Comments wanted on old National

HowardR · Post by **HowardR** » 9 Dec 2000 2:33 pm

The bar is definately a Nick Manoloff bar.

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Steve B · Post by **Steve B** » 10 Dec 2000 1:14 pm

I have the same guitar. The only difference on mine is the metal logo at the top is different, & mine has the old style screw on jack. How would you put a date to the serial number? Mine is X8000.

Post by **Brad Bechtel** » 11 Dec 2000 9:29 am

According to my interpretation of Gruhn's Guide to Vintage Guitars, a serial number of G20958 would mean a manufacture date of 1964, while a serial number of X8000 would be from 1952. The guitar in the picture appears to be a National Chicagoan, which was supposed to have been made between 1948 and 1960.

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Brad's Page of Steel:
www.well.com/~wellvis/steel.html
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars

Post by **Brad Bechtel** » 11 Dec 2000 4:23 pm

Sort of confusing, isn't it? I've found that Gruhn's Guide is the best source for this sort of information, but most companies didn't really track their lap steels as well as they did their higher end instruments. The confusion could be my misinterpretation of the description given in Gruhn's Guide, or it could be that National made a few extra lap steels in years other than those listed in Gruhn's. Either way, it's a very nice looking lap steel in good condition.
Clay Harrell has a list of serial numbers from Gruhn's book for those who are interested.

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Brad's Page of Steel:
www.well.com/~wellvis/steel.html
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars

Ian McLatchie · Post by **Ian McLatchie** » 12 Dec 2000 11:47 am

Brad:
Nope, no misinterpretation on your part. My Gruhn guide definitely says the Chicagoan was introduced in '48 and discontinued in 1961. There are many of these instruments with serial numbers dating them to a later period, though - I've owned two supposedly from a year or two this side of 1961. The Chicagoan, along with the later National Dynamics and the Gibson BR-6, is the ultimate garden-variety lap steel - there are still thousands of these things out there. I do love that treble clef fretboard.

Al Marcus · Post by **Al Marcus** » 14 Dec 2000 9:58 pm

I had a 6 string National New Yorker back in about 1939? It was sleek and beautiful with Black and white , Mica? I don't remember all the details, It had a great sound and I played it until I got a Vega Double 8.

It was a very classy and impressive little steel at the time..Happy Holiday Season...al