National Reso-Phonic Style O 14-Fret Resophonic Guitar New

The 12-fret Style O is National Reso-Phonic’s flagship model, but a large contingent of resonator guitar aficionados have a soft spot for the 14-fret version. The original guitar was introduced in the late 1930s but it became more visible in 1985 when Mark Knopfler pictured it prominently on the cover of the Dire Straits’ Brothers in Arms album. The 14-fret body makes it easy to reach the higher frets and many players think the smaller body produces a tighter, more focused tone than its 12-fret sibling. It has a nickel-plated brass body and a tone that is as iconic as its appearance.

The original Style O was designed to be heard acoustically in the noisiest circumstances. It was originally built for Hawaiian-style guitarists, hence the tropical imagery etched into the top and back, but blues and country musicians soon discovered its utility. These days, the Style O is very popular with guitarists who play bottleneck-style slide but musicians who play 1920s jazz, old-time country and jug band music find the guitar’s powerful sound hard to resist.