The National Reso-Phonic Model ResoRocket N is one of this august manufacturing company's most modern re-interpretations - there is no prewar antecedent for this style guitar but man, is it beautiful - and useful. It has an art deco pattern on its cover plate and displays Tricone-style lattice work. The upper bout has been morphed into a new and utilitarian cutaway to allow the player greater access to the highest frets.
Its specifications include: a solid headstock hosting an engraved National logo; its tuning machines are of the National brand; it has a bone nut (many of us do) and an East Indian rosewood fingerboard. The fingerboard is bound in ivoroid and said 'board is inlaid with mother of pearl markers. This guitar has a resonator cone that's 9 1/2" in diameter , a biscuit-type bridge made of maple, and the back of the neck is hard rock maple. On this model the top, back and sides are brass that's been thickly nickel plated. Like Mr. Nicholson in The Shining, it gleams with manic intensity. You're probably wondering about size -- the upper bout is 10 1/4" wide, the lower is 14", the total length is 38 3/4", the depth of the body at the bottom side is 3 1/8"; the nut width is 1.825" at the 12th fret it's 2.30" and the scale length is 25" even. National says that this type of guitar weighs just under 9 pounds. It is housed in a luscious plush lined, black exterior, hard shell case with the National logo. We like it and we think you will also.
The List Price is (2011 price) $3,600.