Folkway Music -- Instrument Sales

Last updated: September 2, 2010 Questions? Please email info@folkwaymusic.com.

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1937 National Style 0
Serial # A5494. Easily the finest 14 fret National to ever grace these pages, this 1937 model is a gem among gems. A rare and exceptional instrument. In perfect condition, seemingly unused, with no dents in the body, no fretwear, no cone fatigue, no wear on the tuning machines, no finish wear on the neck. The guitar is perfect. Recent Neck reset and set-up by the hands of Marc Schoenberger (www.nationalguitarrepair.com). Marc’s restoration work on vintage National guitars is of the highest quality, and we’re tough judges. The guitar plays perfectly now, with action of 7 to 8 64ths at the 12th fret and just the right amount of relief. The sound is fresh, thanks to an original cone that’s in perfect shape. There is a brightness and articulation heard in this guitar that is not often found in old resonators. The dynamic range is wide, with a sparkly presence, full mids, and a bold and snappy bottom end. This one is a fabulous player on top of its darn good looks!
With well worn period hardshell case (or New HSC if you’d prefer)
US $4995

More photos:

> Front Detail
> Full Front Detail
> Case Open
> Case Closed

> Back Detail
> Full Back Detail
> Neck Joint Detail
> Bridge Detail

> Headstock Detail
> Tuners Detail
> Detail 1
> Detail 2
> Detail 3
> Detail 4

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2000 National Polychrome Tricone
Serial # 462. National’s Steel bodied tricone in an ash-grey baked on polychrome finish. A very warmly voiced tricone in excellent condition. Minor finish on the edges of the headstock from a vinyl guitar-neck hanger (don’t use those, please), but otherwise in close to new condition. Very little fretwear, currently set up with hybrid slide/fingerstyle action, with a highish nut and saddle. Maple neck, bound ebony fingerboard, 3 on a plate Grover tuners, added strap button.
With original hard shell case
US $1750

More photos:

> Front Detail
> Full Front Detail

> Back Detail
> Full Back Detail

> Headstock Detail

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1931 National / Sears Duolian
Serial # 352 R. In the days before electric amplification, National’s resonator guitars punched out as much volume as a guitarist could hope for. They were immensely popular, and the base-model Duolian sold well through the depression. So well, in fact, that the company built unbranded instruments for Sears for a short while. These Sears Duolians were otherwise identical to their national brethren but for their coverplates and absence of headstock logo. This example is a very fine sounding steel-body, with its original cone and bridge intact. The Duco finish was removed years ago by the looks of things, and the rust patterns on the top suggest that it might have been given another décor motif between then and now. Original fretboard and frets are in usable shape and are better than most; non-original tuners are period correct. Perfectly worn neck has a round and chunky profile and a nutwidth of 1-13/16. Action measures 9/64ths on the treble and 11/64ths on the bass side, which is great for chording in the first position and sliding up the neck. Lots of great vibe to this guitar coupled with spooky old National tone.
With chipboard case
US $2575

More photos:

> Front detail
> Full Front detail
> Detail

> Back detail
> Full Back detail

> Headstock detail
> Headstock Rear detail
> Tuners detail

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1936-9 EH-100 Set
Steel FON 581-12, Amp serial # 14044. Although not originally bought as a set, this pair of EH-100 Gibsons is a good looking pair. The steel is a first-year issue E-100 (or EH-100, as we like to call them), a student model originally priced at $100. It’s a single knob version, finished in black with a top bound in white and silk-screened logo. It’s been converted to 7 string, and nicely, too. The bridge is an original Gibson 7 string, the nut appears to have been re-cut (and lowered ever so slightly to allow the change), and an additional tuner was installed at the top of the headstock – with the tuner shaft coming out of the ‘b’ in the logo! The headstock was obviously squared off to accommodate the tuner. We can’t say for certain when the conversion was done, but our guess is within a couple years of when the guitar was new. The extra tuner is a 1930’s Grover G-98, and the bridge is an original part. Who knows… it might even have been done at the factory. The volume has been rewired to be a tone (a nice modification), and the knob is not original.
The amp is ’39 model. Original speaker, transformer, and tubes. The power cord has been changed, the back is long-missing, and the handle is an old replacement. It works very well and has that sound – that gritty, warm, low-power old Gibson amp sound.
Available as a pair or separately
STEEL SOLD
Amp: US $499

More photos:

> Full Front Detail
> Full Back Detail
> Headstock Detail
> Tuners Detail

> Amp Front Detail
> Amp Back Detail
> Amp Detail 1
> Amp Detail 2

> Steel Detail 1
> Steel Detail 2
> Steel Detail 3

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Calton Cases
There is no commercially available case that will protect your instrument better than a Calton. They cost an awful lot, and they're worth every penny. They also can now be ordered directly through Folkway Music. We usually have standard model cases in stock (Martin D or OM, for example), but are happy to help ease the process of ordering a custom-fitted Calton for your instrument. Many color choices and combinations are available, and any instrument - no matter how bizarre - can be successfully fitted. Please call for a quote.

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1929 National Triolian
No serial #. An early wood body triolian with Hula Girl stenciling, and yellow finish with red and blue highlights. They don’t come too much cooler than this for us vintage National fans. This one is pretty well used, but is factory original except for newer frets. The neck was reset and refretted nicely some time ago, and the guitar plays well, with a hybrid slide/chording set up. Original tuners, nut, cone, biscuit, tailpiece. Worn finish on the coverplate, fretboard and around the body edges; finish flaking off in places too, and has been removed entirely from the back of the neck (which revealed a filled knot in the maple neck wood). Neck is in fine shape and not excessively bowed. Although the fretwork is not perfect, the guitar plays fine with its higher action of 9/64ths. A warm resonator, and not at all barky, you’ll likely want to play this guitar with a little extra time between the notes to listen as each falls away.
With chipboard case
SOLD

More photos:

> Front detail
> Full Front detail
> Neck Detail
> Detail 1

> Back detail
> Full Back detail
> Detail 2
> Detail 3

> Headstock detail
> Headstock Rear detail
> Tuners detail
> Hula Girl Detail

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1959 Fender Champ Amp and Steel
This 5F1 Champ and matching steel sold in the time between taking these photos and writing these words, sorry folks. It was a one owner set bought locally in 1960. Original polish cloth, wire, slide, case, and so on.
SOLD

More photos:

> Front Detail
> Back Detail

> Amp Detail
> Amp Detail 2

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Contact Folkway Music --
Mail: 163 Suffolk Street West, Guelph, Ontario, Canada N1H 2J7 Directions to Guelph/Folkway Music
Telephone: (877)763-5524 toll-free or (519) 763-5524
e-mail: info@folkwaymusic.com
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