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Post by jromano23 on Jan 4, 2024 2:01:54 GMT
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Post by Michael Messer on Jan 4, 2024 10:11:57 GMT
 Hi Joe, I have not played a Sonora, but I have spent a lot of time with a 1948 National Aristocrat, which essentially is the same guitar with different pickups. I think the dealer has the wrong date. I'm not 100% sure, but I think it is a 1941 guitar. The blade pickup is telling me that. These are very nice guitars and if the Sonora is a Gibson built instrument, like the Aristocrat is, then it's a cheap way to get a Gibson arch top guitar. However, I think the Sonora may have been built by Harmony. I can check that for you. Personally, I would not pay 3000 USD for it. I think closer to 2000 would be about right. Shine On Michael |
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Post by hawgwash on Jan 4, 2024 10:14:39 GMT
Pretty dang cool guitar - very nice 👍🏻
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Post by biscuit on Jan 4, 2024 12:52:32 GMT
These are very nice guitars and if the Sonora is a Gibson built instrument
According to the description it was built by Kay (?)
FWIW, the f-holes are also larger than on the Aristocrat/ES 300.
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Post by Michael Messer on Jan 4, 2024 13:02:29 GMT
These are very nice guitars and if the Sonora is a Gibson built instrument According to the description it was built by Kay (?) FWIW, the f-holes are also larger than on the Aristocrat/ES 300.
My mistake. It is because Aristocrat was definitely built by Gibson and there are pretty much the same instrument. This is the 1948 National Aristocrat built by Gibson.    Shine On Michael    |
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Post by biscuit on Jan 4, 2024 13:15:14 GMT
This is the 1948 National Aristocrat built by Gibson.
Which I had the pleasure of owning until last year  |
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Post by jromano23 on Jan 4, 2024 14:02:03 GMT
Thanks, all. I believe I read somewhere that the Sonora has the same Kay body and appointments as the Aragon. The electronic setup looks interesting too with a volume and blend as the two knobs, not that dissimilar to the early Fender Broadcasters.
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Post by Mark Makin on Jan 5, 2024 8:43:20 GMT
The Sonora is exactly the same instrument as the Aragon. Made by Kay in the late 1930s/early 40s. They were issued by the original National Dobro company before the war, not the later Valco company who were responsible for much of Nationals later archtops. The neck, fingerboard markings, headstock and tailpiece are the same as the Aragon. The f holes are in a different place on the Aragon to allow for the cone. The Sonora seems to claim the honour of being the first electric arch top to be fitted with 2 pickups. Thiss became a common feature after the war - about 5 years after this was built. All these early twin pickups, like the 1946 Gibson built Aristocrat that Michael mentions all had volume and sweep knobs to blend the pickups
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gfirob
Serious MM Forum Member
Posts: 22
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Post by gfirob on Feb 17, 2024 2:52:00 GMT
I really enjoy the meticulous amount of detail in this post. Thanks.
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Post by jromano23 on Apr 6, 2024 15:52:17 GMT
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