1931 National Duolian
The Duolian was National first range model, 34 $ on the 1931 catalog, followed by the Triolian.
Its lower price made it the more frequent resonator guitar into poor bluesmen's hands.
Shiny nickeled Style O or Triplates were owned by richer virtuosos musicians, like Sol Hoopi or Tampa Red. The sound, more agressive due to a no brass but iron body, is typical to "Delta Blues" style. According to specialists and friends Pascal Mesnier, Pierre Avocat and Mike Lewis from Fine-Resophonic, "as a Duolian it sounds really good"... You bet!
We know Son House playing a Style O by photos and films from his 1965 period, when he was re-discovered and could at last afford one, but it's definitively with a Duolian he made his 1941-1942 Alan Lomax recordings. Listen to the difference...
Mahogany neck, ebony fingerboard, original "frosty green" colour, amplified with Highlander special National "single cone", very accurate on stage. The first National I ever owned, I've been playing her since 1995 and it unfortunately did not cost me 34 $...
