Here's a great place to display and discuss your National Resophonic RM-1 mandolin.
Hello fellow cyber mando-nic, I don't own a RM-1 but would love to check it out. I've been trying to learn some of Rich Delgrosso's licks he so graciously shares in Mandolin Blues. Great book and guy. Anyway your RM-1 is very interesting to us Blues Mando-nic's. Does it have a radiused fretboard with fat frets or a flat one with thin frets like the old mandolins. I almost snagged an A-4 but it must not have been meant to be. Anyway since that fell through the question in my mind is, most blues mandolin's are old oval holes with their fat tubby tone and tiny frets. On the other hand I find that for playing a blues I prefer my Weber Ferns Sam Bush Monel strings and its fat frets and radiused board over my Goldrush's Bill Monroe Bronze and steel strings, flat board and micro wire frets for blues. Sliding tremelo and hammering slides are more difficult to produce cleanly with the old fretboards at least that's been my experience. What are you playing on your National? Any input from your perspective on necks?
I'm outta here, enjoy your RM-1.
Hi Hank, The RM-1 has large frets and the fretboard is slightly radiused. I find it exceptionally easy to play (I own a Silverangel F and a Custom Weber Yellowstone . With regard to playing ease, they would rank RM-1, Silverangel, and then the Yellowstone...not that any of them are difficult to play. The sound is certainly different than any of the the mandolins you are now playing. They can sound a little "harsh" (probably not the right term to use here...maybe "bright" and "edgy" might be more accurate) when you are practicing alone, but I find the sound to be absolutely sweet when playing in an ensemble with violins and guitars.
Hello, I purchased an RM 1 a few weeks ago at Buffalo Brothers in Carlsbad CA, and I really like the sound. Played it; had to have it. You definitely have to get a professional set up done, unless you are going to play slide on it. Does anyone do that? Well, National seems to think so. It comes from their factory with the strings way high--I could barely play a first position F on the E string. The tech at Buffalo Bros. did a great job setting it up and now it plays great. I would describe the sound as loud and resonant (naturally) but it maintains the sweetness of the mandolin--a nice balance between wood and metal. Great for the blues, but I also like the way fiddle tunes sound on it. Maybe not what you would want for chopping out bluegrass cords--definitely use a soft hand on those chops. It is a nice instrument to look at too, with a simple, utilitarian design. And yes, you will be heard at jam sessions.
Mine was set up by Nickholson music in forson and sounds wonderfull loud banjo killer and wonderfull to look at just a little heavy
Hi all. I just bought a new RM-1, which was sent directly to my house from the factory. The seller, John Grimm at Vintage Music in Georgia, assured me that it would be well set-up at the factory, and it was. The action is great, and I have no plan to have it adjusted. I also have a Weber Beartooth and a 1950 Gibson A-50. The RM-1 is prompting me to think about selling one of the others, (which are pretty similar anyway). I love the loud, clear, rich sound of it. It can be slightly harsh if you push it, but you don't need to. Playing moderately softly gives great volume, sustain and tone. I've heard it does even better with Jazzmando strings, but I haven't restrung it yet. Very, very nice. I think National got it right. This is a real keeper.
I got my RM-1 almost 3 weeks ago and am absolutely blown away wowie zowie by this amazing instrument. I play mostly blues/string band music, but already in a couple weeks have sat in with a wide range of folks...I fear no banjo! Also, I've been playing electric slide mando for about a year, but slide on this baby sounds really really sweet. God, I love this box, her name is Margaret, or Mags. Anyway, I do have a question, I'm not exactly clear about how to adjust the action and while I have an inquiry into National about it I thought I'd check here as well. Skip ETA Well, I wrote to national and they directed me to this page http://littlebrotherblues.com/Gear/N...tup/index.html which is all about how to set up a national guitar --which is nice 'cause I got one of those, too-- but is basically easily translatable to the RM-1. After a day hunting for a hobby shop that stocks teensie weensie tools, and finding a teenie weenie saw, file, and allen key small enough to remove the bridgeplate, I lowered the action from the bridge, put some Newtone strings on my baby, and it's simply perfect...low enough to be comfy, high enough to fight back a little and be slideable. This is one fantastic instrument.
I just received my National a couple of days ago from the 12th Fret in Toronto and I love this thing. It has great projection and tone, which I had heard and was the reason I went for it. I think its sound is good enough to cross many genres actually as the wood body, as many have said, really tones down any potential harshness. Right now I'm using it for fiddle tunes and it holds its own very pleasantly. Yahoo. One happy fellow right here! I won't post a pic as I figure there is basically one model and they for the most part look the same. Glad to join the fan club.
Just got back from a brief visit to Elderly and played a RM-1 for the first time. Oh man, that was nice! Not only was I blown away by the tone and volume, but I really liked the fretboard - nut width, radius, oversize frets. The playability was excellent and felt so natural to me (I have big hands). I wish I had the coin, but will have to be patient. They did have a used one, but it had the older style aluminum cover plate, not the aged brass. I can see why you rave about these mandos!
I have put up a Wanted ad on the Cafe Classifieds as I am intent on getting an RM-1 as soon as I can find the right one. Forgive me for not searching before asking, but what does Steve-o refer to in his above post? I had heard that the cover plate changed shortly after the RM-1 was introduced, with an 'antiqued brass' material replacing 'antiqued steel'. I'm presuming that National had good reason to make that change, and would love to get some input from guys who know about these things. Should I be avoiding the early steel models, or perhaps should I even be seeking them out? Any advice will be gratefully obsessed over. ron
Not much of a 'social' nature to this group, apparently.
Hi Ron. I would have replied, but didn't know the answer. I suspect it was strictly a cosmetic change, and a good one at that, IMHO. Why not go straight to the horses mouth and call or email the folks at National? Good luck finding a used RM-1. I am also on the hunt, but need to build my slush fund first.
Thanks, Steve. I think I am going to take the mad plunge and buy one new. Good luck with your fund-gathering. ron
