See the National Serial Number Info web page for help determining the exact year. Mark Knopfler's National Style O has the serial number B1844 according to the official Mark Knopfler Guitar Styles books. Yamaha Guitar serial numbers – dating your guitar| My Cool. Yamaha Guitar serial numbers – dating your guitar. Alternate serial number configurations for Yamaha Electric, Archtop, and Bass Guitars. Made in Japan, 1966-1984.
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. Also the serial number is usually 7 digits or longer (unlike U.S. Made Epi's with a 6 digit or less serial. Epiphone is American musical instrument manufacturer founded by Anastasios Stathopoulos. Aside from guitars, Epiphone also made double basses, banjos, and other. National Anthem Guitar Tab.
National Guitars History
Vintage Guitars Info's Dobro Metal Body Resonator Vintage Guitar Info.
Private vintage guitar collector. Pictures, history for Dobro metal body resonator vintage guitars from 1935 to 1940. Dobro picture gallery Contact the Vintage Guitar Info Guy1938 Dobro No.35 metalbody
Introduction:
1928-1937 Vintage Dobro Serial Numbers (includes bothmetal and wood body resonator instruments)
1970-present OMI Dobro Serial Numbers (includes bothmetal and wood body resonator instruments)
1935 to 1940 Metal Body Resonator Vintage Model Info:
The Resonator. The Dobro is a single cone resonator guitar that is easily confused at firstglace with the single cone National guitars. But in fact, they are fundamentally different in construction and design. The Dobro resonator isdish-shaped, opposite of the volcano-shaped National resonator. The Dobrohas an eight legged bridge support (called a 'spider') that spans the dishand conducts the string vibrations (compared to National's biscuit system).
If your metal body Dobro has a 'fiddle edge', than it was made from 1935 to 1940. If it has a smooth edge, it's a reissue made from1970 or newer. Left:1935-1940 No.32 with a gold 'frosted Duco' krinkle finish. Note the fiddle edge. Right:1935-1940 No.62 Dobro with a fiddle edge.
Metal Body Resonator Guitars. Most Dobros have wooden bodies, but Dobro also made metalbody guitars from1935 to 1940 only. Regal (which was Dobro's exclusive licensee) also mademetal body resonator guitars with their brand name and also the 'Old Kraftman' name. Severalother resonator brand names were also used such as Ward, but these are in fact still Regal/Dobro made resonator guitars.All metalbody Regal/Dobros have 14 frets clear of the body.
The construction of the Regal/Dobro metalbody was quite different than National guitars. Regal/Dobro tops and backs were fastened to the sides with a unique methodthat required no soldering. The resulting lip around the edges gave riseto the name 'Violin Edge' or, 'Fiddle Edge' as it was known around the factory. This construction method was only used from 1935 to 1940. Alllater model metal Dobro's which were in production from the 1970 to thepresent are easily identifiable because they lack thisfiddle edge. Some of these models used a 'M-' prefix or 'M' suffix around the model number. Hawaiiansquare neck models used a 'P-' prefix or 'H' suffix.
Port holes versus f-holes. Also most Dobro metalbodies have window-like round soundholes in the upper body, except for (consistently) the No.35 which has segmented F-holes. Though some other models will also have segmented F-holes, most models withthe Dobro brand name have the round window soundholes. Segmented F-holesare seen more on Regal brand resonator instruments than Dobro.
Metal or wood body, Dobros with 'f' holes are considered less desirable than 'port' hole models.Dobro used f-holes on their less expensive models,and port holes on their mid to upper end models. This especially appliesto wood body Dobros. Metal body dobros this is not really an issue.
Metalbody Dobro Tailpieces. The tailpiece used on 1935-1940 metal body vintage Dobro's is very unique.And it's very fragile. Often you see these broken where they wrap aroundthe fiddle edge of the body. Since no one has made a fiddle-end guitar since1940, replacements are very difficult to find.
A 1935 M-32 model. Note the 'slotted' peghead. Only 1935 metalbody Dobros will have a slotted peghead. The 1936 to 1940 modelswill have a 'solid' peghead. Note the serial number on the topof the peghead, and the 'fiddle edge' body style.
Round versus Square Neck Models. Roundneck metalbody vintage Regal/Dobros are more valuable than squareneck metalbodies. In woodbody Dobros, the opposite is true; squareneck woodbody Dobros are more valuable than roundneck woodbodies.
I collect just roundneck metalbody Regal/Dobros. They have a sweet tone with limited attack, but long decay (opposed to National's single cone sound of sharp attack, short decay). In this respect, a good metalbody Regal/Dobro sounds a lot like a tricone National. https://koreanyellow319.weebly.com/blog/download-peekvid.
Lucky for me, metalbody Regal/Dobros are not considered by the collectorcommunity to be as good or valuable as National metalbody guitars. This has kept the prices somewhat low compared to other vintage guitars.
Contact the vintage guitar info guy Back to the Table of Contents
A Dobro peghead decals from the 1930's. The 'solid' peghead on the right is from a (1938-1940) M-35 metal body.
Serial number on a 1936 M-35 metal body. Dbz ttt download.
Dobro Serial Numbers
Most guitar manufacturers put a serial number on each instrument they produce. This number can be used to date a guitar and in some cases tell where it was made. Serial numbers tend to be stamped or written somewhere on the headstock or neck joint of the guitar. On some acoustic guitars, the serial number is on the inside of the sound hole. Serial numbers are often at least four digits long, and they sometimes include letters.
Search the area around the serial number for a date stamp. Not all guitar brands use date stamps, but if you find one, you have your answer.
Look for the brand name decal on the guitar's headstock. Each guitar brand uses a different set of serial numbers, so you need to identify your guitar before you attempt to use the serial number to learn when it was made.
Determine the type of guitar (such as Gibson Les Paul or SG, Fender Stratocaster or Telecaster) if possible. This can help when you are researching serial numbers. This information is often written on the headstock or truss rod cover. An online search of the brand name can help you do this.
National Resonator Guitar Serial Numbers
Visit the manufacturer's website and look for serial number information. Many guitar makers have brand-specific serial number information on their web pages, usually in the 'Support,' 'FAQ,' or 'Info' sections. Sometimes third-party websites also have solid information on guitar serial numbers.
National Steel Guitar Serial Numbers
Email the serial number to the manufacturer and ask for help. Attach a few high-quality pictures of the guitar to the email to assist the manufacturer.