1957 National Dynamic Electrified Archtop Guitar

Tone: It's got a P90 in the neck position and it's a hollowbody electric with a Gibson-length scale -- this is pure ES-125 territory -- thick and kerr-runchy and with a nice, round, snap and cut to the high-end. For lead and fill work, it'll give you a rockabilly or early-electric-jazz vibe depending on how you're picking it. For rhythm work it'll do the same, but shines as a chord-chomp backup guitar because of it. P90s sort-of slur their sound in just the right way on this kind of guitar.

Feel: The neck has bigger front-to-back depth with a soft-V rear profile. It's sort-of like a very exaggerated '50s Martin feel. The nut is narrower at 1 5/8" and the board a little curvier, though. The body is a pretty typical archtop shape but with slightly-deeper sides (3 3/4" vs 3 1/2" for most brands).

Interesting features: It has a Kay-made body that National bought from the company and to which they've fit their bolted-on/fully-heel-adjustable "Stylist" neck, preferred hardware, and bridge. The neck has a big bar of magnesium inside it and the headstock and wood is sort-of "wrapped" around this core. It has a Brazilian rosewood fretboard and bridge and tons of finish wear and tear that gives it a rough and ready look. It didn't start-out as an electric guitar, but some years ago my friend Steve had me fit the P90 and wiring harness and set it up as a 3-course electric mandocello. He recently brought it back in during an instrument purge and Jose has since modded it back into a guitar.

Repairs included: Previously, I leveled/dressed the frets, fit the pickup and wiring harness, and set it up (including fitting a new top saddle/bridge upper). Just recently, Jose went through it again and re-converted it back into a guitar setup, recompensated the bridge for 3-wound, 3-plain stringing, and set it all up.

• Maker: National neck/hardware, Kay body
• Model: Dynamic
• Body style: hollowbody archtop
• Weight: 5 lbs 10 oz
• Scale length: 24 5/8"
• Nut width: 1 5/8"
• Neck shape: big soft V
• Board radius: 12"
• Body width: 15 1/4"
• Body depth: 3 3/4"
• Body wood: ply maple
• Bridge: adjustable rosewood
• Fretboard: rosewood
• Neck wood: maple or poplar
• Pickups: 1x non-original, Alnico-pole P90 single coil
• Action height at 12th fret: 1/16” overall (fast, spot-on)
• String gauges: 46w-10
• Truss rod: non-adjustable
• Neck relief: straight
• Fret style: lower/smaller

Condition notes: The tuners (vintage, though), nut, and bridge saddle/top are unoriginal. The pickup, wiring harness, and knobs are also unoriginal. The finish has flaking all over it but it's a charming look. The pickup is actually set on some foam so it's height-adjustable to some extent. It does "hover" over the top a little, though, so you can see the casing of the pickup under the edges of the dogear cover when you peek at it from the side.

It comes with: Sorry, no case.

Consignor tag: SSC