Close to Helvetica
Out of context: Reply #68
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- gramme0
Well, it was mentioned before, but when I think of a friendlier grotesque, I go to National. Just started using it this year, and it's gorgeous. The thing you have to get used to is that the letters are small, i.e. short. Not a short x-height mind you, but I'm finding I have to set it .5 to a full point larger than I usually would for a sans of average construction. Beyond that though, it's space-efficient and very well kerned. The various figures and small caps are a nice touch. In fact, to me it's like a much more evenly-colored Akzidenz. Personally, I hate Akzidenz for text; the unevenness of weight between the capitals and the lowercase is distracting and even under great conditions, it looks like poor inking.
See recent issues of Eye Magazine for great use of National. I think they also use Newzald there, another good one from Klim.