April part III

National Treasures & New Arrivals: A Vintage Vibe Update from Oscar Guitars

Welcome back, guitar lovers!

If you’re already part of the Oscar Guitars family—thank you for being here. But just in case someone out there hasn’t received the official invite: consider this it.

We're Oscar Guitars. World famous (yep, that’s us) and home to over 500 vintage and used guitars, carefully curated and added to daily. Whether you're into clean vintage, road-worn character, rare finds, or hidden gems—you’ll find your next favorite instrument right here.
You can visit us in person or browse our full inventory online. Either way: you’re welcome.

What’s New This Week?

We’re excited to unveil 19 fresh arrivals—and this drop comes with a twist.

Completely by chance, a group of vintage National guitars from various decades showed up on our doorstep all at once. It felt like fate. So, we embraced the moment and built a special feature around these funky, rare, and historic pieces.

If you love a good story behind your sound, this one’s for you.

A Brief History of National Guitars

National Guitars was born in 1927 in Los Angeles, founded by John Dopyera and George Beauchamp. These were the minds behind the resonator guitar—designed to be louder, tougher, and more expressive, especially for blues and slide players.

As the decades passed, National evolved through partnerships and ownership changes, merging with Dobro, collaborating with Gibson, and eventually becoming part of Valco, the company that also brought us Supro, Airline, and more.

In the '60s, National production shifted to Japan, and in 1989, the brand was reborn as National Reso-Phonic Guitars in California—still making world-class resonators today.

Featured Guitars in This Week’s Drop

National Style N (1932)
A rare model built with German silver, a solid ebony fingerboard, and pearloid headstock—distinguishing it from the more common Style O. This is one of those "if you know, you know" pieces.

National Model 1111 Aristocrat (1948)
A unique hybrid born from a short-lived Gibson-National collaboration. ES-300 wood bodies, National/Valco necks—true collector gold.

Supro Ozark (1958)
Solid-body magic and famously known as Jimi Hendrix’s first electric guitar. Simple, soulful, and surprisingly powerful.

National EB-3 Bass (1970s)
Not a resonator, but still a cool nameplate with that unmistakable vintage Japanese flair. A different kind of National story, but worth telling.

Did You Know?

Gibson and National's collaboration was born under the umbrella of the Chicago Musical Instrument Company (CMI), which controlled both brands after 1944. Gibson-built National guitars are now considered some of the rarest and most fascinating cross-brand creations ever made. Neck and body construction mirrored Gibson standards, but with distinctive National features and finishing touches.

These guitars were never mass-produced in big numbers, which makes them an absolute dream for collectors and enthusiasts alike.

Come See for Yourself

Whether you’re hunting for your dream resonator, geeking out over vintage brands, or just want to spend a little quality time with some truly iconic instruments—come visit us. Or check the new arrivals [online here] (link in the comments if you're reading this on social).

Thanks for sharing the guitar love with us, and from all of us at OG:

Glad Påsk!

/ The Oscar Guitars Crew