are among the early Blues elite.

That group included Tampa Red, Son House, Bukka White, Bo Carter, Blind Boy Fuller, Walter Vincent (who was with the Chatmon Brothers), Peetie Wheatstraw, Scrapper Blackwell, Bumble Bee Slim, and Black Ace.

Oddly enough, Tampa Red didn't play the type of music most Blues fans associate with the National Steel bodied guitar. His music was smooth and sophisticated, using playing techniques (such as string damping) which were quite advanced for the era. Lyrically, he often did novelty numbers that contained double-entrendres, which can make his music seem slight at times to the modern listener. However, a fairer statement would be that the blues songs of today are often lyrically narrow, and artists avoid the risque sense of humor that a generation of young Black males and females enjoyed back then.

In other words, you're not going to hear many Blues artists singing about putting their juicy wieners into hot buns these days. Which is sad in a way.

In contrast to the smooth stylings of a Tampa Red were the harder Delta sounds of Son House and Bukka White. Both were artists who didn't do well commercially in the 20's, but created music that 60's folk and rock audiences related to. Powerful rhythmns and vocals, with intense slide work adding a second voice. In the case of Bukka, a definite precursor to the later Bo Diddley Beat.

The interesting thing is that all of the above played the same type of guitar, but with some important differences. The model Tampa used was called a "tricone" and Son's was called a "single resonator" type. Each had a distinctive characteristic (aside from being incredibly loud) that suited each particular player.

WHAT MAKES A NATIONAL A NATIONAL?

Which of course, leads us to the question, just what is a National Steel guitar?

We've all seen the metal body which is the hallmark of the type. However, it's what's under all that metal that makes it different than any wood guitar.

To understand what a National is all about, you have to understand that the purpose of the tricone and single resonator is to amplify sound. The basic principle is fairly simple, and best explained by Bob Brozman in his classic book, "The History & Artistry of National Resonator Instruments" (which was written by Bob with Dr. John Dopyera, Jr., Richard R. Smith, and Gary Atkinson).

Bob states that "later efforts to amplify stringed instruments were inspired by the technology of Edison and Victrola phonographs. The principle component of these early non-electric phonographs was a pickup head that transmitted sound from the stylus to a small mica disc. The disc acted like a banjo skin or the paper in a kazoo. It amplified the sound."

This sound was transmitted to the listener using a long horn, or megaphone. The first instruments using this principle were violins made in 1910 (or thereabouts). Those used a cone shaped disc made of thin aluminum, with a horn that stuck out of the instrument. Some guitars using this device were also made.

THE TRICONE MODEL IS BORN

In the 1920's, two Los Angeles men came together, originally to make a new type of guitar using the horn principle, who would together create the National Resonator guitar as we know it. The amount of responsibility each had in creating it is, as Brozman describes in his book, is disputed by the various parties. However, there's no doubt that both were important to the creation of the first tricone guitar.

George Beauchamp's first idea was to create a "wild looking" Hawaiian guitar which sat on a stand and had a horn attached to the bottom. John Dopyera built it, as Brozman relates, "against his better judgement--he knew George's idea wouldn't work before it was made." Beauchamp did use this eccentric gizmo of a guitar on the vaudeville circuit, but abandoned it. It was a perfect stage guitar with unusual looks, but it sounded terrible.

George then suggested to John that he build one based on the same principle as the mica disc on a Victrola. John experimented with various other materials, such as pressed fibre, glass, tin and other metals. He settled on a very thin, conical shaped aluminum resonator design, used in a set of three connected with a T-bar inside an all metal body.

Dopyera used three as it mellowed the sound, as opposed to using one large cone which was louder, but harsher in tone and with less sustain. He applied for a patent on this tricone guitar in 1927, which was finally granted in 1930.

Beauchamp found some investors, and in a short time, the National String Instrument Company was formed. Factory production of this remarkable new guitar began in 1927, and by the next year, the company was producing hundreds a week.

THE SINGLE RESONATOR MODEL IS BORN

It was then when the first problems between the two founders emerged. Dopyera had rejected the single resonator idea earlier, but in Beauchamp's mind, it was the perfect design for a lower cost instrument. The tricone was more expensive, and mainly bought by professionals, and that market couldn't last forever.

In fact, during the Great Depression, it was the single cone type (which was patented by George in 1929) that as the author Brozman puts it, "not only became a good seller, saving the company from the Great Depression, but a sizable part of the National legacy."

One could also add, that while the National was originally intended for Hawaiian and Jazz work, the adoption of the instrument by blues artists also contributed to the company's survival. This wasn't Dopyera's intent, as he probably didn't even know what the Blues were.

However, as Marie Gaines quotes Don Young of National Reso-Phonic, "It was the creativity and ingenuity of those early musicians that caused the National guitar to find its niche in the blues, and that is why we are in business today. Blues is now considered a classical American music style and the National guitar is the classical guitar of that genre."

However, Beauchamp's patent was the cause of the schism between the two. Dopyera left National afterwards, which cost him his original patents, and his partner continued to run the company.

Dopyera doesn't disappear from history though. He then formed the Dobro Manufacturing Company, which created a single cone resonator guitar with a new design (and a guitar that still bears the name). Later, after some rather complicated moves, National merged with Dobro, and we'll cover that in a later installment of this series.

Simply put, all these events resulted in two major designs, the tricone and the single resonator. As stated earlier, the tricone has a smoother sound that sustains (the notes last longer), and the latter a sharper, and clearer sound. Which is better is really a moot point, as one could say it is like choosing between Tampa Red and Son House.

End of Part One.

-By Al Handa

Special Thanks:

This article, and the series that will follow it rely heavily on the classic book, "The History and Artistry of NATIONAL Resonator Instruments" by Bob Brozman. Brozman is also one of the foremost National Steel Guitar players in the world.

Check out Bob Brozman's web site. Also, a series of this depth wouldn't be possible without the cooperation of the National Reso-Phonic Guitars company, who have provided advice and materials in the research phases. The photos used in this piece are courtesy of National Reso-Phonic. Special thanks to Peter Bachner, Don Young, and Marie Gaines of National Reso-Phonic for their help and cooperation in creating this series.

Next installment will cover more about the playing qualities of both designs, and begin to discuss the variations that began to emerge as time passed. Also, a list of Blues artists who used the National. Go to Part Two now...

About the writer:

Al Handa is the Editor and Publisher of the Delta Snake Daily Blues, and the Delta Snake Review.

Copyright © 1998 by Al Handa. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. without permission from the author.