We take great pleasure in offering this incredible vintage guitar for sale: a top of the line, 1961 National 'Val-Pro 84', in absolutely stunning condition. Part of National's so-called "map series", (from an audience perspective, the body shape loosely resembles the outline of the continental USA), the Val-Pro models were unlike anything ever seen before, with thinline, semi-hollow bodies constructed from the still relatively new wonder material, fibreglass, (or "Res-O-Glas" as National branded it).
Construction
Comprising two fibreglass body shells, joined around the edge by a flexible silicon gasket, plus several back-mounted screws sunk into solid Maple blocks inside the body, the guitar models 82, 84 and 88, and the model 85 bass, all have their pickups, bridge and tailpiece mounted directly to a Maple centre block that runs the full-length of the body.
Snow White
The body moulds were sprayed with the chosen paint color immediately before the fiberglass and resin process, forming a permanently infused finish. Curiously, the original Val-Pro color is referred to as 'Snow White' in the catalogues, and 'Arctic White' in National's price list. All irrelevant, as the color has aged to a beautiful, creamy "vintage white", imparting an instant retro vibe to an instrument that otherwise looks almost brand new!
Pickups & Controls
The Val-Pro 84 features a big-sounding, oversize single-coil neck pickup, (9.5ohm resistance), coupled with an acoustic piezo unit mounted in the clear perspex bridge, (see pic # 5). The 3-way selector switch providing "…full lead tone, regular rhythm tone, or bright sparkling string sound", courtesy of the "Two outstanding (pickup) systems – VISTA-POWER and SILVER-SOUND string tone – for a new experience in guitar sound reproduction." (From the 1961 National catalogue) Along with the 3-way switching, there is also a master volume control and three separate controls for neck pickup tone; volume control for both pickups combined; volume control for the piezo bridge unit. (Note: These were early days for piezo pickups, and effective pre-amps had yet to be designed for them, so the piezo on its own has a significantly lower output, which is at its best in the studio environment) Click the LISTEN button and hear just some of the many moods this brilliant 53 year old is capable of delivering.
Top-flight features
Top-flight features across the rest of this magnificent instrument include 'tulip button' Kluson Deluxe tuners; a fast and comfortable 24¾" scale PRO-TRUE neck, with radiused Brazilian Rosewood board; 20 medium nickel frets, (plus zero fret); MOP "fan" inlays; bound neck and headstock; tilt-adjustable neck and more.
Art deco trim
The Val-Pro's vivacious good looks are capped beautifully by the stenciled art deco trim on both the pickup cover and tailpiece, along with the Perspex bridge and elevated pickguard. (The white background, the deco striping and prestigious National badge are all applied from the back of the Perspex, so will never be marred by playwear)
Big Val-Pro fans
Released in time for Christmas 1961, the Val-Pro models kept their lines through 1962 and into '63, before undergoing slight layout changes and reappearing as the Newport, so, as it stands here, the marque enjoyed quite a limited production run. Two big Val-Pro fans are Robert Smith of the Cure and Dom Turner of the Backsliders, and now you too can luxuriate in everything these outstanding instruments have to offer.
Original case
Your 1961 National Val-Pro 84 ships in its original black and gray hard shell case. (Not the cheaper, shaped case, which was also available – this is the proper, rectangular, National wooden case)
As we stated at the top – WOW!
NOTE: Immediately after purchasing the guitar, the original owner added a Bigsby, retaining the tailpiece for 50 years! There is some slight evidence of a lighter white touch-up paint in the former Bigsby location, though this is largely hidden by the now re-installed original tailpiece.
Just Guitars
