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Topic: A unique semi-New Yorker |
Noah Miller
From:
Rocky Hill, CT
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Posted 8 Jul 2014 6:53 am |
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I found this on Guitar Center’s website for $250 and decided to take a gamble.
At first I thought that someone had modified an old New Yorker or done a home-made homage, but upon closer examination it appears to be cobbled together from various early Valco/National-Dobro parts. The multi-layer plastic top, the tuners, the pickup and controls appear to be taken from a New Yorker (with modifications to the plastic top). The headstock and hard-wired cord look like they came from a low-end model like the Waikiki or Princess, and the rosewood fretboard looks like it was modified (bound and lengthened) from the first-generation Waikiki as well. The nut is the only part that looks suspiciously non-Valco, so it may be a replacement. As for the body shape… well, maybe someone was drunk at the factory.
My best guess is that it was built during the War years or shortly after to use up spare parts. The lack of a logo is a bit odd; there are no tack holes indicating that it ever had one. No serial number, either. Fortunately, everything works perfectly. The pickup is the first-generation string-through unit with separate coils for each string, and it's loud and clear. The steel needs a good cleaning and new strings, and the wooden pickup cover has broken along the glue joints (as they often do); worst case, 20 minutes to fix the whole thing up. The case is the same shape as my New Yorkers' cases but covered in black instead of the usual tweed.
Ever see one like this? As far as I know, this is a one-off steel. With National/Valco, just about anything is possible and there are lots of oddballs out there. |
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Jack Hanson
From:
San Luis Valley, USA
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Posted 8 Jul 2014 7:49 am Perhaps it's a Jerseyite?
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| Looks like a pretty good score for $250.00, Noah. Almost as good a deal as that Century you picked up a while back. |
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Fred Kinbom
From:
Berlin, Germany, via Stockholm, Sweden.
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Posted 8 Jul 2014 7:58 am
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I've never seen another one like that either Noah.
I think you're theory about it being pieced together from various parts in the factory during the war years is very likely. Maybe some worker built one for himself from parts of different guitars that were around as spares for one reason or another? That could explain the lack of a logo. Just guessing - very cool find!
Cheers,
Fredrik
_________________
www.fredrikkinbom.com - New lap steel album out now - listen here: fredrikkinbom.bandcamp.com/album/songs-for-lap-steel-and-harmonium |
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Noah Miller
From:
Rocky Hill, CT
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Posted 8 Jul 2014 8:10 am
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| Jack Hanson wrote: |
| Looks like a pretty good score for $250.00, Noah. Almost as good a deal as that Century you picked up a while back. |
This is why I browse GC's vintage inventory every day. I found that Century, a K&F, my Frying Pan, and a host of guitars & amps for great prices in the last few years. I think it's partially because their staff aren't great at pricing vintage pieces, and partially because their customer base doesn't care too much about obscure vintage gear.
| Fred Kinbom wrote: |
| Maybe some worker built one for himself from parts of different guitars that were around as spares for one reason or another? That could explain the lack of a logo. |
That occurred to me, too. I took the pickup off to see if there was any writing inside (I was secretly hoping for something like "R. Dopyera 1943") but there are no marks at all. When I get home from work I'm going to try to read the volume pot code. |
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Jamie Mitchell
From:
Nashville, TN
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Posted 8 Jul 2014 8:35 am
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So what's the story with the pickup, phase wise?
I've always wondered about the ones where the pole pieces jump back and forth like that.
Is each string out of phase with the one next to it? |
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Noah Miller
From:
Rocky Hill, CT
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Posted 8 Jul 2014 8:48 am
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The poles are offset because each one has a separate coil, and they wouldn't fit side by side. This is a pic stolen from another thread:
I'm guessing that they're all in phase. The 6-string and 8-string versions might be true humbuckers, but it's hard to tell without unwinding the coils. I have a 7-string version on my '42 New Yorker; you can't have a hum-cancelling pickup with an odd number of coils, but the entire assembly is wrapped in stainless steel so very little noise gets through regardless. This pickup uses the same side magnets & paramagnetic plates as the later string-through units, but it sounds darker and a little hotter. |
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