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Post by Mark Makin on Feb 10, 2020 12:11:44 GMT
Yes they did.
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Post by Mark Makin on Jan 28, 2020 22:32:43 GMT
Exactly so Andy. It looks like a small semicircular basin with a 2 or 3 inch pole in the middle touching the bottom of the bowl. The bridge is on top of this. The diameter is slightly smaller than National or Dobro cone so the hole in the body top has to be increased as well as constructing a well. I’m sure these also appeared as S.S. Maxwells.
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Post by Mark Makin on Jan 28, 2020 8:39:53 GMT
Hi Andy, these instruments were marketed as Kay built “Recording Kings”. - amongst other names. They were fitted with Schireson upturned cones and tall bridge posts. Interestingly, they are the same body shape and f holes as an El Trovador - also made by Kay and I have seen a few of these modified into an El Trovador copy. It is not an easy fix because the Schireson cone suspends from the top of the body like a Dobro cone so this instrument has no cone well in it!
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Post by Mark Makin on Jan 19, 2020 9:35:34 GMT
Hello finger lickin, these guitars were only made in solid red, black and cream when they were first made in 1956/7. Later instruments were issued in pearl versions of the same three colours. So you can only have 6 types. Any other colours are re- finished instruments. The first 1133s had a metal logo badge pinned on the left side of the white scratchplate. It also had a foil name sticker on the headstock. When the Valco company went into liquidation in 1968, many parts from these instruments were hastily assembled and sold in 1968. They usually never have logos and stickers. As yours does not have any pinholes on the scratchplate, I would surmise that this is one of those assemblies that sometime after 1968 was also re- painted
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Post by Mark Makin on Nov 5, 2019 9:44:01 GMT
ALL Aragon’s have Philips screws in the coverplate. Quite a lot of other models in the late 30s AB and C Chicago number series do as well.
I measured the neck on my Aragon and it is identical to a Fender Strat but slightly fatter behind so it really acts like a Jazz guitar. It is exactly the same body as the arch top National Sonora ( obviously also built by Kay).
The striking feature of the sound is a massive bass sound from the E and A strings
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Post by Mark Makin on Nov 1, 2019 9:50:24 GMT
Sorry for the delay, I didn't see the thread earlier. Here are some pictures of S142 and S74 (Top three pics are S142. Bottom one is S74). They are the only ones that I have showing the necks and heels. Hope they might be of sufficient value to you Best Mark
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Post by Mark Makin on Sept 26, 2019 20:34:50 GMT
Hi Niaro, I’m afraid I can’t be much help here. As you have already worked out, this is a really perplexing number. As these numbers were hand stamped, we often have occasions where they are double stamped. At first I thought the first two ‘1’s were doubled but this can’t be. If the original number was meant to be 117, then the mandolin would have to be a tricone. If it was meant to be 171, then it would have to have screen mesh grilles. Neither is correct so we must assume 1171 was intended. Obviously you have realised that the number series for silver mandolins only goes up to the 600s, so it does not look like that was their intended number range. I can see no other number range that fits the bill except for the tenor/plectrum silver range. It may be that whoever numbered it mistook it for a similar shaped tenor body. The mandolin itself does seem to be from around 1931/2 which would match the tenor range as well. Ribs on the coverplate would suggest this date or later yet not too many Style 1s were made in the later 30s - they tend to be higher value mandolins. That’s about my best guess !! Anyone else have any other suggestions??
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Post by Mark Makin on Sept 14, 2019 7:16:37 GMT
You’re very welcome Brian. It is a good opportunity to show that you can’t always believe a lot of the ‘printed ephemera ‘ from these early days.
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Post by Mark Makin on Sept 13, 2019 20:51:34 GMT
Hi McKinleybe1, this is an advert posted in a magazine by a dealer and does not use the terminology used in the company’s own literature. It was common in the Dobro company to sell instruments with model numbers that related to their dollar price. So a Dobro Model 55, for example cost $55.
The National company used model names and not numbers. If you look at company catalogues of this period, the Trojan was selling at $33 and the ROSITA cost $27. So I imagine this ad is referring to the cheapest wood body otherwise known as the Rosita.
However, the picture that they are showing alongside the “Model 27” is actually a picture of a National Estralita which was a much more expensive instrument selling for $45.
It was not uncommon for advertisers to use a wrong but similar instrument picture because it was a time consuming and expensive exercise to change the engraving blocks for the correct one and the customers of the day were not really very educated in their guitar knowledge.
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Post by Mark Makin on Sept 7, 2019 7:28:56 GMT
Hi Fred, as I understand it, they were produced by Dave Crocker of Fly-by-Nite music in the mid west. They were originally meant to be a faithful copy of the original 1927 logo used on the first tricones. Unfortunately, over the years , a lot of less discerning people have stuck them all over the wrong instruments
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Post by Mark Makin on Sept 6, 2019 19:30:19 GMT
Hi Madchad, this guitar is a Z series Supertone sold through mail order catalogues. It is exactly the same instrument as a T series National Trojan except that it has long, one piece f holes. The T series Trojan has split f holes with separate holes at the end. The bodies of the T series guitars were made by Harmony, supplied to National, fitted with hardware and sold as Nationals. The Z series were made by Harmony, fitted out by National but left without a logo to be sold by Sears catalogues. There were other instances where Harmony built the guitar, bought the resonators and hardware from National and then sold them under Harmony brand names. These instruments usually have a sticker on them that states “ made under license from National Dobro Corporation.
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Post by Mark Makin on Aug 29, 2019 11:38:00 GMT
Hey thanks so much Noah - I was guessing it would be S5xxx or somewhere close
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Post by Mark Makin on Aug 29, 2019 1:35:29 GMT
I’m afraid I’m much more amazed by the “chicken feet” coverplate. It’s the only one I’ve ever seen with 18 “ feet” patterns. Every one I’ve seen only has 16 !!!!
In order to do this, obviously the individual patterns have to be reduced slightly- this would push the ring of holes further to the edge of the coverplate thus leaving a bit more space for the blade pickup slot (maybe?). They’ve spent more time considering this thing than you imagine.
I’d be grateful to know it’s number Noah!
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Post by Mark Makin on Jun 24, 2019 21:30:39 GMT
The seller’s description is quite good. It is a Model 6, Regal-made Dobro. They were made for roughly about 1 year from 1939 to 1940. Note that it is fitted with a National style cone which is smaller (8”) than usual. Adverts for these instruments mistakenly state that they have small 4 leg Dobro spiders but they don’t. Considering that they were built as ‘student’ guitars for an original price of only $18, they are quite desirable in today’s market. John Dopyera also referred to these as “Rosita” (not the same as a National Rosita )
The cone resonators were covered with fiddle mute coverplate with 8 cutouts however some have been seen with 12 cutouts .
The Model 5 is similar but fitted with coverplates that have 12 small diamond cutouts.
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Post by Mark Makin on Jun 1, 2019 7:16:22 GMT
Lee, he certainly did NOT. I designed and printed this for Steve
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