Illinois

Airline Pocket Bass by Valco, Black 1964

On July 8, 2020 /

Here is a rarity, an Airline Pocket Bass by Valco, Black dating to 1964, a short scale bass regarded by some as one of the best recording basses ever made. The Airline Pocket Bass was built from 1962 to 1968 at the Valco shops in Chicago, Illinois, along with other Valco brands including National and Supro. Valco also branded their instruments for other companies, many of which were distributors or catalog retailers like Montgomery-Ward and Sears Roebuck. Valco amplifier production followed the same pattern but their customers included established builders like Harmony, Gretsch and Kay.

Vintage

This instrument has sold

SS Stewart Model 4024 Archtop Guitar Sunburst, 1930s

On June 3, 2020 /

Here’s a lovely piece – from the early 1930’s, an SS Stewart Model 4024 archtop guitar, built by either Regal or Harmony and sold through Buegeleisen and Jacobson, owners of the Stewart brand. The SS Stewart company, named for Samuel Swain Stewart was a major producer of banjos between 1878 and 1904, and was bought by B&J (Buegeleisen and Jacobson) a few years after Stewart’s death. Over the years, B&J shifted to producing mostly guitars with the brand, had many companies build the actual instruments including Chicago Musical Instruments, who also built Harmony, Kay, and Silvertone brands.

Vintage

This instrument has sold

Royal Aire by National Solidbody Electric Guitar Sunburst, 1951

On May 11, 2020 /

Here is a rarity – a Royal Aire by National solid body electric guitar, dating to 1951 and one of the earliest production electrics for National and its parent Valco. Clearly a National model given its construction and components, Royal Aire branded instruments are few and far between. Around 1947, Valco contracted with Gibson to produce some Royal Aire flat top acoustics, based on the LG-3. Here, Valco / National used a National neck with its shield logo plate engraved to read Royal Aire.

Vintage

This instrument has sold

National Model 1008 Console 8 String Steel White, 1961

On April 14, 2020 /

From the early 1930s until the rise of Rock ‘n Roll, steel guitars like this National Model 1008 Console 8 were very popular, and for novice players, often their first instrument. In fact, the very first production electric guitars were Electric Hawaiian steel models, and the first of those was almost certainly the 1932 Ro-Pat-In Steel. Ro-Pat-In quickly improved their name to ‘Rickenbacher’ and soon also introduced the very rare 1935 ‘Ken Roberts’ guitar, arguably the first production Electric Spanish style guitar. Rickenbacker at this time was also building metal parts for both National and DoBro.

Vintage

This instrument has sold

Lyon & Healy Washburn Oak Parlor Guitar, 1920s

On April 7, 2020 /

Around the start of the twentieth century, Lyon & Healy were one of the larger musical instrument builders in the USA, with Washburn being one of their brands. This Lyon & Healy Washburn Oak parlor guitar, built in Chicago in the 1920s, is an example of the instruments available at that time. It features a ladder-braced Spruce top and Oak for the sides and back. The heavily V shaped neck with slotted peghead is likely Poplar, while the fingerboard is a dyed, hard and tight grained wood like Maple.

Vintage

This instrument has sold

Oahu Style 71K Hawaiian Squareneck Guitar, 1935

On April 6, 2020 /

Built during the mid 1930s, the Oahu Style 71K Hawaiian square neck guitar expressed the popularity of Hawaiian music and steel guitar. Oahu was perfectly placed as they were also a major music publisher. This Oahu Style 71K Hawaiian square neck was likely built by Kay around 1935, and features a solid Spruce top, X-braced, with laminate Maple for the sides and back. The neck is Mahogany, with Rosewood used for the bridge and the bound fingerboard. The finish is Sunburst, executed in nitrocellulose lacquer, and sports an elaborate gold-coloured, stencil design on the top.

Vintage

This instrument has sold

Illinois

Airline Pocket Bass by Valco, Black 1964

SS Stewart Model 4024 Archtop Guitar Sunburst, 1930s

Royal Aire by National Solidbody Electric Guitar Sunburst, 1951

National Model 1008 Console 8 String Steel White, 1961

Lyon & Healy Washburn Oak Parlor Guitar, 1920s

Oahu Style 71K Hawaiian Squareneck Guitar, 1935

THE TWELFTH FRET

MORE SERVICES

STAY CONNECTED