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CrowBear Schmitt · Post by **CrowBear Schmitt** » 5 Jan 2011 6:42 am

Greetings & a happy healthy swingin' new year to ya's

Has anyone ever seen or heard of a National tricone " Sky King " ?
there's one on ebay & i was wondering if it was original or a custom renovation from back then

Thanx fer yer input

http://cgi.ebay.com/SKY-KING-RARE-CUSTO ... 3cb3f34a22

Richard Shatz · Post by **Richard Shatz** » 5 Jan 2011 8:13 am

"Sky King" was a Saturday morning kids tv show in the early to mid-50s. The lead character, Sky King, was a Texas rancher who flew an airplane and used it to solve crimes and catch the bad guys.

Steve Branscom · Post by **Steve Branscom** » 5 Jan 2011 9:35 am

Notice how the neck does not flow into the body like the '29's and 30's normally do. That would give me pause to ask about the dating of the instrument as the 30's. It does look interesting though.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 5 Jan 2011 10:59 am

I remember Sky King from my childhood daze.

"The adventures of Sky King... and his niece Penny"

A 1950s airplane cowboy who would fly around Arizona in a Piper Cub chasing desperados. I remember the show well. It was one of my favorite TV shows when I was about 8 years old. It was in glorious black and white on a tiny screen.

Bill Creller · Post by **Bill Creller** » 5 Jan 2011 11:01 am

Doug, you are cordially invited to join the geezer's club.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 5 Jan 2011 11:05 am

Thanks Bill, I'm happy to be here!

John Billings · Post by **John Billings** » 5 Jan 2011 2:54 pm

Started on the radio in '46.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sky_King

These guys are talkin' 'bout it too;
http://www.guitarseminars.com/gs/viewtopic.php?t=5826

David Ball · Post by **David Ball** » 5 Jan 2011 3:16 pm

The airplane looks a lot more like Lindberg's plane to me than it does a Piper. I'd bet that "The Sky King" doesn't have anything to do with the TV show (yeah, I used to watch that one too...). Looks like it could be original to me, or at least an old custom re-do. The guitar looks old. Maybe National maybe someone else.

Dave

HowardR · Post by **HowardR** » 5 Jan 2011 4:12 pm

The theme song to Sky King was pretty cool also.....Danny Gatton did a killer version of it.....and I suppose that it would sound great on steel also.....(hint hint).....

Jason Hull · Post by **Jason Hull** » 5 Jan 2011 4:39 pm

Steve Branscom wrote:Notice how the neck does not flow into the body like the '29's and 30's normally do.

I don't know what you mean, because that's exactly what a round-neck National looks like. I wouldn't hesitate to buy this one. It's cool, and unique, and, being a National Tri-Cone, it will sound great too. I'll be surprised if it doesn't sell for more than $3K.

Richard Shatz · Post by **Richard Shatz** » 5 Jan 2011 5:11 pm

Doug Beaumier wrote:I remember Sky King from my childhood daze.

"The adventures of Sky King... and his niece Penny"

A 1950s airplane cowboy who would fly around Arizona in a Piper Cub chasing desperados. I remember the show well. It was one of my favorite TV shows when I was about 8 years old. It was in glorious black and white on a tiny screen.

Doug, So you're in your 6os and watched Saturday morning tv. I was in love with Penny. She never returned any of my love letters.
Clipper did. What's that mean?

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 5 Jan 2011 5:43 pm

Yeah, Penny was pretty hot. I never understood why she was there. Probably just eye candy for the show.

Kirk Francis · Post by **Kirk Francis** » 5 Jan 2011 6:00 pm

Where is "Niece Penny" these days, anyway?

That said, this instrument appears to me to be a fine example of P.T. Barnum's brief stint as a luthier.

Mark MacKenzie · Post by **Mark MacKenzie** » 5 Jan 2011 7:40 pm

Twin engined Cessna 310. About as different from a Piper Cub as a Fender Champ to a Fender Twin. Well, I scratched my head too at that simile.

Anyway, much more airplane and, oh yeah, another engine. No offense, Doug.

So how does the 50's TV show motif get on a 30's guitar? Have to admit it is really cool...

Richard Shatz · Post by **Richard Shatz** » 5 Jan 2011 8:06 pm

Doug Beaumier wrote:Yeah, Penny was pretty hot. I never understood why she was there. Probably just eye candy for the show.

She would fly around in her single engine plane trying to help Sky King and would usually get in some deep doo doo and need to be rescued.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 5 Jan 2011 8:37 pm

Where is "Niece Penny" these days, anyway?

It's amazing how much info is on the internet! Her name was Gloria Winters and she passed away last August at the age of 78.

Mark, thanks for the info on the plane. I don't know one plane from another, as you can probably tell.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 5 Jan 2011 8:54 pm

Ah... now I know why I liked this show so much!

CrowBear Schmitt · Post by **CrowBear Schmitt** » 6 Jan 2011 1:03 am

yep ! i remember watchin' sky king as well

can we get back to the geetar ?

Jason Hull · Post by **Jason Hull** » 6 Jan 2011 3:56 am

CrowBear Schmitt wrote:can we get back to the geetar ?

What geetar? I'm stuck on that rack!

John Billings · Post by **John Billings** » 6 Jan 2011 5:56 am

He flew a T-50 when the series began on TV, but I don't know what he was "flying" in the 40's radio show.
Note that the guitar does have a serial number stamped on the top of the peghead. But some of the guys at the guitar site I linked to, are callin' "Fake." It has been sold.

CrowBear Schmitt · Post by **CrowBear Schmitt** » 6 Jan 2011 8:05 am

the auction has been pulled
so it probably is not original after all

let's close her up !

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