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Post new topic New to me Supro. Information request...
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Author Topic:  New to me Supro. Information request...
Todd McMakin

 

From:
Texas, USA
Post  Posted 28 Mar 2023 5:30 pm    
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I just picked up this Supro at a local shop. I can't find a S/N on it but it appears original. I played it against a Gibson and a Rick and liked this one best. Any information on these is appreciated. Do these have models? Also, how do you find the date of manufacture?

Also, what's the general consensus on these?






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Todd McMakin

 

From:
Texas, USA
Post  Posted 28 Mar 2023 8:18 pm    
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Okay, so I've been researching! It appears to be a Supro Supreme and from what I can tell, maybe made in 1951? The S/N plate has a number that seems to not really fit into the S/N lookup scheme. But my guess is 1951.

It's in great shape and with a little cleanup should look even better.

Still interested in any additional information or thoughts here.
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Jerry Overstreet


From:
Louisville Ky
Post  Posted 28 Mar 2023 9:00 pm    
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Certainly no authority here, but these were made by Valco for Supro and several other brands as well. Covering lovingly? referred to as MOTS [Mother of Toilet Seat]. Kind of a low budget instrument at the time.

I don't really have any more information than that.

We have this guitar in a Chicagoan model National. It plays and sounds really good.

Those pickups sound great. Enjoy that guitar.

I 'spect several people here have history on these.
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Noah Miller


From:
Rocky Hill, CT
Post  Posted 29 Mar 2023 1:59 am    
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Model 1400 Supreme. The light pickup cover and dark fretboard date it to the first half of the 1950s, but it can't be narrowed down to a specific year. Dating the pot codes may help.

The tuner buttons are replacements. Very common on these old Kluson tuners because the originals crumble over time.


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Todd McMakin

 

From:
Texas, USA
Post  Posted 29 Mar 2023 2:30 pm    
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Thanks for the great replies! How do folks generally feel about these. The reviews I've seen online have been fairly sparse.
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Noah Miller


From:
Rocky Hill, CT
Post  Posted 29 Mar 2023 5:05 pm    
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Todd McMakin wrote:
Thanks for the great replies! How do folks generally feel about these. The reviews I've seen online have been fairly sparse.


There are a million of them out there (and a million more similar-sounding steels from the same manufacturer), so perhaps folks take them for granted, but they're perfectly fine steels. Not fancy, not expensive, but great instruments nonetheless. Their bright sound has been used extensively in rock and blues; not so much for Hawaiian music, but really you can play any style on any steel.
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Bob Womack


From:
Virginia, USA
Post  Posted 30 Mar 2023 2:18 am    
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Congrats on the new guitar!!!

Bob
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