The main thing is not how loud it goes, but the louder it goes the more volume options you have. I have been taking great advantage of this, playing incredibly expressive stuff. Slow airs and waltzes. I found an ultra soft technique, where I pick at too steep an angle to the strings to get a clear pluck, but being a resonator, it still makes a wonderful soft sound. And being an RM-1 there is still some woody tone quality in there. It can be heard, but it sounds like the mandolin is whispering. I use the whisper now and again to contrast to the normal loud, the real loud, and the artillery loud. It reminds me of that singer Adelle. I can go from torch song ballad to intimate voice to whisper, in the same song. Ohhh man. Nobody beats the res.
The National, because of its incredible dynamic range, is just so versitile. It can be very loud, but as you well know, you can play it softly. There is a also a greater difference in the varienty of tone, depending on whether you pick near the bridge or closer to the finger board, than other mandolins seem to offer.
I find exactly the same thing and take full advantage of the terrific dynamic range as well. A great instrument indeed.
