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Topic: New D-8 Day! |
Paul Honeycutt
From:
Colorado, USA
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Posted 19 Dec 2013 3:52 pm |
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It just arrived a few hours ago. It's a National D-8 from 1954 from what I can tell. It's rough. The tuner buttons are disintegrating and it needs some TLC. But, the pickups are loud and strong! The paint is chipping in places and I may have it refinnished sometime. I'm not sure yet. It's not a priority.
I'm sure I'll have plenty of questions over the next few months. First of all, it needs tuners. I'm going to replace them with metal button tuners so no one in the future will have to deal with the plastic disolving. I'm looking at Grover Deluxe Kluson-type tuners as they should be a direct replacement. I may restore the tuners it has on down the road and either keep them with the guitar or pass them on to someone else restoring a National.
The tone knob is frozen. Is it a three position switch or a regular tone control?
Where can I get cream colored rubber feet for the legs? I'm sure I can find black easily enough, but if I could find the original style, I'd be a little happier.
That's all for now!
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Mark Eaton
From:
Sonoma County in The Great State Of Northern California
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Posted 19 Dec 2013 4:40 pm
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Pretty cool! 
_________________
Mark |
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Len Amaral
From:
Rehoboth,MA 02769
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Posted 19 Dec 2013 5:17 pm
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| Looks like cool guitar. The white rubber tips are available at Home Depot but not sure about diameter sizes. |
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Blake Hawkins
From:
Florida
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Posted 19 Dec 2013 7:09 pm
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You can unfreeze the tone control with a drop or two of penetrating oil on the shaft. Just remove the
knob and apply a drop with a toothpick. |
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Tom Pettingill
From:
California, USA (deceased)
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Paul Honeycutt
From:
Colorado, USA
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Posted 19 Dec 2013 9:48 pm
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| Thanks for the tip, Blake. Will something like Liquid Wrench work, or do I need something more specific? |
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Blake Hawkins
From:
Florida
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Posted 20 Dec 2013 5:18 am
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Liquid wrench is fine. It is what I use.
After it soaks in, you can replace the knob and carefully nudge it a bit until it is free.
Then exercise it some and it should be OK. |
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Paul Honeycutt
From:
Colorado, USA
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Posted 20 Dec 2013 3:46 pm
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I pulled the plate all of the electronics are on today. I pulled and cleaned the knobs with soap and water and they look like new. I sprayed out the tone and volume and neck selector switch with contact cleanter. I can get the tone control to move, but it's real stiff. It looks like some kind of three position rotary switch or an open pot. I'm not sure.
I really don't think this guitar has been opened up in 60 years. The metal plate cleaned up a little, but there's some corrosion on the top. I'm not sure it'll come any cleaner. One of the pickup covers had some kind of glue or something spilled on it. I used naptha and a scraper and it came off with little visable damage. That made me feel good. If I can't make it better, at least don't make it any worse! |
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Larry Phleger
From:
DuBois, PA
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Posted 21 Dec 2013 11:22 am
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| Those old Nationals are really cool. I have a T8 console, and it is a great player. I changed the amphenol plug to a standard 1/4" jack. I believe Scotty's Music sells replacement tuner buttons if you decide you want to keep the original tuners. Good luck and have fun. Merry Christmas. |
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Paul Honeycutt
From:
Colorado, USA
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Posted 8 Jan 2014 9:10 pm
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Those of you who have original National D or T guitars, what color is the switch tip on the neck selector? I want to match the knobs, but top hat switch tips in cream are scarce and expensive (compared to barrel tips). I have an extra black tip from when I built my Esquire I can use for now. But I was wondering how they shipped back when they were made.
Now if any of you happen to have an extra cream top hat switch tip hanging around, let me know. |
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Jay Fagerlie
From:
Lotus, California, USA
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Posted 9 Jan 2014 4:46 am
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| I have a 1949 model and the switch tip is black. |
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Larry Phleger
From:
DuBois, PA
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Posted 9 Jan 2014 7:17 am
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| All knobs on my 1955 T8 console are cream colored. |
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Brad Bechtel
From:
San Francisco, CA
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Chris Rice
From:
Illinois, USA
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Posted 9 Jan 2014 7:50 am
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Mine is from '49 and has a black tele tip, but it may not be original.
The tone knob is a 2-position clickless switch. Mine has a black chicken head knob on it, and a round black knob on the volume.
As the tuner buttons disintegrate, I've replaced them with the cream buttons from StewMac. From 2 feet away, they look the same, and the modern plastic will (probably) not fall apart like the old stuff. In this closeup, I think 2 of the buttons are replacements.
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Jay Fagerlie
From:
Lotus, California, USA
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Posted 9 Jan 2014 9:40 am
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Nice setup Chris!!!
I also play my Grand Console through my '63 Bassman...I go into a pair of 4-10 open back cabs...saaawwwwweeeeetttt!!!!! |
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Chris Rice
From:
Illinois, USA
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Posted 9 Jan 2014 9:59 am
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| Great through the Bassman, but my favorite gig rig is my '66 B-15! |
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Jay Fagerlie
From:
Lotus, California, USA
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Posted 9 Jan 2014 11:11 am
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PortaFlex rules!!!!
I had a chance to buy one a decade ago and passed on it...I am STILL kicking myself over that decision.....  |
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Chris Rice
From:
Illinois, USA
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Paul Honeycutt
From:
Colorado, USA
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Posted 10 Jan 2014 2:04 pm
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Mine has cream knobs and a three way switch. I found a vintage cream top hat tip on ebay for under $10.00 shipped. Barrel tips are easy to find and cheap, but the top hats are a bit scarce.
Now to replace the tuners. Anyone know where I can get 16 Grover 136N tuners for less then $100? I want to get metal knob tuners so no one will ever have to deal with tuner buttons that disintigrate over time. |
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