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Topic: National Dynamic vs New Yorker differences? |
Rob Anderlik
From:
Chicago, IL
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Posted 16 Aug 2017 6:40 am |
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| Curious if anyone here has experience playing vintage National Dynamic and New Yorker lap steels? I see a lot more New Yorkers for sale and I'd love to hear from anyone who has played a bunch and had a chance to do the a/b comparison, especially as it relates to sound and playability.[/b] |
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David M Brown
From:
California, USA
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Posted 16 Aug 2017 6:54 am
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I wish I could answer - the pickup and electronics on the New Yorker are slightly different than those on my National Waikiki model.
The New Yorker seems to have a larger pickup and a tone switch. |
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Doug Beaumier
From:
Northampton, MA
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Posted 16 Aug 2017 7:37 am
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| Quote: |
| I see a lot more New Yorkers for sale... |
More New Yorkers were made. National made the New Yorker for nearly the entire run of the company... late 1930s until 1967. The pickups changed over the years. Early New Yorkers had hidden pickups under the fretboard. Later ones had a large square pickup and some a rectangular pickup. Some had the Valco string-through pickup. I've owned a couple of them, and one had a string-through pickup. That was my favorite one. Wish I had kept it.
If you're in the market for a New Yorker, I suggest that you ask a lot of questions about the electronics. There have been a few threads here about problems with the electronics, the wiring, the hidden pickup, repair issues, etc.
I've never played a Dynamic so I can't comment on those.
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Last edited by Doug Beaumier on 16 Aug 2017 10:51 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Rob Anderlik
From:
Chicago, IL
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Posted 16 Aug 2017 8:02 am
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| Thanks Doug. I've got a 54 Dynamic now which I dearly love. I'm hoping to hear from anyone who has done the a/b vs the New Yorker. It sounds like that's a little more complicated than it appears at face value due to the different pickups National used over the years they made those guitars |
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David M Brown
From:
California, USA
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Posted 16 Aug 2017 8:48 am
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| Doug Beaumier wrote: |
Some had the Valco string-through pickup. I've owned a couple of them, and one had a string-through pickup. That was my favorite one. Wish I had kept it.
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| Rob Anderlik wrote: |
| It sounds like that's a little more complicated than it appears at face value due to the different pickups National used over the years they made those guitars |
Evidently so - the Nationals I've owned and played were the string-through pickup. Lollar makes a very nice reproduction of that pickup. |
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Nathan Laudenbach
From:
Montana
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Posted 17 Aug 2017 5:49 am
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| I have played three different Dymanics and Three different New Yorkers. The New Yorkers were by far superior in my experience in tone and construction. I was comparing a friends cast aluminum Clinesmith and a New Yorker with the big square pickup, and I was shocked by how good the New Yorker sounded. |
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Rob Anderlik
From:
Chicago, IL
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Posted 19 Aug 2017 7:50 am
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| Thanks Nathan. I hope I get a chance to play a New Yorker sometime soon. I love my National Dynamic, so maybe I'd like the New Yorker even more! |
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David M Brown
From:
California, USA
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Posted 19 Aug 2017 9:35 am
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| Nathan Laudenbach wrote: |
| I have played three different Dymanics and Three different New Yorkers. The New Yorkers were by far superior in my experience in tone and construction. I was comparing a friends cast aluminum Clinesmith and a New Yorker with the big square pickup, and I was shocked by how good the New Yorker sounded. |
That's a pretty good review for the "big square pickup" model New Yorkers. I may have to keep an eye out for one. |
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Nathan Laudenbach
From:
Montana
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Posted 19 Aug 2017 7:28 pm
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| I'll admit that playing three New Yorkers is a tiny sample size, but they all sounded great! |
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Einar Baldursson
From:
Stockholm, Sweden
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Posted 20 Aug 2017 12:05 am
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I can only vouch for the New Yorker as a very user-friendly steel with excellent tone. Mine has 2 pickups and the tone control works more like a blend between the pickups. The sound I usually go for is warm and rich with nice mids and this one delivers.
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https://youtube.com/@steelguitar |
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