National 'Sears and Roebuck' Duolian, 1931

National-sears-duolian-rust-1932-cons-full-1

Serial Number	352 R, built in 1931 by National for Sears & Roebuck.
Pricing	$1999.99 CAD with newer case SOLD
Neck	Mahogany neck with black-stained maple fingerboard, ivoroid dot markers. 12-fret neck. Ebony nut. Serial number is stamped on the top of the head.
Frets	Older frets with significant wear.
Body	Steel body, pronounced rounding on the top edges. F-holes are stamped through.
Finish	The original paint was stripped off, likely decades ago, and the body has a wonderful ‘rust’ patina.
Hardware/electronics	Replaced period tuners, nickel tailpiece.
Playability/Action	Plays well – action currently set to 7/64ths treble, 8/64ths bass.
Case	Modern hardshell case included.
Comments	National built instruments for Sears and Roebuck only during 1931. These models are distinctive as made for Sears and Roebuck because the coverplate has five vented section instead of nine, and the serial number contains an ‘R’ – stamped on the top of the head. This example is in good working order, and sounds great with a warm bark.