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(More customer reviews)I've played National Tri-Cones, both late 20's originals and I own the new National Resophonic Models so I was skeptical about the Regal RC-51 at first. I wouldn't say it's "just like" a vintage National or modern National Resophonic but if those instruments are out of your price range this might be a good entry-level alternative.
The RC-51 is a Chinese-made semi-replica of the National Style 1 Tricone first manufactured in 1926 and sold in 1927. Unlike the Style 1 it has a 14-fret neck and a flat (paddle) headstock. The body is nickel-plated bell brass. The sound comes from three roughly 6" resonator cones connected by a T-shaped bridge. The bridge is sand cast aluminum and the saddle is wood of some sort. Following the National model the coverplate has screens over the cones and the upper bout has "basket weave" openings. The Regal RC-51 is very similar to the Johnson JM-991 (I believe they are made in the same factory in China) but the Regal has a flashy "pearloid" overlay on the headstock.
The RC-51 has a flat fingerboard like the 1930's Nationals. Most modern steel string guitars have a radiused fingerboard which many people find easier to play. If you aren't used to it, the flat fingerboard can take some getting used to but they work well for slide guitar. A flat fingerboard makes it easier to use a slide or bottleneck to cleanly "fret" as many strings as needed.
My RC-51 arrived with ridiculously light strings. Do yourself a favor and install medium or heavy gauge strings right away. The improvement in tone and sustain is dramatic. Light strings have a tendency to cause buzzes on resonator guitars. Medium (0.12 high E) or heavy (0.13 high E) will be louder, minimize buzzing, and deliver more pleasant tone from both fingerstyle and slide playing.
CAUTION: when changing strings it is a bad idea to remove all six at once on any resonator guitar. The cone(s) and bridge are held in place by the tension of the strings. Remove the strings and the resonating parts can shift and unseat. This can result in annoying buzzes and rattles when you play. Remove, replace, and retune the strings one at a time and you'll spare yourself this problem.
The Regal RC-51 is a favorite of players that want that 1929 National Style 1 sound but can't spare the price of a decent used car for a cranky 70+ year old guitar. Out of the box the sound of an RC-51 is okay but these also favorites for modifications. It is common to see Regal tri-cones that have been modified with a bone nut, an ebony saddle, and replacement cones (Quarterman or Nationals). Another upgrade that some players swear by is the "mushroom mod" which involves changing the internal bracing of the neck. (These are all jobs best left to a luthier experienced with resonator guitars.) Since most of the sound of a resonator comes from the cones, relatively inexpensive upgrades can significantly improve the sound and playability. But change the strings and play a while before spending money on upgrades. You might like how it sounds stock.
Overall the RC-51 is a good value. It's not a Style 1 but it is 1/6 the price of a National. Spend a little time on setup and you will not be unhappy with the quality, playability, looks, or sound of the RC-51.
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Regal RC-51 Metal-Body Tricone Guitar (Silver)If you are looking for a unique instrument with a traditional look and sound to play blues, ragtime, or jazz standard, consider the RC-51 standard model Tricone from Regal. Its nickel-plated bell-brass body will instantly take you back to a by-gone era of early musical instrument development. From the very first strum, you will see why these instruments have set the tone for early mechanically amplified music and still remain popular today.
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