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Topic: 1939 National Sonora electric guitar |
Noah Miller
From:
Rocky Hill, CT
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Posted 15 Nov 2023 10:16 am |
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Up for sale is a National Sonora built around 1939. This is a very historically important guitar, as it was the first model to feature two pickups. It's also exceptionally rare; few were built, and even fewer survive.
The guitar features a 17" hollow body built of laminated spruce and maple; it was largely built by Kay, and National added the electronics and other hardware. Unusually for an old Kay, the neck remains at a perfect angle and does not appear to have been reset. The neck is also very straight; there's no truss rod, but the chunky profile has kept it from warping. There is only minor fret wear, so the guitar has excellent playability all the way up the neck. There are no cracks or other structural damage or repairs, just the normal finish wear you'd expect on a guitar in its seventh decade.
The original screw-on jack was replaced with a standard 1/4" jack. Like other National electrics of the time, the jack is located on the bass side of the lower bout. Other than some routine setup work, this is the only repair or modification that has been done. The pickguard is missing, as is the original bridge; all the other hardware appears to be original. There is one volume knob and one blend knob that allows you to select either pickup or anything in between. Both pickups have strong output, and the pots both work very well. The sound is big, warm and woolly, like many of the classic jazz boxes of the period. The guitar comes with a modern (non-original) case.
Altogether, a very playable, fully functional guitar, and a great piece of history as well.
I'm asking $2500 including shipping within the US.
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Jim Saunders
From:
Houston, Texas, U.S.A.
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Posted 15 Nov 2023 5:24 pm Hey There
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| As I recall, Barney Kessel played one of these early in his career. |
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Geoff Cline
From:
Southwest France
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Posted 18 Nov 2023 4:08 am
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This is SO COOL…the Memphis Minnie pickup AND an original blade pickup! This when it sucks to live in France.
Good luck with sale. Someone is going to get a rare gem. |
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Noah Miller
From:
Rocky Hill, CT
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Posted 18 Nov 2023 4:24 am
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| Minnie never played the big humbucking pickup. She played a New Yorker with the blade pickup in the bridge, and later an Aristocrat with a smaller pickup at the neck and a "Bridge-Tone" unit inside the bridge. |
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Geoff Cline
From:
Southwest France
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Posted 19 Nov 2023 1:36 am
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| Noah Miller wrote: |
| Minnie never played the big humbucking pickup. She played a New Yorker with the blade pickup in the bridge, and later an Aristocrat with a smaller pickup at the neck and a "Bridge-Tone" unit inside the bridge. |
OK. I thought the blonde no f hole guitar had the same pickup as yours (in the bridge position). Live and learn. Your guitar is still very cool. |
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Noah Miller
From:
Rocky Hill, CT
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Posted 17 Mar 2024 4:40 am
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| Bump! |
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