Description
This is a solid body, single cutaway, Supro tenor guitar, made by National/Valco circa 1955. This guitar features a green finish, with a black neck and headstock; a fixed, rosewood bridge; one metal covered, single coil pickup where the strings pass between the pickup and the cover; a black plate on which the bridge, pickup, tone controls, input and tailpiece are mounted; a black plastic pickguard; a slim fretboard across, on a thick, strong neck; and two metal strap pins. The tenor guitar has four strings and it is slightly smaller than a standard six-string. The first tenors were acoustic and created so that four-string tenor banjo players could easily switch to playing guitar without having to learn another instrument. Six-string guitars were starting to replace tenor banjos in jazz bands in the 1920’s and 1930’s. Those banjo players took on playing the tenor guitar to acheive the sound that the music required. Tenor guitars, since then, have fallen out of popularity and have become increasingly rare; however, apparently, there is a renewed interest in the the tenor guitar amongst guitar aficionados and players such as Elvis Costello, Neko Case and Ani DiFranco, amongst others, seeking fresh yet historic sounds. Don’t let this rare instrument slip through your fingers.Description from VintageSilvertones.com
CONDITION:
100% original, this guitar is in good condition. There are about five spots of wear to the finish on the front and more wear on the back, particularly on the edges. There is also wear to the finish on the sides.
TUNERS:
The closed back, 2×2, metal, Kluson Deluxe tuners, painted black with white, plastic, deluxe, shield shaped tips are in very good working order.Description from VintageSilvertones.com
NECK:
The bolt-on, straight, neck that widens dramatically on the body, with dot inlays on a rosewood fretboard, 17 frets, and 21.75″ scale is in good shape. The frets are in very good condition with no wear. The neck is clean and the action is fast. The Supro-style headstock, featuring a wooden string tree, has minor paint wear on the very top.
PICKUPS:
There is one metal covered, single-coil pickup, with adjustable pole pieces on a black metal plate, that also acts as a tailpiece, on which the bridge, the controls and the input jack are located. The pickup is strong, bright and clear with a twangy, bell-like quality. There are two knurled, metal knobs with white, plastic tops: one for volume and the other for tone. All the electronics are in proper working order. Description from VintageSilvertones.com
The Dimensions are:
Overall length: 35″Description from VintageSilvertones.com
Body width: 12″
Body thickness: 1.5″ with neck 1 5/8″Description from VintageSilvertones.com
Scale: 21.75″ approx.Description from VintageSilvertones.com
Width of the nut: 1.25″ (depth 7/8″ approx)
String height at 12th fret: 1/16″Description from VintageSilvertones.com
