The Steel Guitar Forum

I have a New Yorker with serial number V5833, which according to Doug Beaumier's post, was made in 1947. Doug, what is the source of your knowledge? Info on the National acoustics is in Brozman's book, but I am unaware of a source for National electric steel dating.

Thanks

Almost certainly his information is gleaned from Gruhn's Guide to Vintage Guitars by George Gruhn and Walter Carter. It's a very valuable resource for information on guitars, banjos, mandolins, amplifiers, and lap steels made by the major US companies.

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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

Hi, Bob. Your New Yorker is definitely a 1947. It must pre-date mine (V6102) by just a few weeks.<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Ian McLatchie on 07 April 2000 at 08:41 PM.]</p></FONT>

Bob,

Below is a list of National serial numbers that I posted last October. Thank God for the "cut and paste" and "search" functions! The list does not include numbers from the 1930's.

Yes, these come from Gruhn's book:


Valco/National serial number plates, 1941 - 63 (from Gruhn's Guide to Vintage Guitars)
The number ranges shown are approximate

1940 - 42 ----------- G suffix
1947 ---------------- V100 - V7500
1948 ---------------- V7500 - V15000
1949 ---------------- V15000 - V25000
1950 ---------------- V25000 - V35000
1951 ---------------- V35000 - V38000 X100 - X7000
1952 ---------------- X7000 - X17000
1953 ---------------- X17000 - X30000
1954 ---------------- X30000 - X43000
1955 ---------------- X43000 - X57000
1956 ---------------- X57000 - X71000
1957 ---------------- X71000 - X85000
1958 ---------------- X85000 - X99000
T100 - T5000
1959 ---------------- T5000 - T25000
1960 ---------------- T25000 - T50000
1961 ---------------- T50000 - T75000
1962 ---------------- T75000 - T90000
G100 - G5000
1963 ---------------- T90000 - T99000
G5000 - G15000
1964 ---------------- G15000 - G40000


1964 - early 68 ----- sticker w/"1" prefix
early to mid 1968 --- sticker w/"2" prefix


dougb
www.dougbsteel.com

I'm a little embarassed. The National serial number info was right under my nose in the Gruhn/Carter book. Guess I was so used to the lack of info on Fender steel serial numbers that I developed a mental block. Thanks for all your help, guys.

By the way, I was the one who bought that mint Fender DeLuxe 8 from Duane's Music last week. It's a sweetheart.

Has anyone established a method of dating Fender steels by serial number?

According to Fender, as shown on their web site:
Q. "Do you have any information on my old Fender steel guitar, mandolin, violin or banjo?"
A. When Fender was purchased from CBS in 1985, CBS did not transfer any historical information on steel guitars, mandolins, violins, or banjos to us. To try to establish the production date of your instrument, you must search for a date on the neck or in the control cavity of your instrument. Although we do not have comprehensive historical information on these instruments, we may be able to offer you some assistance or refer you to an alternate source for information. For assistance, please contact our Consumer Relations Department at 480-596-7195.


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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

My new New New Yorker is V14671 Am I lucky or unlucky. that bugger is OLD. Did they make
8 string models in those days?
Porter

1948, Porter? That's older than I am!

b0b we need all of the young steel players we can get. I thought you were retired
Porter