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Topic: Early National New Yorker electronics - pics |
Fred Kinbom
From:
Berlin, Germany, via Stockholm, Sweden.
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Posted 10 Oct 2007 2:02 pm |
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Hi folks,
I found these pictures on an eBay auction for a non-functioning 1937-38 National New Yorker - the model with the concealed extra pickups.
Very interesting to see the electronics laid out like this, and it would be even more interesting to hear what all the electronics/pickup experts here have to say about it! 
Fred
_________________
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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Gary Lynch
From:
Creston, California, USA
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Posted 10 Oct 2007 4:04 pm
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| That thing could have won the war! |
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Fred Kinbom
From:
Berlin, Germany, via Stockholm, Sweden.
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Peter Jacobs
From:
Northern Virginia
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Posted 19 Nov 2007 7:11 am
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I love how it looks like they just threw it together with chewing gum and baling wire, yet they were able to get these amazing sounds out of these guitars.
The H-shaped block of wood is my favorite component! Or was that officially know as the "bi-lateral, organic-derived, infinite baffle space adjustment platform"? And would it sound better if it were made of bakelite?
_________________
Peter
---------
www.splinterville.com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@splinterville6278/videos |
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Jim Ward
From:
Florida, USA
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Posted 5 Mar 2008 5:55 pm
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I am looking for a schematic for a 1936 or 37 National New Yorker with the four knobs, one master volume and three tone/pickup controls.
I bought it off eBay a while back and it arrived DOA (I forgot to inquire "DOES THIS THING WORK?") Fortunately by replacing the screw-on connector and the master volume control plus a little detox on the other controls it's working great.
While I was working on it I noticed the controls on the left side of the instrument had some black gunk all over the connections. I was not sure if it was insulation that had decayed or something they put on it to keep the competition from figuring out how it was wired, anyway I just left it alone cause it's still working. But, I was thinking it would be nice to have a schematic if I need to work on it in the future. |
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Doug Beaumier
From:
Northampton, MA
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Bill Creller
From:
Saginaw, Michigan, USA (deceased)
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Posted 6 Mar 2008 9:21 pm
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I haven't heard one of those old ones. Mine is 58 years old('50) and I have never had it apart. Like if it aint broke,don't fix it 
Interesting bunch of magnets and coils on that old one. |
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Fred Kinbom
From:
Berlin, Germany, via Stockholm, Sweden.
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Posted 7 Mar 2008 5:26 am
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| Doug Beaumier wrote: |
| I had one of the early New Yorkers with the hidden pickup under the fretboard a few years ago. That PU produced a fairly muffled tone, and it wasn't very useful IMHO. Otherwise it was a real nice lap steel. |
I love that "fairly muffled" sound of the early New Yorker neck pickups! It is for sure not the "normal" steel guitar sound, and has not got much treble, but a very sweet and warm sound. Here is how my 1937 New Yorker sounds through a Fender Blues Junior (mixed with a microphone picking up the acoustic sound of the guitar):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teNXIyye4VU
Fred
_________________
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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Doug Beaumier
From:
Northampton, MA
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Tommy Auldridge
From:
Maryland, USA
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Posted 7 Mar 2008 3:40 pm Found New Yorker
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| A Friend of mine was given one by his aunt. It belonged to his uncle until he died. My friend has no intention of ever playing it, but he is kind of curious as to what it might be worth. I told him I would try to find out from some of you guy's who play them. It's in good shape. The case is not perfect, but it's o.k. Thanks for any info. Tommy A. |
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Fred Kinbom
From:
Berlin, Germany, via Stockholm, Sweden.
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Posted 7 Mar 2008 4:19 pm
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Tommy,
A picture (or the serial number, or both) would help a lot as there were several variations of the New Yorker over the 30+ years it was in production. The most common ones seem to be the late 1940s early 1950s models - they usually fetch between $350-$450 on eBay. I got a good deal on the 1937 one I play in the clip above which I bought for $470. Guitar shops usually list these for about $650-$900 (but the ones priced the highest never seem to sell). Hope that's to some help. Please post a picture of the guitar here (or e-mail me one to: fred AT valterpercussion.com) if you want help to date it etc. If it's a 1930s 7-string I may be interested in buying it myself for a fair price.
Cheers,
Fred
_________________
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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Bill Creller
From:
Saginaw, Michigan, USA (deceased)
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Posted 7 Mar 2008 7:32 pm
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| Some of those I've seen on ebay had the Supro style pickup. I personally like the "square" pickup. The Supro pickup makes the guitar look cheap to me, even though it's an OK pickup. |
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Doug Beaumier
From:
Northampton, MA
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John Bushouse
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Posted 9 Mar 2008 11:00 am
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Jim,
I don't have a schematic, nor do I know how I would go about putting one together. What I do know is there actually 5 pickups, not 3 - there are 4 pickups in the H pictures. The treble knob controls the volume of the two pickups on the treble side (the top two pickups in the H picture above) while the bass knob controls the volume of the two pickups on the bass side (the bottom two pickups in the H picture). The Natural/Haw knob controls the bridge pickup. There are no tone controls to speak of, just volume controls. |
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Bill Creller
From:
Saginaw, Michigan, USA (deceased)
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Posted 10 Mar 2008 6:28 pm
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| Should be interesting to see how that multi-section switch (with the white chicken-head knob) is wired It's one of those "if it works,don't mess with it" types! |
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Jim Ward
From:
Florida, USA
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Posted 11 Mar 2008 8:31 am
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I was looking at that picture and it looks like the bridge/pick was from a 7 string instrument.
I have a 6 sting New Yorker that is missing the bridge pickup. I originally bought the instrument for parts (nice case and tuners) and because it was listed as having no pickups. When I got it, it still had the four neck pickups. I decided try and make it functional.
I have found a bridge that will work with the original bridge/pickup holes and I am going to use a mini-humbucker that can be installed in the existing opening without modification to the original opening temporarily. Hopefully I will run across an original bridge/pickup someday.
If anyone know of or sees an original pickup thats available let me know.  |
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Richard Shatz
From:
St. Louis
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Posted 11 Mar 2008 6:35 pm
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I think this was the last of the series.
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Kirk Francis
From:
Laupahoehoe
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Posted 16 Oct 2008 2:18 pm
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I have a New Yorker which seems a bit of an odd duck. The hand rest is painted brass -- I took it off for inspection. The four screws which hold it down rest on little beveled bezels of the same black plastic (bakelite?) as the rest of the instrument's cladding. The workmanship appears to be of factory provenance as opposed to some individual owner's (or luthier's) custom handiwork. Additionally, when the hand rest is removed, there no evidence of modification -- it looks as though it was made this way.
Gruhn makes no mention of such an arrangement. The closest he gets is describing a "...black-painted wooden handrest/pickup cover attached by 2 knurled nuts...", circa 1939-1942.
FYI, this is not a "hidden pickup" model.
Does anyone have any input about this?
pix of this instrument are available for viewing, courtesy of mr bushouse, at: http://lenscap.smugmug.com/gallery/6313151_eF4Tp//398102111_pQoos
Thanks in advance for any help anyone can offer.
Last edited by Kirk Francis on 20 Oct 2008 9:24 am; edited 1 time in total |
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John Bushouse
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Posted 16 Oct 2008 4:48 pm
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| I know my handrest is chromed brass with the attachments just as you describe. It is a hidden pickup model. Go ahead and send me pics at jbushouse at gmail dot com. |
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