Koa wood is now a wood that can only be collected as drift wood, you cannot cut the trees down anymore. It is usually used for guitar bodies or ukes - it is hard to get planks long enough to make Weissenborn guitars.
Ashbury style 4 electo acoustic
Ashbury: this instrument is most like a copy of a Style 4 Weissenborn in laminated Koa Wood with stringing. It came with hard case and is electro acoustic. Ashbury seem to have made very few of these in Koa, Hobgoblin had only two in stock.
I will keep this guitar because it is very handy to have the in-built electrics.
This is a new guitar that I commissioned by UK maker Thomas Buchanan. It took 7 months to make, was well worth the wait. It is made from solid Koa Wood, it is a very light in weight and very fine quality.
This is a very good players grade slide guitar, my main go to for lap slide, in open D tuning. It is player grade because it has at some point been varnished over the original sun burst finish; including varnishing the original case. This may be able to be removed, back to the old finish. This guitar has gold cover-plate and the tiger stripped back.
This guitar comes with its original Protex hard case, it has the patent Bulls Head clips. This bridge plate is made of cast iron. The name on the head stock states; Oahu Publishing.Co Cleveland. Fully original condition and finish.
National Style 0 from 1930. This guitar would have been manufactured between July and December 1930, the serial number is very low S-1596. I thought it would be interesting to include a previous sale from the USA that I found via searching the serial number on Google.
Listing from 2022, Brooklyn, New York State
This listing is for a Vintage 1930 National Style O Resonator Guitar. This National Style 0 was made in 1930. The serial number is S-1596. The guitar is a 12 fret model with straight F holes and double palm tree etched metal resonator body. The guitar is in quite good shape considering it's age but is in borderline neck reset territory and has fairly high action. The neck shows evidence of being reset before but unfortunately the neck angle is still not ideal and the action or string height is on the high side. Depending on your playing style you may love the guitar how it is with the high action or feel it needs a neck reset. Certainly if you are playing slide and more open tunings you can get by with higher action. The neck also has some visible bow in it which could be corrected during a neck reset, see pics. The guitar appears to be all original and has not been modified other than the marking on the fretboard from the previous neck reset, see pics. The guitar has a good sound and is still fun to play if you can fight through the higher action. The neck is a nice V profile neck and feels very comfortable. The guitar comes with the case pictures which is in poor condition and not original. The metal resonator body has some scratches and wear you'd expect on a 90 year old instrument but overall the guitar is in good shape and is an excellent candidate for a professional restoration. Please look at the pictures and message with questions. I am happy to ship internationally but will not falsify customs documents. Please feel free to message to confirm international shipping rates.
More about this National Style 0 guitar. The guitar has been examined by a luthier in the UK, and the neck has been properly re-set, it was also necessary to do a re-fret, to get the instrument into good playing order.
The necks on these early National guitars are made from Maple and the fretboard is ebonised, not made from solid ebony or rosewood (this did surprise me, but it is correct for the period). This means over the years the fretboard has slightly worn with playing open positioned chords on the first 4 frets. I have decided not to fill or discise this in the restoration, the re-fret will make this guitar very playable for many years to come.
The original case: The guitar came with what was said by the dealer to be its original case. It is a Moc-croc cardboard case with a felt lining. It has an internal Gieb metal label. It is the type of case that was normally supplied by the dealers from the 1930's with National guitars. Many examples have been seen in the States. National did not send their guitars out with their own branded cases. So although the case is correct for the guitar, we will never know if it is the original one supplied with the guitar, but it is very nice to have a contempory case with a vintage guitar.
National Duolian guitar c1937 number A4744.
This guitar is listed in Mark Makin's book, Palmtrees, Senoritas and Rocket Ships published 2012; also Bob Brozman; The history of National guitars published 1998.
This instrument features its original steel body with the classic crystalline “frosted Duco” finish, now beautifully aged with patina, playwear, and oxidisation consistent with an 90 year-old National.
The sunburst finish neck joins the body at the 14th fret, and retains its original V profile which although big, feels comfortable and solid. The original tuners function well, the action is set up to cater to both fingerstyle and slide, making it an inspiring guitar for blues, folk, and period-correct roots music. It has been refretted, as you would expect for 90 years old and has a new nut.
The biscuit bridge resonator cone delivers that unmistakable Duolian punch: dry, loud, punchy and very responsive. Despite its age, the guitar plays cleanly and feels lively, with no structural issues.
A superb opportunity to own a genuine pre-war National, full of character, originality, and the timeless sound that shaped early American music.
The action on this guitar was to high on the treble e string, so my technician had the chance to open it up to see what was going on.
The guitar has the original cone, the bridge seems to be mahogany which may have been changed. The neck and internal stick have never been re set, it is in very solid condition. After a little bit of bridge file work the instrument was put back together, ready for some slide guitar in open G.
This guitar was purchased from Coda Music UK. It takes National guitars 2 to 3 years to complete an order for one of their custom guitars.
This guitar has had a neck re set, when this has been done the instrument should be in very good condition and ready for sale.
My second 3 stringer cigar box arrives, this one has frets but has a slightly higher action for open G slide playing. I always ask for maple neck when having a cigar box instrument made, less movement or warping than oak or sapele. Purchased from Drummond & Hammett
Terry and Philippa have just booked for a one day kora worshop in June. SOAS will be running many world music classes includeing: Balinese Gamelan, Classical Indian singing, Guzheng and much more. Please look at SOAS website
19th March 2023
The hub cap has arrived and been tested. It has a really well finished neck made from maple. It was made for slide only, with a high action. Sounds very good through my Pignose amp.
18th March 2023
Needed a new portable amp for the odd outside demo, so I purchased a Pignose amp. These are battery powered and can be put on a strap. I am going to use it with a cigarbox.
Decided to go for the tweed look,
Hub Cap almost complete. This a 3 stringed guitar, fretless and tuned in open G. it has tone and volume control knobs. Manufactured by Mike Evens UK
This video shows tuning used by Bassekou Kouyate for the small size ngoni.
November 2022
I needed a small solid guitar to gig, so I commissioned this instrument wih small body, volume and two pickups. Realy simple desiegn with unusually 5000 yearold bog oak top. This is a very hard wood that only looks better with age.
Contact us for appointment
Jan 2022
Push Up Player Piano, in good playing condition (now sold)
June 2021
Setting up for a gig at Canary Wharf. What a great day playing on top of a ship right next to Canary Wharf tube station.
This is a c1980's Dobro resonator hat I purchased with quite a bit of players wear. I decided to have some art work painted onto the back of the instrument in fact A Trinidad Sunset. This plays so well that it has turned out to be my best instrument for slide blues. I have put heavey strings 16 guage onto this Dobro instrument.
