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Basement find

jimmi

jimmi

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Oct 8, 2012
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2,078
Ok,not a Gibson exactly (though it does have kluson tuners) but wanted to share the nice find from my father in laws over the weekend.

Single pickup National guitar from the 50s:
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Guitar was kind of funky cool. The best part was the amp. A 50s Supro Spectator.....and it works!!! Very sweet sounding amp..like a slightly suped up champ.

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jimmi

jimmi

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bigsby'd said:
Probably also has Gibson strap buttons. Old National electrics sound amazing!
Click to expand...

The amp sounds great...especially with the wrap tail gold top. I have some work to do to get the guitar functional. Looks like the pickup is actually a single coil. The neck is one of the thickest I have ever seen. Makes an r8 feel like an Ibanez.
 
Jeff West

Jeff West

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Jul 29, 2002
Messages
878
Very soulful looking duo. I've got '52-'54 Supro and Bronson Singing Electrics with some of the same appointments. One was from Rrockin' Robin! Pickup is single coil but with two alnico slugs to the side of the coil, not underneath, I believe. Some are wound to 9 or 10K, with AWG44 wire according to Jason Lollar, IIRC.

These #s might apply to that little plate on the back of the head:

Valco/National serial number plates, 1941 - 63 (from Gruhn's Guide to Vintage Guitars)
The number ranges shown are approximate

1940 - 42 ----------- G suffix
1947 ---------------- V100 - V7500
1948 ---------------- V7500 - V15000
1949 ---------------- V15000 - V25000
1950 ---------------- V25000 - V35000
1951 ---------------- V35000 - V38000 X100 - X7000
1952 ---------------- X7000 - X17000
1953 ---------------- X17000 - X30000
1954 ---------------- X30000 - X43000
1955 ---------------- X43000 - X57000
1956 ---------------- X57000 - X71000
1957 ---------------- X71000 - X85000
1958 ---------------- X85000 - X99000
T100 - T5000
1959 ---------------- T5000 - T25000
1960 ---------------- T25000 - T50000
1961 ---------------- T50000 - T75000
1962 ---------------- T75000 - T90000
G100 - G5000
1963 ---------------- T90000 - T99000
G5000 - G15000
1964 ---------------- G15000 - G40000

Jeff
 
jimmi

jimmi

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Messages
2,078
Thanks, this is good info. Serial # is x3419x so looks like a '54...interesting. Must be something about that year for me as I have several guitars from that year. I will check the out put.

Any idea about the amp year?


Jeff West said:
Very soulful looking duo. I've got '52-'54 Supro and Bronson Singing Electrics with some of the same appointments. One was from Rrockin' Robin! Pickup is single coil but with two alnico slugs to the side of the coil, not underneath, I believe. Some are wound to 9 or 10K, with AWG44 wire according to Jason Lollar, IIRC.

These #s might apply to that little plate on the back of the head:

Valco/National serial number plates, 1941 - 63 (from Gruhn's Guide to Vintage Guitars)
The number ranges shown are approximate

1940 - 42 ----------- G suffix
1947 ---------------- V100 - V7500
1948 ---------------- V7500 - V15000
1949 ---------------- V15000 - V25000
1950 ---------------- V25000 - V35000
1951 ---------------- V35000 - V38000 X100 - X7000
1952 ---------------- X7000 - X17000
1953 ---------------- X17000 - X30000
1954 ---------------- X30000 - X43000
1955 ---------------- X43000 - X57000
1956 ---------------- X57000 - X71000
1957 ---------------- X71000 - X85000
1958 ---------------- X85000 - X99000
T100 - T5000
1959 ---------------- T5000 - T25000
1960 ---------------- T25000 - T50000
1961 ---------------- T50000 - T75000
1962 ---------------- T75000 - T90000
G100 - G5000
1963 ---------------- T90000 - T99000
G5000 - G15000
1964 ---------------- G15000 - G40000

Jeff
Click to expand...
 
Jeff West

Jeff West

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Joined
Jul 29, 2002
Messages
878
Jimmi- The amp is also by Valco, I believe, and has a similar metal serial number plate pinned on the back. Can also get into the component date codes, of course. The tubes and the filter cap are accessible without even opening up. . .
Does it have a field coil speaker?

You may well have yet another '54 item with that one . . .
 
jimmi

jimmi

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Joined
Oct 8, 2012
Messages
2,078
Jeff West said:
Jimmi- The amp is also by Valco, I believe, and has a similar metal serial number plate pinned on the back. Can also get into the component date codes, of course. The tubes and the filter cap are accessible without even opening up. . .
Does it have a field coil speaker?

You may well have yet another '54 item with that one . . .
Click to expand...

As you surmised the plate is very similar. X5478x is the number so close, '55 amp.

It does still have the original speaker.

So now my vintage collection consists of:
1948 Silverstone acoustic (no idea of model as the sticker is gone......my grandfather bought it when he was discharged from the marines in '48)
1954 National ?model
1954 Les Paul Model goldtop
1954 Les Paul conversion
1955 Les Paul conversion
1955 Supro Spectator amp.

So most very close in manufacturing years. I have been in the market for an hollow body. Wonder if I can find another one from the same year range?
 
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Otto 57

Otto 57

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Nov 19, 2009
Messages
1,345
This is funny, I found a National 335/345 style guitar the other day. It looks like its from the early '60s. Has two humbuckers, odd shaped f-holes, switches instead of knobs, split parallelogram inlays (like a 345) and is walnut color. It still belongs to the guy who bought it new in the 60s. The neck is thin.
 
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