National cast aluminium lap steels. - 1930s.
These came in both National and Dobro models, and each had at least five variants. The Nationals are shown below.

All five of these instruments are different, and represent an evolution of the instrument.
With the same scale length as the resonator guitars, they are a easy to play if you are used to a reso.


The first model. With the earliest known amp.
6 string, short fretboard, with no hand rest, no pick-up hight adjustment, no tone control.


7 string, with enlarged hand rest, pick-up hight adjustment,tone control. Volume and tone still in bottom of casting.


6 string, with hand rest, pick-up hight adjustment,tone control. Volume and tone in bottom of casting.


7 string, with hand rest, pick-up hight adjustment,tone control. Volume and tone in center of casting.


6 string, with hand rest, pick-up hight adjustment,tone control. Volume and tone in center of casting


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