1930 National Polychrome Triolian

The Triolian was National’s first single-cone instrument upon its introduction in 1929. The earliest of these featured wood bodies, but by later in that year the Triolian became a steel-bodied guitar. The yellow lacquer-finished models with airbrushed color highlights were given the name Polychrome Triolian, and their own “P”-suffix serial number. This guitar is a very early Polychrome with a low two-digit P serial number and a 1929 wood body stencil pattern.

In exceptional condition, this 1930 National Polychrome Tricone likely spent many of its years in a case. It appears to have been only played lap-style with a nut riser, and as such there is no playwear to the frets or neck. In recent years the guitar has seen its neck reset, and scratched-in numbers on the fretboard have been touched up tastefully. There is a small, repaired chip on the neck’s heel that is shown in the accompanying photos. The cone and biscuit bridge are newer National-made replacement parts, but the balance of the guitar is factory original and unmodified. In our shop the original frets were seated and dressed, and the guitar set up with 13-53 strings. The action measures 5.5 – 6 64ths and is well suited to fingerstyle and slide hybrid playing.

The guitar sounds incredibly good, with rich harmonic overtones, ample sustain, excellent definition, and a warm low end. It intonates much better than most ‘30s Nationals, too, which is a definite plus. 

The neck has a modern feel and a rounded carve that’s best described as 80% round, 20% V. The first fret depth measures .838”, and the nut width is about 1-13/16”. 25” scale, 2-3/16” string spread at the bridge. 

With its combination of great vintage looks, excellent tone, top-notch playability, and relative rarity, there’s not much that this 1930 National Polychrome Triolian should leave you wanting.

With modern hardshell case.

1930 National Polychrome Triolian resonator guitar

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The Gibson-made Kalamazoo KG-32N is a dressed-up 16” archtop that was offered in the late 1930s and early 1940s. With its blond finish, checkerboard bindings, bound tortoise pickguard, and mosaic-button tuners the KG-32N presented better than Gibson’s L-50, despite being an off-brand model. Eighty-five years on, it still wins the contest. These are gorgeous guitars that would make a vintage guitar nut out of most anyone.

The Kalamazoo KG-32N features a solid spruce top that’s pressed into shape and braced. The maple back and sides are most likely laminated, with an outer layer that shows a subtly attractive figure. Cream bindings add a touch of class, along with the shiny nickel-plated tailpiece. Rosewood fretboard and adjustable bridge, mahogany neck, ebony nut, and Kluson tuning machines with the unique mosaic buttons that are unique to the early 1940s, as far as we’ve seen.

This example is 100% original and unmodified. Every part of the guitar remains as it was when it left Kalamazoo in 1941. We particularly love the early ‘hot crossed buns’ looking Philips screws and the rope strap.

Set up in store, this Kalamazoo archtop plays very well with normal action and a correct neck angle. There is no truss rod in the neck, so there is a bit more relief than is ideal but this can easily be corrected with a refret if so desired. Expect a punchy archtop tone with strong mids and a little bit of overtone flower. A medium right hand attack brings out the most warmth and thickest tone.

The neck has the deep and round carve typical of 1941, with a first fret depth of .970” and a nut width of 1-11/16”. The neck depth at the 9th fret is 1.075”, scale is 24.75”, and string spread at the bridge is 2-1/8”.

With original soft shell case

1941 Kalamazoo KG-32N vintage Gibson archtop guitar

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With its ebony neck reinforcement and extra-light wartime construction, this 1942 Martin 0-18 is a dreamy sounding guitar. It is expansive and expressive and offers that magical combination of endless headroom and incredible touch-sensitivity. It’s an unanimous shop favorite.

This 0-18 features a red spruce top with scalloped bracing, 13.5” wide 0-size body, 24.9” scale neck, and 1-11/16” nut. It remains in excellent condition and crack-free; there are no repairs to its bracing or bridge plate. The neck has been reset, the bridge is a replacement, and the tuning machines are from the later 1940s. The work was done elsewhere and in recent years. Although the reset could have been done more cleanly, the angle is excellent and the guitar’s action was well served. There are small repaired chips on the bass side of the heel, the cracked ebony heel cap has been off and on, and is some scarring alongside the fretboard extension. If you can live with a few fairly minor cosmetic flaws you’ll be rewarded with one of the best sounding 0-18s around.

The neck has a comfortable and fairly compact feel. The carve has a C shape in the first position and evolves into a very soft V up the neck. First fret neck depth is a contemporary .838”, and the thickness at the 9th fret measures .971. String spread at the saddle is 2-1/8”. The guitar’s frets have recently been dressed and play cleanly. We’ve set up the action at 5-6.5 64ths with 12-54 strings.

With modern hardshell case.

1942 Martin 0-18 vintage acoustic guitar

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With its Banner headstock decal, mahogany top, firestripe pickguard, and deep, rounded neck carve, this 1943 Gibson LG-2 is built with a unique suite of features that are specific to a small window of time in 1943. We’ve now had three LG-2s through the store that were part of this particular batch, FON 2164; which, in itself, is incredible!

This LG-2’s voice is punchy and strong through the midrange and sweet and round in the trebles. The bass register is more open than most while still nicely articulated. The guitar is quite versatile, taking well to a flat pick as it does to fingerstyle. It’s quite a pretty sounding LG-2 with the nickel bronze strings that are on it presently. With bronze strings expect it to have a bit more bite and growl, and increased headroom.

Mahogany body with early Banner-style 5-layer top binding, 3-ply back binding, and a 7-ply rosette. Mahogany neck with maple support rather than a truss rod, firestripe pickguard, rosewood board and bridge.

Bridge and bridgeplate replaced in our shop along with new frets, saddle, pins, and set up. We glued the guitar’s only crack, too. Prior to arriving here the guitar’s neck had been reset, the tuners changed, the pickguard reglued, and a few loose brace ends were dealt with. There are two very small finish repairs on the top that are easy to miss.

The neck has a deep and round carve, 1-3/4” nut width, and a first fret neck depth of .985”. The scale length is 24.75 and the string spread at the saddle is 2-3/16”. We have the guitar set up with 12-53 strings and an action of 5-6 64ths.

This 1943 Gibson LG-2 comes with a custom-fit Calton case which we can substitute for a less expensive option at the buyer’s request.

1943 Gibson LG-2 Banner vintage acoustic guitar
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It’s no secret that we’re big fans of smaller-bodied mahogany guitars here at Folkway, so we’re naturally pretty excited about this ’47 00-17. We’ve known this guitar for years, as its previous owner is a client of more than 20 years. About a decade back we reset the neck, and replaced the saddle, pins, and tuner buttons. The original frets remain in excellent shape, there is not a crack to be found, and the finish is in beautiful condition. The guitar’s only minor flaw is a bit of flaked-away finish in front of the bridge, which was reglued at one point.

The early post-war guitars have a unique neck carve that’s deeper and rounder than those we find from a year or two later. We mostly associate this neck carve with 1946, but this 1947 00-17 features this style of neck, which is quite a lovely plus. The nut width is 1-11/16″ and the 1st fret depth is .865”. Folks who prefer 1-3/4″ widths will find this one easy to play thanks to its chunkier feel.

A very fine sounding guitar that’s hard to put down. As compared to the more common 0-17 or 0-15 models, this 00 offers bigger lows and mids without compromising any of the roundness and fullness we love so much in these small all-mahogany Martins. The trebles are very sweet and robust, and there is a wonderful linger and decay throughout the frequency range. Its big enough to strum on and it takes a heavy flatpick really well, as it does a heavier right-hand attack. Under a lighter touch the guitar’s tone is pretty, warm, and inviting.

All mahogany construction, tapered X bracing, 24.9″ scale, 2-1/8″ string spread at the bridge. Set up with 12-54 strings and an action of 5-7 64ths at the 12th fret with perfect frets and a full height saddle.

With non-original hardshell case

1947 Martin 00-17 vintage acoustic guitar

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1949 Gibson L-4C

Gibson’s 16” archtops were “Advanced” to 17” in 1935… all of them but the L-4, which remained a 16” model until finally being retired in 1971 after 60 years of production. The L-4C was first offered in 1949, the year this example was produced. On October 11th of that year this L-4C and another just like it were shipped to Heaton’s Music in Columbus, Ohio – two of 140 L-4Cs shipped in the first year of production.

The L-4C’s more famous fraternal twin is the ES-175, which also debuted in 1949. The ES-175 featured a P-90 pickup and a plywood maple top but was otherwise identical to the L-4C.

This example is in lovely condition and entirely original but for a nicely made bone nut. Apart from a reglued center seam under the tailpiece this L-4C is without repairs. Original first year patent pending Kluson tuners, original bridge, tailpiece, pickguard, frets and finish. Well below average playwear, excellent set-up care of our shop.

Carved Sitka spruce top with tonebar bracing, laminate maple back and sides. Bound rosewood fretboard with pearloid fretmarkers and 24.75” scale. Full depth hollow body with Florentine cut-away.

Round neck carve with 1-11/16” nut and 1st fret depth of .921”. 1st fret neck circumference measures 2.72”. A pretty sounding 1949 Gibson L-4C archtop with classic post-war Gibson cut and midrange focus.

With modern deluxe hardshell case.

1949 Gibson L-4C vintage archtop guitar

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