National Glenwood 95 Solid Body Electric Guitar (1963)
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National Glenwood 95 Model Solid Body Electric Guitar (1963), made in Chicago, serial # T-88201, Vermillion Red finish, molded Res-O-Glas body, maple neck with rosewood fingerboard, original grey hard shell case.
The still-dazzling National Res-O-Glas guitars of the 1960s remain some of the most exuberant examples of American electric guitar design, utterly unique in concept even 60 years on. With a molded fiberglass resin body and aluminum-cored neck they certainly did not lack for innovative features, even at the early '60s peak of electric guitar design. National claimed "Elegantly styled with luxury feel" and "construction is of the new space age wonder materian: Reso-Glas". In the end, the line was perhaps more overtly stylish than entirely practical, and after a production span of only about three years emerged more as collector pieces than player favorites. While they do have the cachet of funky blues/trash culture connotation today, these Nationals were actually quite expensive when new, and were marketed as top professional instruments.
The "Glenwood" models were the top-of-the-line in this series; this Model 95 debuted in 1962 with a striking red finish and white accents on the sculpted "map" shaped body, which is more elaborately sculpted on this series than the lower priced models. The maple neck has fancy split-diamond and block fret markers on the bound fingerboard and stock Grover Rotomatic tuners on the white-faced "Gumby' headstock. This model was priced in April 1962 at $265 plus $49.50 for the hardshell case. The Model 98 was the only instrument priced above it at $295 with a white-finished body and an additional "Silver sound" pickup built INTO the bridge.
The Model 95 has an extremely striking look with its "Vermillion" red body set off by the white edge grommet around the sides at the joint of the two Reso-Glas pieces. This is enhanced by a clear back-painted pinstriped plastic pickguard with a "NATIONAL Val-Pro" shield logo. The look echoes American hotrod culture of the period and manages to seem sophisticated and downhome at the same time! The wooden bridge and metal tailpiece are standard Valco fittings. The Model 95 never came stock with a vibrato, although it was mentioned as an option on the price list.
The most useful feature of this guitar is the provision of a full pickup array -- two of the familiar Valco "Vista-Power" magnetic units which can be combined in the center switch position, a feature oddly omitted on many period Nationals. Most less expensive Res-O-Glas instruments also lack the magnetic pickup at the bridge and thus are much less versatile instruments. Each position of the three-way selector on the upper bout has its own tone and volume controls mounted in echelon above and below the string line. The sound of these is fairly powerful with the typical National/Supro raunch when pushed into overdrive.
This 1962-3 Glenwood 95 represents the higher grade of the of the Reso-Glas Nationals, available for only three years from 1962-65. It was topped in the line by the white Model 98 and the very similar Model 99 with gold-plated hardware and a aqua green top finish but is still a more upscale piece than the similar but far more common period Reso-Glas National Val-Pro and Supro models. Iconic in its own way, this remains a very cool and fairly uncommon 1960s guitar. "Map" body Nationals are always a attention-getter and utterly distinctive despite more recent imitations!
Overall length is 39 3/4 in. (101 cm.), 15 in. (38.1 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 3/4 in. (4.4 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 24 3/4 in. (629 mm.). Width of nut is 1 3/4 in. (44 mm.).
Overall this guitar is very clean and all original, with only some light general wear. As intended the Reso-Glas body has worn extremely well, with some scuffing and small dinks and dents and a few longer scratches on the back. The neck finish is also nicely preserved with just a few small dings; the fingerboard binding has numerous shrinkage cracks but is not flaking or crumbling off. The back of the headstock has heavier checking, a few chips and what appear to be a couple of small curly-cord melt marks.
All hardware is original and complete. As is typical the stenciled pickup covers have some loss from picking, mostly on the treble side edge. The neck has been tweaked with a heat press treatment and is as straight as these ever get, and the original frets have been lightly crowned. This is a very playable guitar (a claim not all 1960s Valco products can muster!) quite the best we have had with a great chunky sound. While generally considered primarily a collector's guitar, the "Vermillion" Glenwood 95 is absolutely one of the coolest of all 1960s six-string creations, for show or go! Includes the even rarer shaped original case, which was built by the same supplier as period Gretsch cases. Overall Very Good + Condition.
The still-dazzling National Res-O-Glas guitars of the 1960s remain some of the most exuberant examples of American electric guitar design, utterly unique in concept even 60 years on. With a molded fiberglass resin body and aluminum-cored neck they certainly did not lack for innovative features, even at the early '60s peak of electric guitar design. National claimed "Elegantly styled with luxury feel" and "construction is of the new space age wonder materian: Reso-Glas". In the end, the line was perhaps more overtly stylish than entirely practical, and after a production span of only about three years emerged more as collector pieces than player favorites. While they do have the cachet of funky blues/trash culture connotation today, these Nationals were actually quite expensive when new, and were marketed as top professional instruments.
The "Glenwood" models were the top-of-the-line in this series; this Model 95 debuted in 1962 with a striking red finish and white accents on the sculpted "map" shaped body, which is more elaborately sculpted on this series than the lower priced models. The maple neck has fancy split-diamond and block fret markers on the bound fingerboard and stock Grover Rotomatic tuners on the white-faced "Gumby' headstock. This model was priced in April 1962 at $265 plus $49.50 for the hardshell case. The Model 98 was the only instrument priced above it at $295 with a white-finished body and an additional "Silver sound" pickup built INTO the bridge.
The Model 95 has an extremely striking look with its "Vermillion" red body set off by the white edge grommet around the sides at the joint of the two Reso-Glas pieces. This is enhanced by a clear back-painted pinstriped plastic pickguard with a "NATIONAL Val-Pro" shield logo. The look echoes American hotrod culture of the period and manages to seem sophisticated and downhome at the same time! The wooden bridge and metal tailpiece are standard Valco fittings. The Model 95 never came stock with a vibrato, although it was mentioned as an option on the price list.
The most useful feature of this guitar is the provision of a full pickup array -- two of the familiar Valco "Vista-Power" magnetic units which can be combined in the center switch position, a feature oddly omitted on many period Nationals. Most less expensive Res-O-Glas instruments also lack the magnetic pickup at the bridge and thus are much less versatile instruments. Each position of the three-way selector on the upper bout has its own tone and volume controls mounted in echelon above and below the string line. The sound of these is fairly powerful with the typical National/Supro raunch when pushed into overdrive.
This 1962-3 Glenwood 95 represents the higher grade of the of the Reso-Glas Nationals, available for only three years from 1962-65. It was topped in the line by the white Model 98 and the very similar Model 99 with gold-plated hardware and a aqua green top finish but is still a more upscale piece than the similar but far more common period Reso-Glas National Val-Pro and Supro models. Iconic in its own way, this remains a very cool and fairly uncommon 1960s guitar. "Map" body Nationals are always a attention-getter and utterly distinctive despite more recent imitations!
Overall length is 39 3/4 in. (101 cm.), 15 in. (38.1 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 3/4 in. (4.4 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 24 3/4 in. (629 mm.). Width of nut is 1 3/4 in. (44 mm.).
Overall this guitar is very clean and all original, with only some light general wear. As intended the Reso-Glas body has worn extremely well, with some scuffing and small dinks and dents and a few longer scratches on the back. The neck finish is also nicely preserved with just a few small dings; the fingerboard binding has numerous shrinkage cracks but is not flaking or crumbling off. The back of the headstock has heavier checking, a few chips and what appear to be a couple of small curly-cord melt marks.
All hardware is original and complete. As is typical the stenciled pickup covers have some loss from picking, mostly on the treble side edge. The neck has been tweaked with a heat press treatment and is as straight as these ever get, and the original frets have been lightly crowned. This is a very playable guitar (a claim not all 1960s Valco products can muster!) quite the best we have had with a great chunky sound. While generally considered primarily a collector's guitar, the "Vermillion" Glenwood 95 is absolutely one of the coolest of all 1960s six-string creations, for show or go! Includes the even rarer shaped original case, which was built by the same supplier as period Gretsch cases. Overall Very Good + Condition.