Wooden bodied National information

[Deleted]

Hi, new here.
I just read on note cannons that the wooden trojans didnt have neck sticks until after 1937, Mine is a '34 (serial# Z498) and has one! maybe it isnt a trojan?
any info would be greatly welcomed, cheers,Josh
hopefully you will see some pictures etc.

[1928triolian]

Hi Josh, I have the very same guitar, serial# Z1748, all mahogany.
It has a "neckstick" as yours has, but it is a false neckstick, meaning that the guitar has a dovetail neck joint, and not the neckstick construction typical of National guitars ( neck and neckstick as one piece)
It is definitely a 1934 National Trojan, I couldn't say if it has been made by Harmony or Kay or Regal. I think Mark Makin could be able to state this?

1928

[Mark Makin]

Hello Josh
Yes, your guitar is definitely a TROJAN. I think the 'long f hole' version like yours was made by Kay. They have either Z or (very rare) D serial prefixes.The lowest so far recorded is Z069 and the highest is Z2287. Harmony made the more usual Trojans in the T number series.These are known from T167 to as high as T4762 so far. Quite a lot also occur in the Chicago A series around 1938.
It seems National would sub contract a 'type' of guitar to a number of different constructors. The request might be for a:-
"14fret instrument, made of birch, mahogany laminate, f holes, 9" cone resonator with tailpiece to be called a TROJAN"
Each of the manufacturers would then have their own take on it - so that accounts for two or three 'same but different' instruments.
National did the same thing with "Havanas" - made by both Kay and Harmony. Also 'El Trovadors' - originally Kay, the last years production were made by Harmony.
Any help?

Incidentally (useless piece of information No 1!!) the TROJAN was originally discussed by the National board as early as 1932 and was originally going to be called the VIOLIAN.

[Deleted]

Thanks for the info 1928
Hi Mark and Thanks for the information too, I always love to find out as much as I can about stuff I own (I am in Ironbridge btw.) I went down to buy a slide from Diamond bottlenecks and he said you were more than a little knowledgeable on the subject of Nationals , we ended up talking about making bridges from old school rulers..

[Mark Makin]

Very useful thing - an old school ruler!!