1. Supro Lap Steel Models
2. Vintage National Guitar Serial Numbers

Dating Valco Instruments

The most effective way to date a Valco guitar or amp is by its serial number. From the ‘40s until 1964, the serial could be found stamped into a small metal plate that was tacked onto the back of the headstock or the back of the cabinet. From 1964-1968, the serial was ink-stamped onto a silver foil sticker that is found in the same place. The following is a key for decoding the serial number, but keep in mind that the numbers are approximate.

Supro Lap Steel Models

The serial # is G33492. Plays and sounds good. Vintage Supro Lap Steel Guitar - built in the 1960's, well-maintained. Though very small numbers slipped out as. National lap steel guitar has a serial number D487. 1-15/16' nut width, screw-on jack cord connector, Supro pickup with black screw-on pickup cover, volume. A lap steel guitar with cool 60’s style, this Supro Supreme features a faded tulip yellow pearloid finish. The clear plastic fingerboard has black backing and stylish geometric markers. It has one Supro pickup with volume and tone controls. This instrument is in very good+ condition.

Just unpacked this little beauty, havin some fun.Didn't even change the strings, they are fuh-hun-ky.Vintage Supro Supreme lap steel, circa 1948. The most effective way to date a Valco guitar or amp is by its serial number. From the ‘40s until 1964, the serial could be found stamped into a small metal plate that was tacked onto the back of the headstock or the back of the cabinet. From 1964-1968, the serial was ink-stamped onto a silver foil sticker that is found in the same place.

'N' prefix: 1935

'S' prefix: 1935-36

'A' prefix: 1936-37*

'B' prefix: 1937-38

'C' prefix: 1938-40*

'G' prefix: 1941-42

'G' suffix: 1943-47

V100-V7500: 1947

V7500-V15000: 1948

V15000-V25000: 1949

V25000-V35000: 1950

V35000-V38000: 1951

X100-X7000: 1951

X7000-X17000: 1952

X17000-X30000: 1953

X30000-X43000: 1954

X43000-X57000: 1955

X57000-X71000: 1956

X71000-X85000: 1957

X85000-X99000: 1958

T100-T5000: 1958

T5000-T25000: 1959

T25000-T50000: 1960

T50000-T75000: 1961

T75000-T90000: 1962

T90000-T99000: 1963

G5000-G15000: 1963

G15000-G40000: 1964

Starting with '1-': 1964-68

Starting with '2-': 1968

*'A' and 'C' prefixes also occur in some pre-1936 serials.

However, some of these plates and many of these stickers have disappeared over time. Often the speaker codes or potentiometer codes can help, assuming that these parts are original and legible. Pot codes can be decodedhere, and speaker codes can be decoded here. For dating pre-Valco acoustic instruments,see this page.

The 1966 Supro guitar and amplifier catalog featured the following guitars. Click on the images for full size versions, or click on the model names below for more about each instrument

Supro Guitars

Supro Arlington
Supro Lexington
Supro Normandy
Supro Stratford
Supro Carlisle
Supro Clermont
Supro Croydon
Supro Colt
Supro 12 String
Supro Vagabond

Supro Bass Guitars

Vintage National Guitar Serial Numbers

Supro Taurus bass
Supro Pocket bass

Steel Guitars

Studio Four
Jet Airliner
Comet

Supro Amplifiers

Supro Statesman
Supro Sportsman
Supro Taurus
Supro Thunderbolt
Galaxy
Combo
Royal Reverb
Big Star
Corsica
Supreme
Trojan
Super Six
Dual-Tone
Bantam

Out Now

2021 Vintage Guitar price guide

Need the value of your guitar? The Official Vintage Guitar Magazine Price Guide 2021 is out now

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