National Reso-Phonic, based in San Luis Obispo, CA, is recognized as the principal “torch-bearer” of the resonator instrument-making traditions.

During their first few years in business for themselves, they were unable to afford the tooling needed to build metal guitar bodies, but eventually succeeded in putting their steel-bodied Delphi and brass Style O models into production in 1992.

Their output now includes an impressive range of resonator guitars, mandolins, and ukuleles made in steel, brass, and wood. The Delphi single-cone has been a perennial bestseller for National Reso-Phonic, and is available as a “standard” version, and a “Delphi Vintage Steel” model as featured here.