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Vintage 1954 National Model 1122 "Cosmopolitan" Solid Body Electric Guitar
Estimated price for orientation: 1 499 $
Category: Electric Guitar
Class:
Description
Up for auction is this wild looking 1954 National solid body electric guitar. It's the "1122" or "cosmopolitan" model. This is the first line of electric solid body guitars ever produced by National, starting in the 1950s. It has a small compact body, with all of the electronics mounted to a plastic chamber that is secured to the body. The original pickup is a bit hotter than most vintage pickups I've played from the era - it has a beautiful clear tone when played clean and screams when you crank it up. The stunning sunburst completes this strange but overall striking look. I believe the tuners and tailpiece are replacements. There is overall wear and checking, as expected on a guitar that has survived since the 50s. The L is missing from the end of "National" on the headstock. The main cosmetic blemish worth noting is some checking on the back of the headstock - which is either the paint checking along a join line in the wood or evidence of a minor repair. Whatever the cause of this, I've had it inspected by a guitar tech and they confirmed the neck is rock solid and stable. The action is low - it can go lower, but then the strings start to buzz on the high frets. I believe these necks are adjustable, but require someone with the knowledge of adjusting these types of guitars. I am fairly certain these guitars started out with guitar cables attached to their electronic chambers rather than a regular guitar input jack. This guitar has been modified to accept regular guitar cables - I do not know if any of the other electronics were changed in process - either way, it's not playable in any regular amp.Over all this guitar is a nice clean and playable example of the National Cosmopolitan. There aren't a lot of these out there - don't let this one pass you by!New York buyers must pay New York sales tax. Any buyers outside the country must use eBay's Global Shipping Program - I cannot offer you a better price. If you are interested in having your purchase insured with the shipping provider, please contact me before making your payment. If you do not, I will ship the item to you uninsured at the cheapest possible rate for you. If you have any questions, please contact me. Happy bidding!
Description
Up for auction is this wild looking 1954 National solid body electric guitar. It's the "1122" or "cosmopolitan" model. This is the first line of electric solid body guitars ever produced by National, starting in the 1950s. It has a small compact body, with all of the electronics mounted to a plastic chamber that is secured to the body. The original pickup is a bit hotter than most vintage pickups I've played from the era - it has a beautiful clear tone when played clean and screams when you crank it up. The stunning sunburst completes this strange but overall striking look. I believe the tuners and tailpiece are replacements. There is overall wear and checking, as expected on a guitar that has survived since the 50s. The L is missing from the end of "National" on the headstock. The main cosmetic blemish worth noting is some checking on the back of the headstock - which is either the paint checking along a join line in the wood or evidence of a minor repair. Whatever the cause of this, I've had it inspected by a guitar tech and they confirmed the neck is rock solid and stable. The action is low - it can go lower, but then the strings start to buzz on the high frets. I believe these necks are adjustable, but require someone with the knowledge of adjusting these types of guitars. I am fairly certain these guitars started out with guitar cables attached to their electronic chambers rather than a regular guitar input jack. This guitar has been modified to accept regular guitar cables - I do not know if any of the other electronics were changed in process - either way, it's not playable in any regular amp.Over all this guitar is a nice clean and playable example of the National Cosmopolitan. There aren't a lot of these out there - don't let this one pass you by!New York buyers must pay New York sales tax. Any buyers outside the country must use eBay's Global Shipping Program - I cannot offer you a better price. If you are interested in having your purchase insured with the shipping provider, please contact me before making your payment. If you do not, I will ship the item to you uninsured at the cheapest possible rate for you. If you have any questions, please contact me. Happy bidding!