National New Yorker for sale. Question/ opinions

[resonatadog]

Hello if you’ve time check this out 4 minutes into video National New Yorker $3000 in your measured opinion is this a good price ?

[leeophonic]

Start with the negatives, No case, non original frets, tone & volume knobs non original, Bridge non original, so you have a lovely 40's Jazz box of player grade, if you want it buy it but not sure it is a bargain my Epiphone electar is more original and with everything aside from the strings as it left the factory, but buy what you desire, I would say a good price for the seller and do not think that putting money in means you will get it back (repairs time etc) as that is part of the cost of the hobby/fun, if you do you have done well.

Here is my preferred option

[snakehips]

Hi there !

I used to have one of those exact models.
No, it’s not either guitar model that Memphis Minnie had.

The tuners have either had the buttons replaced, or the actual set of tuners under the metal covers have been replaced. What I do know though is that a “standard” modern Kluson 3-on-a-strip set of tuners fit these guitars and the original National metal covers fit over completely - and no one will be able to tell you have fitted modern, dependable tuners.

I’d definitely want him to record a snippet of the “raunchy tone” because the guitar pickup tone on my guitar was very thin and low signal.
In fact, despite loving my guitar, I sold it because the pickup was so useless.

Despite that, I bought a fairly cheap 1942 National Princess, about 18months ago - basically the same guitar but with F-holes and the same pickup. Unfortunately, the pickup in this one was even worse !

I have always hated bridge pickups - I always play the neck pickup, or at most, both pickups, if they have them, or the middle pickup, if three pickups. A bridge-only pickup leaves you limited to a trebly tone only, in my opinion - which is another big reason I sold my New Yorker.

Condition of the guitar for sale : it looks heavily worn, in the playing area - a turn off for me personally (especially if spending that amount of money). I really don’t think the scratch-plate is original. It should be black with a white wide outer band - basically a larger white layer under the top black layer.

If you really fancied a guitar like this, there are one or two others online in much better, and original condition.
The link below is one I’ve been lusting over, for quite a while, but still just managing to say no to, for all of the above stated reasons about those pickups. This is the one to go for if you really wanted one of these guitars. It looks ALL original to me, other than the original screw-on connecter on the bass side has been removed (and sympathetically the hole filled in) - and a jack socket has been placed in the usual treble side. It’s VERY difficult to find those screw-in connector cables - and they stick into your arm anyway ! A daft idea in circa 1940-42 !
Here it is :

reverb.com/uk/item/73179705-early-1940-s-national-new-yorker-electric-archtop-blonde?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=20304708451&utm_content=campaignid=20304708451_adgroupid=_productpartitionid==merchantid=101084551_productid=73179705_keyword=_device=m_adposition=_matchtype=_creative=&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAADRxZYWM1D7fwWgXMXf7xAS6s939N&gclid=Cj0KCQiArrCvBhCNARIsAOkAGcXF_ilMIUjmb90tmMivBbvR0O68hcRz3bZLlojK3UmyVwGIwH9RNboaAqSsEALw_wcB

[snakehips]

Hi again !

I was sure I had seen a youtube video of one of these guitars before, and being quite surprised it sounds fairly good.

I did a search on youtube for National New Yorkers and found this :



Curiously, now I think it looks the same as the guitar you have seen for sale BUT with a different bridge AND what looks like possibly the original control knobs. If the knobs are not original, they are a darn side closer in appearance to the original knobs (see the originals on that Reverb listing again !).

THEN, I saw the other youtube video - possibly by the current owner of the guitar, now selling it.



I'm not convinced the guitar has done the best job possible, restoring the guitar - or whether it was even needed.

To be fair though, the pickup sounds fairly OK on both videos.
Did you notice in the more recent video, the guitar feeding back quite a few times ??
I suspect the pickup has quite a weak signal - so the guy has to turn his amp quite high, just to get half-decent volumes.

[resonatadog]

Truth to tell I was checking out the sellers word, as I had my qualms about the guitar. But one of his admirers bought it. Still he’s a gifted musician and a good guy, but the American entrepreneurial spirit can’t be quashed

[hawgwash]

That is really nice looking that there guitar - nice .