National New Yorker Model 1000 Lap Steel Electric Guitar (1950)

National  New Yorker Model 1000 Lap Steel Electric Guitar  (1950)
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$1,000.00 + shipping
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Item # 9940
Prices subject to change without notice.
National New Yorker Model 1000 Model Lap Steel Electric Guitar (1950), made in Chicago, serial # V30436, two tone finish, maple body, plastic facing, original brown hard shell case.

This supremely stylish product of the often colorful just-postwar era at Valco, this National New Yorker steel is not only striking to look at but great sounding as well. The stairstepped wooden body and headstock are capped with an alternating black and white plastic overlay, while the back-painted clear Lucite fingerboard has white engraved fret lines and positions marked in different colored Roman numerals. The black-celluloid capped headstock has an enameled National logo plate.

The volume control is forward of the Lucite-covered pickup on the treble side of the top, while the chicken-head tone control mounts behind the bridge and offers three sonic descriptions: "Bass", "Mellow" and "Brilliant". Beyond making a fantastic late-Deco visual statement, this National steel is a fine player's instrument.
 
Overall length is 32 1/2 in. (82.6 cm.), 7 in. (17.8 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 5/8 in. (4.1 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 23 in. (584 mm.). Width of nut is 2 in. (51 mm.).

This steel has some wear and repair but remains in fine playing condition overall, with some changed parts but only fairly modest wear for being over 70 years old. The finish has some dings, scrapes and rub wear mostly at the edges, the only heavy loss is at the back end of body, where quite a bit is worn off. The original Amphenol output jack on the lower side has been bypassed, and an new phone jack added to the rear end of the body to allow use with a standard cord. This is not original, but it is quite useful for day-to-day gigging!

The tuners are recent Kluson style openback strip repros, there are small marks from several previous installations. The volume pot has been replaced, the 3-way tone setup is original and works as intended. The somewhat fragile clear bridge/pickup cover is still intact and undamaged. The pickup is original and sounds great. This steel is still housed in its original hard case which has some fairly heavy water damage at the bottom edge, which has been repaired solidly but visibly. A later steel and some period picks are also included. Overall Very Good + Condition.