The first National Triolians were an introduced in 1928 as a cheap tricone model but only around 28 of these three cone models were made before National switched the design to a single cone. The original National Triolians had a wood body with twp flat cut f-holes and 12 frets to the body (19 frets in total) fingerboard. They had a green finish which was usually oversprayed with another color on the body neck, fingerboard, and peghead. The bodies also had decals (a bouquet design or for later models a hula girl design). In 1929 steel bodies replaced wooden bodies. In 1933 the f-holes changed to a rolled edge process. In 1935 the fingerboards were 14 frets to the body (20 frets altogether).