Supro...Which Model???

[Michael Messer]

Thanks for posting the catalalogue page Colin. It's beautiful and quite rare.

Anthony - has your Dual Tone guitar arrived yet?

Shine On,
Michael.

[mirrormist]

Hi Michael…thanks…yes it arrived on Thursday…

I have been busy with a myspace page to showcase my artwork and writings...i am billy no mates at the moment though hahaha

www.myspace.com/mirrormist1


thanks also for the links to the amps…the pics look great…



Hello again Mark…I would guess then that originally they would have been a starter guitar…great info…thanks indeed

Hello Joe…was this the one you remember…I must confess that I haven’t heard any Link Wray…though I plan to check some of his stuff out now



Hello Colin…what a fabulous catalogue…seems that the dualtone was the dearer of the group…I would guess because of the extra pick up and fretboard inlays…wonder what the dollar pound ratio was back then…$3.5 to the £! Perhaps hahaha
To get the model number is an absolute bonus for me…so many thanks indeed

As for my Supro…I expected a few issues with it being so old but am a little worried about the neck…it has a central spine running down the back of the neck which shows some movement (though it seems stable enough)
I am not sure how the back of the neck looks attached to the body so until I take it apart I won’t know…there also seems to be some lateral neck movement though this is very slight though it does affect the low string a little.

Anyway…I have to say initially I was a bit disappointed with the neck problem but hey it aint the end of the world and I really enjoyed myself with it earlier today

Thanks again guys…and any advice short of taking it to the nearest luther would be appreciated…this is a great site…hey where else could you get such superb feedback???


Great stuff!!!

[Michael Messer]

Hi Anthony,

Your guitar looks beautiful.

It looks from the photo like it has taken a fall and done some damage to the neck. Otherwise it is in lovely condition, so you should be pleased with it. It really is very clean.

My advice regarding the neck would be to get it to a good luthier, rather than try to repair it yourself. It could probably do with a set-up as well. Dave King is your man for that job.

If you do ever decide to take it apart, you will have fun with the plastic 'bathroom strip' around the body. Once it comes off it is a devil to get back! Not impossible, but it will test your patience. The neck comes off easily, just undo the two screws and off it comes.

Shine On,
Michael

[Deleted]

Hi Anthony,

Nice guitar!

You were asking about amps: -

Also Michael…can you recommend any period amps to look out for that would go well with the Dual Tone played in a low key (not musical) setting.

If you havn't found one yet I have a small Harmony that may fit the bill. Just been seviced & re-valved and is about 2/3watts. It's 110v. so you will need a transformer - they are about £15 from Maplin.

Let me have your details if you want any more info (send pm with your e-mail, don't post it for the world's hackers to see!)

Cheers, Clive.

[mirrormist]

Hello Clive...thanks for the offer ...i have decided to put getting an amp on the back burner until i get the neck of the Supro sorted out.

Much appreciated...thanks indeed

Anthony

[Anders]

Thank you for the great hi-res scan of the Supro catalog, Colin. I've saved it in all it's glory!

"See back cover for feature details". May I ask what's on the back of the catalog?

Anders

[Colin McCubbin]

And, for the big high rez, full size one, www.notecannons.com/temporary/supro_back.jpg.

Enjoy!

[Colin McCubbin]

BTW for anyone wanting circuit diags or schematics of the Valco era amps, (National, Valco, Oahu, Supro etc) take a look at this yahoo group.

launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/Magnatone-Valco/

[Leif]

I think what you´ve got is a 63-64 martinique,.
I think, regarding the supro name - that it was actually intended for export (trademark reasons), more than being a budget version of the nationals.

[Deleted]

Sorry, my misstake - it´s not the martinique

[Guest]

So, I have one of those Supro Dual Tones, but have a problem with the electronics. Basically, it has a way too low output and the volume and tone controls doesn't work very well; they are almost on/ off switches. Anybody knows what the problem can be? Is it fixable without ripping out and replacing the PU and electronics? Can I do something to diagnose the problem myself? I do not know anything about electronics, but have messed around with guitars. Although I'm surely will end up having professionals take care of the guitar, I like to educate myself first so I know a little about the problem.

PS: mirrormist, how's the Supro doing? Sorted the neck out and found an amp?

[mirrormist]

Hi…hope you manage to get your electrics sorted…hopefully you will get some good advice in here

As for my Supro…the neck is still as was…I am thinking perhaps the truss rod was a later addition as all others that I have seen don’t seem to have one…so maybe that is the reason for neck condition… there are some signs that indicate the neck has been worked at some time. I enjoy playing the guitar so even though I consider I probably paid too much I am none the less happy with my acquisition. I would like to get the correct white selector switch cover and may at some point (if one comes on the market) purchase a replacement neck but am not inclined to purchase a period amp for it at the moment.
To sum up I’d rather have it than not.
There have been a few on us ebay and one I saw went for quite a bit of dosh…it didn’t have a Supro logo on the headstock…I noticed that the holes securing pin holes were in a different position…since realised it wasn’t a Supro (in name at least)…guess the seller took the logo off to pass it off as something else…from memory I think it may have been an airline version of the same guitar. Others in this forum more informed than I will probably know the model…anyway I guess the moral of the story is if something looks odd it probably is.
It was an impulse buy....perhaps i need to be less impulsive and research a little better in future ;D

Best wishes

[Michael Messer]

Hi Guest,

Welcome to our forum.

Old electric guitars can suffer from various problems - it could need the pickup re-winding, or new volume & tone pots', or both. Without actually seeing it, I cannot do a proper diagnosis. I recommend you take it to a good electric guitar repairer who is sympathetic to old instruments and keeping their originality. Let me know where you are based and I, or someone on this forum will recommend you to a good person.

They are lovely guitars, but finding a clean one with everything in good order is not easy these days.

Shine On,
Michael

[G]

Thanks guys,

cleaning the pots and adjusting the PU height did improve the output and sound.

[Deleted]

Hi, I had my martinique -63 for about ten years now.
and I just love the way it sounds - although I´v re-arranged the circuit a bit for a bridge, bridge+neck or neck configuration with 3way switch and the volumeknob for for the silvertonebridge to blend in with any of the mag p-u configurations