Johnson JM-991 Tri-Cone

The body of this guitar is an exact --- I mean EXACT --- copy of the original National Style 1 tri-cone resonator. The body is made of bell brass, with a heavy nickel plating just like the originals. The T-bridge is cast aluminum like it should be. The bridge and nut, now that's a different story... the bridge was supposedly maple, but it looked more like balsa wood to me, very soft and light, and a tone killer. The nut was surely one of the worst I've ever seen on a new guitar, some sort of light, spongey plastic, not bone as these are often said to be (maybe some, but not mine). The fretboard is actually very good looking, darker, smoother, and denser than the rosewood board on my National, but the neck is finished in an ugly satin that hides the grain. However, after 6 months of constant playing, the back of the neck is now polished glass smooth, revealing a very attractive and good quality grain in the mahogony neck. Fret markers are very colorful samples of mother-of-pearl. The Gotoh tuners are nothing fancy looking, but are some of the smoothest and surest machines I've had the pleasure to twist.

These are nice sounding instruments as is. They can be made jaw-droppingly beautiful with the now well-known hot-rod modifications: a new nut, an ebony capped bridge, and new cones. I've modified mine. Straight out of the box, I felt the sound was a little muted, muffled, and just didn't have the ring I expected. So, I replaced the cruddy nut with one of brass (and raised the action a little by doing so), I replaced the bridge with a ebony capped maple one, and installed National Resophonic cones. This guitar now rings with tones from heaven. It's warm, rich, multi-layered, and rings with metallic tinged harmonics so that hitting a chord is never the same twice. Talking from three feet away in normal voice sets it humming. Truely amazing! My rating is for the instrument after modifications...before the changes I would have given it an 8.

Set-up was pretty bad. The action was too low, and crooked. The biggest finish flaw was the fret dressing. There wasn't any! These things were like the edge of a tin can along the side of the neck. Really some sharp edges, like they'd just been sheared off with metal clippers and that's it. The good thing is that they wear smooth quickly. Just by lots of playing they have become almost as smooth as a nicely finished guitar. The peg head is poorly designed, because the strings come at the nut from really odd angles and the second and fifth strings touch the tuning posts of the sixth and first strings, which shouldn't happen and might rob some tone.

The guitar is soundly built. I have not noted anything weak about the neck attachment to the body as some have mentioned. It looks and feels solid to me. The nickel plating is thick and flawless as far as I can see.

Never needed to deal with them and it's probably a good thing because I wouldn't have a clue how to contact them.

I love resonators, and I have and love a National also, so that has to be kept in mind with what I'm about to say. Let's break down the elements that combine to yield a resonator guitar's sound and tone: the body layout and material...well, the Johnson is nickel plated bell brass so it should have the same tonal capabilities as any other high quality brass resonator, the T-bridge is cast aluminum just like any good one. The bridge, nut, and cones are subpar, but when refitted with a good bridge, a brass or bone nut, and N-R cones, what other factor could keep these modified Johnson from playing second fiddle, soundwise, to a National or Beltona or any other top end and unquestionably awesome-sounding resonators? Cosmetically the Johnson still and will always fall slightly short, so you just have to decide if your buying a resonator for looks or for sound. The mods cost me and additional $300 on top of the purchase price. For $900., I have a tri-cone that sounds as good or better as ANY, from any manufacturer, that I've heard. It's not just close, it's right on the money. Yeah, the peg head says Johnson and won't impress anyone. Some reso-snobs will always snub these Johnsons, but I'm telling you, close your eyes and you can't tell the difference when you play it, and I've saved over a grand. It's been said before by another reviewer, but right on brother and I'll repeat it again, most of us who love these instruments are playing some sort of blues, music invented by poor guys in the rural south...most of them didn't play Martins, they played workhorse cheap guitars that they could afford, that sounded OK, and did the job. I would have loved to be around if some well-off city guy had walked up to Son House and said "Oh my! You actually like playing that $30. Duolian?! Wouldn't you really like a fine Martin?" Son would have looked at the guy like he was crazy. It ain't what you play, it's how you play it!!! These Johnson JM-991's feel awful good in your lap and sound just fine, don't let anybody make you feel like you're not resonating the blues if you play a Johnson.

This is a good value,make no mistake. For those players out there with a case of guitar aquisition syndrome (GAS),this tricone will put less strain on spousal relations while feeding your addiction. I picked mine up at Elderly Instruments in Lansing, Mi., a trip akin to going to Mecca for guitar players. You are afforded the opportunity to traipse from instrument to instrument and compare to your hearts content, which I did for several hours. Nationals, Dobros,Johnsons,Regals are all well represented. I was looking for a good guitar for slide, with gobs of volume and that nasty tone associated with metal body guitars. This guitar was my final choice of 15 instruments.

This is a secondary instrument for me. I keep in in open D, but have had it in open E and standard tuning on occasion. It sounds good miked, but I have no plan to add a pickup. The JM-991 has plenty of volume bare-fingered, and when using fingerpicks, it really barks. Very cool tone. I am used to 14 frets or more to the body, so I still slap the body with the slide on occasion, but I'm getting used to it. (I have a Flinthill single cone with a musch warmer tone and 14 frets to the body)

The setup was fine out of the case, and the case is semi-hard nylon affair that I would have purchased separately had the guitar not come with it. This is very durable and protects well. I'd be comfortable letting the airlines have their way with it. The only issue I have with the overall workmanship is rough edges on the fretwire. Poorly finished. I didn't notice it at purchase as I was sliding around on it and not fretting over the top of the neck, After I had it home and experimenting in standard tuning, I noted the problem.

Durability? This is a tank. I added a strap button to the heel of the neck. I'll have no problem using this on a gig... The only alteration I've made, as I have to all my acoustics is replaced the strings with D'Adarrio medium flattop strings, something the manufacture should consider.

I've never had any contact with the manufacturer, but I do minor repair work myself, and anything major, I'll use it as an excuse to drive back to Elderly's for the day. Standard warranty.

I've been a banger for 25 years. Other instruments include Taylor 810,Flinthill resonator,Alvarez 12-string, U.S.made B.C. Rich electric, Stelling Whitestar banjo, and the ol' baby taylor mahogany.

This instrument was made in china . It has a twelve fret mahogany neck (there was a little finish cracking where the neck joins the upper bout on the body ) with a dull brown satin finish , which gives the instrument a balanced look considering the body is made of a brass alloy with chrome plating . The plating is superb ( unlike my style "o" , which was a little uneven on the corners ) . It has medium frets and a flat fretboard . I play with much lower action than the average slide player and this guitar felt good straight from the case . Gotoh tuners are installed and it is pretty stable , even when it goes through three tuning changes in a 50 minute set . Came with a hard case .

I play blues solo or with a band . I play completly acoustic ( using only a mic ) or full on electric with distortion and effects ( delay and compression ) . I play with a slide 80% of the time . These guitars are really best suited for slide playing . This guitar sounds good mic'ed . It's comparable to the National guitars it emulates , lots of sustain and string to string definition . I amplify my guitars with Lace Dobro Sensor pickups in the neck position and Highlander piezo pickups mounted on the bridge . I route the magnetic pickup to a Mesa Boogie DC-5 50 watt 1x12 combo . The highlander goes straight to the PA . These guitars will feedback easily if you get crazy with the gain , but if you can get them dialed in right you can get great even response . Playing the instrument hard produces a great grungy distortion by over-driving the resonator cone with vibrations from the brass body . Add a little stompbox distortion ( sparingly ) and things can get out of hand pretty quickly . This can be good or bad , depending on personal taste . I dig it .

Came with a good setup . Strings were 11's , phosphor bronze . I like a nickel 12 set , but that's me .

I have a Johnson Style "O" guitar that I've been gigging with three or four times a week for going on three years now .I bought this one three months ago and outfitted it just like the style "O" . It plays great and sounds great . The chrome is wearing off the style "O" where my arm touches the guitar , and where I've sweated on it . This will no doubt happen to the tricone as well . There is nothing to be done about it , and actually , it's kind of cool looking . All the old Nationals look the same way . I am a guitar player , not a guitar collector . If your dobro stays pretty looking , it means you're not playing it enough .

I bought my tricone from Bryan Gibson of WWW.BRYANSMUSIC.COM of Chapel Hill , NC . Bryan himself answered the phone and was extremely courteous and helpful . The manufacturer extends no warranty (that I know of ) , but the store offers 21 day return on defective stuff . Pretty cool .

I think these Johnsons are the number one best bet for a slide guitar . I don't see paying $2300.00 extra for something with the word National on it . Which one do you think Robert Johnson or Son House would have chosen ?

This is a nickel plated brass bodied tri-cone style guitar, a pretty close reproduction of a vintage National. It was handmade in 1998 in the Czech Republic, or at least that is what the sticker says. The fretboard is flat with 11 1/2 frets clear of the body. Tuners are Gotoh? and the neck is supposed to have been made of mahogany but appears to be maple or something, anyway it doesn't look like any kind of mahogany i've ever seen when you look at the raw wood. The finish on the neck is a plug ugly dull natural stain finish or something.

Well i bought it for slide and lap style playing, blues and country. As it came from the factory the bass response was really weak but otherwise it sounded pretty good, at least no one complained. It really had a great steel sound playing lap style with finger picks and a stevens bar. For slide blues it was ok but just lacking a little something. As far as i could tell it didn't really sound like a tri-cone was supposed to. I inspected the inside of the guitar and guessed the back was not vibrating like it should. After slicing out a neck stick to back of body brace, i got the right bass sound. I then replaced the stock cones with real national ones and replaced the bridge insert with a maple/ebony capped one and it really came alive. With the mods it sounds pretty close to a real one with more rich harmonics and a louder sound. The installation of the national cones really affected the different sounds of the instrument. Before, there was a little difference in sound depending where you picked. Now, it sounds like 3 different instruments. Play up close to the neck and you get a very "dobro-ish" and hawaiian sound. Play in regular position and you get a bluesy steel sound. Up by the bridge and it almost sounds like and old amplified lap steel. The same goes as to whether you use bare fingers or finger picks. My only complaint was the flat fretboard, even though i use it for slide. I compensated for this by rounding the bridge and nut. I'll rate the sound for this after the changes, before i would have given it about a 6.

Not many flaws as far as i could see except for the ugly neck and that was not a flaw. It was made that way.

I guess it would be reliable, i mean it weighs a ton and it's made out of brass so what could happen to it. You could kill some by beating them over the head with this thing. The nickel finish discolors easily if you play hard and sweat on it but i understand this is a characteristic of all nickel plated instruments.

There is no customer support from the manufacturer. You would have to deal with the store you bought it from.

Well, i've been playing for real almost 9 years and have since buying this one bought a couple more steel body guitars. Also own an older Dobro and 49 fender lap steel. If it were gone i would probably get another just like it. The "unusualness" of it is great. There are not many of these around so most people look at it out of curiosity. And beside that, even though it is a reproduction it is just simply a work of art. The price puts these into the hands of people who would never have been able to buy a real one or play it anywhere. An $1100 instrument i can get on stage and play. A $3000 instrument, not likely.