Dating Valco Instruments

The most effective way to date a Valco guitar or amp is by its serial number. From the ‘40s until 1964, the serial could be found stamped into a small metal plate that was tacked onto the back of the headstock or the back of the cabinet. From 1964-1968, the serial was ink-stamped onto a silver foil sticker that is found in the same place. The following is a key for decoding the serial number, but keep in mind that the numbers are approximate.

Fender Lap Steel Serial Numbers Dating Sim Controlbabysite S Blog Oahu 230k 1940 S Tube Amp Vgc The Steel Guitar Forum. Oahu Lap Steel Serial Numbers. THIS IS A VINTAGE OAHU LAP STEEL HAWAIIAN ELECTRIC GUITAR. THIS IS IN THE MOTHER OF PEARL FINISH AND HAS A TAG NUMBER ON THE BACK SIDE THAT IS V24883. THERE IS A LIGHT PITTING ON THE STEEL AROUND THE KNOB AREA. THIS WOULD NEED TO BE CLEANED UP SOME FOR IT IS DUSTY. A number of lap-steel mavens, including THD Electronics' Andy Marshall and Seattle session guy Dan Tyack, are keen on this model; FWIW, one has been my main gigging steel for the past five years. Alternatively, a Valco-made National Chicagoan or Supro Supreme with the string-through pickup but a shorter-scale neck will work; you'll often find.

'N' prefix: 1935

'S' prefix: 1935-36

'A' prefix: 1936-37*

'B' prefix: 1937-38

'C' prefix: 1938-40*

'G' prefix: 1941-42

'G' suffix: 1943-47

V100-V7500: 1947

V7500-V15000: 1948

V15000-V25000: 1949

V25000-V35000: 1950

V35000-V38000: 1951

X100-X7000: 1951

X7000-X17000: 1952

X17000-X30000: 1953

X30000-X43000: 1954

X43000-X57000: 1955

X57000-X71000: 1956

X71000-X85000: 1957

X85000-X99000: 1958

T100-T5000: 1958

T5000-T25000: 1959

T25000-T50000: 1960

T50000-T75000: 1961

T75000-T90000: 1962

T90000-T99000: 1963

G5000-G15000: 1963

G15000-G40000: 1964

Starting with '1-': 1964-68

Starting with '2-': 1968

*'A' and 'C' prefixes also occur in some pre-1936 serials.

However, some of these plates and many of these stickers have disappeared over time. Often the speaker codes or potentiometer codes can help, assuming that these parts are original and legible. Pot codes can be decodedhere, and speaker codes can be decoded here. For dating pre-Valco acoustic instruments,see this page.

Vintage Guitars Info's
National Resonator and
National/Valco Map-shaped
Electric Vintage Guitar Info.

National resonator and National/Valco electric map shaped vintage guitars history and collecting.Private vintage guitar collector. Pictures, history for National resonator vintage guitars.
Contact the Vintage Guitar Info Guy.1928 National Tricone
style 1 squareneck
Introduction and Serial Numbers:

National Resonator Introduction
(the different resonator systems and how they work and sound)
National Guitar Collectibility
National Map Shaped Guitar Introduction
Buying a National Guitar
New National Guitars
1941-1968 National/Valco Serial Numbers
(including National, Valco, Supro instruments)

Tricone models. Silver resonator metalbody, round and squareneck vintage models. Includes the Style 1, 1 1/2 ,2, 2 1/2, 3, 4, 35, 97 nickel plated models, and the style M-3 painted tricones.
Style O silver resonator vintage metalbody
Style N silver resonator vintage metalbody
The Don silver resonator vintage metalbody
Duolian resonator vintage metalbody
Triolian resonator vintage metalbody
Supro Collegian resonator vintage metalbody
Wood Body Resonator Models including Triolian, Trojan, Estralita,El Trovador, Rosita, Aragon, Havana.
Ukuleles resonator vintage metalbody

National Resonator Introduction.

National's two types of resonators:
The single cone and the tricone.

National made two types of resonator instruments: tricone and single conemodels. Tricone instruments have a very sweet and warm tone. This is due to their long decay (sustain) and slight attack. Single cone Nationals are slightly louder than Tricones, and have a sharp (loud) attack with short decay (sustain). Because of this, single cone Nationals sound much like a banjo. Which type of resonator you like may depend on what style ofmusic you like. Many blues players feel the combination of singlecone resonator, steel body, and mahogany neck used on the Duolian is the ultimate Blues guitar. The fancier nickel plated brass, single cone metalbody instruments such as the Style O don't have as bluesy a tone as the less ornate Duolian. This is attributed to their brass, not steel,body material. But they sure do look great! Driver update email and registration key. Personally, I feel theTricone's smoother, more complex tone is the best National sound and look! A roundneck tricone (in my opinion) is theultimate resonator guitar.

How the Resonators Work.

National resonator instruments use very thin aluminum speaker cones, known as 'cones', to mechanically amplify the sound of theinstrument. This style of mechanical amplification was inventedin the 1920's, before the advent of electric instruments.At the time of their invention, they were considered the loudestguitar available. Some National models have a single cone, others have three smaller cones (known as 'tricones' or 'triplates'). Single Cone National

In the single resonator models the convex 9.5' diametercone has a maple 'biscuit' on top of the cone. The biscuit has awooden maple saddle which the strings pass over, like a conventional acoustic flat top guitar.But unlike flattop acoustic guitars where thevibration of the wooden body creates the sound, in aNational resonator instrument the body acts as a speaker cabinet.When the strings are played, the vibration goes through thesaddle to the bridge and then vibrates the speaker conecausing it to 'resonate' and amplify the sound. Becausethere is fairly direct transmission of vibration from the stringsto the resonator, the single resonator guitar is the loudest ofthe resonator guitars. Tricone National

In a tricone, the three 6' cones are set in a triangle. Two ofthe cones are on the bass side, and one on the treble side. Rather than a wooden biscuit bridge, there is an aluminum 'T' shaped bridge that connects to the center of each of the cones. A maple wooden saddle sits atop the T-bridge. The vibration from the strings goes through the saddle, which in turn vibrates the T-bridge, and then the three cones. The sound has farther to travel to get the cones resonating than with a single resonator guitar.Thus, that's why tricones are not as loud on the attack. However the sustain is greater, and the tone 'sweeter'. This is because there are three cones allvibrating together, producing more harmonics thana single resonator guitar.

The peghead decals of National (from left to right):
1934 Duolian, 1936 Estralida, 1934 Style O (or Tricone s1/s2), reissue decal.

Vintage National Resonator Collectibility.

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