Airline Res-o-Glas kit guitar - Frank Meyers Personal Build - Vintage Valco Pickups

These “fiberglas” models began replacing and mixing with regular wooden guitars around 1962 and lasted until about 1967. The most famous being the National Glenwood 99, otherwise known as the “map” guitar. It also had a number of cousin models, the Glenwood 95 & 98, Newport, and Westwood (made of wood).

They were made in Chicago by the Valco company. During the 1950s and 60s Valco produced all kinds of guitar centric products including pickups and amps mostly for other brands. Its two house guitar brands were National and Supro, but also provided instruments for Silvertone, Academy, and Oahu.

In their day, the fiberglass models didn’t sell too well, and as the 80s came around everyone wanted super-strats and neon colors and solid state amps. Guitars like these Airlines could be had on the cheap if you could find them. As with the other Valco guitars, the necks didn’t have truss rods, but the pickups sounded great and the guitars were easy to take apart and repair.

Frank built this guitar from a kit back in 2011/12. Beyond the craftsmanship, the secret sauce are three vintage Valco pickups. Checkout Mike Dugan's video, he puts this one through the paces. 

Read Frank's full article about this build at drowninginguitars.com. 

$100 Shipping. Continental USA Only. No International Sales.

Buyer pays UPS shipping of $100 (and applicable taxes) which is added to the sales price at checkout. Shipping and premium insurance is handled through shipguitars.com.