National Silvo electric 8-string #C1575, 1938. $2,250.
The Silvo was the third and last model of electric mandolin offered by National
Res-O-Phonic in the 1930s. It consists of a nickel-plated Style 1 mandolin
body, minus the resonator cone and bearing instead the "Silvo" attachment—a
Bakelite plate mounted with a primitive-but-effective single-coil pickup,
accompanied by tone and volume controls and finished off with a terrific
Art Deco design. You can also find Silvo plates on lap steels and tenor
guitars; a Silvo mandolin comes around maybe
once or twice a year, in my experience.
They were made for only three years, 1937 through 1939.
This 1938 example (serial #C1575) would make a great player's mandolin. It has neck wear, some finish wear, some oxidation, a replacement tailpiece, and a replacement pickguard. Original screw-on Switchcraft jack, pickup and controls. (The tone control is wired backward to modern convention, as was common in the 1930s). Despite the wear, this Silvo plays quite well for a vintage National; the neck is straight and the action is low to medium. Period hardshell case and Switchcraft cable included.
As to how it sounds, the Silvo is not an instrument of great erudition. It does respond sweetly to a light touch, but if you dig in, it’s rawboned and plaintive, and sounds best with both knobs cranked as far as they’ll go. It might not be the ideal choice for your Italian restaurant gig, but do consider it if you need a mandolin whose sound will stand up to gin-soaked, gutbucket, play-it-like-you-mean-it, in-your-face blues, rockabilly, alt-country, Western swing, rock’n’roll, cowpunk, Celtic punk, Americana, or eclectic music. With its 15-inch scale, the Silvo lends itself well to "Yank Rachell tuning," i.e., dropping the pitch to EBF#C# rather than GDAE, which is fantastic for playing blues in sharp keys like E, A, and B.
I would gladly consider a trade for a vintage National "New Yorker" wood-bodied electric mandolin. Barring that, the only thing standing between you and one of the coolest mandolins ever made is a reasonable amount of cash. See more photos, call 425/772-0231, or for more information. 48-hour approval period. $2,250 plus shipping.
This 1938 example (serial #C1575) would make a great player's mandolin. It has neck wear, some finish wear, some oxidation, a replacement tailpiece, and a replacement pickguard. Original screw-on Switchcraft jack, pickup and controls. (The tone control is wired backward to modern convention, as was common in the 1930s). Despite the wear, this Silvo plays quite well for a vintage National; the neck is straight and the action is low to medium. Period hardshell case and Switchcraft cable included.
As to how it sounds, the Silvo is not an instrument of great erudition. It does respond sweetly to a light touch, but if you dig in, it’s rawboned and plaintive, and sounds best with both knobs cranked as far as they’ll go. It might not be the ideal choice for your Italian restaurant gig, but do consider it if you need a mandolin whose sound will stand up to gin-soaked, gutbucket, play-it-like-you-mean-it, in-your-face blues, rockabilly, alt-country, Western swing, rock’n’roll, cowpunk, Celtic punk, Americana, or eclectic music. With its 15-inch scale, the Silvo lends itself well to "Yank Rachell tuning," i.e., dropping the pitch to EBF#C# rather than GDAE, which is fantastic for playing blues in sharp keys like E, A, and B.
I would gladly consider a trade for a vintage National "New Yorker" wood-bodied electric mandolin. Barring that, the only thing standing between you and one of the coolest mandolins ever made is a reasonable amount of cash. See more photos, call 425/772-0231, or for more information. 48-hour approval period. $2,250 plus shipping.