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Topic: 1939 -------------- Lap Steel |
Ben Elder
From:
La Crescenta, California, USA
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Posted 1 Nov 2014 7:18 pm |
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Sorry I mentioned it.
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"Gopher, Everett?"
Last edited by Ben Elder on 13 Nov 2014 11:03 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Lee Holliday
From:
United Kingdom
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Posted 2 Nov 2014 1:45 pm
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Nice guitar but a few pointers.
This an early one circa 1935 with the single pot.
The bridge is normally rosewood.
It has been sprayed as opposed to a colour tint.
The price may have to reflect all of the above with a non original case.
Good luck Lee |
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Ben Elder
From:
La Crescenta, California, USA
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Posted 2 Nov 2014 2:43 pm
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xxx
_________________
"Gopher, Everett?"
Last edited by Ben Elder on 13 Nov 2014 11:04 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Lee Holliday
From:
United Kingdom
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Posted 3 Nov 2014 1:39 am
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Ben not wishing to come across as too condescending but the clues are all there (true the finish may be original and the internet can play tricks on the eye)
There was a period of evolution of these guitars as they got better, Tone & Volume knob, longer fingerboard, palm rest, adjustable pickup height etc.
Not withstanding that yours is an early one with the short or normal length fingerboard of 19 frets, one pot, no palm rest and a non adjustable pickup.
They were cast between 1935-37 by what is believed to be a jobbing slush casting firm (not Rickenbacher).
The serial number leads into the Chicago L series of 1938/39, however, however this list is largely a continuation of ??? list as there is no reason for the numbers to start above 9700 as it is currently known, if yours is lower then we start to get the picture of when and where, if it is higher then without chatting with the Dopreya,s (again !!! yes I have met the son) it may be a leftover from the early days stamped up in 1939 as National/Dobro corp were clearing out to make Liberty bomber parts for WW2.
Anyway this is as good an advert for the book Palm Trees, Senoritas and rocket ships by Mark Makin which sheds light on all these things.
Also this discussion keeps your thread from falling into page 2.
Regards Lee |
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Barry Fagan
From:
Columbus, Ohio, USA
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Posted 12 Nov 2014 7:40 pm
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Ben, I've been researching the 1935 National lap steels & I note that, unlike all the other short scale examples that I've seen, the cast in tailpiece on yours has slots to hold the strings rather than holes. The holes are seen on mine, Ralph Czitrom's, C.E. Jackson's, and Lee Holliday's previous National, (see photos in Ralph Czitrom's thread & my thread.) National did make guitars with slotted tailpieces, but they usually have only the single volume control, the jack on the side of the instrument, & a height adjustable pickup, with 2 knobs on the face of the instrument. Any evidence that your instrument has had those holes filled in?
Yours also lacks the gold paint in the depressions on the face of the instrument, although that could have been anything from a factory oversight, to a refinish, to an over-enthusiatic cleaning. Also tuner knobs are white plastic & not plated like the majority of others. (Again, could be a post-factory modification.) |
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