Brand: National String Instrument Corporation
Instrument Categories: Electric, Guitars, SOLD, Solidbody, Steel
From the early 1930s until the rise of Rock ‘n Roll, steel guitars like this National Model 1008 Console 8 were very popular, and for novice players, often their first instrument.
In fact, the very first production electric guitars were Electric Hawaiian steel models, and the first of those was almost certainly the 1932 Ro-Pat-In Steel. Ro-Pat-In quickly improved their name to ‘Rickenbacher’ and soon also introduced the very rare 1935 ‘Ken Roberts’ guitar, arguably the first production Electric Spanish style guitar. Rickenbacker at this time was also building metal parts for both National and DoBro.
National soon merged with Dobro, and later with Valco, and sold many electric steel instruments and amplifiers until they folded in 1968 in the face of low cost imports.
Many of these instruments were sold under a variety of brand names, and that’s the case with this National Model 1008 Console 8. In a black and white finish, it was also sold as a Kay model.
For those who would like to explore the lap steel but don’t know how to tune them, Peterson offers a guide at this page. Peterson makes top quality strobe tuners in a variety of formats, from professional grade benchtop models to virtual strobe stomp boxes, clip on and and phone apps.
Here we’re looking at a National Model 1008 Console 8 complete with the original case and correct, but non original legs. The bridge cover is long gone. This very cool 8-string steel was also sold as a Kay model, with the key difference being it had a two-tone black/white finish and Kay branding on the bridge cover. The finish is in good condition, and the National ‘Stick Pin’ crest is intact, and the controls work properly. The case is original with some wear and delamination of the end covers.
- Model: Model 1008 Console 8
- Year: 1961
- Finish Gloss White
- Class: Vintage
- Serial Number: T57219, built 1961 by Valco in Chicago
- Country of Origin: USA
- Condition: Good
- Date Posted: 14/04/2020
- This instrument has been sold
- Consignment Item
- Including original Hard case
- Instrument Weight: 6.82lbs 3.1kg
- Scale Length: 23in 584mm
- Nut Width: 2.26in 57.3mm
