I just got my very first resonator yesterday. I'm pretty excited about it. I went to the NAMM show in Anaheim in January and played dozens of them from all the major manufacturers who were there. I settled on....
A Martin Alternative II Resonator.
Here's a link:
http://www.elderly.com/new_instrumen...s/ALTX2RES.htm
This guitar was an odd choice I suppose, but it met several criteria I had decided upon:
Single cutaway
On-board electronics
Good acoustic sound
Playable neck
Easy resale
Mfr guarantee
My friends have Dobro's and Nationals. This seemed to work for me. Its not as loud as a Triolian, but that makes it a better match to use with other acoustic guitarists. The Fishman Electronics are quite good.
Its a pretty wild guitar. I don't think there is any real wood anywhere.
This came with a hardshell case at a price that is hard to beat. A National single-cut with electronics would have been a custom shop order at more than double the price.