1948 National by Valco Model 1260 Brown

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I bought this time-capsule National Model 1260 from Larry Cragg, the widely known and well-liked guitar tech hailing from Marin County, CA, who I am happy to call a friend.  

For years, Larry ran a business he called Vintage Instrument Rental, a side hustle of his that built up over the years he was working with Neil Young.  He bought this amp somewhere out on the road with the band and added it to his rental pool that was the go-to stockpile for recording artists for years.  When record label budgets for gear dried up, Larry began selling off the guitars, then the amps.  The stash is now mostly gone, but when I visit Larry and other friends in the North Bay I sometimes get lucky.  

Larry dropped this one on me with a disclaimer - he couldn't remember ever turning it on.  He had rented it to a client that was making a film and needed a period correct guitar amp for a scene.  I got the impression that this was decades ago.  When they shipped it back, they left the tubes installed.  One of them broke.  When it arrived back at Larry's, off to storage it went.

I personally tackled the restoration of the circuit, replacing every cap in the amp.  It was a bit of an endeavor.  I had to order some that I didn't have in stock, so it took me a while to get it all together.  I hadn't looked at the speaker, and when I fired it up for the first time I found that the cone had partially disintegrated, so I sent the speaker off to Speaker Repair Pros and patiently waited for its return. 
 
The wait was worth it.  This amp sounds way better than I had hoped.  It is big and punchy with smooth, natural overdrive.  The microphone input really gets the saturation going.  It is a joy to play through.  

I changed the power cable out, replaced a couple tubes, and with the work on the caps it is running quite well.  The pots were a little finicky, and they're sealed so they can't really be cleaned.  Ultimately, they'll need to be replaced, but they work well now.  When they sit for a bit they need a little exercising to erase a some scratchy spots.

There are a couple of these amps out there for sale.  This is by far the cleanest example I can find.  It is pretty remarkable to see an amp that is working towards 80 years of age in this condition.  I certainly didn't expect it to sound this good!

I have to emphasize that this amp is sold as-is.  If it arrives with shipping damage, of course I'll take care of that, but being 76 years old, I cannot guarantee if for any period.  It does seem to me that it is set to work indefinitely, but I'm sure you get what I'm saying...

Case/Cover?: No
Color: Brown
Dimensions: W17-5/8" x H20-1/2" x D9-1/4"
Weight: 32 lbs
Watts: 20 Watts 
Date: 1958
Where is Date Noted?: Codes
Speaker 1 Brand: Jensen
Speaker 1 Size: 12"
Speaker Code: See Pics
Speaker 1 Cone: Reconed 10/24
Power Transformer Brand/Codes: See Pics
Choke Transformer Brand/Codes: See Pics
Output Transformer Brand/Codes: See Pics
Extension Speaker Out? No
Reverb or other effects?: No
Rectifier Tube: 5Y3
Rectifier Tube Brand: JJ
Power Tubes: 2 x 6L6
Power Tube Brand: Fender
Preamp Tubes: 2 x 6SJ7, 6SN7
Preamp Tube Brand: GE, RCA, RCA
Filter Caps: Replaced
Pedal: No
Pots/Codes: Original
Tolex/Tweed: Original
Grille: Original
Knobs: Original
Handle: Original
Power Cord: Upgrade 3 Prong
Notes: 

Shipping policy:
Shipments will require signature on delivery, no exceptions.  If there is damage, the buyer must retain all packing materials intact and picture them immediately and send them to sales@maharsvintageguitars.com.  Less than 1% of our shipments are damaged in transit, and we are committed to making sure your item arrives safely, but we are taking these additional measures to make sure you are happy with your purchase.