[musictlk] Self amplifying guitar

[Kerry Elizabeth Thompson]

I just saw something very interesting on Antiques Road Show.

The owner said that in the early '40s, he had seen the guitar in the
window of a pawn shop, and he persuaded his mother to buy it for, he
thought, $25.00. It was a beautiful instrument, with inlay work on the
back, and such. But, something I (in my great lack of knowledge about
guitars *grin*) had never seen before, it had a square, Hawaiian neck.
The expert said that it was a National guitar, manufactured between 1928
and 1934. And, the really interesting thing about it - she called it a
pre-electric or selfamplifying guitar. If she explained how that worked,
I missed it. The concept is intriguing though. She said the guitar was
worth between 6 and 8 thousand dollars. The owner played a little, and
at least to my ear it had a distinctive, very nice sound.

I just wondered if any of our guitarists knew anything about this kind
of guitar and could explain how it could be selfamplifying.

Solidarity and Peace,
Kerry