Dire Straits…

1930 National Style O (Round Neck, Single-Cone, 12 Fret, Variant 3)

This all original December 1930, single-cone Style O (variant 3) resonator with a 14 inch wide and just over 3 1/4 inch deep, nickel plated Bell-brass body weighs just 7.20 lbs. This great little resonator features a sand blasted Hawaiian scene on the back, palm trees on the top with two 'f' holes and a solid area on the sides. Solid maple neck with black-to-clear sunburst finish, a nut width of just under 1 7/8 inches and very comfortable medium to thick profile. Slotted peghead with rear-facing three-in-a-line strip tuners with oval ivory buttons. Headstock face with 'shield' shaped gold and black decal with "Trade Mark" in gold and "National" in red (half of decal worn away). Serial number "S2121" stamped on lower edge of body beneath strap-pin. Single bound 'ebonized' maple fretboard with 19 original medium-thin frets (12 clear of the body) and pearl dot position markers. Nickel plated resonator cover with nickel-plated hand rest over a 2 9/16 inch diameter center hole, secured by nine screws. The top of the body just below the neck end is stamped "PAT PEND" and the resonator is stamped "PAT.1808756 / OTHER PAT PEND".  Single 'swirl' design resonator with wooden bridge on circular ebony base. Trapeze style tailpiece with single strap-button screw fixing. The resonator cover is lightly 'pitted', there are a couple of miniscule and hardly noticeable dents on the back of the body and the decal on the face of the headstock is half worn away as previously mentioned, otherwise this is an all original, comfortable to play and great sounding example in (8.75) excellent plus condition … strung with Cleartone Phosphor Bronze Bluegrass 12-56 strings. Housed in a later six-latch black shaped hardshell case with dark blue plush lining (9.00).

The Style O is probably the most famous and widely known instrument in the National range. The classic Dire Straits album, "Brothers In Arms", and the greatest hits release both feature Mark Knopfler's beautiful late 30's 14 fret Style O on the cover. The first five hundred or so Style O's had steel bodies, which did not take the nickel plating very well. After these the bodies became brass which was far more successful. The style O was first introduced in 1930 and went through no less than eight variants before being discontinued in 1941.