Rory Gallagher: A National Triolian Resonator Guitar, 1930,

guitar 39in (99cm) long

Footnotes

"I can tell you, it brings power to your hands, you move from that neck to the Strat and it's like running your hands across a jelly."
- Rory Gallagher

Rory bought this guitar while on tour in the USA in 1973. He used it primarily for blues acoustic numbers, notably his performance of 'As The Crow Flies' in the Irish Tour '74 film.

Irish Tour '74 was the sixth solo album released by Rory Gallagher. It was well known that Rory rarely enjoyed going into the studio to make records. Whereas he thought recording a live album was essential to get the real energy needed for a record. Speaking about Irish Tour '74, keyboardist Lou Martin said: "With Rory, if he didn't have somebody to look at then he couldn't feed off the energy. That's why Irish Tour is such a good bloody album because it was recorded live, he got the crowd there with him singing along and sort of like urging him along... without the presence of an audience the recording process for Rory was a bit of a strain."

Rock film director Tony Palmer filmed many of the concerts on this tour. He originally planned to use it for a television special, but he later found the footage so good that he released it as a theatrical motion picture.

"I got it from a guy in the States. You get these travelling guitar salesmen going around there. I got it for a very reasonable price-about £100 or something. I feel it sounds better than the steel-fronted model. The only disadvantage is that the Dobros and Nationals with the two or three resonators join at the 14th fret and mine joins at the 12th, but its something that you can live with. It's got more of a banjo sound and it's got the old classical machine heads...The National is really good though, even for a beginner to pick it up and play it, it almost plays you. I can tell you, it brings power to your hands, you move from that neck to the Strat and it's like running your hands across a jelly."
- Rory Gallagher, International Musician, 1977.

"It's a National Duolian...I got that in America and it's a superb guitar...So I used it on 'Empire State Express'. Actually, I recorded that in the drum booth. I sat down where the drummer would sit and we used the drum mikes which have a different character. So I made it as responsive as possible."
- Rory Gallagher, Good Times, March 1993.

Live performance
Rory Gallagher, 'Secret Agent,' Me & My Music, RTE Studios, 1977 www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7jyJkXyjfY.

Exhibition
'The UK Guitar Show', Olympia, London, UK, 2018.
'Born To Rock', National Museum of Ireland in Dublin, Ireland; Harrods, London, UK, 2006-2007.

Literature
Eamonn Percival, 'Rory Gallagher', International Musician, April 1977.
Bob Brozman, The History And Artistry Of National Resonator Instruments, Centerstream Publishing, 1993. (This instrument is listed in the W (Walnut Finish) series of metal-bodied Triolians.)

National Guitars:
National guitars started production in the late 1920s and are best known for their resonator guitars. National revolutionised the guitar world by incorporating metal cones within the body of the instrument, amplifying its volume and giving it a sustaining metallic tone. These National Resonators became extremely popular among blues and slide guitar players, offering a sound that could cut through the mix in both acoustic and amplified settings. The resonator's bright, sharp tone contrasts with the warmer sound of traditional wooden guitars, making National instruments a favourite for genres that demand a distinct sonic presence, such as Delta blues and early country music. Today, National guitars are celebrated for their historical significance, craftsmanship, and enduring influence on American music.