1950 National Model 1050 Grand Console

National have long been revered as some of the finest instruments made both pre-war and post-war in the US, with their resonators, flat tops and lapsteels synonymous with the Americana styling of that Mid-Century period. 1950 National Model 1050 Grand Console double eight-string lap steel was built by Valco in the postwar period as part of the Dynamic series. It features a twin-body design with two eight-string necks finished in cream lacquer. Each neck is fitted with a back-painted Lucite fingerboard marked with coloured art deco style position markers.

The instrument uses standard Valco pickups mounted under clear plastic handrests, controlled by a central metal panel with individual volume and tone knobs and a three-way selector switch for neck selection. The tone control features settings for 'Brilliant,' 'Mellow' and 'Bass' rather than a more traditional tone pot. The headstocks are fitted with cream plastic covers and Kluson tuners enclosed in stamped National-branded casings. This model reflects the distinctive styling and construction approaches used by Valco during the late 1940s and early 1950s.

This lapsteel has been given a full service by our luthiers at the Vintage Instrument Workshop, and includes a 2 year warranty. The electronics and hardware are original and in very good condition, and this console includes the original case and legs.