Eventually, White wanted the guitar to shine like new, so in 1972 he had it re-plated to the chrome finish seen here. If you have a vintage National Duolian guitar for sale, please contact me at.

This single-cone, brass-body Duolian has been a favorite with blues legends since its first appearance in 1931. See the National Serial Number Info web page for help determining the exact year. The legendary Duolian is back, better than ever. It is also well known that they NEVER play well with jacked up action and bowed necks. If you need to figure out the exact year of your National Duolian guitar, use the serial number. It is widely known that Duolians are highly sought after vintage guitars. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for K. Hard Rock originally left the National factory in Frosted Duco, a unique and delicate crystalline finish that flaked off during decades of White’s intensely physical playing. A great sounding guitar, just not very fancy. It featured a thin-gauge steel body, a 12th-fret neck junction, and rolled f-holes. Designed for any old or new Duolian with a 9 1/2-inch resonator. Key Features: - Hand-spun from special, aircraft-grade aluminum. Genuine Quarterman quality assures you of the best tone and volume in your guitar. Hey, fellow guitarist! is here to support you with fantastic articles (like this one.) If you like what we do, please give $1 (or whatever you can afford) in support of our work.įrom the May/June 2020 issue of Acoustic Guitar | By Greg Olwellįrom his first records for Victor in 1930, Bukka White-who preferred to be called Booker-played a vigorous style of blues in open tunings that used driving, rhythmic bass lines a metal slide and percussive effects, like smacking the strings to the fingerboard with his right hand.įor much of his career, White played this 1933 National Duolian, serial number C7094, which he called “Hard Rock.” At a price of $32.50 ($639.14 in today’s money) when new, the single-cone Duolian was National’s bottom-end model. A hand-spun aluminum cone will retro-fit the earliest original Duolian guitars of the 1920s.

National duolian guitar