I play mainly acoustic lap slide, but I just played a bit on the first lap steel I bought - a 1947 National New Yorker (serial no. V 2200) - and it is a joy to play! I haven't even plugged it in - such sustain!
It's a bit worse for wear but a very pretty instrument too. The fretboard is quite unusual - not painted but plain brass with the coloured Roman fret numbers.
One thing that is a shame is that the National logo is missing. So I was wondering if anyone has a spare National logo from this era (blue/red/silver, I believe)? It would be great if anyone has one for sale!
All the best,
Fred
Last edited by Fred Kinbom on 10 Apr 2007 2:31 am, edited 1 time in total.
Fred, those logos were fastened to the headstock with just two brads. So it's a wonder if any of them still have the logo. When I got this one it only had one brad left . .
Best of luck finding the logo, there has to be one somewhere . .
Hey Fred...That is one great looking instrument...I noticed that you have left the screw on plug in on it to...I think that is good...when I met David Lindley & had him autograph my green/white National Dynamic, he said to leave that like it was, to only change to a quarter inch plug in if I had a problem with the instrument...you can also get the screw on adaptor that will let you use any regular guitar cord...I have 3 or 4 in case I lose one...Terry V.
PS...I also like the look of the NY'er standing up against the Lazy River..."Life Is Good".
You're lucky if you find a National with a logo. Any National! My two favorite bottleneck guitars are early 50's archtop Nationals. Both were missing their logos when I bought them. I was able to find a repro of the plastic script logo for one of them. I scrounge around at guitar shows looking for the logo for the other. 5 years, and still lookin'!
Last edited by John Billings on 10 Apr 2007 1:11 pm, edited 1 time in total.
So I guess I will just have to resign myself to maybe finding one, somewhere, someday. It's not the end of the world. Should one surface I would probably be outbid by a collector anyway. My New Yorker just cost me $375, got some nicks but sounds great.
Rick - my goodness! - I checked out your "Big Steel Museum"! Have you still got all those guitars or are some guitars that have passed through your collection over the years? Wow!
Out of curiousity, what serial number is your 1947 New Yorker? Mine's V 2200.
Did you hear the story that the reason for the plexiglass pickup cover on the 1947 model is that Valco were producing B-24 Liberator nose cones during World War II, and had heaps of leftover plexiglass after the end of the war when guitar production commenced again?
This isn't what you're looking for but I bring it to your attention anyway-----I came across this a while ago and filed it away in my brain for possible future needs:
Mine is a '50 model s/n X842. Dont know when the "X' came about. My old National amp has an X in the s/n also, same year.
I have a National flat-top dreadnaught also, model 1155 s/n X6929, 1951. The logo plate on the flat-top is a larger metal plate than the steels have.
National used a LOT of different logos on their various guitars. I really love my archtops. With a good setup, they're really good guitars. Very under-rated. National didn't make the bodies, but whichever company did, they were very near first rate. My blond non-cutaway is a true jazzer, with nothing touching or cut into the top. Plays great and sounds wonderful. My cut-away Debonaire, with a Lollar rewound pup, is a killer. If you get the chance to buy one cheap, do it!
According to your list Rick, my Newyorker is 1951. I bought it in the fall of '50, September.
John, do you know the model number of your arch tops?
They made a model 1100 "California",an 1110 "Aristocrat", and two they call carved tops, models 1135, and 1145.
Your guitars have the magnesium neck, and bodies by Gibson if my research is correct..
My National Electric-Hawaiian (the first model shaped like a New Yorker) has the National logo engraved in bakelite, white on black. The frets and Roman numerals are done the same way.
PJ