dating/id'ing national amp

[Deleted]

Greetings and best wishes! I just bought a National amp and am looking for any info on it. It has: 12" field coil National Dobro speaker; 3 rectangular sound holes in front of increasing height left to right (not the rounded off rectangles); however the cabinet corners are rounded off; tweed; taller than wide; 5U4, 2-6G6,
2-6SC7, 2-6J7 w/metal tops; a metal national shield tacked into front (top left); 2 instrument in's with a volume control; 1 microphone with a volume control; all controls on back; no other controls except on/off toggle; chassis in top portion of cab; back says 'Manufactured by N-D-C, 400 So. Peoria Street, Chicago, Illinois U.S.A." If I was more hip, I'd have a way to take a digital photo! BTW, it sounds great as a hamonica amp. I've been playing it bridged, that is, mic into instrument 2, instrument 1 connected to microphone input -- can use both volume controls and mix the somewhat different sounds -- I hope this can't harm it! Thanks for any information. I'm guessing late forties to very early 50's. No model name or number. A small plate at bottom of rear says "2226G" -- Thanks again. I love it.
--John

[Michael Messer]

Hi John,

Your amp sounds like a beauty! As far as identifying it goes....we really do need to see some photos of it, or of something similar. Have you seen anything on the Internet that looks similar? .Try www.notecannons.com, there's a few National and Dobro amps on there. I think the sheild on the front would put it later than you have estimated, but I can't say much without seeing it....or something similar.

Keep in touch

Shine On,
Michael.

[michael messer]

Michael, thanks for the reply.
The amp looks "similar" to the first amp in the "later models" on notecannons. The shield is the same (with the hands) and in the same location. On the front, the heads of the 4 "bolts " that the speaker attaches to indside are the same. It has 3 fromt openings like that one, but as I said, in a different geometric pattern.
Anyway, I know that's not much to go on. I'll try to find a digital camera. Be well. --John.

[Deleted]

Here's a link to an amp that has a very similar "look "to mine.

www.tonecraftamprepair.com/html/body_national_dobro.html

As I said, my amp's sound holes are verticle rectangles. Similar to this amp, the top of the front is kinda blank because the sound holes don't ned to go that high.The square venting openings on the top of the back are the same, too. Mine has a flat back; the one at the website seems to have an angled back.

Like I said, I'll try to get a photo of mine.

[Michael Messer]

Hi John,

That is what I thought you meant. To do a difinitive ID we need a couple of photos...front & back. Your amp does appear to be a mid 50s National, but the model name....I await the pics!

Shine On,
Michael.

[Deleted]

Michael, I now have a couple of jpg's but I'm not sure how to get them into a forum message (copy/paste doesn't seem to work; click/drag doesn't either). I could attach them to an email, but I don't see an email address for you. You should have an email address for me from when I registered. Perhaps you can email me and I can reply with the jpg's?? You certainly can feel free to use the amp photos any way you wish. --John

[Michael Messer]

Hi John,

To view jpegs on this forum you have to upload your pics to another website ...PhotoBucket is a good one, and then link to them. If you do a search there is a whole thread about this subject. It is a bit confusing at first, but once you get the idea it is really simple to upload a pic to a website and link it into this forum.

If you have a try and still have problems, I will give you an email address to send the pics to.

Shine On,
Michael.

[Deleted]

Link to photos:
www.photobucket.com/albums/c252/wyoharpguy/
Thanks so much for the help!